Every surgery requires some sutures. For anyone who's ever received them before, they can be quite uncomfortable and painful. But all of that may be in the past thanks to a spray-on film of biodegradable polymer nanofibers.

Developed by researchers from the University of Maryland, the thin film of biodegradable material can conform to the skin, and hold surgical incisions and shut them tight from the outside world.

The team decided to use a commercial airbrush, used for paint to apply the material, but also made a way for it to be sprayed on instead.

The biodegradable polymer called poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)—adds acetone to the mix to make it sprayable.

The acetone evaporates as the fiber travels through the air, and is gone by the time it lands on the surface it's aimed at.

For now, the researchers are working on further safety studies and hope to enter clinical trials with the technique soon. [ACS Macro Letters via Chemical & Engineering News]