If you’ve ever read The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, you know that we as humans have long found fascination in the idea of see-through skin. While science hasn’t quite mastered the art of complete invisibility quite yet, new research from Stanford University points towards transparent skin’s emergence in the future of medicine.
Seeing through skin provides numerous benefits other than the obvious awesomeness of the feat; these visuals would allow scientists to see inside a body without invasive or possibly dangerous, radiation-emitting machines. In a new study, researchers formulated a cream composed of dyes commonly found in food, as well as light-absorbing molecules. To create the cream, they worked to counteract skin tissue’s natural scattering which occurs due to a difference in the refractive indices of different compounds. By using a red dye, the researchers were able to alter the refractive index of water in the skin and reduce the scattering of light through the layers. Sure enough, when the team massaged the cream into an experimental mouse’s skin, the skin became transparent, showcasing the mouse’s inner organs for scientists to study and document. The scientists could even see blood pumping from the heart to the brain! Even better, water washed the dye off, removing the transparency while leaving the animal perfectly unscathed.
The researchers behind this project offer many instances in which this technology could aid medical procedures in the future. Doctors could simply look at melanomas and tissues without removing the skin above. Blood draws and tattoo removals would also improve, since the transparent skin would help experts more easily locate veins and ink. While this discovery has only recently made its debut, scientists in the field hope that this technology could represent a shift in the future of medicine, away from radiation and invasive procedures, and towards healthier and safer patient lives.