A common byproduct of the fishing industry, the skin of bangus fish, can be used as a cost-effective dressing for severe burns and other wounds, according to research from the Philippines.

The study, at Ateneo de Manila University, compared the skins of tilapia fish (pictured, top) and bangus fish (pictured, bottom), known as milkfish outside the Philippines, for their suitability as an artificial skin, that aims to protect exposed tissues and promote growth of new skin cells.

The team saw that sterilised bangus skin was able to completely stop bacterial and fungal growth, as well as maintain its collagen (important for wound healing and overall skin health), just as effectively as tilapia skin.

While tilapia skin has shown promise for treating burns, this is the first time that bangus fish skin has been tested for this purpose.

Bangus fish are commonly sold in the Philippines – with the skin often discarded – and therefore hold the potential to develop a wound dressing that is cheaper, more accessible and environmentally sustainable.

The researchers, Janice Ragaza and Bianca Patrice Go, said in their paper: “Given its abundance and potential collagen content, milkfish skin presents a valuable opportunity to expand the donor pool for fish skin grafting.”