Healing in a Greener Future: Sustainable Pathways for Dermatology

Background

Sustainable dermatology requires balancing patient outcomes with environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

Objectives

To examine environmental impacts related to skin health and emerging solutions.

Methods

Targeted literature review.

Results

This review addresses five key domains: formulation chemistry, packaging lifecycle, clinical operations, healthcare equity, and sustainability verification. We highlight emerging solutions, including biodegradable ingredients, circular packaging systems, energy-efficient practices, and teledermatology platforms that expand access to specialized care. The analysis scrutinizes greenwashing risks and the challenges of transforming established practices toward more sustainable alternatives.

Conclusions

We advocate for comprehensive lifecycle assessments, dermatology-specific certification standards, clinical waste minimization protocols, inclusive care models, and further research on biodegradation pathways, consumer behavior, and AI-enabled diagnostic tools that can democratize access while reducing the carbon footprint of care delivery.