one of the methods of this invention relates to a method and composition for treating a closed wound having scar tissue on a skin surface of a mammalian subject . such scar tissue may include a hypertrophic scar and / or a keloid scar . preferably , a method of administering the compositions of this invention comprise , consist essentially of and consist of injecting a composition containing a ureido polymer into a scar that has formed over a closed wound . in another embodiment , it is proposed that the composition may be applied to an open wound prior to scar formation . a composition according to this invention may be applied topically directly to the site of the wound or as part of a bandage , which is placed onto the wound . preferably the compositions of this invention contain at least one ureido polymer and an aqueous solvent . the solvent may be any non - irritating solvent such as deionized water and phosphate buffered saline ( pbs ), which is acceptable for injection into the scar . in another embodiment , the composition may be a topical composition appropriate for dispensing directly to the surface of the skin , such as a lotion or a cream as described below . the compositions of this invention may be deployed to devices that can be applied to skin , including adhesive hydrogel bandages , injectable compositions , kits and methods for ameliorating the formation of scars and / or keloids at a wound site by degrading collagen . as used herein , the term “ wound ” means is a type of injury in which skin is torn , cut or punctured ( an open wound ), or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion ( a closed wound ). as used herein , the term “ closed wound ” may include a hypertrophic scar , keloid , dupuytren &# 39 ; s contracture , fibrotic scar or a reactive scar and the like . preferably , when treating scarring of a healed and / or closed wound , the method of this invention comprises , consists essentially of and consists of injecting a composition according to this invention into the scar tissue . preferably , the composition should be placed below the layer of the stratum corneum , the outmost layer of the skin . preferably , the injectable compositions of this invention contain at least about 0 . 1 % ureido polymer and preferably at least about 50 % solvent including suspensions , colloids , hydrogels , and emulsions , for example , water or water - propylene glycol mixtures . such compositions may be prepared as injectables , either as liquid solutions or suspensions . solid forms suitable for dissolving in a hydrogel or a liquid solution , or for suspending in liquid prior to use , can also be prepared . the preparation can also be emulsified . the active ingredient can be mixed with excipients which are pharmaceutically acceptable and compatible with the active ingredient and in amounts suitable for use in the therapeutic methods described herein . suitable excipients include , for example , water , saline , dextrose , glycerol , ethanol or the like and combinations thereof . in addition , if desired , the composition can contain minor amounts of auxiliary substances such as wetting or emulsifying agents , ph buffering agents and the like which enhance the effectiveness of the active ingredient . details on techniques for formulation and administration may be found in the latest edition of remington &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical sciences ( maack publishing co ., easton , pa .). for topical administration methods , preferably , a composition containing at least about 0 . 1 % ureido polymer and preferably at least about 50 % solvent including deionized water and phosphate buffer solution may be incorporated into a bandage or applied directly to the surface of the wound . penetration enhancers / solvents suitable for use in the present invention are alcohols , including , but not limited to , ethanol , propylene glycol , or a combination thereof . suitable humectants / solvents for use herein , include , but are not limited to , polyethylene glycol , glycerin , sorbitol , xylitol or any combination of any of the foregoing . suitable anhydrous vehicles for use herein include , but are not limited to , alcohols which may be the same as or different than the alcohol penetration enhancer . non - limiting examples of such alcohols are isobutanol and isopropyl alcohol . mechanical penetration enhancers may also be utilized . penetration enhancing methods may be found in u . s . pat . nos . 7 , 879 , 823 , 7 , 179 , 475 , 6 , 890 , 553 and u . s . patent publication no . 2012 / 0321574 , which are hereby incorporated herein by reference . as used herein , the term “ surfactant ” is a surface active agent , or a substance that , when dissolved in water or an aqueous solution , reduces its surface tension or the interfacial tension between it and another liquid . two types of polymers have been found to be useful in composition and methods of this invention . one class of polymeric material includes low molecular weight , hydrophobically modified polymers . another class of polymeric material includes polymers containing ureido functionality . for example : where r ′ connects the ureido function to the polymer . more preferably the monomer used would be an allyl ureido monomer monomer . ( where r ″ or r ′″ connect the monomer to the backbone of the polymer .) an example of such polymers is sipomer ® water adhesion monomer , commercially available from solvay cas no 90412 - 00 - 3 ( located in cranbury , n . j .). in one embodiment , the ureido polymer is ureido acrylic / methacrylic acid copolymer , commercially available as edp200 from rhodia , aubervillier , cedex . in another embodiment , the ureido polymer is ureido n , n - dimethylacrylamide methacrylic acid copolymer , commercially available as edp300 from rhodia , aubervillier , cedex . examples of polymeric materials useful in the compositions and methods of this invention include low - molecular weight acrylic , other ethylenically - unsaturated polymers , polyesters , polycarbonates , polyanhydrides , polyamides , polyurethanes , polyureas , polyimides , polysulfones , polysulfides , combinations of two or more thereof , and the like . examples of suitable low molecular weight acrylic polymers include hydrophobically - modified acrylic , polysaccharide , cellulose , starch polymers , combinations of two or more thereof , and the like . suitable low molecular weight acrylic polymers include hydrophobically - modified acrylic polymers , as well as other acrylic polymers , any of which may be formed via solution , suspension , precipitation , dispersion , emulsion , inverse emulsion , microemulsion , micellar polymerization methods , and combinations of two or more thereof . the acrylic polymers for use in the present invention may be derived from any one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of ( meth ) acrylates , ( meth ) acrylamides , vinyl ethers , esters , and amides , allyl ethers , esters , amines , and amides , itaconates , crotonates , styrenics , and olefins . the acrylic polymers may be nonionic hydrophilic , nonionic hydrophobic , anionic , cationic , zwitterionic , nonassociative macromer , associative macromer , or multifunctional / crosslinking . as used herein the term “ low molecular weight ” polymer refers to a polymer having a number average molecular weight ( m n ) of about 100 , 000 or less as measured by gel permeation chromatography ( gpc ) calibrated with a poly ( methyl methacrylate ) ( pmma ) standard . in certain preferred embodiments , low - molecular weight polymers are those having molecular weight ranges of from about 5 , 000 to about 80 , 000 m n , more preferably from about 10 , 000 to about 50 , 000 m n , and more preferably between about 15 , 000 and 40 , 000 m n . certain hydrophobically - modified polymers and methods of making such polymers are described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 433 , 061 , issued to marchant et al . and incorporated herein by reference . the polymeric materials useful in the composition of this invention are preferably non - crosslinked , linear acrylic copolymers that are very mild to the skin and mucosa . these non - crosslinked , linear polymers are preferably of low molecular weight having a number average molecular weight of 100 , 000 or less as measured by gel permeation chromatography ( gpc ) calibrated with a poly ( methyl methacrylate ) ( pmma ) standard ( as used herein , unless otherwise specified , all number average molecular weights ( m n ) refer to molecular weight measured in such manner ). thus , the polymeric material functions as a copolymeric compound . the copolymeric compound is polymerized from at least two monomeric components . the first monomeric component is selected from one or more α , β - ethylenically unsaturated monomers containing at least one carboxylic acid group . this acid group can be derived from monoacids or diacids , anhydrides of dicarboxylic acids , monoesters of diacids , and salts thereof . the second monomeric component is hydrophobically modified ( relative to the first monomeric component ) and is selected from one or more α , β - ethylenically unsaturated non - acid monomers containing a c 1 to c 9 alkyl group , including linear and branched c 1 to c 9 alkyl esters of ( meth ) acrylic acid , vinyl esters of linear and branched c 1 to c 10 carboxylic acids , and mixtures thereof . in one aspect of the invention the second monomeric component is represented by the formula : wherein r is hydrogen or methyl ; x is — c ( o ) or 1 or — oc ( o ) r 2 ; r 1 is linear or branched c 1 to c 9 alkyl ; and r 2 is hydrogen or linear or branched c 1 to c 9 alkyl . in another aspect of the invention r 1 and r 2 is linear or branched c 1 to c 8 alkyl and in a further aspect r 1 and r 2 are linear or branched c 2 to c 5 alkyl . thus , preferably the hydrophobically modified polymers useful in the compositions and methods of this invention comprise , consist essentially of and consist of a low molecular weight , non - crosslinked , linear acrylic copolymer derived from at least one first monomeric component selected from the group consisting of ( meth ) acrylic acid and at least one second monomeric component selected from the group consisting of one or more c 1 to c 9 alkyl ( meth ) acrylates , wherein the low molecular weight copolymer has a number average molecular weight of about 100 , 000 or less . exemplary first monomeric components include ( meth ) acrylic acid , itaconic acid , citraconic acid , maleic acid , fumaric acid , crotonic acid , aconitic acid , and mixtures thereof . exemplary second monomeric components include ethyl ( meth ) acrylate , butyl ( meth ) acrylate , 2 - ethylhexyl ( meth ) acrylate , vinyl formate , vinyl acetate , 1 - methylvinyl acetate , vinyl propionate , vinyl butyrate , vinyl 2 - ethylhexanoate , vinyl pivalate , vinyl neodecanoate , and mixtures thereof . as used herein , the terms “( meth ) acrylic ” acid and “( meth ) acrylate ” are meant to include the corresponding methyl derivatives of acrylic acid and the corresponding alkyl acrylate for example , “( meth ) acrylic ” acid refers to acrylic acid and / or methacrylic acid and “( meth ) acrylate ” refers to alkyl acrylate and / or alkyl methacrylate . more preferably , said first monomeric component is selected from the group consisting of ( meth ) acrylic acid and said second monomeric component is selected from the group consisting of at least one c 1 to c 9 alkyl ( meth ) acrylate . the non - crosslinked , linear acrylic copolymer compounds useful in the compositions and methods of this invention can be synthesized via free radical polymerization techniques known in the art . in one aspect of the invention , the weight ratio of the first monomeric component to the second monomeric component utilized ranges from about 20 : 80 to about 50 : 50 . in another aspect the weight ratio of the first monomeric component to the second monomeric component is about 35 : 65 , and in a further aspect the weight ratio of first monomeric component to second monomeric component is about 25 : 75 . methods of synthesizing the ureido polymers useful in the compositions and methods of this invention may be found in us patent publication no . 20120261070a1 , which is hereby incorporated herein by reference . the polymeric materials useful in the methods and compositions of this invention preferably have a viscosity of 500 mpa · s or less ( brookfield rvt , 20 rpm , spindle no . 1 ) at a 5 wt . % polymer solids concentration in deionized water and neutralized to ph 7 with an 18 wt . % naoh solution . the viscosity can range from about 1 to about 500 mpa · s in another aspect , from about 10 to about 250 mpa · s in a further aspect , and from about 15 to about 150 mpa · s in a still further aspect . the ureido polymers useful in the compositions and methods of this invention are preferably present in said compositions in amounts that are effective to inhibit , interfere with or degrade the collagen matrix in a wound healing model . accordingly , the compositions and methods of this invention degrade collagen and would therefore prevent the formation of keloid and hypertrophic scars . preferably , they should be present in the compositions of this invention in an amount of from about 0 . 1 % to about 100 % percent by weight of the composition . more preferably , they should be present in the compositions of this invention in an amount of from about 0 . 1 % to about 10 % percent by weight of the composition . even more preferably , they should be present in the amount of from about 0 . 1 % to about 5 % by weight of the composition . more preferably , they should be present in the amount of from about 0 . 1 % to about 0 . 5 % by weight of the composition . most preferably , they should be present in the amount of from about 0 . 1 % to about 0 . 5 % by weight of the composition . for injectible applications , the ureido polymer may be dissolved in phosphate buffered saline ( abbreviated pbs ). pbs is a buffer solution commonly used in biological research . it is a water - based salt solution containing sodium chloride , sodium phosphate , and , in some formulations , potassium chloride and potassium phosphate . the buffer &# 39 ; s phosphate groups help to maintain a constant ph . the osmolarity and ion concentrations of the solution usually match those of the human body ( isotonic ). the preparation of a pharmacological composition that contains active ingredients dissolved or dispersed therein is well understood in the art and need not be limited based on formulation . liquid preparations include solutions , suspensions , colloids , hydrogels , and emulsions , for example , water or water - propylene glycol mixtures . such compositions may be prepared as injectables , either as liquid solutions or suspensions . solid forms suitable for dissolving in a hydrogel or a liquid solution , or for suspending in liquid prior to use , can also be prepared . the compositions of this invention may be in the form of a lotion or liquid capable of being applied on the surface of the skin or on an inanimate surface that has a wound . it may also be a composition which is applied directly to the skin or contained in an adhesive bandage ( i . e ., the treatment solution is contained with the absorbent portion of the bandage ) and placed onto the skin surface having the wound . these types of composition may be more viscous and may be based on a gel or hydrogel composition . the compositions of this invention may be made into a wide variety of product types that include but are not limited to liquids , lotions , creams , gels , sticks , sprays , shaving creams , ointments , cleansing liquid washes and solid bars , shampoos , pastes , powders , mousses , wipes , patches , wound dressing and adhesive bandages , hydrogels and films . these product types may contain several types of cosmetically acceptable topical carriers including , but not limited to solutions , emulsions ( e . g ., microemulsions and nanoemulsions ), gels , solids and liposomes . the following are non - limiting examples of such carriers . other carriers may be formulated by those skilled in the art of formulating such product types . the topical compositions useful in the methods of this invention may be formulated as solutions . solutions preferably contain an aqueous solvent ( e . g ., from about 50 % to about 99 . 99 % or from about 90 % to about 99 % of a cosmetically acceptable aqueous solvent ). topical compositions useful in the methods of this invention may be formulated as a solution containing an emollient . such compositions preferably contain from about 2 % to about 50 % of an emollient ( s ). as used herein , “ emollients ” refer to materials used for the prevention or relief of dryness , as well as for the protection of the skin . a wide variety of suitable emollients is known and may be used herein . sagarin , cosmetics , science and technology , 2nd edition , vol . 1 , pp . 32 - 43 ( 1972 ) and the international cosmetic ingredient dictionary and handbook , eds . wenninger and mcewen , pp . 1656 - 61 , 1626 , and 1654 - 55 ( the cosmetic , toiletry , and fragrance assoc ., washington , d . c ., 7 th edition , 1997 ) ( hereinafter “ ici handbook ”) contain numerous examples of materials for use in the compositions and methods of this invention . a lotion may also be made from such a solution . lotions preferably contain from about 1 % to about 20 % ( more preferably , from about 5 % to about 10 %) of an emollient ( s ) and from about 50 % to about 90 % ( more preferably , from about 60 % to about 80 %) of water . another type of product that may be formulated from a solution is a cream . a cream preferably contains from about 5 % to about 50 % ( more preferably , from about 10 % to about 20 %) of an emollient ( s ) and from about 45 % to about 85 % ( more preferably from about 50 % to about 75 %) of water . yet another type of product that may be formulated from a solution is an ointment . an ointment may contain a simple base of animal or vegetable oils or semi - solid hydrocarbons . an ointment may preferably contain from about 2 % to about 10 % of an emollient ( s ) plus from about 0 . 1 % to about 2 % of a thickening agent ( s ). a more complete disclosure of thickening agents or viscosity increasing agents useful herein may be found in sagarin , cosmetics , science and technology , 2nd edition , vol . 1 , pp . 72 - 73 ( 1972 ) and the ici handbook pp . 1693 - 1697 . the topical compositions useful in the methods of this invention may also be formulated as emulsions . if the carrier is an emulsion , preferably from about 1 % to about 10 % ( e . g ., from about 2 % to about 5 %) of the carrier contains an emulsifier ( s ). emulsifiers may be nonionic , anionic or cationic . suitable emulsifiers are set forth in , for example , u . s . pat . no . 3 , 755 , 560 , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 421 , 769 , mccutcheon &# 39 ; s detergents and emulsifiers , north american edition , pp . 317 - 324 ( 1986 ) and the ici handbook , pp . 1673 - 1686 , which are incorporated herein by reference . lotions and creams may also be formulated as emulsions . preferably such lotions contain from 0 . 5 % to about 5 % of an emulsifier ( s ). such creams would preferably contain from about 1 % to about 20 % ( more preferably , from about 5 % to about 10 %) of an emollient ( s ); from about 20 % to about 80 % ( more preferably , from 30 % to about 70 %) of water ; and from about 1 % to about 10 % ( more preferably , from about 2 % to about 5 %) of an emulsifier ( s ). other compositions useful in the methods of this invention include gels and liquid compositions that may be applicable to mucosal surfaces for inhibiting viral transmission . mucosal surfaces include but are not limited to the vagina , rectum , nasal passages , mouth and throat . preferably , such compositions should include at least one polyhydric alcohol , including glycerin , polyethylene glycol , propylene glycol , sorbitol or a combination thereof . other polyhydric alcohols know to those of ordinary skill in the art may be used in the compositions and methods of this invention , including polyethylene glycols ranging from molecular weight of from about 300 to about 1450 . preferably , there should be from about 0 . 1 to about 50 % by weight of glycerin and from about 2 to about 40 % by weight of propylene glycol . the mucosal compositions of this invention should also contain one or more water - soluble cellulose - derived polymers . preferably , such polymers should be a cellulose gum such as one or more hydroxyalkylcellulose polymer . more preferably , the hydroxyalkylcellulose polymer should be one or more of hydroxyethylcellulose , hydroxymethylcellulose , hydroxypropylcellulose , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and the like . preferably , the cellulose - derived polymer should be present in the compositions of this invention in the amount of from about 0 . 1 to about 2 % by weight of the composition . the compositions of this invention intended for vaginal use may also contain one or more spermicides including but not limited to nonoxynol - 9 and the like . although such spermicides may be classified as surfactants , they generally have an hlb of less than 16 and are not useful as or in cleansing compositions and do not foam . preferably , an inorganic base may be used to adjust the ph of the composition to be compatible with the vaginal , oral or rectal mucosa . potassium hydroxide or another alkali metal or alkaline earth metal base may be useful to provide the appropriate ph . of course , any other physiological acceptable base may also be used in this manner . from about 0 . 05 to about 5 % by weight inorganic base is preferably used . the compositions of this invention may be prepared in accordance with those methods and processes known to those of skill in the art , or in accordance with the methods of preparation of this invention . for example , water - soluble components such as glycerin , propylene glycol , sorbitol , inorganic base , preservatives , and the like may be dissolved in water and to that combination cellulose - derived polymers may be added . another method of preparation is mixing all the ingredients into a slurry without water , and then adding the slurry to water . the composition is preferably substantially free of surfactant , including anionic , cationic , amphoteric , or nonionic surfactants . included in a liquid or lotion formation of the composition may be water , oils , preservatives , emulsifiers , viscosity enhancers , emollients , electrolytes , fragrance , buffers , ph modifiers , skin protectants , metal ion sequestrants and the like . absorbent articles such as bandages may also be used to cover the open wound and deliver a treatment solution containing the ureido polymer . in this invention , any absorbent bandage may used . typically , bandages have three layers : a skin facing layer , and absorbent layer and a top layer which faces away from the user &# 39 ; s skin . the bottom layer of the bandage is oriented toward the user &# 39 ; s skin and may be made of an aperture film or other material that does not stick to the wound but allows the treatment solution to penetrate . the absorbent layer may be made of absorbent fibers and contains the treatment solution . the top layer may also be an aperture film . the top layer may have a smaller open area than the bottom layer ; this will prevent undesirable escape of the treatment solution from the absorbent layer . the bandages may be square , rectangular , round , oval or triangle in shape . the bandages may vary generally will range from 0 . 25 mm to 5 mm thick . potassium acrylates copolymer ( lubrizol , wickliffe , ohio ) was supplied as a 30 % active formulation . the solution was diluted to 0 . 5 % active and 5 % active in distilled water , phosphate buffer saline ( pbs ), or acrylates cross - polymer - 4 ( sf2 ). the following solutions were supplied at different concentrations and all were diluted to 0 . 5 % active formulation in water . edp200 ureido acrylic / methacrylic acid copolymer ( rhodia , aubervillier , cedex ) was supplied at 17 . 7 % active formulation . edp 300 ureido n , n - dimethylacrylamide methacrylic acid copolymer ( rhodia , aubervillier , cedex ) was supplied at 16 . 4 % active formulation . polyacrylate - 33 ( rhodia , cranbury , n . j .) was supplied at 29 % active formulation . acrylates copolymer 4 ( lubrizol , wickliffe , ohio ) was supplied at 32 % active formulation . acrylates copolymer ( lubrizol , pedricktown , n . j .) was supplied at 30 % active formulation . inulin lauryl carbomate ( beneo - bio based chemicals ( belgium ) was supplied at 100 % active formulation . sodium hydrolyzed potato starch dodecenylsuccinate ( akzo nobel , salisbury , n . c .) was supplied at 100 % active formulation . octadecene / ma copolymer ( chevron - phillips , the woodlands , tex .) was supplied at a 2 % active formulation . subdilutions were further made in water or phosphate buffered saline ( pbs ) ( mattek , ashland , mass .) for the experiments . the wound healing experiment described below was used to evaluate the re - epithelialization properties of materials according to the invention . the experiment can also be used to determine collagen degradation of a formulation . full thickness skin equivalents were manufactured on a human collagen matrix plated with fibroblasts . human keratinocytes were cultured on top of the collagen matrix and then brought out of the medium to produce a differentiated stratum corneum . full thickness equivalents were manufactured and ordered from mattek ( ashland , mass . ), and the medium was ordered to include extra growth factors . the medium was also supplemented with 2 % human serum ( lonza , gampel , valais ). the equivalents were received and cultured following manufacturer instructions . a 3 mm biopsy punch ( miltex , plainsboro , n . j .) was made in the middle of the skin tissue equivalent , removing the epidermal layer but leaving the collagen layer intact . 6 μl of the surfactant solution was applied to area of the biopsy punch . the equivalents were cultured according to manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions for five days . on the fifth day , the cells were harvested and transferred to a 10 % formalin buffered solution ( vwr , bridgeport , n . j .). the samples stained for hematoxylin and eosin ( h & amp ; e ) staining ( american histolabs , gaithersburg , md .). the samples were scanned at 4 × using an olympus bh2 microscope with movable stage ( center valley , pa .). they were then analyzed using the nikon imaging software ( nis ) ( melville , n . y .). surface area and micron calculations were analyzed using the calibrated nis software . 0 . 5 % of active potassium acrylates copolymer caused significant degradation of the collagen matrix when tested in the wound healing model . table 1 shows the depth of the collagen matrix measured in the middle of the wound bed . potassium acrylates copolymer was compared to another carbomer polymer , acrylates crosspolymer - 4 . potassium acrylates copolymer mixed with phosphate buffered saline ( pbs ) or potassium acrylates copolymer mixed with acrylates crosspolymer - 4 caused significant degradation of the collagen matrix ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). interestingly , only the collagen was degraded , the keratinocytes remained intact . gelatin is an irreversibly hydrolyzed form of collagen and is therefore a good model of collagen hydrogels . this experiment examined how compositions according to the invention containing different concentrations of potassium acrylates copolymer liquefy gelatin over time . a 2 . 5 % ( w / v ) purified gelatin ( amresco , solon , ohio ) was made in phosphate buffered saline ( mattek , ashland , mass .) and heated to 80 ° c . until melted . the solution was cooled and placed into either 6 well or 24 well plates . the solution solidified at room temperature for a minimum of 24 hours . after the solid gel had formed , 100 μl of the various compositions containing potassium acrylates copolymer were added to solidified gelatin . at different time points , the samples were aspirated and weighed on an analytical balance to measure the amount of liquefied gelatin . the aspirated amounts were pipetted back into the wells after weighing . the experiments were ended after no longer than 6 days . to confirm that potassium acrylates copolymer can degrade collagen , dilutions of potassium acrylates copolymer were applied to a purified gelatin matrix . 100 μl of potassium acrylates copolymer was applied in different concentrations to the gelatin hydrogels , the amount of liquefied gelatin was measured 48 hours after application , shown in table 2 . potassium acrylates copolymer caused a dose dependent degradation of collagen at 48 hours after application ; potassium acrylates copolymer at 0 . 1 % active formulation caused significantly more degradation of the gelatin matrix than water . this continued the trend as the concentration of potassium acrylates copolymer increased in solution . to examine the effect of ureido polymers and other hydrophobically modified polymers ( hmp ) on collagen degradation , the same liquefied collagen experiment was conducted on other polymers as described in example 2 . 100 μl of hmp was applied at 0 . 5 % of active solution to the gelatin hydrogels , the amount of liquefied gelatin was measured 24 hours after application , shown in table 3 . ureido polymers edp300 and edp200 showed significant collagen degradation compared to water , similar to potassium acrylates copolymer . other hydrophobically modified polymers hmps did not show the ability to degrade collagen . interestingly sodium hydrolyzed potato starch dodecenylsuccinate , a hydrophobically modified polymer , showed significantly less collagen degradation , most likely due to the additional polymerization of the collagen matrix . surprisingly , in the wound healing experiment potassium acrylates copolymer and not the other acrylates crosspolymer - 4 polymer caused significant degradation of the collagen matrix . this was particular to the collagen hydrogel matrix because it did not affect the keratinocytes grown on top of the collagen hydrogel . this affect was only seen in the wound bed of the experiment where the collagen was exposed ( see table 1 ). following up on this surprising result , a gelatin degradation experiment was performed . gelatin is a hydrolyzed collagen matrix which forms a hydrogel . because purified gelatin is made primarily of collagen , and is a good model of collagen hydrogels to determine degradation of collagen . potassium acrylates copolymer caused a dose dependent degradation of collagen from 0 . 1 - 5 % active in solution at 48 hours after application . this shows a wide range of activity in which potassium acrylates copolymer can successfully degrade collagen . under 0 . 1 % there was no significant different of degradation from water . other polymers were tested at 0 . 5 % active solution in the gelatin degradation experiment . at 24 hours after application , surprisingly polymers edp200 and edp300 showed significant degradation of the gelatin compared to water ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 , and p = 0 . 05 respectively ). the ability of a ureido polymer to degrade a collagen matrix is a specialized function that is not identical to all polymers . this ability most likely has to do with the size and shape of the hmps . ureido polymers edp200 and edp300 showed a surprising ability to degrade collagen effectively at a wide range of concentrations . this has a wide range of clinical applications from reducing keloid scarring to reduction of collagen implants .
this invention relates to methods and compositions for degrading collagen in mammalian skin , thereby improving the appearance and / or reducing the size of a closed wound , which may be a scar or a keloid and cellulite or other conditions wherein excessive collagen is a problem .