HYPRSKN / Science
Intradermal Science
Intradermal science focuses on the intricate properties and functions of the skin.
Exploring how substances and treatments can be delivered directly to the dermis for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes, intradermal science unravels the complexities of the skin's inner structure to pave the way for advances in beauty and healthcare.
Understanding how HYPRSKN intradermal technology works begins with an appreciation for how traditional intradermal tattoos function.
Tattoos Are Intradermal Implants
Tattoo Pigments are comprised of nanoparticles. Most tattoo pigments are less than 1000 nanometers in diameter (Bäumler et al., 2000). Tattoo pigments, which contain ingredients that were originally designed for industrial uses, are milled down from raw pigments with grinding agents, which makes their particle size and shape inconsistent, and can lead to ink migrating to other parts of the body.
Left: Microscopic images of tattoo pigments from “Tattoo inks in general usage contain nanoparticles” by Høgsberg, Loeschner, Löf, & Serup (Br. J. Derm. 2011, 165, 1210–1218).
How Tattoos Work
During a tattoo procedure, pigment nanoparticles are deposited in the skin’s upper layer (epidermis) and middle layer (dermis) by needles dipped in tattoo ink. As the tattoo heals, the pigments are shed from the epidermis and remain only intradermal (within the dermis).
Recognizing tattoo pigments as foreign bodies, immune cells called macrophages try to capture and destroy the ink particles. These pigment-loaded cells, unable to digest the nanoparticles, “get stuck” permanently in the dermis. (Baranska et al., 2019).
Left: Microscopic image of a macrophage loaded with tattoo pigments from “Unveiling skin macrophage dynamics explains both tattoo persistence and strenuous removal“ by Barankska, (J. Exp. Med. 2018, 215, 1115–1133).
Ötzi the Iceman, the oldest naturally preserved human mummy from around 3,300 BCE (over 5,000 years ago), boasts 61 tattoos on his body, representing some of the earliest evidence of tattooing in human history. Ötzi’s tattoos are made of the same carbon materiel used in modern-day tattoo inks.
Current Tattoo Science: An Ancient Technology
Tattoo Ink Origins
The pigments in tattoo ink were not originally developed for human use. Black tattoo pigments are made of carbon soot, and have been for millennia (Pabst et al., 2009). Most tattoo color pigments have their origins in industrial products such as clothing dyes, automotive paint, and printer’s ink. Even tattoo machines haven’t changed much since they were first patented in 1891 (O’Reilly, 1891). Tattoo pigments and tattooing devices have not kept pace with other advances in technology.
HYPRSKN and the Future of Intradermal Implants
Lab-developed over 7 years at the University of Colorado Boulder, our core technology is an intradermal nano-implant, similar in size to a tattoo pigment, but updated for the 21st century. HYPRSKN implants are the first ever inks designed from the ground up to be implanted in skin.
Biocompatible Nanospheres. Made of medical implant-grade polymer glass.
Optimal Size Scale. Small enough to implant safely, large enough to last forever.
Tunable Functions. Implant function is tailored with high-performance molecular dopants as the active ingredients, unlocking new possibilities in health and beauty.
Main Ingredient: Biomedical-Grade PMMA
PMMA, or polymethyl methacrylate, is a transparent polymer glass that has been safely used in medicine for over 70 years in dermal fillers, replacement hips, bone cement and more. In HYPRSKN implants, PMMA’s biocompatible shell encases the pigment, limiting direct interaction between the pigment and the body’s cells.
Benefits of PMMA include:
Excellent biostability. PMMA polymer chains are flexible yet highly stable and biocompatible, making them ideal for biomedical implants. The body does not degrade or react negatively to PMMA, which is why PMMA is commonly used in biomedical implants, dentistry and prosthetics.
Exceptional transparency. Due to its high transparency, PMMA is often used as an alternative to traditional glass, suitable for use in everything from impact-resistant windows to optical fibers.
High purity. PMMA is widely available in medical-grade purities, which we always use in our products to ensure safety and biocompatibility
This Implant Is Dope!
Unlike tattoo pigments, which are made with grinding agents, HYPRSKN implants are PMMA nanospheres created without milling and enhanced with dopants as active ingredients.
Dopants are low-concentration additives put into a bulk material to alter its properties. HYPRSKN dopants alter the optical properties of the PMMA nanosphere, allowing it to change color (like in Magic Ink) or dissipate UV light while remaining invisible (like in Invelanin).
HYPRSKN dopants are custom-made with unprecedented standards of purity and quality, unlocking revolutionary functions for intradermal implants.
How HYPRSKN Technology Works in Skin
During an intradermal procedure of HYPRSKN technologies, PMMA nanoparticles are implanted in the skin’s upper layer (epidermis) and middle layer (dermis). As the tattoo heals, the pigments are shed from the epidermis and remain only intradermal (within the dermis).
Because of the precise size and shape of the PMMA particles, HYPRSKN intradermal products, like Magic Ink and Invelanin, remain where they were implanted in the dermis and don’t migrate throughout the body.
HYPRSKN Implants vs. Traditional Tattoo Pigments
Existing Tattoo Pigments
Scale Bar: 2 µm
Composition: all active colorant (no protective shell)
Purity: 70-95%
Manufacture: derived from industrial pigments
Ingredients: hundreds of different colorants
HYPRSKN Implants
Composition: biocompatible shell doped with active ingredients
Purity: >99%
Manufacture: designed from inception for human skin
Ingredients: medical-grade polymer glass + dopant
Scale Bar: 2 µm
Why Our Intradermal Tech Is Poised to Transform Humankind
When it comes to human assistive technology, there are primarily only two options:
Wearables are low cost and easy to take on and off, but have limited lifespans and cause discomfort when used long-term due to prolonged skin contact.
Eyeglasses
Hearing Aids
Knee Brace
Implants are permanent and more comfortable but are also expensive and highly invasive procedures that require a surgeon.
Lens Implant
Cochlear Implant
Knee Replacement
Intradermal implants combine the best of both worlds: minimally invasive, non-surgical, and low cost, yet comfortable and permanent.
Safest Implants Ever?
HYPRSKN technology combines the inherent safety of tattoo pigments (due to their small size and low dose) with the inherent safety of PMMA (due to its inert and biocompatible composition).
