Skin repairs 'can prevent Alzheimer's'

Repairing the skin barrier can prevent Alzheimer's disease, a medical expert told the China Skin Barrier Summit in Shanghai on Friday.

Skin injuries can lead to inflammatory conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis, the summit heard, and damage to the skin can affect the body's immune system. 

About 75 to 80 percent of patients with skin diseases suffer from inflammatory dermatosis, a reaction to external influences such as cold, food and microorganisms, said Dr Zheng Jie of Ruijin Hospital.

“For elderly people, dryness, infection and diseases all can cause injury to the skin barrier, which is important to health,” he said. “Research conducted by the University of California San Francisco found repairing the skin barrier can prevent Alzheimer’s disease. We also found a similar issue in our research, which means the long-term self protection of the skin barrier may have effects in preventing and assisting the treatment of heart, brain and metabolic disease.”

To turn research into practical applications, the hospital has teamed up with Shanghai Jahwa United Co to develop products to protect the skin. Three clinical studies have been carried out on treatments for eczema and acne.