For the purpose of making the patient experience more comfortable and safe, topical series of medications that come into contact with the skin form a long-lasting film. Silicones are important in over-the-counter (OTC) drug formulations to enhance the affinity of the formulation and sensory properties such as skin friendliness. Why choose silicone gel in the medical field?
Silicones are non-toxic, odorless, and skin irritation-resistant, and are trusted by consumers to meet human needs. Silicone gels are widely used in the medical field to treat burns and scar tissue. It has multiple effects, including scar repair （hypertrophic and keloid scars）, itch relief, prevention of bacterial infections, moisturizing protection, and inhibition of capillary proliferation， which can be used as pressure therapy for scar improvement.
The following is an introduction to the properties and advantages of silicone gel from five aspects:
- What are the advantages of silicone gel?
- Why use medical silicone gel?
- How to apply medical silicone gel?
- How to make medical silicone gel perform better?
1. What are the advantages of silicone gel?
(1) Skin-friendly
The special natural properties of silicone gel allow it to adhere gently to the skin. During wound treatment, the silicone gel sheeting does not bond to the scar tissue, but only to the skin surrounding the wound.
(2) Repeated peeling
The adhesive property is retained after peeling, so silicone gel sheeting can be applied multiple times. It is washable and retains adhesion after drying.
(3) Breathability
It allows the skin to breathe. Due to its hydrophobic qualities to wet wounds, the silicone gel sheeting ensures the continued recovery of new tissue in wounds. Skin bonding agents can be used in conjunction with aqueous colloids, hydrogels, PU foams, and other wound treatment technologies to optimize the effectiveness of wound care.
(4) Plasticity
Due to excellent biological inertness and plasticity, they can be used for various biological implant materials. Due to the controllable elasticity and strength of silicone, it can be used for both surgical and orthopedic devices as well as medical devices, and silicone gel sheeting.
2. Why use medical silicone gel?
(1) Safety and reliability
First, in terms of the performance characteristics of silicone gel. In the surface tension and tensile test, it was found that the stretchability of silicone gel film is very close to that of human skin, around 40%. As a medical material, the safety of silica gel is also very important. Silicone gel media inoculated with different bacteria were exposed to air, and after 24 hours, tiny oils appeared on the filter paper under the silicone gel. These oils were analyzed by scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction analyzer and found to be silicone oil. Silicone oil is the ideal condition for healing and restoring necrotic tissues, and thus can be very helpful in accelerating the recovery of scars and the formation of new skin. After 48 hours, there was no growth of E. coli, staphylococcus, and streptococcus in the experimental subjects, which shows that silicone gel is safe and reliable for medical use.
(2) Moisturizing effect
Secondly, the surface of the silica gel was scrutinized under the high-power electron microscope 8850 times, and it was found that there were a lot of pores on the surface of the silica gel. The breathability experiment found that water vapor through slow speed, the unit time through the water vapor only accounts for about half of the human skin, and there is a very good moisturizing effect. Silicone gel sheets on the skin will not affect the normal water evaporation of the skin, although the evaporation rate is slower, but after removing the silicone gel can still allow the scar to return to the normal level, so the silicone gel will not affect the normal function of the scar in the future, and the silicone gel to slow down the rate of water evaporation from the scar can still maintain the normal work of the scar skin in the treatment. And keeping those water vapors in place also has an important role to play in softening the scar. When the scars are in joints or easily wrinkled areas, the silicone gel can ensure that their function is not affected, and will not affect the treatment results.
(3) Breathability and heat dissipation
It is the effect on the scar treatment that silicone gel is able to give a normal temperature to the scars when treating them. Silicone gel is applied to the surface of the scar, and the temperature of the area is measured, the temperature of the congested scar will be slightly higher than the normal skin, and the temperature of the applied location will gradually decrease with the passage of time, and the temperature will be the same as that of the normal skin in about 10 minutes after it is placed in the air statically. Human skin has a certain respiratory effect, although very weak, there will still be a certain degree of breathability and heat dissipation, and the human skin in the scar repair of its congestion and skin accumulation will lead to an increase in the partial pressure of oxygen, silicone gel is a very good permeability of the material, not only allows the normal passage of oxygen but also the role of heat dissipation, so that scars will not be smothered and wet and ulceration occurs!
3. How to apply medical silicone gel?
Medical-grade silicone gel is mainly used for saddle nose orthopedics and mild atrophic rhinitis treatment. It can also be used for ophthalmology, maxillofacial, and other depressed parts of the plastic. Medical-grade silicone gel is also suitable for the production of artificial lenses, closed artificial corneas, pressure paste prisms, and other medical products requiring high-light transmission.
(1) Scar repair
Silicone gel can promote epidermal cell growth, accelerate the wound healing process, and reduce the inflammatory response. However, for abnormal scarring, its repair effect may be more limited.
(2) Relief of itching
Silicone gel, as a scar repair medication, can form a protective film on the surface of the wound, isolate the air, and stabilize the skin condition of the wound, thus relieving itching symptoms.
(3) Preventing bacterial infection
The ingredients in silicone gel form a thin film protective barrier on the surface of the skin, which helps to block the invasion of external bacteria and reduce the risk of bacterial infection at the hypertrophic or keloid scars， and burn scars.
(4) Moisturizing protection
Silicone gel can form a film on the epidermis, thus achieving a moisturizing effect, which is suitable for conditions such as dry and rough skin.
(5) Inhibition of capillary proliferation
The special ingredients in silicone gel can regulate the skin's cortical structure, effectively inhibit capillary proliferation, promote blood circulation, and help skin repair.
4. How to make medical silicone gel perform better?
XJY Silicones is one of the leading silicone MQ resin and VMQ silicone manufacturers in China, with more than 30 years of R&D and manufacturing experience in the silicone industry as well as more than 15 related patents and technical support. Our silicone raw material products can meet the needs of the medical field and support the provision of diversified customized solutions.
XJY-9660 Trimethylsiloxysilicate TMS (SILICONE MQ RESIN)
XJY-9660 Trimethylsilanethoxysilicate is a siloxane polymer with a main chain structure consisting of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms. These solid silicones provide film-forming and softening effects, which can provide excellent water resistance and detergent/water wash resistance for many pharmaceutical formulations (such as scar management and so on).
Product Features:
-Long-lasting film formation
- Excellent water repellency, rinse and wipe resistance
-Anti-sebum, refreshing, and non-greasy.
-Fast film formation, non-sticky after drying.
-Long-term moisturizing and smoothing properties
-Non-toxic and non-irritating, no allergic reactions
-Non-closing, breathable
Application program:
XJY-9660 Trimethylsilanethoxysilicate can be used as a key ingredient in formulations for healthcare and topical medical devices Lubrication, direct human contact topical formulations, and other applications. This Trimethylsiloxysilicate resin allows the product to form a permeable, durable barrier film with excellent water resistance as well as wipe and rinse resistance.
XJY-9660 Trimethylsilanethoxysilicate is soluble in a wide variety of organic carriers and is compatible in a variety of applications such as: medical creams, lotions, and lotions.
- Medical creams, lotions, barrier creams
-Pharmaceutical sprays
-New medical gels, etc.
In addition, XJY-9660 Trimethylsiloxysilicate series solid resins can be used in various skin-friendly cosmetic formulations.
Topical silicone gel has multiple effects such as scar treatment, itch relief, prevention of bacterial infection to hypertrophic scars, moisturizing, and protection. Silicone gel has good biocompatibility and stability, no adverse reaction to human tissue, and can maintain long-term stability. The silicone gel texture is a soft, good fit, and can closely fit the skin, to adapt to a variety of human forms (hypertrophic scar formation and so on) and movement. Silicone gel composition is safe, with no irritation to the skin, and the use of safe and reliable.
