Cotton candy-like material to heal wounds

Known as "DermaFuse," the material is made from borate glass by the Mo-Sci Corporation in Rolla, Missouri. Similar "bioglass" materials do already exist, but they are made from silica and are used in the regeneration of hard tissues, such as bone. Boron has been shown to react to body fluids considerably faster than silica, and to be effective against harmful bacteria, which is why Mo-Sci chose to use it in DermaFuse.

The material is designed to mimic the microstructure of fibrin, which is one of the main components of blood clots. Like fibrin, the glass fibers trap blood platelets, and provide a scaffolding for the wound covering to form across. DermaFuse is also rich in calcium, which has been shown to speed healing by assisting the migration of epidermal cells to the wound site.

As the wound heals, the fibers are absorbed by the patient's body - little if any scarring results, and no bandages or sutures need to be removed.

Source: gizmag.comAdded: 11 May 2011