Wednesday, 07 October 2026 11:45 AM
Company Update
Ahead of Eczema Awareness Month, drug discovery scientist and father AJ Singhal argues that skin barrier protection is the missing step in breaking the itch scratch cycle
HUNTSVILLE, AL / ACCESS Newswire / October 7, 2026 / The routine is familiar to millions of families living with eczema: apply a cream, then leave the irritated, vulnerable skin uncovered and exposed to fingernails, fabric, pollen and dry air. AJ Singhal, founder and CEO of Kalm Wellness, believes that is exactly where conventional care falls short. Ahead of Eczema Awareness Month in October, Singhal is urging parents, clinicians and consumer health leaders to rethink how damaged skin is cared for, and he is pointing to KALM Patch, the protective skin patch his company introduced in July, as a practical way to do it.
"Skin protection is the missing piece in the itch and inflammation conversation," Singhal said. "When the skin barrier is already damaged, continuing to expose it to scratching, friction and irritants makes it harder for the skin to recover."
More than 31 million Americans live with some form of eczema, according to the National Eczema Association. In Singhal's view, much of the frustration comes from what he calls the scratch damage cycle, in which a weakened barrier is worn down further by scratching, environmental irritants and moisture loss. "When itchy skin triggers scratching, the physical disruption can further weaken the barrier, leading to more irritation and additional itching. The cycle can become especially challenging for children, whose scratching often occurs unconsciously during sleep," he explains.
Singhal learned that lesson at home. When his daughter, then six years old, struggled with eczema, the family worked through one approach after another. "We tried everything people typically try. There were creams, steroid treatments, wrapping the skin with plastic wrap, then gauze and tape," he said. The routines were difficult to keep up, and treatment alone did not always stop the scratching that happened while she slept. Some mornings, her sheets were stained with blood. As a father of four, three of whom have struggled with eczema, Singhal began asking whether a simpler way to protect AND soothe the skin could interrupt the cycle altogether.
That question became KALM Patch. Singhal describes its design as a "triple benefit" model: it protects skin from scratching, shields vulnerable areas from external irritants such as pollen and bacteria, and reduces moisture loss from the skin's surface. The ultra thin, flexible patch can be trimmed to fit different areas of the body and is designed to be worn continuously for up to three days. It is made with just four ingredients, including glycyrrhetinic acid, a single, highly purified compound from licorice root, in place of the botanical extracts common in skin care that can contain hundreds of compounds. The patch is held in place by a gentle silicone gel adhesive, a material widely used in scar care. According to the company, KALM Patch is free of steroids, dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic and suitable for children as young as three.
Singhal acknowledges that the idea of covering itchy skin still surprises people. He points to the adhesive bandage and, more recently, the acne patch as proof that consumer habits can change quickly once a simple format makes sense. "The acne patch helped change how people think about treating skin. The same idea of protecting an area and allowing it to recover can apply to other skin challenges," he said.
For his own family, the measure of success was simple: no more bloody sheets in the morning. His children have also used the patch on mosquito bites they tend to scratch in their sleep.
Singhal brings 14 years of drug discovery research and development to the work. He holds 15 patents and has received 13 federal research grant awards, including funding from the National Institutes of Health. Development of the KALM Patch technology has been supported by the NIH Small Business Innovation Research program, Innovate Alabama, CFD Research and angel investors, and Kalm Wellness is an associate company of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville.
Looking ahead, Singhal wants skin protection to become a routine part of how itchy skin is cared for, and he sees KALM Patch as the first product in a broader platform of precision natural patches designed to deliver precise doses of pure natural compounds.
"The future of itchy skincare is about understanding that protection is part of healing," Singhal said.
KALM Patch is available now at www.kalmwellness.com, where a box of five large patches is priced at $24.95 with free shipping.
About Kalm Wellness
Kalm Wellness is a Huntsville, Alabama, skin care company and the maker of KALM Patch, a protective and soothing patch for dry, itchy and irritated skin. Founded by drug discovery scientist AJ Singhal, the company creates products that pair a protective patch format with purified natural compounds and short ingredient lists. Kalm Wellness is an associate company of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. Learn more at www.kalmwellness.com.
Website: www.kalmwellness.com
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