Tape strips in inflammatory skin disease: a noninvasive method for molecular insights and personalized care

Abstract

Tape stripping, a skin-sampling technique that uses adhesives to collect cells from the stratum corneum, offers a minimally invasive method that provides valuable molecular insights into various skin and systemic diseases. Initially developed in the 1930s, tape stripping has evolved from a research tool into a validated method for omics research in clinical settings. In dermatology, tape strips have been validated to study chronic inflammatory skin disorders, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa, in addition to various cutaneous malignancies, providing insight into pathophysiology, aiding in disease differentiation, and tracking treatment response. Tape strips circumvent the pain, scarring, infection risk and follow-up requirements associated with traditional skin biopsies. Moreover, tape strips allow for higher enrolment rates for clinical trials and longitudinal studies, especially in the paediatric population where biopsies are particularly challenging. This tool has enabled researchers and clinicians to monitor disease activity and evaluate therapeutic response, especially in patients who cannot tolerate repetitive biopsies. Beyond skin conditions, tape strips are also being used to advance biomarker research in food allergy, asthma and other systemic and autoimmune diseases. They have also been used to assess epidermal and skin barrier restoration and transepidermal water loss. By facilitating data collection across diverse patient populations, tape strips are an important technological advancement towards precision medicine. As this technology continues to improve, tape stripping promises to become an asset in diagnosing and monitoring a wide range of diseases.