Science and Health

This Lab-Created 'Second Skin' Could Do More Than Just Hide Wrinkles

The invention is meant to be invisible, flexible and elastic.

This Lab-Created 'Second Skin' Could Do More Than Just Hide Wrinkles
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
SMS

Scientists from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say they've created an invisible "second skin" that hides the appearance of wrinkles. 

The film is made to be flexible and elastic but also able to keep things such as ointments in place and in contact with one's real skin. This means the product could have more than just an aesthetic purpose. 

"One set of things might be in cosmetics where you'd use it to tighten skin in different parts of the body. Another could be for therapeutics, where you'd use it as a whole new kind of plastic ointment," one of the researchers said

Ointments the researchers say could potentially be used to treat skin diseases. 

More research on the product needs to be done before it will be approved for commercial use, but the scientists have already secured a patent for their "second skin." 

This video includes clips from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and images from BenoĆ®t Mars / CC BY ND 2.0.