China, a country with a long history of silk production, has recently developed a new application for this material. Scientists in Zhejiang Province have utilized silk to create a new type of artificial skin, hoping to aid in skin disease treatment and scar removal.
The lead researcher on this new material, Dr. Min Sijia, is a collaborative professor at the Animal Research Institute of Zhejiang University, located in the capital city, Hangzhou. She has named the new technology “biological coating,” made entirely from silk fibers.
Dr. Min explains that as a purely biological product, silk is soft, has good permeability, and its natural structure closely resembles human skin. She noted that some dermatologists even recommend patients wear silk underwear for skin benefits.
Passionate about the quality and properties of silk, Dr. Min began researching its medical applications in 1996 while pursuing her Ph.D. in Japan.
After ten years of research, Dr. Min successfully created a silk fiber material that is free from chemicals.
At the Zhejiang University laboratory, Dr. Min presented the new material to journalists. She placed a round, white piece of artificial skin on the back of her hand, and it quickly bonded with her skin without any visible seams.
Dr. Min stated that the material can be produced in any shape with a thickness of just about half a millimeter. It is soft and similar to human skin, with good durability and absorption capabilities.
This biological coating is easy to store. It can be kept in a regular refrigerator and used after thawing.
Through experiments on animals, the artificial skin allowed a wound with a diameter of three centimeters to heal in less than 20 days.
According to reports, China has approximately 3.2 million patients with skin disabilities.
Currently, pig and human skin are commonly used to treat skin defects, but these materials are prone to infections and often provoke rejection responses. Although the United States and Japan have started using medical “coatings” made from collagen and chitosan, these materials are too expensive for widespread application.
Dr. Min Sijia noted that the silk biological coating does not adhere tightly to immature epidermis in humid environments and does not cause damage to the skin.
The new technology has been endorsed by experts and has been patented. However, according to Dr. Min, this technology still requires clinical trials before the product can be widely used for individuals with skin damage or disabilities.
