Microskin: more than make-up

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India Gale and Kylie Corcoran don't want much - just for people to see past their scars.

India Gale was caught in a house fire at the age of three. Her mother Katie knows what a beautiful girl she is, but is frustrated others can't see past her burns.

Its been a long road of skin grafts and therapy for the little 8 year old and as her body healed, it's the scarring of the mind that hasn't - the constant reinforcement that she's different.

From their home in England, they heard of an Australian invention called Microskin - a spray on preparation that colour-corrects scars, burns and other skin conditions, essentially makes them disappear. It doesn't wash off and is impervious to the sun. So India and her family made the long haul.

"To be able to camouflage your injury, to put you on a level playing field with all the other people out there, is almost a basic human right," Katie said.

And they weren't disappointed.

"A transformation wouldn't be too strong a word for it. Its kind of emotional, but to be too emotional would be to say she didn't look good before and she looked fabulous, beautiful," Katie said.

The biggest change, says India's family, is her smile.

For inventor Linda Lowndes, the biggest breakthrough has been finally getting government acceptance that Microskin isn't a cosmetic, but rather essential in healing anyone who has been scarred through trauma.

"They're recognising that its not just about the visual, its about the psychological affect it has on a patient - that's what I've been fighting for from day one," Linda said.

And she's had a win with patient Kylie Corcoran, who was seriously injured in a head-on car accident. As her bones healed, she was left with terrible scarring that no one seemed to be able to look past.

Kylie heard about Microskin and knew it was what she needed. But its not cheap - the most basic kit starts at $600, ranging up to $3,400.

Kylie convinced the Traffic Accident Commission in Victoria to pay for her treatment as part of the recovery from her car accident.

"I basically wanted the TAC to find out about Microskin and to accept that it as an amazing product, that it can change so many lives, that you can have so many scars or burns from an accident, it really does harm the self esteem - it makes you feel different and Microskin is an amazing product," Kylie said.

And that is how Kylie feels - amazing - all because now people ask her name when they meet her, not what caused her scars.

For further information about Microskin, visit the website at: www.microskin.com.au or phone (07) 3260 6125.