In this blog post, we will look at how plastic surgery is expanding beyond simple appearance improvement to the areas of reconstruction and treatment, and what role it is playing in improving the quality of life.
In the 21st century, when students get double eyelid surgery after graduation and celebrities reveal their plastic surgery, plastic surgery has become an inseparable part of modern life. Plastic surgery has now gone beyond the boundaries of cosmetic surgery to improve one’s appearance and is becoming an important medical field that improves the quality of life and restores physical functions. In particular, plastic surgery in Korea is recognized worldwide and is in the leading position not only in terms of beauty but also in reconstructive plastic surgery. As medical technology advances, plastic surgery, which combines various advanced equipment and technologies, is giving hope to more and more people.
Plastic surgery was originally a procedure that was created for people who were uncomfortable with their bodies due to accidents or diseases, rather than for beauty. In particular, reconstructive plastic surgery, which restores the body of trauma patients, is an essential medical practice that helps them lead a normal life, and it is distinguished from cosmetic surgery. For example, patients with severely damaged skin due to burns can be protected from external infection or damage by receiving a new skin graft through reconstructive plastic surgery. The Burn and Plastic Surgery Center at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital is a leading institution for reconstructive plastic surgery, and it has earned international trust, with about 80 of the approximately 2,000 patients who visit the center each year coming from China and Southeast Asia.
One of the important elements of such reconstructive plastic surgery is artificial skin. Reconstructive plastic surgery goes beyond simply restoring the appearance and focuses on restoring the skin’s natural functions. To do this, it must mimic the natural characteristics of the skin, such as elasticity, durability, and flexibility, and it must also have the ability to prevent infection and dehydration. Artificial skin is a skin substitute that not only covers the skin, but also protects the damaged skin until it recovers and helps the patient’s daily life.
The history of artificial skin dates back to 1981. It began when John F. Burke, a surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States, and Ionias V. Yannas, a professor of chemistry at MIT, developed the first artificial skin by combining collagen fibers extracted from cowhide with long sugar molecules. This artificial skin contained a lattice-structured “polymer membrane” made of collagen, which played a role in preventing infection while maintaining the moisture of the skin. However, early artificial skin lacked the ability to transmit sensations and had the disadvantage of being less natural when applied to the body.
With the advancement of science, artificial skin that can feel touch and respond to body movements is now being developed. Tactile sensation is one of the main functions of the skin, and the Paccini corpuscle senses pressure, the Ruppini corpuscle senses temperature, and the Meissner corpuscle senses touch. To implement this kind of tactile sensation in artificial skin, researchers are trying to deliver natural sensations using new materials such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and nanowires. With this technology, we can now detect the sensation of a light ladybug sitting on the skin.
The advancement of artificial skin technology is expanding its application possibilities not only in reconstructive plastic surgery, but also in various fields such as robotics, medical devices, and healthcare. For example, by applying artificial skin with tactile sensation to a robot hand, a robot with a delicate sense of touch like a human can be created. This technology is also expected to be useful in developing prosthetic arms for patients with disabilities. A prosthetic arm with tactile sensation is expected to provide a sense of connection to the patient beyond physical function, giving them a sense of psychological stability.
In addition, artificial skin can be used as a key component of wearable computers. Stretchable and durable artificial skin-type wearable devices are useful for measuring vital signs and monitoring health status by adhering closely to the skin. In the near future, artificial skin that can perform functions almost identical to human skin will be commercialized, giving hope to patients with full-body burns or severe trauma.
The technology for reconstructive and plastic surgery has advanced dramatically over the past few decades. Artificial skin, which used to have a limited function of simply covering the burn area, has now reached the level of reproducing sensation, achieving a texture similar to that of the skin, and even attempting to transmit sensation through the nerves. With the advancement of artificial skin technology, the day is not far off when patients will be able to regain a level of sensation and function close to that of their original skin.
The boundaries between plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery are increasingly blurring, and the future that technological advances will bring will give more people a new life.
