Tackling Eczema with Technology

Eczema, specifically atopic dermatitis, is a common chronic skin condition affecting around 10-20% of children and 2-10% of adults worldwide. 

While the cause is often associated with one's genetics, such as a family history of eczema, asthma, or allergies, environmental factors such as pollution, climate and exposure to irritants appear to be the main reasons why the number of people affected by this disease is increasing. 

With growing numbers of individuals suffering from this disease and in severity, typical management of eczema, such as application of emollient-rich moisturizers and prescription of topical or oral medications to control inflammation and itching, is simply not sufficient.

We are now seeing wearable biosensors being researched and developed as a tool to deliver better diagnostics, monitoring and treatment outcomes for patients. Eczema stands to benefit greatly from wearable technology, because of the ease of direct contact with the skin, the high prevalence of the disease and the large unmet need for better disease control in this group.

Even AI is being utilised to develop models to identify and predict eczema severity, and to differentiate between eczema and psoriasis. 

We are also seeing the focus shift to the technology necessary for developing cures for the disease. Mayo Clinic has developed its first 3D prototype of human skin bioprinted to model inflammatory skin disease. With this bioprinted human skin, human equivalents that are truer and more representative of the disease can be created, unlike the animal models relied on in the past. 

Eczema stands to benefit greatly from wearable technology, because of the ease of direct contact with the skin, the high prevalence of the disease and the large unmet need for better disease control in this group.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/...