MIT / MELANIE GONICK
As skin ages, it gradually loses its collagen (an extracellular matrix protein providing strength and structure), causing skin to sag and become wrinkle prone. A team led by researchers at MIT and Harvard University has now developed a topically applied, polymer-based material that—according to their study published earlier this week (May 9) in Nature Materials—could cover up wrinkles and blemishes by mimicking “the properties of normal, youthful skin,” the authors wrote.
“Developing a second skin that is invisible, comfortable, and effective in holding in water and potentially other materials presents many different challenges,” study coauthor Robert Langer, a leader in regenerative medicine and drug delivery at MIT, told reporters (via BBC News). “We are extremely excited about the opportunities that are presented as a result ...
