Invisible second skin banishes signs of ageing — for 24 hours
The material, applied in a two-step process, protects and tightens the skin, while allowing it to hold moisture and breathe.
It has the potential to make anyone on the wrong side of 40 look years younger — but the effect currently only lasts 24 hours.
Scientists expect the silicon-based ‘biomimetic film’ will initially be used for medical purposes, such as treating dermatitis and other skin conditions. The ‘skin’ could in future be used to dress wounds, screen out harmful sun rays, or deliver pharmaceutical drugs.
Robert Langer, who led the team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, said: “Developing a second skin that is invisible, comfortable, and effective in holding in water and potentially other materials presents many different challenges. It has to have the right optical properties, otherwise it won’t look good, and it has to have the right mechanical properties, otherwise it won’t have the right strength and it won’t perform correctly.”
The material, called XPL, was developed over five years. More than 100 different polymers — large molecules made up of linked smaller units — were tested.
All contained a chemical structure known as siloxane, a chain of alternating atoms of silicon and oxygen.The winning formula produced an elastic transparent material composed of cross-linked molecules which can be stretched invisibly over the skin.
XPL is applied as a cream or ointment in two layers. The first contains the key components and the second a platinum catalyst that causes the material to stiffen into a resilient coating which stays in place for 24 hours.
In elasticity tests, the material easily bounced back to its original state after being stretched by more than 250% — outperforming natural skin which can only be stretched by about 180%.
Other studies conducted with the help of volunteers showed how XPL tightened skin under the eyes to remove sagging bags, and improved the stretchability of skin on the forearms.
Skin covered by the film was able to retain more water than when treated with a top-of-the-range commercial moisturiser.
Dermatologist Barbara Gilchrest, from Massachusetts General Hospital, said:
“Many people have tried to do this, and the materials that have been available up until this have not had the properties of being flexible, comfortable, non-irritating, and able to conform to the movement of the skin and return to its original shape.”
