Artificial skin is soft, pliable and handles very m uch like the real thing, though it is not quite so stur dy. It is draped on burn sites in patches as large as 6 in. by 10 in. The artificia dermis breaks down as new n atural tissue forms. The plastic top layer acts solely as a temporary protecetive covering; beginning as early as ten days after the artificial skin graft, postage-st amp size patches of plastic are peeled away and replace d by slivers of the patient‘s own epidermal tissue. Man -made skin is still experimental, and more clinical tes ting will be needed before it is available for widespre ad use.

　　人造皮肤虽然不十分结实，但却很柔软，又富有韧性，手感与真正的皮肤每块有6乘8英寸那么大。随着人体的新组织生长，人造真皮就会分解。塑胶外层只是用作暂时的保护层；在人造皮肤植入10天后，就可开始剥去邮票大小的一块块塑胶，由病人自身的表皮组织所代替。