Topical verapamil as a scar modulator.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Skin injuries and the consequent loss of tissue integrity triggers a sequence of cellular and biochemical events that lead to a healed wound. Any failure during this rather sophisticated process may result in pathological scarring.

METHODS:

To evaluate the efficacy of topical verapamil as a modulator of the healing process, a group of five observers (plastic surgeon, dermatologist, physiotherapist, biologist, and layman) analyzed pictures of 120 patients 3 months after abdominoplasty (60 patients) and mammoplasty (60 patients). Half of each group of patients used the topical verapamil scar modulator. Pictures were rated using the Stony Brook Scale.

RESULTS:

According to the classification established by us, the scars in patients who used topical verapamil scar modulator showed better results than those who did not (p < 0.05). Patients treated with verapamil presented good-quality scarring (80 % of mammoplasty scars and 75.2 % abdominoplasty scars), while patients who did not use healing modulators showed 48 and 51.2 % satisfaction for mammoplasty and abdominoplasty scars, respectively. No adverse reactions were observed or reported after the use of topical verapamil.

CONCLUSIONS:

This is the first clinical trial that reports the use of topical verapamil as a modulator in the healing process in the postoperative period. Based on clinical results and on the high level of reliability and statistical significance, we concluded that verapamil at a concentration of 50 µM is an excellent choice as a scar modulator; its use avoids the development of keloids and hypertrophic scars after plastic surgery.

• Authors: Ricardo Frota Boggio, Leonardo Frota Boggio, Bruno Luiz Galvão, Glaucia Maria Machado-Santelli
• Journal: Aesthetic plastic surgery (Aesthetic Plast Surg) Vol. 38 Issue 5 Pg. 968-75 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1432-5241 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25189298 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Calcium Channel Blockers
• Verapamil

Topics

• Abdominoplasty
• Administration, Topical
• Adult
• Aged
• Calcium Channel Blockers (administration & dosage)
• Cicatrix, Hypertrophic (prevention & control)
• Humans
• Keloid (prevention & control)
• Mammaplasty
• Middle Aged
• Verapamil (administration & dosage)
• Wound Healing (drug effects)