How are climate change, air pollution and skin health connected? In an interview with MedNet Dermatologie, Bing Thio, dermatologist at Erasmus MC and researcher within the Convergence Health & Technology Flagship Personalized, Real-Time Health Impact of Climate Change and Pollution (REALTIME), explains why the skin may play an important role in revealing the health effects of our environment.

Last March, Thio co-organised the Duurzaamhuid conference with Maarten Vermeer of Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). The event focused on two key themes: the impact of climate change on skin diseases, and how dermatology itself can become more sustainable. The ambition is for Duurzaamhuid to become an annual event.

One of the topics discussed was the relationship between climate change and skin conditions, including atopic eczema. According to Thio, it is important to look beyond the outdoor environment. Indoor environmental factors also deserve attention, particularly as people spend a large part of their time indoors.
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Making dermatology more sustainable

Thio also sees opportunities to make everyday dermatological practice more sustainable. This can start with relatively simple choices, such as reconsidering the use of gloves or paper covers on examination tables. Technological innovation may also contribute to more sustainable care. In the interview, Thio highlights a laser-based microjet injector that can deliver medication directly into the skin without the use of a needle.
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The skin as a visible signal

A key message from the interview is that the skin may serve as an early warning signal for air pollution. Changes in the skin are visible, while symptoms such as itching can be felt directly. This creates opportunities, for example, to link images of skin problems to local air-quality data. Thio also sees potential for collaboration with regional public health services (GGDs).

This idea closely aligns with the Convergence Health & Technology Flagship Personalized, Real-Time Health Impact of Climate Change and Pollution (REALTIME). Researchers from Erasmus MC, TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam work together to better understand how climate change and pollution affect individual health. Their approach combines medical expertise with technologies including wearable sensors, organ-on-chip models and data analysis.

Read the full interview with Bing Thio in MedNet Dermatologie.