Dermatology
Because everyone should feel comfortable in their skin.
Dermatology deals with conditions of the skin and skin appendages and includes their treatment, care and recovery. As the skin is the largest organ of the human body, it has several biological functions: it assumes a protective barrier for our body, is responsible for thermal regulation, and gives us the sensation of touch and temperature.
However, natural skin function can be influenced by various external and internal factors. Disturbances, imbalances or lesions can alter the natural skin function or the development of skin appendices, such as hair and nails.
Scars from acne or more serious injuries, especially in the face or cleavage, or planned surgery (e.g. caesarean section) can cause tension, redness and itching in the affected area. Therefore, it is important to prevent scars and – if already present – to manage them as effectively as possible.
Factors such as stress, an unbalanced diet, hormonal changes or diseases may not only affect the skin but also hair growth and loss, for example. The most commonly occurring forms of hair loss are diffuse and hereditary hair loss. In each case, the treatment should be administered by an experienced dermatologist.
The above-mentioned conditions can cause a great amount of distress for patients, since skin and hair constitute vital parts of every person’s appearance. Therefore, our goal is to support patients in easing their symptoms and to treat skin problems in the best possible way. At Merz Therapeutics, we help patients feel comfortable in their skin again with options in the areas of scarring and hair loss.
Scarring
Wounds can affect our skin in different ways and heal differently in each person. Superficial injuries or burns often leave barely visible signs on our skin, but deeper lesions can develop into disturbing scars. Once a wound is closed, dermatological problems such as tension, redness and itching can occur due to scar formation, which may also lead to psychological stress.
Scars can be caused by a caesarean section, burns or acne. However, scars that result from surgical interventions are constantly increasing and are by far the most common type of scars. It is crucial to treat them with effective scar care right from the start, after the wound has closed completely or immediately after the sutures have been pulled, to prevent them developing into a disruptive factor in body function. Also, wellbeing can be influenced – especially if scars appear in body areas such as the face or cleavage.
Scar tissue is different from healthy tissue in that it lacks elasticity, is often discolored and contains fewer hair follicles, sebum and sweat glands. Whether a visible scar arises from a wound depends on factors such as the type and extent of tissue damage, the wound healing process, general state of health, ethnicity and age. In some cases, disturbing scars are formed, such as raised (hypertrophic), proliferating (keloid) or sunken (atrophic) scars.
No matter whether a scar is caused by accident or surgery, scar tissue treatment and scar care are important to support the scarring process as efficiently as possible to avoid unsightly scars by improvements in appearance and better elasticity.
Hair loss
Hair loss can occur in various forms and is influenced by different factors. Diffuse hair loss, which occurs mainly in women, affects the entire head and is due to an inadequate supply of nutrients required for hair growth. It can occur as the result of emotional stress, hormonal changes (e.g. after a pregnancy), infections or certain metabolic disorders.
Other types of hair loss include alopecia areata (circular hair loss), which is most likely caused by a disorder of the immune system, or hereditary hair loss, which causes 95% of cases in men.
Forms as diffuse or circular hair loss are temporary and can be counteracted or stopped with specific external therapies. A useful approach in this case is to provide the hair root with an adequate supply of nutrients.
