Extracellular Matrix (ECM) can do a lot of things. But did you know this revolutionary technology can be a career saver?
In 2010, an article by the Daily Mail—England’s leading news outlet—was the new talk of the town. And here’s why.
Well, doctors in Afghanistan were using ECM (pixie dust) to avoid amputations of potential soldier arms! Impressive, right?
And the good news is that pixie dust was just as good at growing large slabs of flesh to replace areas of skin blasted away by gunfire as it was for human bladder transplants. But why was this magic dust so popular in muscle gain? Well, it delivers wounds a whole load of other molecules that are necessary macromolecules needed for the healing process.
What’s more?
These ECM products not only served our veteran friends with formation of scar tissues but also for the growth of hairs which were lost in the process.
Read on to know how this revolutionary product is made and why you should include it in your list of products to try!
How ECM Works in Wound Healing
My young high school self could never imagine that pigs would not only be the source of my favorite dish but also produce ECM. This fast-rising medical wonder, often fashioned from piggy bladders, enables the creation of awesome products like ACell’s MatriStem UBM.
Advanced ECM products such as MatriStem UBM help you heal by removing dead cells and controlling inflammation. But the process is more complex than you’d imagine. In fact, ECM plays several roles throughout the different stages of wound healing. For instance:
- It helps release growth factors and cytokines to enable healing.
- It plays a role in clotting and coagulation.
- It protects the wounds from losing proteins and fluid essential in recovery.
- It removes pus from the wound to improve homeostasis (your body’s built-in reaction to injuries that helps repair damage and stop bleeding).
- It helps tissues return to their usual shapes after deforming temporarily (this helps in tissue repair).
- It speeds up scar tissue formation by increasing extracellular collagen as fibroblasts (connective tissue cells that produce collagen) lower their production.
It speeds up scar tissue formation by increasing extracellular collagen as fibroblasts (connective tissue cells that produce collagen) lower their production.
The Healing Process
What makes ECM a great asset in wound repair is the fact that it is known to have multiple functions. This product immensely improves your chances of healing in two major ways:
- Directly: ECM affects how cells behave. It plays a role in all of the cell operations such as migration, adhesion and survival essential in wound repairing. For instance the ECM participates in cell migration through directing epithelial cells towards the wound to heal it.
- Indirectly: It regulates the release of such molecules important in the healing process of injuries including proteases as well as growth factors. It is so crucial for these elements to remain in harmony. It also recommended that if it does not happen then, it will be difficult to have a smooth recovery. For instance, too much protease disrupts the natural process of the breakdown of damaged tissue and rebuilding of the same. When you introduce ECM, protease is released in the right measures in the body. In return, protease breaks up foreign matter such as dirt and dead proteins to allow healthy tissues to grow and cover the wounds.
ECM binds the surrounding tissues to the affected area and imitates their structure and organization. For example, Corporal Isais Hernandez (one of the first soldiers in which ECM wound healing was tried on) recalled how it was not only making muscles but also nerves.
He could almost feel a ‘tingling as the new tissue grew’.
Put in simpler terms, here’s how ECM works:
- ECM powder is applied by the doctor over the wound.
- Mobile stem cells slow down when they reach the matrix.
- The stem cells transform or become specialized and take the closest role to the body organ.
If the circulating stem cells come across the matrix close to a nerve then the cells develop into a nerve. And if it’s a blood vessel, the cells turn into a blood vessel. Perhaps even more astonishing is the fact that these circulating cells can be prompted by ECM to actually form bones! It’s little wonder that the soldiers were calling this stuff pixie dust.
It’s just the same as a lizard can regrow its tail. Or how you developed your organs in your mother’s womb. What ECM does is trick your body into repeating the process.
Benefits of ECM for Physical Trauma
Can you imagine powdered pig bladders saving your leg from amputation? If that doesn’t sound like the greatest game-changer in wound treatment, I don’t know what is.
Not only does ECM help you repair serious wounds, but it also spikes the healing process. Corporal Henderndez regained 25% of his leg strength in just a week after an operation that involved an ECM application.
Before that, the veteran only had a measly 10% strength, the main reason his doctors wanted to amputate. Combined with constant pain, he thought his leg was useless. And the need to crawl upstairs or use the elevator wasn’t helping either.
In the next few weeks after starting his ECM treatments, Henernez’s leg quickly gained 35% of its strength. Now, he could walk as far as he liked. Now he could hop on his mountain bike, something he was dying to do for a painful two years.
Additionally, products like ACell aren’t only helping victims recover faster but also making scars less noticeable. Looking to tan at the beach without getting a ton of unwelcome double-takes? ACell can help you significantly “simmer down” huge scars so you can continue flaunting your body.
And, this is also a huge psychological boost since it significantly reduces stress and boosts your self-esteem because it reduces the noticeable scars.
ACell and Hair Transplantation: A Revolutionary Approach
Like I noted earlier, ECM isn’t just great at healing wounds, but it also extends its magic to hair restoration. That’s why ACell treatments were an instant combo addition to our Advanced FUE hair transplant (CIT®) patients ever since this revolutionary remedy received FDA approval.
ACell’s Role in Regeneration
As with a leg wound, the idea of combining CIT® with an ACell treatment is the same. ACell attracts stem cells to the wounds in the donor region. And these stem cells differentiate to form cells specialized for the wounded areas, in this case hair follicles.
As such, ACell won’t just help you heal faster and reduce scars after a CIT procedure. You may also be able to activate dormant hair follicles and grow new ones in donor and recipient regions. And that means better coverage and more successful cosmetic results.
ACell and PRP: A Potent Combination for Hair Growth
Now that ACell activates stem cells, the hope is to improve the procedure’s success rate by introducing these cells during hair regeneration therapy. That’s where PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma), which are your own stem cells, comes in.
And unlike solo PRP that typically requires application monthly or bi-monthly, PRP + ACell only needs one or two applications yearly!
Better yet, our specialized treatments help you recover even faster and achieve better longer-term growth after CIT®.
Good News
Dr. John P. Cole, MD conducted intensive research to determine whether ACell can help in cloning hair and improving hypopigmentation, a potential concern following FUE procedures. The good news is that Dr. Cole was able to prove that ACell can help in both instances.
Conclusion
From growing back fingertips to restoring legs under threat of amputation, ECM is taking wound healing to unfathomable heights. Its abilities extend beyond war field clinics to revolutionize other areas, like hair transplantation.
Troubled with scalp thinning?
Schedule a free online ForHair consultation to see whether you can take advantage of ACell’s benefits. If it isn’t right for you, we’ll assess your issue and get you the best treatment ASAP!
