To do this, they combined dimethyl sulfoxide and polyvinyl alcohol. These components are often used in cryopreservation of cells in the laboratory: dimethyl sulfoxide prevents the formation of ice crystals inside the cells, and alcohol between them, and also protects against damage to the outer membranes.
After several experiments, they managed to determine the optimal ratio of the components. The resulting mixture, called SynAFP, provided 80 percent cell survival. Then it was mixed with a regular cream with aloe vera.
This modified cream was tested on mice. It was applied to the skin of experimental animals 15 minutes before strong cooling. A comparison with a control group that did not receive such treatment showed that the cream helped reduce the number of frostbite wounds, as well as reduce tissue damage and inflammation. At the same time, the wounds healed faster.
Additional research is required to create a commercial product: it is still unclear how often such a cream needs to be updated on the skin and how well it works on humans. In addition, applying the cream 30 minutes before cooling did not provide protection against frostbite, so the formula may need to be improved.
