Technology has touched all areas of people’s lives, from how they do their tasks to how they care for their health. Skin health is one of the facets of well-being where modernisation runs full throttle. Find out more about what innovations are changing this industry and the many benefits that technology in dermatology can bring.
1. Virtual Consultations and Telemedicine
Technology has made consultations more convenient for patients. Before, you needed to drive to and from your dermatologist’s office. Additionally, if you work, you’d have to take time off for your checkups.
Today, consultations are more straightforward and patient-centred. They can also be virtual — you no longer have to step out of your door, saving you driving time and effort. Even if you’re busy, you can squeeze in a 15-minute checkup on your schedule and not have to travel to visit your doctor’s office in person.
Virtual consultations make care more accessible, regardless of where you live or whether you’re on vacation. You can get the same personalised service as an in-office visit without the hassle.
2. Wearable Electronic Skin Technology
Electronic skin, or e-skin, devices are revolutionising the way people manage and monitor their skin health. The skin is the largest organ of the body and can deliver signals that something is internally amiss. For instance, acne on specific body parts may indicate an underlying condition.
These biological cues are crucial for detecting potential health risks early. Emerging wearable e-skin technology offers versatile and non-invasive solutions for getting real-time data on your skin’s condition.
The tools have multiple sensors, electronic components and materials that collect vital signs, glucose levels, heart rate and other biosignals. Since they conform to the body like a second skin, you won’t feel like you have them on. You get real-time information if something unexpected happens, allowing for early diagnosis and intervention.
3. Personalised Skin Care Products With AI
The one-size-fits-all approach to care is becoming less valuable. To boost patient outcomes, doctors are shifting to patient-centered, customised care methods. Technology supports this goal in many ways, from automating insurance verification and protecting patient health information online to personalizing skin care product formulas.
For example, devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can perform accurate skin analyses for individualised treatment, which benefits 50 million American women with oily, acne-prone skin. This skin type often requires products with water-based formulas that beauty shelves sometimes don’t have in stock.
Some at-home devices or mobile apps can measure your skin condition and give real-time data on barrier strength, moisture level, wrinkles and pigmentation. With this information, dermatologists can offer hyper-personalised care by creating custom-blended serums, moisturisers, cleansers and other products tailored to your skin profile.
4. 3D Printing for Topical Skin Applications
3D printing is an emerging health care trend that people can look forward to going mainstream. Bioinks mixed with living cells can create 3D dimensional structures of organs to support patients who need transplants.
In skin health, care providers can use 3D printing to develop personalised wound dressings and products for topical skin applications. The 3D printers create new dressings suited to the wound’s type and size. The custom dressings help to protect the affected area from infection, control moisture and remove excess fluids to promote rapid healing.
Technology in Dermatology: Modernising the Skin Care Industry
Technology in dermatology has changed the way people take care of their health. Skin experts are gradually embracing telemedicine, e-skin, AI and 3D printing to improve service delivery. These innovations will make monitoring skin health easier and empower more people to be proactive in caring for their well-being.
