Fish Skin Treatment Revolutionizes Burn Care with Faster Healing and Less Scarring

A new treatment using fish skin is transforming burn care by speeding up healing and reducing scarring. The innovative method, developed by Icelandic company Kerecis, uses processed fish skin as a natural dressing for severe burns. Recently, medical giant Coloplast acquired Kerecis for around 1.3 billion USD, highlighting the technology's growing importance.

Burn injuries pose serious threats, including skin loss, fluid depletion, and high infection risks. Traditional treatments often rely on pig or cow-derived products, which require harsh chemical processing to eliminate viruses. Fish skin, however, avoids these steps by using a gentler preparation method that removes all fish cells and allergenic proteins, leaving only a pure collagen scaffold.

This scaffold acts as a biological framework, helping human cells regenerate new tissue. For second-degree burns, the fish skin supports full epidermis healing, while in third-degree cases, it prepares the wound bed by improving blood flow before skin grafts. The natural omega-3 fatty acids in the fish skin also reduce inflammation and lower infection risks, easing pain and minimising scarring.

Kerecis, the company behind this technology, had reached 20 million USD in sales before its acquisition. The method's success lies in its simplicity and effectiveness, offering a safer, more natural alternative for burn patients.

The fish skin treatment is now part of Coloplast's portfolio after the 1.3 billion USD acquisition. It provides a faster, less painful recovery for burn victims while reducing complications like infections and scarring. Hospitals and clinics are increasingly adopting this method as a reliable option for severe burn care.