Frequently Asked Questions: Skinuva Bruise

What is homeopathic medicine?

Homeopathic medicine, aka homeopathy, is an alternative medical practice that was developed in the late 1700s.

Homeopathy is generally based on two main principles:

  1. A substance that causes symptoms in a healthy person can be used in diluted form to treat symptoms and illnesses, a principle known as “like-cures-like”;
  2. The more diluted the substance, the more potent it is, which is known as the “law of infinitesimals.”

Homeopathic products come from plants such as red onion, arnica [mountain herb], poison ivy, belladonna [deadly nightshade], and stinging nettle, minerals such as white arsenic, or animals such as crushed whole bees. (FDA.gov)

Skinuva Bruise’s Arnica Montana is 30X dilution. What does that mean?

The official drug name often appears in Latin, as is the case with “Arnica Montana.” The Latin names are systematic and unique with ingredient standards of identity and purity set by the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS). If the letters “HPUS” appear after a drug name, that indicates that an official monograph (an approved document that sets forth the standards and specifications for a drug) exists for the drug, and it has been studied and approved by homeopathic experts and meets the HPUS standard. (HPUS.com).

Why does Skinuva Bruise contain 30X Arnica Montana?

Over the counter remedies may come in various potencies. The more dilute the preparation the more potent it is, and therefore products with a 1X dilution are typically used for long standing conditions such as rheumatic pain, where someone will use 1X Arnica preparation for longer periods of time. A 30X preparation, such as the kind used in Skinuva Bruise, is typically used for a shorter period of time, to reduce inflammatory symptoms such as fever with the onset of a cold or bruising from a recent procedure or surgery. More diluted, means more potent. The Arnica in Skinuva Bruise has a high potency at 10-30 concentration.

What type of Arnica does Skinuva Bruise have?

Skinuva Bruise uses a “safe” version of Arnica which is the homeopathic version that has been used for hundreds of years within homeopathic medicine for pain, swelling, and post procedural recovery. The FDA does not allow and warns against any oral use of pure Arnica that is NOT homeopathic, as the pure form has been associated with systemic problems such as GI upset, nausea, and other adverse reactions.

Is Skinuva Bruise FDA tested or approved?

Products labeled as homeopathic and currently marketed in the U.S. have not been reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent or mitigate any diseases or conditions. But under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, homeopathic products are subject to the same requirements related to approval, adulteration and misbranding as other drug products. Therefore, all homeopathic labels must contain a disclaimer such as: “Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice. Not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated”

Is dosing the same for surgical procedures and those receiving injectables (i.e., Botox, fillers)?

Yes.

Can Skinuva Bruise be for taken longer than 7 days?

This product was specifically formulated for a 7-day (short-course) treatment. Discuss with your doctor if you wish to extend treatment beyond a 7-day period.

When should Skinuva Bruise be taken?

Skinuva Bruise can be taken either 1-2 days prior to procedure or the day of the procedure. Dosage is usually 1 capsule twice daily for 7 days unless prescribed differently by your doctor.

Should you take Skinuva Bruise with food or empty stomach?

Skinuva Bruise does not need to be taken with food and can be taken with other medications, but please check with your doctor for any specific interactions or concerns.

Should Arnica be taken with blood thinners?

Any arnica product, including Skinuva Bruise, should not be taken with blood thinners. Arnica lactones have been shown to inhibit human platelet function and decrease platelet aggregation in vitro. As a result, concomitant use of arnica and anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs should be closely monitored. (Paoletti et al).

How does Arnica affect bleeding?

Arnica has no effect on bleeding, a large study completed on cardiac patients after aortic valve replacement surgery found no differences in bleeding between groups that received Arnica 5C and those that didn’t (Cornu et al). (Arnica 5C is nearly 2 x more concentrated than 30X). In addition, Arnica was found to be safe for use in cosmetic surgeries and injectables.

Skinuva Bruise only has 120mg of Vitamin C. Is it OK if the patient takes additional Vitamin C as a supplement?

Yes, but note that the recommended daily intake for Vitamin C for adults is less than what is provided by Skinuva Bruise. The more Vitamin C you take (above 200 mg/day), the less you absorb. Oral Vitamin C produces tissue and plasma concentrations that the body tightly controls. Approximately 70%–90% of Vitamin C is absorbed at moderate intakes of 30–180 mg/day.

However, at doses above 1,000 mg/day, absorption falls to less than 50%, and the excess unmetabolized ascorbic acid is excreted in the urine. (Jacob et al).

How does Arnica Montana work?

The most active components of Arnica are helenalin and other lactones, and helenalin in particular inhibits the transcriptional factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) in T cells, B-cells, and epithelial cells. NF-kB activates pain and inflammation, so Arnica helps to reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting NF-kB. Helenalin also inhibits the actions of activated T-cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNK-a and IL-1b), thus reducing inflammation through these pathways. (Iannitti et al, Kriplani et al).

What is the expiration date for Skinuva Bruise?

2 years.

Why are veggie capsules better than solid tablets?

Veggie capsules are easier to swallow and are faster acting with a higher drug absorption. (i.e., A lot more of the capsule is able to be absorbed).

Is Bromelain known to cause any side effects such as upset stomach or diarrhea?

Bromelain is actually recommended for digestion. Studies have shown that Bromelain can be safely absorbed up to 1200mg/day (Castell et al). Our product has 100mg.

Does Bromelain increase the risk of bleeding?

Skinuva Bruise has Bromelain at levels significantly lower than doses used in studies which have shown to have no effect on coagulation. Dosages of 1500 mg/kg per day when administered to rats showed no harmful effects, including no effects in bleeding/hematological parameters (Pavan et al, MacKay et al).

Our Bromelain has 100mg but at 2,400 GDU. What is GDU?

Bromelain can be manufactured in different potencies, and this is determined by GDU - gelatin dissolving unit. Bromelain with a GDU higher than 2,000 is high potency and is more effective. (E.g., Bromelain 100mg at 600 GDU would be nearly 4 times less potent in efficacy).

Can pregnant/breastfeeding women or children use Skinuva Bruise?

This product has not been tested during pregnancy/breastfeeding or children. Please consult your doctor before use.