Tilapia Skin Grafts Won’t Make You Aquaman but They May Save Your Skin 2023

In an unintentional and unanticipated homage to Aquaman, a rather unusual biomaterial has been tested in Brazil for the treatment of wounds with remarkable success. If something smells fishy to you, it probably is: the secret ingredient is tilapia, a freshwater fish native to Africa that is prevalent in the rivers of Brazil.

In recent years, scientists have experimented with using its epidermis to promote healing during skin transplantation procedures. For instance, a 2019 case report documented the unconventional treatment’s effectiveness in treating wounds caused by a gunpowder detonation.

Due to its high type I collagen content, tensile strength, and morphology akin to that of human skin, tilapia skin makes for an ideal piscine plaster. Dr. Edmar Maciel, one of the study’s authors, told The New York Times last year that it “prevents loss of moisture and proteins on the wound and remains bonded to the wound bed until it heals over.” This expedites wound healing and protects against contamination.

Fish skin bandages cure burns and bites.

The study details the case of a 23-year-old man who suffered injuries to his arms, face, and thorax, and whose recovery was aided by the application of Nile tilapia fish skin. To reduce the risk of infection, the epidermis was chemically sterilized, treated with glycerol, and irradiated before being tested for bacteria and fungi and refrigerated.

After cleaning the man’s incisions and removing necrotic (dead) and fibrous tissue, the treated tilapia skin was applied to his arms. Following the application of silver sulfadiazine salve, which is commonly used on burn patients in Brazil, gauze and a bandage were removed every 72 hours for the first week to ensure that the tilapia skin had adhered to the incision.

Right arm reepithelialization occurred on day 12 and left arm reepithelialization occurred on day 17. At this point, the burned and desiccated tilapia skin was peeled away to disclose the healthy skin underneath. No adverse effects were reported.

Even though you might not believe it, fish skin patches have been used to treat burns and bites.

In the past, human, swine, and even frog skin has been used for skin grafts; however, these materials are not always available in Brazil’s public institutions. Instead, gauze bandages, which necessitate frequent and excruciating replacement, are commonly used. Tilapia, which are abundant in the rivers of Brazil, could be a valuable and sustainable alternative.

Odorico de Morais, a professor at the Federal University of Ceará, told Reuters in 2017: “The fish skin is typically discarded, so we’re using this product to transform it into something of social benefit.”

It may also be a more cost-effective alternative: according to a 2022 study, the improbable biomaterial costs only $1 per patch, excluding transportation and labor.

And its use in skin transplantation is not limited to a single instance (or species). Tilapia skin has also been used to treat wounds in children and even helped a miniature dachshund recover from an injury.

Suddenly, it no longer sounds (quite so) suspicious.