28/10/2025
Brazilian doctors are experimenting with a unique approach to treating burns: using tilapia skin!
In this innovative treatment, doctors wrap a child’s burnt skin with sterilized tilapia fish skin. Tilapia skin possesses non-infectious microbiota, abundant type I collagen, and a similar morphological structure to human skin, making it a potential xenograft for managing burn wounds.
Traditionally, doctors use sulfur sulfadiazine, a substance that typically heals wounds within two weeks. However, this treatment has its drawbacks. The dressings and bandages must be changed daily to maintain cleanliness, and patients must take anesthetic showers using antibacterial soap to prevent unpleasant odors from the wounds. Many patients resort to painkillers to cope with the entire procedure.
The tilapia skin treatment differs significantly. It involves directly applying the skin to the burned area and covering it with a bandage, eliminating the need for any creams. After approximately 10 days, the bandage is removed, and the tilapia skin, which has dried out and loosened from the burn, can be peeled away.
This treatment proves more effective than traditional bandages that require daily changes. It accelerates healing by several days and reduces the necessity for pain medication. The fish skin’s high levels of collagen type 1, moisture retention, and infrequent need for replacement make it a superior option.
Furthermore, the tilapia skin treatment is more cost-effective, simpler, and draws inspiration from nature.