Jun 15, 2010

Artificial skin may help reduce scarring

Researchers in Australia have been working toward developing an artificial skin that may help reduce pain and scarring that is associated with traditional skin grafts, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Medical experts have begun trials on animals using living skin, which is grown outside of the body and then grafted on, replacing the second layer of skin called the dermis.

"It takes the body weeks to grow into a skin graft and in that time a lot of excess elastic fibres and collagen will be produced that will then turn into a scar," artificial skin co-creator and chairman for burn, injury and reconstructive surgery at the University of Sydney, Peter Maitz, told the news provider.

Maitz, along with his team of researchers, have developed a scaffold in which the patient's own skin cells are implanted so that they develop into a functioning dermis layer. So far the team has found that there is no scarring when the artificial skin is transplanted.

This new development in scar treatment may one day revolutionize the industry, but it is still in its early stages. Until then, scar removal may be aided by the use of silicone gel sheeting or ointments.ADNFCR-3015-ID-19839442-ADNFCR

 

Biodermis RSS Site Feed