In the Mission Impossible movies, one of the many scenes that strikes audiences the most is probably when a character perfectly impersonates the appearance of someone else only to peel off the “elastic second skin” to reveal his real face. Just when you think you know what’s happening. Surprise!
The elastic second skin used in Hollywood action films seems too good to be true. However, a recent collaboration between scientists from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has moved the concept closer to reality.
With the goal of reducing the appearances of facial ageing, the scientists have developed a unique material that look and feel like real human skin.
Facial skin ageing has many forms from crow’s feet to wrinkles. The elastic second skin aims to provide a solution for under eye bags. Caused by a variety of factors including orbital fat pads inflation and loss of skin’s elasticity with advancing age, under eyes bags are entirely natural, though some people see it as undesirable and seek ways to reverse it. Existing treatments include skin tightening technology, filler and lower blepharoplasty.
Rather than treating the skin under the eyes, the elastic second skin concept grew from the idea of masking the eye bags with a synthetic material that has the elasticity of youthful skin.
The new approach involves the application of a shrinking polymer to create a transparent support, much like an under eye girdle, to compress the loose skin. Since siloxane derivative naturally shrinks as a part of the material’s polymerisation process, the compound is ideal for the development of elastic second skin. Deemed safe by the US Food and Drug Administration, siloxane is commonly found in hair care and skin conditioning products making it an acceptable compound for under eye applications.
Initialisation of the polymerisation process is executed in two steps, applying an initial cream polymer followed by a second application of a catalyst that cross-links the polymer to create a non-sticky invisible, flexible film. As the polymerisation process occurs, the film shrinks and pushes in the under eye bag. When desired, the film can be removed and reapplied repeatedly as needed for appearance improvement.
The film takes only a minute to dry and looks like natural firm skin. The elastic second skin stays on for at least a day. Users don’t have to worry about sweat or washing the second skin off after application. No irritations or allergic reactions have been reported among the 170 test subjects, according to the study. The elastic second skin findings were published on May 9 in the Nature Materials journal.
More studies are needed to evaluate other areas such as long-term use. Thus the elastic second skin is not officially on the market yet, but it is possible that the material will be deployed as a cosmetic procedure in a few years.
Although the elastic second skin is not intended to change major facial features, sometimes a small touch-up is all it takes to create the magic of a younger looking you.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.