Science 2 min read

Researchers Develop New Device To Minimize Scarring in Cosmetic Surgery

This new technique will help surgeons significantly reduce the amount of scarring caused by surgeries. ¦ 9Thanaphon / Shutterstock

This new technique will help surgeons significantly reduce the amount of scarring caused by surgeries. ¦ 9Thanaphon / Shutterstock

A team of researchers from Binghamton University and the State University of New York created a device to help establish the orientation of the skin tension line. With this knowledge, surgeons can figure out how to minimize scarring during surgery.

The human skin has tension lines, which are formed from the alignment of the collagen fibers in the dermis layers. These lines are essential for creating incisions that leave the least noticeable scars during surgery.

Making an incision across the direction that collagen is aligned puts the patient at risk of keloid scar formation – a scar that can grow larger than the original injury. On the other hand, when you cut along the direction of the aligned collagen, the wound not only heals better, but it produces less scarring.

This raises a simple question; how do doctors determine the direction of collagen alignment in the human skin?

There are skin tension line maps to guide the surgeon’s hands when using the scalpel. Another option is to depend entirely on manual manipulation. But, these methods are not perfect.

Research shows that skin anisotropy – the skin’s property of having directionally dependent mechanical properties – varies with the individual.

As a result, there is no single best universal guideline to follow, and surgeons can only guess which one would leave the least noticeable scar. Basically, skin tension maps are inefficient, and manual manipulation is not precise.

To address these issues, the researchers developed a new device that can measure the skin tension line direction in a single test and within seconds. Not only is the device accurate, but it’s also more precise and efficient than any ever produced.

“Our device can measure the skin tension line direction accurately and quickly,” said Guy German, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Binghamton University.

According to the associate professor, other devices that do this already exist. However, they have very low accuracy. The surgeon often has to measure multiple times to establish the direction of the collagen alignment to minimize scarring.

“We believe our device is more reliable and accurate than existing methods,” German concluded.

The professor of biomedical engineering at Binghamton University believes that the device will become a staple tool in operating rooms soon.

Read More: New Surgical Heart Implant Could Save Kids From Multiple Surgeries

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Sumbo Bello

Sumbo Bello is a creative writer who enjoys creating data-driven content for news sites. In his spare time, he plays basketball and listens to Coldplay.

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