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Military

New Camouflage Face Paint Could Protect Troops' Skin From Burns

Soldier in face paint
DVIDS
Soldier in face paint

Chemists say they've come up with a new formula for camouflage face paint that could protect military service members' skin from heat created by explosions.

University of Southern Mississippi chemist Robert Lochhead presented his findings today before a American Chemical Society meeting in Philadelphia, according to the the Los Angeles Times.

Lochhead said he and his team of chemists have developed a face paint that can protect skin from the heat of thermal blasts, which can reach temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit:

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Laboratory experiments showed that the new makeup could protect skin for as long as 15 seconds before its temperature rose high enough to produce mild first-degree burns. In some tests, the paint provided protection as long as 60 seconds, Lochhead said, which could give soldiers time to escape from a blast zone.

Lochhead's team is also working on a colorless version of their face paint for firefighters to wear.