A very fishy treatment
Burns often damage large areas of skin. They can be very painful and are often difficult for doctors to treat. They can’t just be sewn up, like cuts, and there is much greater chance of burns getting infected.
A common treatment for bad burns is to dress them with patches of pig skin, or even human skin. These work because they contain collagen, a protein that helps skin heal, but they can be expensive and difficult to come by. Now, doctors in Brazil have invented a way to treat burns using a readily available resource. Scientists at the Federal University of Ceará discovered that a fish called tilapia has high levels of collagen in its skin.
The researchers have found that the skin, which normally goes to waste, makes a great dressing for burns. After being sterilised to kill bacteria, it can be applied directly to the affected area. As well as speeding up the healing process, tilapia skin is also soothing. One patient called it an “excellent” treatment. “It takes the pain away,” he said.