Come Back Stronger

Most of us will have scars somewhere on our body. Whether large or small, each one is a permanent reminder of the natural healing processes at work within our skin. When we’re wounded, the body forms scar tissue as quickly as possible to cut the chance of infection, reduce pain and prevent too much fluid being lost. Doctors can use soft sheets of gel, known as hydrogels, to stop wounds from drying out and help them heal faster, but this speed can often lead to scarring. Researchers have now developed a new type of hydrogel that integrates into a wound and triggers a healing immune response, leaving strong, healthy, unscarred skin. This healed skin, shown here, has many of the features of regular skin, including hair follicles (highlighted in green). Although they’re still at an early stage, these new hydrogels could be a helping hand for healing one day.

Written by Kat Arney

Kat Arney

Writer

Dr Kat Arney is an award-winning science writer, broadcaster and public speaker, and is the founder and Creative Director of First Create The Media.

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• Image from work by Donald R. Griffin and Maani M. Archang, and colleagues
• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, University of California, and Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Image copyright held by the original authors
• Research published in Nature Materials, November 2020