3D printers continue to redefine innovation, enabling feats from custom firearms to entire houses. Now, global cosmetics leader L'Oréal is harnessing this technology for a groundbreaking application: printing human skin tissue.
According to Bloomberg Business, L'Oréal has partnered with Organovo, a U.S. bioprinting pioneer, to develop this advanced capability.
This move follows L'Oréal's 2013 decision to phase out animal testing amid widespread criticism from animal welfare advocates.
Currently, the company relies on skin samples from cosmetic surgeons, producing nearly 100,000 cow-sized pieces annually. Yet, to advance dermatological testing further, L'Oréal seeks a scalable, ethical alternative.
Organovo stands out in the field, using bio-ink derived from human cells to meticulously layer and replicate the complex structures of human skin.
