How It Works...
QuikCallus operates on a theory of callus formation devised by a leading researcher and lecturer in the field of podiatry, and affects several stages of the callus development process. By interacting with this process, QuikCallus can accelerate callus development by 25% or more.
Here's a breakdown of this cyclic callus formation model, and the stages where QuikCallus comes into play:
- Stimulus - The constant pressure of pressing one's finger the strings of an instrument damages underlying skin squames.
- Growth Factors - The body then releases growth factors, or
cytokines,
that alter cell division. - Modified Keratinisation - Cytokines also affect specialized skin cells that synthesize keratin, called
keratinocytes.
These altered keratinocytes subsequently form squamous cells with abnormal, convoluted surfaces that are less likely to be shed from the body. - Thicker Corneum - This results in a thicker layer of surface skin, referred to as a
callus.
[QuikCallus further thickens this layer of surface skin.] - Water Gradient - This callus is marked by lower surface water content than skin areas without calluses, and therefore becomes more rigid and less able to dissipate mechanical stress of finger-to-string contact. [QuikCallus polymerizes by reacting with water molecules on the skin's surface, further reducing the surface water content. This creates a waterproof seal over the skin area]
- Additional Stress - Instead, this stress gets transmitted to deeper structures where keratinocytes are further damaged by the increased bulk of the surface skin area. [By affecting the two steps above, QuikCallus substantially increases the amount of stress transmitted.]
- Additional Growth Factors... - This results in the body’s release of cytokines and the process repeats. [The additional stress caused by QuikCallus results in additional cytokines being released.]
