Although this may sound like something out of Silence of the Lambs, a product that gives you a second skin is legitimately something you could be purchasing soon at cosmetic retailers. Scientists claim they have developed an elastic polymer that can be applied to the skin and, once dried, forms a film that reduces signs of aging such as lines and wrinkles and gives the appearance of firmer, more youthful-looking skin.
Some brilliant minds from Harvard Medical School and the infamous Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed this “second skin” technology in hopes that it will be potentially used one day as a way to deliver medications and provide sun protection to the skin. The possibility of using it for cosmetic purposes is being explored as well.
This second skin is a synthetic polymer that consists of silicone and oxygen molecules and is designed to mimic real skin with protective and breathable properties. The polymer is essentially invisible to the naked eye when applied to the skin, yet it gives the skin a smoother, firmer appearance. Developers hope that this second skin technology can provide a nonsurgical alternative to surgery todisguise signs of aging and give the skin a more youthful appearance.
Second skin technology may be available in the near future, but it’s not yet approved by the FDA and isn’t available to consumers. Don’t fret, though! There are plenty of nonsurgical options to rejuvenate the skin and let you put your best face forward in the meantime. Injectables such as BOTOX® and JUVÉDERM® can dramatically diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and med spa treatments such as chemical peels and microdermabrasion can significantly improve skin tone and texture to give you a more youthful appearance.
