Researchers with an inspiration from fetal skin have created a heat activated gel like bandage which can treat any wound.
The very characteristic of fetal skin is that it can be redeveloped completely after any injury without even leaving a scar of damage. Protein fibers are produced rapidly by embryonic cells just after an injury. These protein cells then close the wound tightly and contract the adjoining skin of womb.
It has been figured out by the scientists that our skin can be healed into a younger self. Labelled the active adhesive dressings, they are made of ‘thermoresponsive tough adhesive hydrogels that integrate high stretch ability, toughness, tissue adhesion, and antimicrobial function’.
The bandage is stimulated when exposed to body heat. It has advanced adhesive sticker material than normal injury bandage has. It catalyzes the healing process with the help of silver nanoparticles present in it.
Furthermore, team believes that these dressings can also be used to heal difficult to treat skin injuries like ulcers not just for nasty cuts and scrapes. In a meanwhile, design could also be tailored for other medical purposes.
For the future researchers will study if these dressings can work as well under various medical scenarios and conditions, like colder weather that can affect the skin’s temperature.