Scientists just developed spray-on bandages!

Taking a page out of sci-fi films, scientists have been able to develop “spray-on bandages” to protect wounds, and to care for injuries that require immediate attention in places that don’t have medical facilities.

In a new study, scientists outlined a technique called “electro spinning”, owing to which scientists came up with thin layers of fibres which were sprayed onto damaged skin. Some would say it’s akin to spraying paint on a surface.

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According to the author of the study, Lane Huston, this marks the “first demonstration of depositing the drug-delivering fibres directly into a wound site safely”, the Independent reported.

The study was published in the Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B. The author added that this mechanism can be used to cover wounds, and to follow up with treatment thereafter.

The technique in question - electro spinning is widely used among industries to wrap and filter multiple products.

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Unfortunately, electricity at a high voltage can damage human skin. But scientists were able to develop a device with a smaller electric field, which sprayed bandages on people’s skin, as per information given in the study.

The device in question, which is still nameless, uses air to deliver fibres on a surface. The research team recently tested their device on pigs, and on a “gloved human hand”, marking the first such experiment.

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The current valuation of bandage market is around $5.5 billion, which is expected to grow over the next few years. The scientists are hopeful that this could save millions of lives in rural areas. Scientists hope the technology will help doctors and medical personnel working in rural areas.