UNAIR NEWS – His background as plastic surgeon has made Prof. Dr. David Sontani Perdanakusumah, dr., Sp.BP-RE (K) work more on reconstruction and defect restoration of human body. From series of operation he has done, he was intrigued by a kind of scar which is fibrous, thick and contrast in color. It is called keloid.
To deal with keloid, generally people go through various methods such as operation, cortisone injection, cryotherapy, and many other methods. But, they can’t remove keloid, the operation can even makes it bigger. Keloid often becomes the patient or doctor’s nightmare.
Keloid grows from excessive collagen activity. The collagen growth is influenced by uncontrolled collagenase enzyme. It is the enzyme which catalyzes collagen hydrolysis.
“My version, collagen will not exceed if there is collagenase. So, I’d say that if collagenase functions well, there won’t be keloid as the excess will be eradicated. So, (collagenase works) like a foreman,” he added.
The doctor born in Singkawang then continued his research which has been started since his dissertation research. Melanin, the skin pigment, is acidic. To make collagenase works, the enzyme should be alkaline. To people with pale complexion, melanin excess makes their skin acidic.
Finally, David formulates a way so the melanin lowered by a whitener which uses alkaline solvent. To prevent the skin becomes oversensitive because of the alkalinity and acidity, he combines the whitener with liposome so its alkalinity reacts when it reaches dermis layer. The whitener he uses is Hydroquinone with 4 percent concentration.
“So, my idea patented was the alkaline whitener for keloid. As it is administered to the keloid, it creates alkalinity and activates the collagenase, the melanin reduced so this alkalinity causes the collagenase to be active and excessive collagen is eradicated,” said David.
His idea was patented, “Hydroquinone use to Prevent and Remove Keloid”. The alkaline keloid whitener was finally patented on October 17, 2012 with patent number ID P0031959.
His product registration to be patented was not easy. Because it is a normal routine, the idea to use whitener to removed skin discoloration was not a new thing.
“I submitted the patent in around 2004, but it was finished in 2012. Eight years because hydroquinone is not a new thing. It has been used often as whitener, but hydroquinone for keloid never existed. It is my research, originally,” said Vice Dean I of FK UNAIR.
He used it to his patients who have gone through operation. The result shows less keloid and better color. For big keloid, cream use should be combine with surgery.
“The cream can lessen. A little bit. But for dramatic result, it should be combined with surgery,” added David.
Beside patients with keloid, the 59 year old doctor has been using his whitening cream for patients with smallpox remains and burns. “Burnt hand becomes soft with it. Trauma, operational scar, I administered the cream and it turns out well and soft,” said the awardee of Science Achievement Award 2015 from Republika.
The whitening cream David uses contains 4% of hydroquinone in alkalinity with pH level 7.5. Currently, he is developing cream with pH level 7.6 as it is the ideal concentration for collagenase.
Currently, through Institute of Tropical Disease UNAIR, the whitening cream of his is being mass-produced by one of the pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia. The test for the professor of Plastic Surgery’s product is at stability phase test. After stability test is clinical trial in many healthcare centers. He hoped that his whitening cream can give hope to patients and medical practitioners to deal with keloid. (*)
Author: Defrina Sukma S
Editor : Faridah hari
