Augmented reality in dermatology: Are we ready for AR?

Augmented reality (AR) refers to a group of technologies that capture, analyze, and superimpose digital information onto the real world. This information gives health care providers unique and useful perspectives that can enhance patient care. AR has been utilized in selected scenarios in health care for several decades, notably laparoscopic surgery and vein finding. In recent years, improved wireless technologies, computing power, and analytics are leading to rapid growth in the AR industry. Novel health care-specific use cases are rapidly being introduced with the potential to widely affect clinical care, particularly in dermatology because of the visual nature of the field. In this article, we define AR, profile clinical and educational uses of AR in dermatology, and discuss key policy considerations for the safe and appropriate use of this emerging technology.