Published: October 06, 2011
Mobile Phone App Helps Patients with Dermatitis Choose Safe Products
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - For nearly eight million Americans dealing with contact dermatitis, a
typically itchy and red inflammation of the skin, choosing skin care
products that don't cause irritation can be a frustrating
trial-and-error exercise. Even the most promising of moisturizers,
sunscreens or shampoos, often labeled as "natural" or "hypoallergenic,"
can trigger a painful bout of redness, skin lesions or swelling. In
serious cases, the condition interferes with the patient's daily
routines - and sleep. Now dermatologists, their patients and consumers
who are concerned about sensitive or allergy-prone skin problems can use
CARD (Contact Allergen Replacement Database) to manage their skin
sensitivities.
Available as a mobile phone or web-based application, CARD offers
user-friendly tools, including a "shopping list" of products and
ingredients to help patients avoid potential allergens - by brand,
product category or name. The system, designed by Mayo Clinic in Arizona
in collaboration with mobile health systems developer Preventice Inc.,
tracks more than 8,000 known ingredients found in some 5,500 commercial
topical skin care products.
Patients have options for using CARD to help manage skin allergies. Free
mobile access to CARD lets patients with a skin rash or reaction look
for skin care products that are presumably safe to use and are free of
the most common chemicals that cause allergic reactions. This gives
patients products they can begin using right away, or until they need to
see their dermatologist. If necessary, a dermatologist can perform skin
allergy patch testing and, upon completion, the patient will receive a
personal allergy list. The list is used in the subscription-based
version of the app in the "My Allergens" function; there is a nominal
monthly fee.
When personal allergy information is entered, CARD will quickly find
products that are safe for patients to use, via a "My Shopping List"
screen. Both versions of CARD have a "push" feature that keeps the
thousands of products in the CARD app up to date. For instance, if a
patient's favorite moisturizer adds a new ingredient that may be a
potential cause of allergy, CARD notifies the patient that the product
may no longer be safe and can even suggest an alternative.
"Our goal in making CARD available to patients and providers is to help
prevent the need for an unnecessary doctor visit," said James Yiannias,
M.D., chair of Dermatology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and developer of
the allergen database. "By giving patients the ability to track their
symptoms, and through providing an up-to-date personal list of safe skin
care products, we will improve their quality of life and decrease the
need for clinic visits."
The first version of CARD was rolled out and put into clinical use at
Mayo Clinic in the fall 1998. Previously available only to Mayo Clinic
physicians and American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) members, CARD
is recognized as a tool that physicians and their patients can use in
partnership. Once patch-testing for contact skin allergies is completed,
forming the initial data entered into the system, CARD users can take
advantage of the many features offered within the app.
The genesis of CARD has a personal angle. Dr. Yiannias was determined to
help his father, who suffered from contact dermatitis and continual
itching for most of his life. Fresh from his residency in dermatology,
Dr. Yiannias was gently "scolded" by his father, who suggested he use
his training to develop "a computer program to help patients like us,
because we need help!"
Disclosure:
Mayo Clinic and Dr. James Yiannias have a financial interest in the
technology referenced in this article and will receive royalties from
the sale of this product.
To request an appointment at Mayo Clinic, please call 480-422-1490 for
the Arizona campus, 904-494-6484 for the Florida campus, or 507-216-4573
for the Minnesota campus.
About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a non-profit worldwide
leader in medical care, research, and education for people from all
walks of life. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org/about/
and www.mayoclinic.org/news.
Mayo Clinic
Lynn Closway, 480-301-4337
Public Affairs
closway.lynn@mayo.edu
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