Search Here

The self portrait or selfie can be used as a tool to help overcome skin problems, a new study shows.

The research was conducted by a team from University of Colorado in Denver conducted to understand if care provided physicians through digital means like a self-portrait is as effective as care provided through follow-ups. Patients with skin condition atopic dermatitis, commonly called eczema were chosen. The team studied results in 156 patients, 78 of who visited dermatologist while 78 of them avail services online after sending their selfies. The researchers then measured the differences in the skin condition after one year, Financial Express reported.

"Between baseline and 12 months, the average difference in score in patients in the online group was -5.1 and -4.86 in the in-person follow-up group. The percentage of patients achieving clearance or near clearance of their atopic dermatitis was 38.4 percent in the online group and 43.6 percent in the in-person group," the researchers wrote about the results.

The team found that the treatment availed online was comparable to that availed through doctor visits, prompting researchers to say that such techniques could well become main stay in the coming future.

"Health services delivery in dermatology is an exciting and evolving field. With the changing health care environment and a growing demand for dermatologic services, technology-enabled health care delivery models have the potential to increase access and improve outcomes. As with any novel health services delivery models, comparative effectiveness studies investigating health outcomes are critical to evaluate these new models in an evidence-based approach," said study author April W. Armstrong.

The findings of the study have been published in the journal JAMA Dermatology.