IN all its colours, textures and ages, our skin remains our most resilient companion throughout our lives. The importance, multifunctionality and wonder of our skin cannot be understated.

The skin is the largest organ in our bodies. It is the first layer of defence against the outside world and can communicate various hints about our overall health. Your skin provides protection against the invasion of bacteria, nerve endings to indicate if something is too hot or sharp and sweat glands to control your temperature. It also contains cells that turn sunlight into vitamin D.

Taking good care of your skin allows it to take good care of you. This includes what you put inside your body or on your skin and your everyday health practices. You should also be paying attention to your skin and its changes, this will ensure that if you have any adverse reaction such as hives, a rash, skin discolouration or an abnormal growth such as a mole, wart or lump, you are able to identify if your skin is having a reaction. Resources such as teledermatology serve as the perfect starting point towards diagnosing an illness of the skin.

What is teledermatology

Teledermatology is one of the most popular applications of telemedicine. Telemedicine is the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients through digital technology with teledermatology focusing on skin disorders or conditions.

Through telemedicine platforms, such as MDLink, patients can access dermatology care via video call, audio call or text through the comfort and convenience of their personal locations. Since most skin conditions are visible they are easier to assess through these virtual means. Dermatologists are then able to expand their reach to patients using the resources available to them via telemedicine.

Skin conditions such as acne, eczema, herpes, viral warts, bacterial and fungal infections of the skin and irritant dermatitis are fairly easy to treat via telemedicine.

This is typically done by sending photos or video footage of the condition to your dermatologist online.

The following are some benefits of teledermatology in treating patients.

1) Increased efficiency and convenience for dermatology treatment through decreased wait periods and instant access. Often you have to wait long periods to see a specialist in person, teledermatology provides you with immediate access to a dermatologist.

2) Patients in rural areas gain expanded access to dermatology care that is not readily available to them where they are without the time and inconvenience of travel.

3) Fast and convenient access to referrals for second opinions and prescriptions for further diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions.

4) If during your telemedicine consultation your dermatologist thinks you need a lab test, such as a biopsy, they are able to send you a lab form to get the test done without you having to visit their office.

5) Telemedicine platforms such as MDLink that offer teledermatology allow you to send your personal information to your doctors on a private, safe and encrypted platform. You need not worry about the photos shared of your skin concerns or any other medical information provided being accessed by anyone outside of the professionals running this platform.

Tips for maintaining healthy skin

The following are 10 ways you can take extra care of your skin to ensure it is healthy.

1) Protect your skin from the sun — use sunscreen daily (SPF 30-50 is recommended), wear protective clothing and avoid direct sunlight during periods of intense sun.

2) Eat a healthy diet — skin-healthy foods such as fruits high in antioxidants (eg mangoes, berries) and vegetables high in water content (eg lettuce, celery) are great ways to get your skin looking and feeling its best.

3) Stay hydrated — Having dry skin and frequent breakouts are signs that your skin is dehydrated. Staying hydrated, specifically drinking loads of water, allows your body to flush out toxins and avoid dehydration.

4) Stop smoking — smoking depletes the skin of oxygen causing your skin to look paler and thinner.

5) Avoid high alcohol consumption — alcohol quickly dehydrates you and may put you at higher risk for illness. This may cause your skin to be dull and wrinkly.

6) Treat your skin gently — avoid using harmful substances on your skin, or water that is too hot and ensure you keep your skin moisturised.

7) Manage your stress levels — uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger breakouts.

8) Get enough sleep — adequate sleep will limit dark circles and a pale complexion. Poor sleepers tend to have premature skin ageing and limited ability to repair from environmental stressors such as sun damage.

9) Pay attention to your skin — Paying attention to your skin allows you to notice when something may be off. If you do not examine your skin in the mirror or during your showers, you may not notice a new growth, unusual rash or discolouration until it’s too late.

10) See a dermatologist if anything is off — if you do notice a lesion, rash, bump, strange discolouration or any other sign of changes to your skin it may be an indicator of a more serious illness. Cancers, allergies, lupus, diabetes and many other illnesses have skin changes as key symptoms which can point toward a full diagnosis. Through Teledermatology as your first step, your dermatologist can assess your skin and any other symptoms to guide both diagnosis and treatment.

It is crucial that we understand the importance of our skin to our overall health. Healthy skin is a sign of a healthy body. However, sometimes our skins may communicate with us a bigger problem in our bodies and we should pay keen attention to changes that happen. Teledermatology provides a quick, convenient and accessible outlet for you to take care of your skin and treat or diagnose any further illnesses. MDLink has hand-picked dermatologists available at your convenience to tend to any skin concern you may have.

Dr Ché Bowen, a digital health entrepreneur and family physician, is the CEO & founder of MDLink, a digital health company that provides telemedicine options. Check out the company’s website at www.theMDLink.com. You can also contact him at drchebowen@themdlink.com.