Environmental Impact and Sustainability Associated with the Practice of Dermatology

Abstract

Purpose: The environmental impact of the practice of medicine including dermatology can be significant, driven by a growing and aging population that increasingly demands medical resources. This review explores the environmental effects of the practice of dermatology and identifies actionable solutions to reduce negative environmental impacts. Methods: A PubMed search was conducted using the terms (“environmental impact” OR “sustainability”) AND “dermatology.” Results were screened to include English-only articles between 2018 - 2024 and excluded duplicates. Further exploration of dermatology’s environmental effects was enhanced through citation tracking and additional PubMed searches. Results: A total of 25 articles were included based on relevance and search terms and an additional 21 were added. Results were categorized into six categories for data representation. Patient travel was the largest contributor to negatively impact the environment, followed by waste management practices, journal publication and written patient material, and traveling to medical conferences. The environmental impact of pharmaceuticals, including topicals, is also notable. Potential sustainable alternatives include teledermatology, more appropriate waste production and segregation, and electronic versus printed formats and more virtual conferences. Additionally, dermatologic disease evolves in response to a changing environment, with new data indicating epidemiological shifts due to climate change. More sustainable practices within dermatology also have the potential to cut total overhead expenses. Conclusions: Clinical and surgical subspecialties, specifically dermatology, can contribute significantly to environmental pollution, leading to environmental and financial impacts, but implementing simple, documented methods can reduce their ecological footprint and provide potential financial benefits.