Daily Management Review

A Temporary Tattoo Brings Revolution in Diabetes


03/25/2015


The new tattoo offers highly convenient, very cost-effective and persistent glucose monitoring method for diabetes management.



Scientists have invented a tattoo that is proficient in not only extracting but in determining the blood glucose levels. This breakthrough has made managing of diabetes pain relief as well as much easier than ever. Basically, this tattoo is an ultrathin sensor and gets settled on the skin. Although the testing of the tattoo was successful, the research team is putting more efforts to make the tattoo last longer and at the same time trying hard to make it even more cost effective. Presently it costs just a few US cents but lasts only for a single day.
 
According to American Diabetes Association, Type 1 diabetes is detected in almost 80,000 children all over the world every year. Majority of the patients prick their fingers to check blood glucose levels number of times a day. This prick is very essential but at times may not be much comfortable for the patients. The result of the test reveals whether they need to pump in insulin or not.

The engineers at University of California, San Diego developed this very thin flexible sensor. It is a clear patch attached to two small electrodes along with an enzyme that responds with glucose. The research team passed a mild electrical current through these electrodes and pushes glucose to the surface of the skin which thereby reacts with the enzyme on patch. With the help of this reaction, the scientists are able to measure the blood glucose accurately. This tattoo technology has thus facilitated the researchers to discover the era of non-invasive diabetes examining techniques.

The glucose monitor can also be utilized for treatment of kidney disease and can also help athletes in tracking nutrition. This invention could open the path for invention of other sensors for monitoring different kinds of chemicals in human bodies or could lead to new method of inserting drugs through skin. Non-invasive glucose examination has gained popularity lately. Cygnus, a medical device company had earlier launched wristband based glucose level detector to the market, but the wearers complained about skin irritation. Moreover, Apple, Google as well as Samsung are continuously making efforts to add glucose monitor to their smart wearable devices.

The carbohydrate-rich diets is one of the vital cause for modern day diseases faced by humans due to their modern lifestyle particularly in developed nations like the US. Therefore a non-invasive glucose checking device is likely to wide range of population even suffering from Type 2 diabetes or even other diet related diseases. Besides, it also facilitates scientists in collection of information about glucose levels in their databases and deriving health trends. Hence, correct steps can be taken by the government to control such kind of modern day diseases.

In 2014, Google partnered with Novartis foe development of contact lens to observe glucose levels through fluids present in the eye. Moreover, Dexcom, the monitor manufacturer displayed its glucose monitoring app that looks like an Apple Watch.



Tags : Tattoo