Galenism is the science of the form of administration of medicines. The effect of medicines or active ingredients on the human organism is not only defined by the quantity and quality of the active ingredient itself, but also by its form of administration - Galenism. Depending on their form of administration, biological active ingredients of the same strength can vary in efficacy. Galenic systems are e.g. tablets, ointments, creams and emulsions or the biomatrix from Dr. Suwelack Skin & Health Care AG. In addition to the efficacy, the Galenic system also significantly influences the chemical stability and the shelf life of the active ingredient.

Collagen is the most important building block in human tissue. It can be found wherever mechanical firmness plays a significant role in the organism, e.g. in skin, bones, teeth, tendons and blood vessels. Collagen gives the skin firmness and elasticity. The collagen in MATRICOL® is of bovine origin and is extracted the dermis of bulls bred and raised in South America, Australia or New Zealand only. These herds are subjected to strict controls in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) standards and whose origin is individually documented. The dermis is situated below the top layer of skin (epidermis) and is particularly rich in collagen. By splitting the top layer of skin, the dermis is extracted and is processed into our collagen masks by a proprietary, carefully controlled purification process. Collagen is a protein and consists of amino acids. Collagen synthesis creates a chain of amino acids (a protein). Three of these chains are interlinked and a triple helix is formed. Subsequently, several of these helices are combined and micro-fibrillae are formed, which are the components of collagen fibrillae.

MATRICOL® is pure collagen and is the only skin care product to contain over 90% collagen. Collagen is our skin's most important building block. The collagen in our biomatrix is in its original (native) form and is thus very similar to human collagen. During the application, MATRICOL® transforms into a "second, transparent skin." The mask hugs the skin and is recognized by the skin as a skin-similar material. When hydrated, the mask is able to fully release its calming, anti-irritant effects into the skin, while imparting moisture and active ingredients. In contrast to MATRICOL®, creams with collagen, contain a very low percentage of collagen.

The high collagen content of MATRICOL®, the native structure and thus the preservation of biological activity result in extraordinary efficacy. MATRICOL® is the only biomatrix available on the market that only has collagen as the structural component (carrier and active ingredient in one). This is why the collagen content of MATRICOL® is considerably higher than that of other treatment systems available on the market.
Collagen is an animal protein and does not exist in the plant world. It is technically incorrect when companies refer to a collagen derived from plants.

Although synthetic production of collagen is technically possible, it is prohibitively expensive and difficult to manufacture. This effort is only carried out for scientific purposes and only a few grams of synthetic collagen are produced every year. Thus, there is not enough synthetic collagen available for cosmetic use and it is extremely expensive to produce.

Marine collagen is also an animal product and can be produced from sea creatures. Fish collagen is extracted from the fish´s skin or air bladder. Since fish meat contains very little connective tissue and thus very little collagen it is therefore unsuitable for use as a collagen source. Stability is a problem when extracting fish collagen. Fish collagen must be processed very carefully. The extraction and purification of fish collagen from the substance TMA (trimethylamine) is complex and is responsible for the intense fishy odor of the raw material. That is why genuine fish collagen can always be recognized by its characteristic odor.

While masks can be produced containing low levels of fish collagen to reduce the odor, however, these are not very effective on the skin. Their efficacy is not at all comparable to that of pure collagen masks such as MATRICOL®.

A MATRICOL® mask stands out due to its natural character. No mask is completely identical to another, in spite of the perfection of processing technology. MATRICOL® is a natural product with naturally varying texture, therefore differences in transparency and density are to be expected. Because of density variations, some masks appear to have different thicknesses. In actual fact, all masks have a standard thickness that is guaranteed by our quality control. In spite of possible differences in density and transparency, MATRICOL® guarantees a consistently high efficacy.

Both MATRICOL® pure, as well as all major active ingredient variants, have been tested for dermatological compatibility and cosmetic efficacy. The studies demonstrate the hypoallergenicity of MATRICOL®, even when applied to problem skins (e.g. atrophic skin). All products have been rated as safe by biochemists.

The freeze-drying process removes all moisture and therefore does not permit the growth of bakteria and fungi. That is why freeze-drying is frequently used in the pharmaceutical field, e.g. for the preservation of substances as sensitive as vaccines. Freeze-drying of our products means that we can eliminate the addition of preservatives. MATRICOL® should be protected from moisture and direct sunlight and stored at room temperature in its unopened, original packaging. As MATRICOL® is pressure-sensitive, no heavy objects should be stored on top of the products. Shelf life is at least three years when stored in the unopened, original packaging.