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    L'Oreal's using 3D printers to make artificial skin

    Updated:26 Apr 2016 1:45 PM | Posted by
    Beth E's picture
    Beth E
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    When 3D printing first came on the scene, we were excited about the possibility of printing make-up.

    But now L’Oreal Paris has taken the technology one step further, revealing plans to use it to print artificial skin.

    Yep, you read that correctly. The brand has been printing human skin to use for product testing.

    Partnering with Organovo, a company that creates “functional human tissues…for use in drug discovery and medical research,” the French beauty giant hopes to make skin testing a whole lot quicker and easier.  

    But how does it actually work?

    Speaking to allure.com, L’Oreal tech incubator global vice president Guive Balooch explains it involves the use of “bio-ink… made out of human cells collected from tissue biopsies, donated cells, or stem cell sources.”

    Then, it gets a tad complicated…

    “The tissue is printed into a matrix, where co-printed gel holds the form or negative spaces needed in the printing process but is removed within 24 hours, leaving behind a 100 per cent cellular tissue," says Balooch.

    Riiight. I’m no skin scientist, so the ins and outs are still a bit of a mystery. But the most important thing to take away from this is that the final product is as close to natural skin as you can get (without actually using the real thing).

    "The final tissue is 100 per cent cellular with no scaffolds or synthetic structures to get as close as possible to the behaviour of the cells and tissues in their natural environment without foreign material.”

    So. Cool. Albeit, a teeny bit gross.

    This isn’t the first time the brand has revolutionised product testing, with the L’Oreal Make-Up Genius app letting us virtually try on products before we buy.

    But skin printing? Wow. The wonders of technology, AMIRITE?

    What do you think of L’Oreal’s skin printing? What other beauty technologies would you like to see invented?

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    48 Member Comments

    BeautifulJusty 28 Apr 2017 6:47 AM

    Have not heard of this, interesting. I'm keen for the acne vaccine to come out if a cure for acne has definitely come about.

    itslinda 5 Apr 2016 1:46 PM

    Great article

    lynx 7 Nov 2015 7:48 AM

    Wow it is crazy what technology can do these days.

    lynx 7 Nov 2015 7:47 AM

    Wow it is crazy what technology can do these days.

    Petal 16 Sep 2015 2:35 AM

    I still have difficulty getting my head around the concept of 3D printing, let alone printing skin.

    Vivian007 19 Aug 2015 2:03 PM

    Hmm, very interesting! I wonder if they would have the same issues as organ transplants, eg. rejection by the host body? I would love to read up on their clinical reseach data when they get to that. I can see huge opportunities for this technology but we'll see if they use it for more than just cosmetic testing...

    Sydneyswans910 4 Jun 2015 4:02 PM

    Hopefully this means they will stop animal testing!!

    dream-angels 24 May 2015 8:03 AM

    ah what the...? I cant believe this is possible

    Shop A Everyday 24 May 2015 6:11 AM

    Very progressive here, it is fascinating

    bmill229 23 May 2015 12:01 PM

    Sounds interesting.

    TheDevineOne 22 May 2015 1:56 PM

    Hopefully this means an end to animal testing!

    Miss_Lee 22 May 2015 11:09 AM

    Its truly amazing....but slightly off-putting!

    Ellelily 22 May 2015 10:54 AM

    This is really interesting

    Kassalee 22 May 2015 3:43 AM

    Printing skin for real problems (burns, scarring) is a wonderful idea and I'm all for crazy technology that is acieving this but for pure vanity?

    Snazzie 22 May 2015 1:15 AM

    Wow! The things they can do are just amazing.

    Lily141 21 May 2015 10:05 PM

    These 3D printers amaze me! And to think they can print skin or as close to it as possible, so that it can be used for testing. The mind boggles at all this amazing advanced technology.

    Joole 21 May 2015 11:52 AM

    Eeek. The idea of printing human skin kind of grosses me out but on the up-side, it'll be great if there's no more animal testing!

    bebeautiful34 21 May 2015 11:38 AM

    Interesting, I wonder if it'll be used for skin grafting?

    Beckky 21 May 2015 8:23 AM

    sounds great.

    Teegy25 21 May 2015 7:00 AM

    Wow so informative, I love reading about this- good reflection on the brand too

    Platinum Ms 21 May 2015 6:22 AM

    What will they think of next, it amazing.

    Jessica712 21 May 2015 3:10 AM

    Technology really has advanced so much. I think its great, hopefully means no more animal testing, and can help people with skin issues.

    Lucrecia629 21 May 2015 3:04 AM

    Umm... I guess it's better than animal testing, but it still sounds just a tad creepy. I couldn't help but think of the movie The Island while reading this article.

    Dreamy 20 May 2015 9:02 PM

    Informative article throwing insight on advanced technology

    tarameoww 20 May 2015 2:41 PM

    I can't wait for things like this to develop so that animal testing can be abolished. But of course L'oreal can afford to do testing like this, but can't afford to draw out of the chinese market...

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