New artificial skin to smooth out wrinkles

​Boston: Scientists, including those of Indian-origin, have developed a new material that can temporarily tighten skin, smooth wrinkles, and may be used to deliver drugs to treat skin conditions such as eczema.

The material, a silicone-based polymer that may be applied on the skin as a thin, imperceptible coating, mimics the mechanical and elastic properties of healthy, youthful skin. In tests with human subjects, the researchers found that the material was able to reshape "eye bags" under the lower eyelids and also enhance skin hydration.

This type of "second skin" could also be adapted to provide long-lasting ultraviolet protection, researchers said. "It's an invisible layer that can provide a barrier, provide cosmetic improvement, and potentially deliver a drug locally to the area that's being treated," said Daniel Anderson, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

As skin ages, it becomes less firm and less elastic - problems that can be exacerbated by sun exposure. This impairs skin's ability to protect against extreme temperatures, toxins, microorganisms, radiation, and injury.