'Second Skin' cream made by MIT temporarily gets rid of wrinkles

(FOX 11) - There are dozens of products that claim to make wrinkles disappear, but now researchers at MIT have developed a material that really does lessen the appearance of wrinkles, temporarily at least.

The cream is an XPL, or cross-linked polymer layer, that is applied to the skin in two steps. First, a transparent cream is rubbed into the skin, and then, a catalyst is applied that binds the cream to the skin.

Researchers tested the material that's being called a 'second skin' on people and found it could reshape bags under the eyes as well as hydrate skin. The material tightened the skin under the eyes, making wrinkles lessen for about 24 hours.

Though the effects of the cream are temporary, it is resistant to water and rubbing and scientists say the silicone-based material could eventually be used to help treat skin conditions like eczema.

Daniel Anderson, an associate professor in MIT's Department of Chemical Engineering said, "It's an invisible layer that can provide a barrier, provide cosmetic improvement, and potentially deliver a drug locally to the area that's being treated. Those three things together could really make it ideal for use in humans."

Startup company Olivo Labs is working on developing the cream for medical uses.

Watch the below video to see how the product works.