Modern Product Based Solutions for Psoriasis Patients
Abstract
Background: Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease with a relapsing and remitting course affecting persons of all ages. Psoriasis can involve any part of the skin, with the estimated prevalence at 5.1%. We aimed to develop product-based solutions to the issues that patients face every day.
Methods: An IRB approved, 32- query, anonymous survey was posted online in the summer of 2018. Individuals completed the questionnaire voluntarily. . Questions focused on the social, and treatment issues that patients faced daily. Then we developed product-based solutions to the most significant problems identified by the survey results.
Results: The final study population consisted of 638 people. 419 (65.7%) reported that their psoriasis kept them from engaging in social activities and 290 (73.1% of patients who further elaborated) reported feeling limited by activities that required revealing areas of diseased skin. 443 patients use topical medications to treat their skin psoriasis, and 54.2% found it difficult to consistently keep their topicals in place with 50% actively searching for an improvement over the standard of care (plastic wrap).
Conclusions: Our findings helped us develop a multilayer fabric accessories line, which protects affected skin as well as keeps medication in contact with plaques. This will not only help to combat the social stigma faced by patients by making their lesions less visible; it will promote the healing of the psoriatic plaques by providing an occlusive effect and preventing medication overuse and wastage. These products will improve on the current standard of care, by being comfortable and reusable while remaining efficacious. Future research will focus on extensive beta testing to finalize designs and material choice, by focusing on patient satisfaction and adherence with the product, and its impact on long term treatment efficacy.
