Skin Substitutes

Skin substitutes or artificial skin and tissue are a heterogeneous group of biologic, synthetic, or biosynthetic materials that can provide temporary or permanent coverage of open skin wounds. The aim of skin substitutes is to replicate the properties of the normal skin. It is produced by bioengineering different types of skin cells. Some are made using a patient's own skin cells, tissue from donated cadavers, animal tissue cells, or a combination of these. How they work is dependent on the skin function they are attempting to replace. Tissue engineered skin provides both epidermal and dermal components required to achieve functional wound closure.