Disruption of healed scars in scurvy -- the result of a disequilibrium in collagen metabolism.
Old scars break open in scorbutic patients because (1) the rate of collagen degradation is greater in an old scar than it is in normal skin, and (2) the rate of collagen synthesis is diminished throughout the body in ascorbate deficiency.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002921:Cicatrix; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D003012:Microbial Collagenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D012614:Scurvy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism
D003094:Collagen; D003012:Microbial Collagenase