# Can humans regenerate wounds without scarring? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589 "2009-06-03T15:31:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tgan3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tgan3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tgan3)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/1 "2009-06-03T15:31:59Z")
When I say wounds, I don’t mean superficial wounds. Rather, deep dermal wounds. I do think we have the technology to do so now. First off, there are very huge advances in tissue regeneration recently, with scientists predicting that we will be able to regenerate limbs and organs in the future. Before being able to regenerate tissue, they have to stop the mechanism of scarring. According to Atala’s law: “It all leads back to the scar. Eliminate the scar and you can regenerate tissue, even digits and complex organs. You don’t eliminate the scar you cannot regenerate tissue.” I think most of you would know that if you operate on a fetus within the first three months of pregnancy in humans, you would get completely no scarring. Therefore, humans do have an innate ability to heal completely without scarring. A non-denatured extra-cellular matrix would be capable of regenerating wounds totally without scarring. Like ECM, and hyaluronic acid, decorin (a component of ECM) has been studied and a lot of products are being designed on its micro mechanisms of action. In wounds it is known there is a race between scarring and regeneration. Decorin stops scarring by keeping the fibrils slender. Decorin plays a part in non denatured ECM healing. (Question,would decorin salvage slightly denatured ECM?). It is the factor that tells the ECM I’m not injured, do not scar, and let the ECM be normally woven without the over expression of collagen on the fibers. Decorin completely hinders the scarring response which enables intercellular tissues to crawl up the ECM to win the race. Decorin is a normal human protein, and naturally occurring extracellular matrix protein, a proteoglycan that has a regulatory effect mechanism over TGF-β, and whilst inhibiting TGF-B it increases the expression of key MMPs that break down the ECM. Evidence shows that decorin is required for the proper assembly of collagenous matrices quote: “Decorin-treated wounds have been found to exhibit essentially no detectable scarring compared to control wounds not treated with decorin. The TGF-β-induced scarring process has been shown to be unique to adults and third trimester human fetuses, but is essentially absent in fetuses during the first two trimesters. The absence of scarring in fetal wounds has been correlated with the absence of TGFβ in the wound bed. In contrast, the wound bed of adult tissue is heavily deposited with TGF-β and the fully healed wound is replaced by a reddened, furrowed scar containing extensively fibrous, collagenous matrix. The decorin-treated wounds were histologically normal and resembled fetal wounds in the first two trimesters.” source: [Methods of preventing or reducing scarring with decorin or biglycan - The, Burnham Institute](http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6509314.html) It is clearly understood that scarring occurs due to collagen over expression which dense up the collagen fibers in ECM which blocks pathways. In 2006 it was officially announced in a publication that this ECM protein can completely inhibit scarring by inhibiting collagen overexpression. Allowing our intercellular tissues to grow through the ECM just like what happens in scar free healing. Recombinant Human Decorin Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Downregulates TGF-β1 Production in Keloid Fibroblasts VOLUME: 18 PUBLICATION DATE: Aug 01 2006 At decorin concentrations of 100 nM and 200 nM, fibroblast proliferation was completely inhibited (P \< 0.001), and the expected temporal increase in absorbance units was completely abolished, indicating a static population (Figure 1). [http://www.woundsresearch.com/article/6067](http://www.woundsresearch.com/article/6067) ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/2 "2009-06-04T00:16:13Z")
Are you making an argument or engaging in hopeful, if not exactly wishful, thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/3 "2009-06-04T00:56:29Z")
If we plead and beg, maybe he’ll post the URL for the website that sells Regeneramax™ cream with decorin, enabling us to grow those extra digits we’ve always craved. Even if we could eliminate scarring, that’s not going to allow us to become human salamanders, regenerating limbs and organs at will. By the way, **tgan3** is the guy who earlier was claiming that hemp oil [cures cancer](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=517783). ---
**Author:** ![tgan3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tgan3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tgan3)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/4 "2009-06-04T01:19:31Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Are you making an argument or engaging in hopeful, if not exactly wishful, thinking? Look, regeneration using an earlier ECM called alloderm: ( warning graphic ) [http://www.eplasty.com/index.php?option=com\_content&task=view&id=213&Itemid=36§=15](http://www.eplasty.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=213&Itemid=36§=15) Look at this guy’s kunckles showing his bones. After treatment, his wound regenerated leaving a normal hand. and using the acell ECM to regenerate a full thickness dermal wound of a feline( Literally exposing his bone ) [http://www.acellvet.com/vetcases/lucille.php](http://www.acellvet.com/vetcases/lucille.php) FYI, im not promoting any product but im just saying by looking at those pictures, if we logically think we already have the ability to stop scarring, but everything is under the radar, stopping scarring itself is already a big medical revolution. ---
**Author:** ![tgan3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tgan3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tgan3)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/5 "2009-06-04T01:25:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > If we plead and beg, maybe he’ll post the URL for the website that sells Regeneramax™ cream with decorin, enabling us to grow those extra digits we’ve always craved. > > Even if we could eliminate scarring, that’s not going to allow us to become human salamanders, regenerating limbs and organs at will. > > By the way, **tgan3** is the guy who earlier was claiming that hemp oil [cures cancer](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=517783). Do a google search on “decorin” and “scar” see what it says. results you would likely get are “anti-scaring agent”, “inhibits scarring”. Do a google search on “extracellular matrix”. Look at howstuffworks explanation of the ECM: > [@](#): > > The extract, called extracellular matrix, lays the framework that cells use to generate any given body part. It’s like a cellular scaffolding, and all animals have it. It holds the signals that direct cells to divide, differentiate and build themselves into a specific form. source: [http://health.howstuffworks.com/extracellular-matrix.htm](http://health.howstuffworks.com/extracellular-matrix.htm) ---
**Author:** ![tgan3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tgan3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tgan3)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/6 "2009-06-04T01:36:20Z")
Btw Jackmanni: if we could stop scarring it is the first step towards regenerating limbs and organs. Though limbs and organs are much further down the road( probably 20-30 years kind of span ) Referring back to Atala’s law " In tissue engineering, everything goes back to scar formation. " ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/7 "2009-06-04T07:41:28Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Even if we could eliminate scarring, that’s not going to allow us to become human salamanders, regenerating limbs and organs at will. Interestingly, very young children can regenerate a little; the last joint of a finger and such. A fetus can heal scarlessly, which is one motivation for fetal surgery to correct defects instead of waiting until after birth. So I’d say that scarless healing and at least some regeneration are at within the genetic capability of humans, even if we don’t know how to activate that capability yet. Salamander style healing would require a lot more work I expect, but should logically be possible. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/8 "2009-06-04T09:27:50Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Salamander style healing would require a lot more work I expect, but should logically be possible. So in order to get better, we have to turn into newts? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/9 "2009-06-04T10:06:02Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > So in order to get better, we have to turn into newts? Nine out of ten witches recommend it ! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/10 "2009-06-04T13:29:26Z")
I posted a [link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10993324&postcount=13) a while ago about using lasers to reduce scarring. It was so well received by this board, that it prompted a slew of followup comments in the thread. NOT. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/11 "2009-06-04T14:07:22Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > I posted a [link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10993324&postcount=13) a while ago about using lasers to reduce scarring. > > It was so well received by this board, that it prompted a slew of followup comments in the thread. NOT. I missed you posting that; quite cool. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/12 "2009-06-04T21:12:43Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > So in order to get better, we have to turn into newts? It worked in X-Files, didn’t it? I think the alien-human hybrid is the superior option, overall. ---
**Author:** ![tgan3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tgan3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tgan3)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/13 "2009-06-05T00:01:47Z")
I wished you guys can see it, proof is that scarless healing technology is here. Yet no one seems to notice and be in the least interested. quote:“We are growing new hair in prior donor scar sites as well as duplicating (growing multiple hairs from a single transplanted beard or donor hair) in the bald recipient area” quote:“We will now be expanding the study by accepting a select few additional patients to work on using the Regenerative FDA approved powder. The powder is a product of Porcine Bladder Cells. **These cells, including progenitor cells, have the potential to differentiate into numerous types of site specific tissues. During the healing process, a cell scaffold is rapidly degraded and completely reabsorbed leaving new tissue where scar tissue would normally be expected.** which when placed in contact with surrounding tissue causes the formation of stem cells which then duplicate into the tissue they are in contact with which in this case is hair!” source: [http://www.nyhairloss.com/acell.htm](http://www.nyhairloss.com/acell.htm) you guys need to logically think. In scar tissue, the fibrils are too dense with collagen to allow hair growth. In this case, hair grew back. cell scaffold is absorbed leaving new tissue in place of scar tissue. evidence is here. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/14 "2009-06-05T02:58:44Z")
> [@tgan3](#): > > I think most of you would know that if you operate on a fetus within the first three months of pregnancy in humans, you would get completely no scarring. Therefore, humans do have an innate ability to heal completely without scarring. But they don’t actually do fetal surgery that early, do they? A three-month fetus is awfully tiny. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/15 "2009-06-05T03:56:52Z")
> [@tgan3](#): > > I wished you guys can see it, proof is that scarless healing technology is here. Yet no one seems to notice and be in the least interested. You don’t see the obvious disconnect between these two sentences? You really think that the medical profession would ignore a wondrous regeneration technique available in the here and now? > [@](#): > > “We will now be expanding the study by accepting a select few additional patients to work on using the Regenerative FDA approved powder.” I don’t think “FDA approved” means what these people say it does. The site you link to is long on claims (including fantastical ones about things like organ cloning) but totally deficient in regards to citations in the scientific literature. This guy may be an OK hair transplant doctor but I’d like to see some actual evidence that his techniques are superior to those of standard hair transplants. I don’t think **tgan3** stands to profit from the kinds of claims he’s promoting. On the contrary, people who make these claims can profit heavily off believers like **tgan3**. > [@](#): > > you guys need to logically think. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tgan3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tgan3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tgan3)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/16 "2009-06-06T04:38:04Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > You don’t see the obvious disconnect between these two sentences? You really think that the medical profession would ignore a wondrous regeneration technique available in the here and now?I don’t think “FDA approved” means what these people say it does. > > The site you link to is long on claims (including fantastical ones about things like organ cloning) but totally deficient in regards to citations in the scientific literature. This guy may be an OK hair transplant doctor but I’d like to see some actual evidence that his techniques are superior to those of standard hair transplants. > > I don’t think **tgan3** stands to profit from the kinds of claims he’s promoting. On the contrary, people who make these claims can profit heavily off believers like **tgan3**.😃 You obviously haven’t been reading much news. Acell has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey’s show and it has made news on how it has regrew an adult’s severed fingertip. Also on the site it claims, quote: **Fingertips, organs and heart valves have all been cloned and are successfully being implanted in patients.** You do not believe this quote. You know what? all of them have been regenerated before( thats what they meant by cloned ) Fingertip: > **[The Man who grew a Finger!](http://www.handresearch.com/news/the-man-who-grew-a-finger.htm)** > > The man who grew a Finger | finger | Lee Spievak | Laura Clout | > Hands in The News / hand news / palmistry / palm reading. Organs(bladder): > **[CNN.com - Doctors grow organs from patients' own cells - Apr 4, 2006](https://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/conditions/04/03/engineered.organs/index.html)** Heart Valves: [http://dotsub.com/view/8d948fb7-9c22-4a4f-a8ea-896c02a8f57f](http://dotsub.com/view/8d948fb7-9c22-4a4f-a8ea-896c02a8f57f) I would like to see what you say about this jackmanni. You claim that that hair loss company are profitting from people like me. Thing is, it is obvious that im the one whos more informed and has done my research. Anyway check this out from bbc. cloned organs implanted into animals and working perfectly. > **[BBC - Radio 4 - Today - Cloned Organs](https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/archive/science_nature/cloned_organs.shtml)** ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2009, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/17 "2009-06-06T05:03:55Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > But they don’t actually do fetal surgery that early, do they? A three-month fetus is awfully tiny. Older fetuses (fetii?) don’t scar much, either. My daughter was born at 23 weeks, and has almost no scar tissue around her umbilicus (belly button). She doesn’t have an innie or an outie, she has a flattie! 😃 She also, of course, had lots of IV’s, including a central line, a bunch of skin down to the hypodermis peeled off on her belly, and daily heelpricks and other assorted skin wounds - only about four very tiny scars on her feet from the last few IV’s are visible. Probably a dermatologist could find more scar tissue, but there’s not nearly as much as I would have expected - especially knowing now how easily she scars as a normal kid, just like me. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/18 "2009-06-06T05:25:46Z")
> [@tgan3](#): > > Acell has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey’s show and it has made news on how it has regrew an adult’s severed fingertip. That’s a good reason not to believe it right there.. ---
**Author:** ![tgan3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tgan3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tgan3)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/19 "2009-06-06T14:20:48Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > That’s a good reason not to believe it right there.. Even if you dont believe Oprah Winfrey, how about the links. Next thing you’re going to say is BBC is an untrustable site. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589/20 "2009-06-06T14:56:28Z")
> [@tgan3](#): > > Even if you dont believe Oprah Winfrey, how about the links. Next thing you’re going to say is BBC is an untrustable site. The BBC is not a peer-reviewed, scientific journal. It’s a broadcasting company. And I trust broadcasting companies about as far as I can comfortably spit a rat. **Jackmannii** has it right (as usual). There’s no good peer-reviewed evidence-based science out there that indicates that regeneration (or even scarless healing) can be a reality for the vast majority of people in the here and now. Tantalizing hints of possibilities, early breakthroughs, and hopes for the future, yes. But that’s it. **Jackmannii** , as a board certified pathologist, does make a credible expert in many such matters related to medical science. As such, I trust him somewhat further than I can spit a rat. Comfortably or uncomfortably. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-humans-regenerate-wounds-without-scarring/498589.md?page=2)