Biomask for skin regeneration.

Critical challenges in facial skin wound healing The use of helmets and body armor in mod­ ern warfare greatly reduces the mortality and severity of injury for soldiers. However, facial injuries resulting from improvised explosive devices (IEDs), gun shots and burns are still common. Based on data from the Joint Theater Trauma Registry, craniomaxillo­ facial battle injuries to the head and neck were found in 42.2% of patients evacuated out of theater during the 10­year period covering operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom for battle injuries [1]. Facial injury remains one of the greatest challenges in wound care [2]. The face is the most impor­ tant identifiable feature of a human being, as it transmits feelings, expressions and emo­ tions. The face also connects to many func­ tional performances such as vision, smell­ ing, breathing, kissing, eating and speech, among others. The treatment will greatly affect the quality of life and social integra­ tion of military soldiers [3]. The varied con­ tours and continued/complex movement of the face has limited the use of a traditional wound vacuum­assisted closure (VAC) and the effectiveness of cut­to­fit skin substitutes [4,5]. Current treatment strategies following injuries often lead to scarring, infection, graft failures and poor cosmetic outcome. The scar reduction techniques, such as pulsed dye (e.g., CO 2 ) laser therapy, z­plasty, or fatty tissue and stem cell injection, aim to make existing scars ‘look and feel’ better. The real challenge lays in prevention/reduc­ tion of scar formation in the first place. Res­ toration of aesthetic, functional facial skin in the first place has significant military and civilian impact, as well as huge cost benefit. The key underlying challenges in facial skin wound healing are as follows: