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Secret To No More Wrinkles: How To Stop Signs Of Aging

By Megha Kedia | Update Date: May 10, 2016 06:33 AM EDT

Appearance of wrinkles and eye bags are common in old age people, but, now, scientists have developed an invisible wearable polymer called "Second Skin" which can help eliminate some of those imperfections.

A team of researchers from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have reportedly developed an invisible elastic film that can be applied to the skin to smooth the appearance of wrinkles and eye bags. In fact, the same "second skin" could have a wide range of medical applications as well.

The invisible elastic film forms from two different creams that are applied one after the other. The material is applied to the face daily like a cream and is then activated with a catalyst gel. The combination of the two forms an invisible polymer layer that reinforces the skin beneath. The temporary film locks in moisture and helps boost skin elasticity.

"It's kind of like an invisible Spanx that you could put on skin," said Robert Langer, professor of biological engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a co-author on the study, according to Discovery News.

The researchers tested their prototype product on small number of volunteers, applying the formula to their under-eye bags, forearms and legs.

Regarding the safety of the material, Langer said, "We created a new material that is safe. We've put it on human beings. It's adherent and mechanically strong. Its easy to apply."

The researchers claim that the "second skin" is made up of commonly used chemicals deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration, according to NY Times. They are also hoping that the polysiloxane polymer could be used to deliver drugs to help treat skin conditions such as eczema, as well as providing protection from UV rays in the future.

"We are extremely excited about the opportunities that are presented as a result of this work and look forward to further developing these materials to better treat patients who suffer from a variety of skin conditions," Langer added, reported BBC.

The research has been funded by Living Proof, a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Mass., and the product is being developed by Olivo Laboratories, a privately owned Cambridge company which owns the patents.

The study findings has been published in the journal Nature Materials.

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