Stress and Eczema.
Stress and Eczema.
Stress and Eczema.
Understand the link between stress and eczema, and learn how to break the cycle using Proton Health app.
Understand the link between stress and eczema, and learn how to break the cycle using Proton Health app.
Understand the link between stress and eczema, and learn how to break the cycle using Proton Health app.
2023-03-14T00:00:00.000Z
2023-03-14T00:00:00.000Z
2023-03-14T00:00:00.000Z
What Is Stress?
Stress is the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or pressured. It can benefit us in many ways and acts as a strong motivator to achieve daily goals related to work and family life.
But when we experience stress often and at high intensity, we tend to become overwhelmed. This can lead to feelings of loss of control, resulting in anxiety, irritability and low self-esteem. ¹
Recognising Stress
Stress can manifest in various ways. Here are the common signs:
Feeling overwhelmed
Frequent racing thoughts
Difficulty concentrating
Constant worrying
A lack of self-confidence
Trouble sleeping
Constant fatigue
Avoidance of social interactions
Changes in appetite
Turning to harmful behaviours such as drinking or smoking
Over long periods, this can lead to anxiety and depression. This is when stress causes a constant impact on our quality of life. As it relates to eczema, stress also has other unintended consequences…
Eczema and Stress: What’s The Relationship?
Eczema and stress have an unfortunate relationship. Whenever we experience stress, our body surges with fight or flight chemicals. Over time, this can increase the activity of the body’s immune system. And eczema is strongly related to an upregulated auto-immune system.
This means that the body in those with eczema is hyper-alert. As a result, it’ll react to the materials on the skin more than those without eczema.² This is what leads to the inflammation commonly seen during flare-ups. Unfortunately, stress only serves to make this even more likely.
The Stress-Eczema Cycle
We’ve covered how stress can act to worsen our eczema. But the opposite is also true. Because worsening eczema leads to increased anxiety. This is understandable as the condition goes well beyond the skin. It can impact our relationships, work and overall confidence. In fact, over 50% of people with eczema report mental health difficulties due to the condition. This is related to the stress-eczema cycle.³
This process explains the two-way effects of stress and eczema. Stress leads to a worsening of our skin due to a heightened immune system and more flare-ups. But worsening eczema leads to increased stress levels, and the process continues. It’s what’s known as a vicious cycle.
It can be easy to let this slide and be caught up in the process multiple times each month. But the research shows that we can use many tried and tested techniques to break the cycle effectively. And it all begins with awareness - so you’re already halfway there…
What Is Stress?
Stress is the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or pressured. It can benefit us in many ways and acts as a strong motivator to achieve daily goals related to work and family life.
But when we experience stress often and at high intensity, we tend to become overwhelmed. This can lead to feelings of loss of control, resulting in anxiety, irritability and low self-esteem. ¹
Recognising Stress
Stress can manifest in various ways. Here are the common signs:
Feeling overwhelmed
Frequent racing thoughts
Difficulty concentrating
Constant worrying
A lack of self-confidence
Trouble sleeping
Constant fatigue
Avoidance of social interactions
Changes in appetite
Turning to harmful behaviours such as drinking or smoking
Over long periods, this can lead to anxiety and depression. This is when stress causes a constant impact on our quality of life. As it relates to eczema, stress also has other unintended consequences…
Eczema and Stress: What’s The Relationship?
Eczema and stress have an unfortunate relationship. Whenever we experience stress, our body surges with fight or flight chemicals. Over time, this can increase the activity of the body’s immune system. And eczema is strongly related to an upregulated auto-immune system.
This means that the body in those with eczema is hyper-alert. As a result, it’ll react to the materials on the skin more than those without eczema.² This is what leads to the inflammation commonly seen during flare-ups. Unfortunately, stress only serves to make this even more likely.
The Stress-Eczema Cycle
We’ve covered how stress can act to worsen our eczema. But the opposite is also true. Because worsening eczema leads to increased anxiety. This is understandable as the condition goes well beyond the skin. It can impact our relationships, work and overall confidence. In fact, over 50% of people with eczema report mental health difficulties due to the condition. This is related to the stress-eczema cycle.³
This process explains the two-way effects of stress and eczema. Stress leads to a worsening of our skin due to a heightened immune system and more flare-ups. But worsening eczema leads to increased stress levels, and the process continues. It’s what’s known as a vicious cycle.
It can be easy to let this slide and be caught up in the process multiple times each month. But the research shows that we can use many tried and tested techniques to break the cycle effectively. And it all begins with awareness - so you’re already halfway there…
What Is Stress?
Stress is the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or pressured. It can benefit us in many ways and acts as a strong motivator to achieve daily goals related to work and family life.
But when we experience stress often and at high intensity, we tend to become overwhelmed. This can lead to feelings of loss of control, resulting in anxiety, irritability and low self-esteem. ¹
Recognising Stress
Stress can manifest in various ways. Here are the common signs:
Feeling overwhelmed
Frequent racing thoughts
Difficulty concentrating
Constant worrying
A lack of self-confidence
Trouble sleeping
Constant fatigue
Avoidance of social interactions
Changes in appetite
Turning to harmful behaviours such as drinking or smoking
Over long periods, this can lead to anxiety and depression. This is when stress causes a constant impact on our quality of life. As it relates to eczema, stress also has other unintended consequences…
Eczema and Stress: What’s The Relationship?
Eczema and stress have an unfortunate relationship. Whenever we experience stress, our body surges with fight or flight chemicals. Over time, this can increase the activity of the body’s immune system. And eczema is strongly related to an upregulated auto-immune system.
This means that the body in those with eczema is hyper-alert. As a result, it’ll react to the materials on the skin more than those without eczema.² This is what leads to the inflammation commonly seen during flare-ups. Unfortunately, stress only serves to make this even more likely.
The Stress-Eczema Cycle
We’ve covered how stress can act to worsen our eczema. But the opposite is also true. Because worsening eczema leads to increased anxiety. This is understandable as the condition goes well beyond the skin. It can impact our relationships, work and overall confidence. In fact, over 50% of people with eczema report mental health difficulties due to the condition. This is related to the stress-eczema cycle.³
This process explains the two-way effects of stress and eczema. Stress leads to a worsening of our skin due to a heightened immune system and more flare-ups. But worsening eczema leads to increased stress levels, and the process continues. It’s what’s known as a vicious cycle.
It can be easy to let this slide and be caught up in the process multiple times each month. But the research shows that we can use many tried and tested techniques to break the cycle effectively. And it all begins with awareness - so you’re already halfway there…
Breaking The Stress-Eczema Cycle
The gold standard in tackling the stress associated with eczema is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT aims to tackle overwhelming problems with a more positive outlook by breaking them down into smaller parts.⁴ It evaluates your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions and serves to re-wire these connections. In turn, this helps to cope with stressful situations related to eczema.
It’s a therapy that has proven to be highly effective at tackling several mental health difficulties, including stress and depression.⁵ But often, this therapy isn’t specific to eczema. At Proton Health, we’ve developed the world’s first cognitive behavioural therapy programme for eczema. The course is delivered via the app over 6 weeks. It also helps to tackle eczema-related challenges, including self-esteem, confidence and relationships.
Other Tips To Reduce Stress
There are several other techniques that you can use to combat stress and reduce eczema flare-ups. Here are a bunch of techniques to help you break the cycle:
Identify Your Stress Factors
Increasing awareness of your high-stress periods will help you discover your stress factors. Stress factors are anything in your environment that gets you feeling down.
You can identify these by regularly tracking your mood and how it relates to your skin. An easy way to do this is to regularly journalling using the Proton Health app, where you can pinpoint the things that impact your mood the most.
Break Down Tasks
If a task is daunting, break it down into smaller goals. This has been proven to improve productivity and prevent our minds from becoming overwhelmed. In addition, by hitting these smaller but more achievable goals, we boost the happy chemicals in our brain, which also keeps us motivated.
Our brains aren’t designed to remember much information and can quickly become daunted by large projects. So another way to break these thoughts down is by planning ahead. Ensure you’re using a to-do list or a calendar to prevent this.
Journalling
Writing our thoughts, feelings and experiences is scientifically proven to reduce stress. This is because it helps to bring the events in our lives into perspective, which prevents anxious thoughts.
Practice Gratitude
Sometimes the best way of staving off negative thoughts is to focus on the positives. As the saying goes, every day may not be good, but there’s always something good every day. So practising gratitude by recalling 3 positive things that happened each day is a great start.
Exercise
It is a great way to improve your mood by releasing the happy chemicals in your brain. In addition, it’s been shown to significantly reduce stress, so try a new sport or hobby such as walking, running or playing squash.
Meditation
Practising mindfulness has been shown to improve quality of life and significantly reduce stress. At its core, it’s a technique that helps you live in the present and avoid thinking about past worries or future anxieties.
In addition, mindfulness helps to remodel our thinking and improve our reactions to adverse events. You’ll be able to find several meditation focussed sessions within the app!
Challenge Your Thoughts
The way we think impacts how we feel. If you find yourself frequently having negative thoughts, challenge them. Otherwise, over time they seep into our minds and make us believe they’re true. Instead, confronting them and creating reasons why they aren’t true can help to counteract these thoughts.
Eczema Support Groups
Joining an eczema support group is a helpful way to connect with others to discuss and receive support in managing eczema. Proton Health features a support group of fellow Protoneers to assist with the journey.
Talk To Someone
Friends and family act as a great support network and can often help to show us the bigger picture. So make sure to tap into their advice regularly to prevent becoming overwhelmed. And remember, if you’ve been feeling low in mood for over 2 weeks, it’s essential to seek further help and talk to a healthcare provider.
Where Next?
Make sure to maximise all features within the Proton Health app to break the stress-eczema cycle. This includes our CBT programme, daily day brighteners, various therapy sessions and personalised tips to boost your mood. In addition, you’ll find more techniques to break the Stress-Eczema cycle as part of the Proton Health programme!
References
Stress - every mind matters [Internet]. nhs.uk. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/stress/
Mittermann I, Aichberger KJ, Bünder R, Mothes N, Renz H, Valenta R. Autoimmunity and atopic dermatitis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol [Internet]. 2004 [cited 2022 Aug 12];4(5):367–71. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15349035/
https://www.skinhealthinfo.org.uk/half-of-all-adults-with-eczema-experience-anxiety-or-depression/
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) [Internet]. nhs.uk. [cited 2022 Aug 12]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/overview/
Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A. The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2022 Aug 12];36(5):427–40. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Breaking The Stress-Eczema Cycle
The gold standard in tackling the stress associated with eczema is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT aims to tackle overwhelming problems with a more positive outlook by breaking them down into smaller parts.⁴ It evaluates your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions and serves to re-wire these connections. In turn, this helps to cope with stressful situations related to eczema.
It’s a therapy that has proven to be highly effective at tackling several mental health difficulties, including stress and depression.⁵ But often, this therapy isn’t specific to eczema. At Proton Health, we’ve developed the world’s first cognitive behavioural therapy programme for eczema. The course is delivered via the app over 6 weeks. It also helps to tackle eczema-related challenges, including self-esteem, confidence and relationships.
Other Tips To Reduce Stress
There are several other techniques that you can use to combat stress and reduce eczema flare-ups. Here are a bunch of techniques to help you break the cycle:
Identify Your Stress Factors
Increasing awareness of your high-stress periods will help you discover your stress factors. Stress factors are anything in your environment that gets you feeling down.
You can identify these by regularly tracking your mood and how it relates to your skin. An easy way to do this is to regularly journalling using the Proton Health app, where you can pinpoint the things that impact your mood the most.
Break Down Tasks
If a task is daunting, break it down into smaller goals. This has been proven to improve productivity and prevent our minds from becoming overwhelmed. In addition, by hitting these smaller but more achievable goals, we boost the happy chemicals in our brain, which also keeps us motivated.
Our brains aren’t designed to remember much information and can quickly become daunted by large projects. So another way to break these thoughts down is by planning ahead. Ensure you’re using a to-do list or a calendar to prevent this.
Journalling
Writing our thoughts, feelings and experiences is scientifically proven to reduce stress. This is because it helps to bring the events in our lives into perspective, which prevents anxious thoughts.
Practice Gratitude
Sometimes the best way of staving off negative thoughts is to focus on the positives. As the saying goes, every day may not be good, but there’s always something good every day. So practising gratitude by recalling 3 positive things that happened each day is a great start.
Exercise
It is a great way to improve your mood by releasing the happy chemicals in your brain. In addition, it’s been shown to significantly reduce stress, so try a new sport or hobby such as walking, running or playing squash.
Meditation
Practising mindfulness has been shown to improve quality of life and significantly reduce stress. At its core, it’s a technique that helps you live in the present and avoid thinking about past worries or future anxieties.
In addition, mindfulness helps to remodel our thinking and improve our reactions to adverse events. You’ll be able to find several meditation focussed sessions within the app!
Challenge Your Thoughts
The way we think impacts how we feel. If you find yourself frequently having negative thoughts, challenge them. Otherwise, over time they seep into our minds and make us believe they’re true. Instead, confronting them and creating reasons why they aren’t true can help to counteract these thoughts.
Eczema Support Groups
Joining an eczema support group is a helpful way to connect with others to discuss and receive support in managing eczema. Proton Health features a support group of fellow Protoneers to assist with the journey.
Talk To Someone
Friends and family act as a great support network and can often help to show us the bigger picture. So make sure to tap into their advice regularly to prevent becoming overwhelmed. And remember, if you’ve been feeling low in mood for over 2 weeks, it’s essential to seek further help and talk to a healthcare provider.
Where Next?
Make sure to maximise all features within the Proton Health app to break the stress-eczema cycle. This includes our CBT programme, daily day brighteners, various therapy sessions and personalised tips to boost your mood. In addition, you’ll find more techniques to break the Stress-Eczema cycle as part of the Proton Health programme!
References
Stress - every mind matters [Internet]. nhs.uk. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/stress/
Mittermann I, Aichberger KJ, Bünder R, Mothes N, Renz H, Valenta R. Autoimmunity and atopic dermatitis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol [Internet]. 2004 [cited 2022 Aug 12];4(5):367–71. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15349035/
https://www.skinhealthinfo.org.uk/half-of-all-adults-with-eczema-experience-anxiety-or-depression/
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) [Internet]. nhs.uk. [cited 2022 Aug 12]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/overview/
Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A. The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2022 Aug 12];36(5):427–40. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Breaking The Stress-Eczema Cycle
The gold standard in tackling the stress associated with eczema is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT aims to tackle overwhelming problems with a more positive outlook by breaking them down into smaller parts.⁴ It evaluates your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions and serves to re-wire these connections. In turn, this helps to cope with stressful situations related to eczema.
It’s a therapy that has proven to be highly effective at tackling several mental health difficulties, including stress and depression.⁵ But often, this therapy isn’t specific to eczema. At Proton Health, we’ve developed the world’s first cognitive behavioural therapy programme for eczema. The course is delivered via the app over 6 weeks. It also helps to tackle eczema-related challenges, including self-esteem, confidence and relationships.
Other Tips To Reduce Stress
There are several other techniques that you can use to combat stress and reduce eczema flare-ups. Here are a bunch of techniques to help you break the cycle:
Identify Your Stress Factors
Increasing awareness of your high-stress periods will help you discover your stress factors. Stress factors are anything in your environment that gets you feeling down.
You can identify these by regularly tracking your mood and how it relates to your skin. An easy way to do this is to regularly journalling using the Proton Health app, where you can pinpoint the things that impact your mood the most.
Break Down Tasks
If a task is daunting, break it down into smaller goals. This has been proven to improve productivity and prevent our minds from becoming overwhelmed. In addition, by hitting these smaller but more achievable goals, we boost the happy chemicals in our brain, which also keeps us motivated.
Our brains aren’t designed to remember much information and can quickly become daunted by large projects. So another way to break these thoughts down is by planning ahead. Ensure you’re using a to-do list or a calendar to prevent this.
Journalling
Writing our thoughts, feelings and experiences is scientifically proven to reduce stress. This is because it helps to bring the events in our lives into perspective, which prevents anxious thoughts.
Practice Gratitude
Sometimes the best way of staving off negative thoughts is to focus on the positives. As the saying goes, every day may not be good, but there’s always something good every day. So practising gratitude by recalling 3 positive things that happened each day is a great start.
Exercise
It is a great way to improve your mood by releasing the happy chemicals in your brain. In addition, it’s been shown to significantly reduce stress, so try a new sport or hobby such as walking, running or playing squash.
Meditation
Practising mindfulness has been shown to improve quality of life and significantly reduce stress. At its core, it’s a technique that helps you live in the present and avoid thinking about past worries or future anxieties.
In addition, mindfulness helps to remodel our thinking and improve our reactions to adverse events. You’ll be able to find several meditation focussed sessions within the app!
Challenge Your Thoughts
The way we think impacts how we feel. If you find yourself frequently having negative thoughts, challenge them. Otherwise, over time they seep into our minds and make us believe they’re true. Instead, confronting them and creating reasons why they aren’t true can help to counteract these thoughts.
Eczema Support Groups
Joining an eczema support group is a helpful way to connect with others to discuss and receive support in managing eczema. Proton Health features a support group of fellow Protoneers to assist with the journey.
Talk To Someone
Friends and family act as a great support network and can often help to show us the bigger picture. So make sure to tap into their advice regularly to prevent becoming overwhelmed. And remember, if you’ve been feeling low in mood for over 2 weeks, it’s essential to seek further help and talk to a healthcare provider.
Where Next?
Make sure to maximise all features within the Proton Health app to break the stress-eczema cycle. This includes our CBT programme, daily day brighteners, various therapy sessions and personalised tips to boost your mood. In addition, you’ll find more techniques to break the Stress-Eczema cycle as part of the Proton Health programme!
References
Stress - every mind matters [Internet]. nhs.uk. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/stress/
Mittermann I, Aichberger KJ, Bünder R, Mothes N, Renz H, Valenta R. Autoimmunity and atopic dermatitis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol [Internet]. 2004 [cited 2022 Aug 12];4(5):367–71. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15349035/
https://www.skinhealthinfo.org.uk/half-of-all-adults-with-eczema-experience-anxiety-or-depression/
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) [Internet]. nhs.uk. [cited 2022 Aug 12]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/overview/
Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A. The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2022 Aug 12];36(5):427–40. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Dr Haroon Ahmad
Dr Haroon Ahmad
Dr Haroon Ahmad
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Explore the Proton Health Skinverse, the world's first dermatology marketplace.
Explore the Proton Health Skinverse, the world's first dermatology marketplace.
Explore the Proton Health Skinverse, the world's first dermatology marketplace.
Your questions.
Answered.
Not sure what to expect? These answers might help you feel more confident as you begin.
Didn’t find your answer? Send us a message at
hello@proton-health.com — we’ll respond with care and clarity.
How is this different to traditional dermatology or telehealth apps?
Most telehealth apps are just video calls with doctors who don't know your history, offering templated advice. Traditional dermatology gives you 7 minutes every few months. Symphony is different — it's an AI that learns your complete skin story and provides personalized guidance 24/7, backed by specialists who review your case. Think of it as a personal trainer for your skin, not just another appointment booking app.
How is this different to traditional dermatology or telehealth apps?
Most telehealth apps are just video calls with doctors who don't know your history, offering templated advice. Traditional dermatology gives you 7 minutes every few months. Symphony is different — it's an AI that learns your complete skin story and provides personalized guidance 24/7, backed by specialists who review your case. Think of it as a personal trainer for your skin, not just another appointment booking app.
Which conditions does Symphony support?
Which conditions does Symphony support?
Symphony is built for chronic skin conditions: acne, eczema, psoriasis, and topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). These are the conditions where understanding your triggers matters most — and where the traditional "here's a cream, see you in 3 months" approach fails hardest. If you're dealing with something else, reach out — we're expanding based on what our members need.
Is my data protected?
Is my data protected?
Your data is encrypted, never sold, and never used for advertising. You can export it. You can delete it anytime. Read our full privacy policy below.
Why not just see a dermatologist more frequently?
Why not just see a dermatologist more frequently?
You could — if you could get an appointment, afford the visit, and somehow give them access to absolutely everything that happened between visits. The reality: your dermatologist sees a snapshot. Symphony sees the full picture — what you ate, how you slept, what products you used, how stressed you were — and connects it to how your skin responded. We're not replacing your dermatologist. We're giving them (and you) context they'd never otherwise have.
How do I know if I'm a good candidate?
How do I know if I'm a good candidate?
If you've been dealing with a chronic skin condition and still don't fully understand why your skin flares — you're a good candidate. Symphony works best for people willing to track consistently (a few minutes a day) and who want to understand their patterns, not just treat symptoms. If you're looking for a quick fix or a magic cream recommendation, we're probably not the right fit.
What if I've tried everything already?
What if I've tried everything already?
Then you're exactly who we built this for. "Tried everything" usually means you've tried a lot of products and treatments — but you've never had the tools to see how your skin actually responds to your life. Symphony doesn't give you more things to try. It helps you understand what's already happening — so the next thing you try is actually informed by your data. It knowing instead of guessing.
Is Symphony a replacement for medical advice?
Is Symphony a replacement for medical advice?
Symphony's AI and tracking tools are not a replacement for medical advice — they help you understand patterns in your own data, but they don't diagnose or prescribe.
That said, we know insights alone aren't always enough. That's why our Premium tier includes referrals to specialist dermatology consultations, gut and skin microbiome testing, and comprehensive lab panels — actual specialists who review your Symphony data.
The app gives you context and understanding. When you need clinical expertise, we connect you with professionals who understand your story.
How is Symphony different from apps that scan your face and sell you products?
How is Symphony different from apps that scan your face and sell you products?
Most "AI skincare" apps take a photo, run it through a basic algorithm, and recommend products they get commission on. They're not trying to help you understand your skin — they're trying to sell you things. Symphony doesn't work that way. We analyze your symptoms, lifestyle, stress, diet, and products over time to find patterns unique to you. We don't sell skincare products directly, and our recommendations are based on your data — not affiliate deals.
When we do recommend products, we're checking thousands of products against YOUR specific sensitivities and triggers. The goal is to stop you wasting money, not to add to the pile of half-used bottles under your sink.
Can I cancel anytime?
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. No contracts, no cancellation fees. If Symphony isn't working for you, you can cancel in a few clicks. We'd rather earn your trust every month than trap you in one.
Your questions.
Answered.
Not sure what to expect? These answers might help you feel more confident as you begin.
How is this different to traditional dermatology or telehealth apps?
Most telehealth apps are just video calls with doctors who don't know your history, offering templated advice. Traditional dermatology gives you 7 minutes every few months. Symphony is different — it's an AI that learns your complete skin story and provides personalized guidance 24/7, backed by specialists who review your case. Think of it as a personal trainer for your skin, not just another appointment booking app.
How is this different to traditional dermatology or telehealth apps?
Most telehealth apps are just video calls with doctors who don't know your history, offering templated advice. Traditional dermatology gives you 7 minutes every few months. Symphony is different — it's an AI that learns your complete skin story and provides personalized guidance 24/7, backed by specialists who review your case. Think of it as a personal trainer for your skin, not just another appointment booking app.
Which conditions does Symphony support?
Which conditions does Symphony support?
Symphony is built for chronic skin conditions: acne, eczema, psoriasis, and topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). These are the conditions where understanding your triggers matters most — and where the traditional "here's a cream, see you in 3 months" approach fails hardest. If you're dealing with something else, reach out — we're expanding based on what our members need.
Is my data protected?
Is my data protected?
Your data is encrypted, never sold, and never used for advertising. You can export it. You can delete it anytime. Read our full privacy policy below.
Why not just see a dermatologist more frequently?
Why not just see a dermatologist more frequently?
You could — if you could get an appointment, afford the visit, and somehow give them access to absolutely everything that happened between visits. The reality: your dermatologist sees a snapshot. Symphony sees the full picture — what you ate, how you slept, what products you used, how stressed you were — and connects it to how your skin responded. We're not replacing your dermatologist. We're giving them (and you) context they'd never otherwise have.
How do I know if I'm a good candidate?
How do I know if I'm a good candidate?
If you've been dealing with a chronic skin condition and still don't fully understand why your skin flares — you're a good candidate. Symphony works best for people willing to track consistently (a few minutes a day) and who want to understand their patterns, not just treat symptoms. If you're looking for a quick fix or a magic cream recommendation, we're probably not the right fit.
What if I've tried everything already?
What if I've tried everything already?
Then you're exactly who we built this for. "Tried everything" usually means you've tried a lot of products and treatments — but you've never had the tools to see how your skin actually responds to your life. Symphony doesn't give you more things to try. It helps you understand what's already happening — so the next thing you try is actually informed by your data. It knowing instead of guessing.
Is Symphony a replacement for medical advice?
Is Symphony a replacement for medical advice?
Symphony's AI and tracking tools are not a replacement for medical advice — they help you understand patterns in your own data, but they don't diagnose or prescribe.
That said, we know insights alone aren't always enough. That's why our Premium tier includes referrals to specialist dermatology consultations, gut and skin microbiome testing, and comprehensive lab panels — actual specialists who review your Symphony data.
The app gives you context and understanding. When you need clinical expertise, we connect you with professionals who understand your story.
How is Symphony different from apps that scan your face and sell you products?
How is Symphony different from apps that scan your face and sell you products?
Most "AI skincare" apps take a photo, run it through a basic algorithm, and recommend products they get commission on. They're not trying to help you understand your skin — they're trying to sell you things. Symphony doesn't work that way. We analyze your symptoms, lifestyle, stress, diet, and products over time to find patterns unique to you. We don't sell skincare products directly, and our recommendations are based on your data — not affiliate deals.
When we do recommend products, we're checking thousands of products against YOUR specific sensitivities and triggers. The goal is to stop you wasting money, not to add to the pile of half-used bottles under your sink.
Can I cancel anytime?
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. No contracts, no cancellation fees. If Symphony isn't working for you, you can cancel in a few clicks. We'd rather earn your trust every month than trap you in one.
Didn’t find your answer? Send us a message at
hello@proton-health.com — we’ll respond with care and clarity.
Your questions.
Answered.
Not sure what to expect? These answers might help you feel more confident as you begin.
Didn’t find your answer? Send us a message at
hello@proton-health.com — we’ll respond with care and clarity.
How is this different to traditional dermatology or telehealth apps?
Most telehealth apps are just video calls with doctors who don't know your history, offering templated advice. Traditional dermatology gives you 7 minutes every few months. Symphony is different — it's an AI that learns your complete skin story and provides personalized guidance 24/7, backed by specialists who review your case. Think of it as a personal trainer for your skin, not just another appointment booking app.
How is this different to traditional dermatology or telehealth apps?
Most telehealth apps are just video calls with doctors who don't know your history, offering templated advice. Traditional dermatology gives you 7 minutes every few months. Symphony is different — it's an AI that learns your complete skin story and provides personalized guidance 24/7, backed by specialists who review your case. Think of it as a personal trainer for your skin, not just another appointment booking app.
Which conditions does Symphony support?
Which conditions does Symphony support?
Symphony is built for chronic skin conditions: acne, eczema, psoriasis, and topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). These are the conditions where understanding your triggers matters most — and where the traditional "here's a cream, see you in 3 months" approach fails hardest. If you're dealing with something else, reach out — we're expanding based on what our members need.
Is my data protected?
Is my data protected?
Your data is encrypted, never sold, and never used for advertising. You can export it. You can delete it anytime. Read our full privacy policy below.
Why not just see a dermatologist more frequently?
Why not just see a dermatologist more frequently?
You could — if you could get an appointment, afford the visit, and somehow give them access to absolutely everything that happened between visits. The reality: your dermatologist sees a snapshot. Symphony sees the full picture — what you ate, how you slept, what products you used, how stressed you were — and connects it to how your skin responded. We're not replacing your dermatologist. We're giving them (and you) context they'd never otherwise have.
How do I know if I'm a good candidate?
How do I know if I'm a good candidate?
If you've been dealing with a chronic skin condition and still don't fully understand why your skin flares — you're a good candidate. Symphony works best for people willing to track consistently (a few minutes a day) and who want to understand their patterns, not just treat symptoms. If you're looking for a quick fix or a magic cream recommendation, we're probably not the right fit.
What if I've tried everything already?
What if I've tried everything already?
Then you're exactly who we built this for. "Tried everything" usually means you've tried a lot of products and treatments — but you've never had the tools to see how your skin actually responds to your life. Symphony doesn't give you more things to try. It helps you understand what's already happening — so the next thing you try is actually informed by your data. It knowing instead of guessing.
Is Symphony a replacement for medical advice?
Is Symphony a replacement for medical advice?
Symphony's AI and tracking tools are not a replacement for medical advice — they help you understand patterns in your own data, but they don't diagnose or prescribe.
That said, we know insights alone aren't always enough. That's why our Premium tier includes referrals to specialist dermatology consultations, gut and skin microbiome testing, and comprehensive lab panels — actual specialists who review your Symphony data.
The app gives you context and understanding. When you need clinical expertise, we connect you with professionals who understand your story.
How is Symphony different from apps that scan your face and sell you products?
How is Symphony different from apps that scan your face and sell you products?
Most "AI skincare" apps take a photo, run it through a basic algorithm, and recommend products they get commission on. They're not trying to help you understand your skin — they're trying to sell you things. Symphony doesn't work that way. We analyze your symptoms, lifestyle, stress, diet, and products over time to find patterns unique to you. We don't sell skincare products directly, and our recommendations are based on your data — not affiliate deals.
When we do recommend products, we're checking thousands of products against YOUR specific sensitivities and triggers. The goal is to stop you wasting money, not to add to the pile of half-used bottles under your sink.
Can I cancel anytime?
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. No contracts, no cancellation fees. If Symphony isn't working for you, you can cancel in a few clicks. We'd rather earn your trust every month than trap you in one.