Wearable devices for photodynamic therapy – A systematic review

Bioadhesive Technology Platforms

“…Light can interact with living cells and tissues in a myriad of ways to sense biometric signals, such as blood oxygen saturation, and induce therapeutic effects, such as photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), photobiomodulation (PBM), and optogenetic therapy (Figure e). ,− These therapeutic strategies leverage light to produce heat, activate photosensitive drugs, or stimulate light-regulated cellular processes, with applicability for a range of indications including cancer therapy, infection, wound healing, and neural modulation. ,, Due to the finite penetration depth of light in tissues, implantable optical devices are often required to enable deep-tissue photomedicine. − Traditional optical fibers composed of glass and plastic are nonbiodegradable and brittle, presenting an inherent mismatch between their properties and the requirements for biomedical use. A growing number of optical devices based on soft polymeric materials such as silk, agarose, and PDMS, among others, have been proposed as alternatives. ,− Despite the improved biocompatibility of these soft photonic systems, their loose integration with tissues can hinder the spatial precision of light delivery and result in inconsistent, insufficient, or excessive light illumination.…”

Digital health in dermatology

“…This virtual special issue of JAAD International highlights only the tip of the digital iceberg, with a wide range of articles on the usual suspects such as teledermatology, 1 , 2 and some focusing on the next big things: teledermoscopy, 3 machine learning and artificial intelligence, 4 and wearable devices. 5 …”