Fish Scales Can be Used to Treat Burns

In a typical year, hospitals treat over 500,000 cases of burns. About 40,000 of them might be so serious that they need to be treated in a hospital. And if you've ever had a burn, you know that you don't want one that requires hospitalization. One of the most agonizing injuries you can experience.

The harm that can be done to skin by severe burns is one of the worst aspects about them. One of the only treatments in this situation is skin grafting, which involves transplanting healthy skin from another region of the body to the burn so that it can recover.

In animal studies, it has been demonstrated that fish skin can significantly speed up the healing of wounds. Fish skin treated with silver solution significantly lowers the risk of illness by reducing bacterial numbers and promoting the formation of new skin. Human burns have been successfully treated using the same fish, tilapia.

Their skin is incredibly rich in Type 1 collagen, which is essential for healing. The scales don't need to be replaced after being sanitized; they can be used just like a bandage. Of course, human skin is preferable, but in many underdeveloped countries, it is just not an option. Tilapia skin is an underutilized resource with some obvious advantages because it serves no purpose after the fish have been processed.