What is a Cicatrizant?

Cicatrizant (often also spelled cicatrisant) is a word you'll want to be familiar with when buying skincare or developing an effective skincare routine.

Despite the difference in spelling, the words are the same and refer to the healing agents found in plant oils and topical medical creams that speed of the healing of skin and the formation of scars (cicatrix) for wound closure; repairing tissue, reducing the appearance of the scar (or damaged skin) as it heals, and forming a layer or film barrier to protect the site from infection.

The term cicatrizant is derived from the Latin word cicatrix, which means "scar".

                       What it does

 If you've ever wondered how some skincare products are able to smooth your complexion, fade your dark spots and scars, and soothe skin damage, the answer often lies in cicatrizants.

Cicatrizants are agents that speed up tissue repair, thereby accelerating the healing process.

Cicatrizants:

• act as antiseptics
• act as analgesics
• form a protective film that aids in wound closure of burns and cuts, and assists the body in producing a scar (cicatrix) to heal damaged skin, stimulating fibroblasts to mend wounds
• acts as a protective barrier against infection

 

 Botanical (Natural) Cicatrizants

Common cicatrizants for skincare come from plants such as Boswellia carteri and minerals like zinc and titanium oxides.

• Tamanu 
• Helichrysum
• Frankincense 
• Lavender
• Geranium 
• Carrot Seed 
• Sea Buckthorn 
• Myrrh
• Rosehip Seed
• Castor
• Aloe vera
• Onion extract
• Croton lechleri, an Amazonian tree resin and a species of Dragon's Blood, that forms an antiseptic bandage over the skin while stimulating tissue repair and collagen. 

 

Cicatrizants Commonly Used in Medical Applications

Medical cicatrizants are pharmaceutical agents or substances applied topically to the skin. These include:

• Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium hyaluronate)
• Collagenase
• Dexpanthenol (Provitamin B5)
• Silicone gel
• Trolamine (Triethanolamine)
• Becaplermin (Regranex)

 

Why Cicatrizants are Important in Your Skincare Product

Products that contain cicatrizants tend to be more effective at helping to overcome many skin conditions including acne, hyperpigmentation, eczema, psoriasis, inflammation, sun damage, burns, cuts, and oxidation damage.

Cicatrizants are essential in reducing the appearance of scarring, blemishes, dark spots, barrier protection, and delaying the signs of aging in skin, achieved through the repairing of tissue damage, stimulating regeneration and turnover of cells, collagen and elastin production -all of which are needed for skin restoration.

How Long Do Cicatrizants Take to Work?

Cicatrizants began working to help your skin immediately, the moment that they are absorbed into the skin.

There are varying time frames for results depending on your skin type and problems:

• Some people may notice a difference in skin complexion or texture the very next morning after the first night use. 
• Results make take anywhere from days to weeks to months of consistent use to see a very noticeable difference in skin.
  
• Others with more severe skin problems might not see a difference until after 6 months to 1 year of consistent use.

Results also depend on what else you're doing to your skin:

• Always apply to clean skin and ensure you are using clean hands 
• Never overwhelm your skin with too many different products
• Never overdose your skin with retinol
• Stick to a consistent, simple routine
• Always remove makeup before bed
• It's not a bad idea to pause wearing makeup for a couple of days to give your skin a break and to give your skincare routine time to work without the interference of foundations and concealers
• Avoid touching your face throughout the day to limit transferring bacteria from high touch surfaces to your face. (High touch surfaces include doors and doorknobs, car door handles, tables and desks, light switches, gym equipment, etc.)
• Never over-exfoliate your skin 

When nothing seems to work for your skin:

• If nothing seems to work after consistent use over several months to a year, you may want to see a doctor or a dermatologist as some skin problems that refuse to go away with consistent skincare may be due to an underlying condition which has not been addressed. This can be due to diet, hormones, side effects of medications or birth control, etc.
  

Remember, patience and consistency are necessary for restoring skin over time. It's always a good idea to take a picture of your skin before you get started and then track your progress once a week or once a month.

 Poor Quality Products Give Weaker Results

Weaker products take longer to work or may be completely ineffective. (Such as refined ingredients with dead actives or synthetic ingredients without bioactives).

• Using DIY cooking grade ingredients at home is likely to clog pores while moisturizing the skin, cause an adverse reaction, or be completely ineffective. Cooking grade ingredients have been chemically designed for cooking and food preparations, not for skin, as the actives retained in cooking grade materials are reduced to those that might be ingested. 
• Most cicatrizants found in foods, such as nutraceuticals, should be consumed orally-not applied to the face- as skin/cosmetic grade products should not be consumed orally. This is a common mistake, often popularized by social media.
• Too many miscellaneous ingredients overwhelming the cicatrizant is another factor to consider. Many products may be excessive in fillers, additives, synthetics, preservatives, water, and other compounds that may drown the active or change its properties.
• Some gentler products designed for hypersensitive, reactive skin may not be as potent or effective for other skin types, depending on the formulation or the ingredients used.

High Quality Products

•  Products formulated with unrefined, true, or raw form botanical ingredients. These tend to be more effective as they retain important bioactive properties essential to skin repair, however, they can also cause reactions in more sensitive skin types so it is important to know what your skin can and cannot handle before using any product.
• Many authentic botanical oils have natural cicatrizant properties such as helichrysum, and croton lechleri
• Topical medicinal creams and ointments prescribed by doctors/dermatologists tend to be more effective in treating skin conditions, including scars, acne, boils, burns, psoriasis, and rosacea.

 

Applying Cicatrizant Skincare Products

All skincare products should be applied to clean skin. No excuses.

Botanical oil occlusives and other oil-based products such as ointments and butters, should be applied to damp, clean skin, or as the last step in your skincare routine after water-based products including serums and creams.

Applying products to an unwashed surface traps bacteria inside the pores, usually results in clogging and acne, and may make your products ineffective.

Using products at night right before bed tend to be more effective as the ingredients work for you while you sleep.

• Increased cell regeneration and turnover occur during your sleep
• Allows ingredients to work without evaporating in sun exposure
• Skin is more penetrable, allowing ingredients to go deeper into the skin
• Sun-sensitive ingredients are safer at night
• You're getting ready to go to bed, not outside where your skin would be exposed to air pollutants

 

For more skincare information, visit:

What Are Your Skincare Ingredients Telling You? A Guide to Labels – Dollhouse Botanicals

What Are Antioxidants? Benefits for Skin & Why Botanical Oils Win – Dollhouse Botanicals