Diagnosing Skin Cancer via iPhone Apps

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42% of Americans live in areas that are underserved by dermatologists. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. When caught early, it's also entirely treatable.

It takes just minutes for a good doctor to do a check, but compare that to the one to four months the average American currently has to wait to get an appointment. Many skin conditions are easy to diagnose: moles, acne, rosacea, eczema, etc.

There is a massive market of conditions so easy to diagnose that they possess relatively low liability, a fact that's putting dermatology at the forefront of some extremely impressive mobile and telemedicine technology.

Mobile dermatology solutions can help solve the problem of access, which is fueling a lot of funding. Anyone with a smartphone has access to affordable apps, built-in diagnostic devices, and therefore the ability to connect with specialists who can help them monitor and check their skin.

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Skin Scan
Take a picture of your mole, upload it, and Skin Scan will, within minutes, use a proprietary algorithm to analyze the fractal patterns of your skin. This can determine if a mole is growing according to pattern or abnormally, a sign of melanoma. If a mole appears suspect, the Skin Scan can steer you to nearby dermatologists. Importantly, you can archive your results, meaning you can also track growth over weeks and months.

SpotCheck
SpotCheck employs the services of a team of dermatologists who've signed on to peer at photos of your moles in their spare time. The app lets you know within 24 hours whether whoever looked at your case thinks you might want to consider seeing a live MD.
Like Skin Scan, Spot Check provides a list of docs tailored to your location, should you need a follow-up.

Skin of Mine
Allows you to upload of a host of anatomical concerns--from moles and pimples to redness, wrinkles, lip plumpness, and even tooth whiteness
Like SpotCheck, Skin of Mine relies on telemedicine where health care practitioners analyze your data. Once you upload your photo, you're directed to a screen where you can select an expert for your virtual visit, answer some questions, and get a diagnosis in under 24 hours.

Direct Dermatology
Most developed and comprehensive service. Only available in California right now, where it received a grant from the California Healthcare Foundation Innovation Fund.
No app yet, but sign up on the website, fill out a medical history form, upload a photograph of your particular concern and get a virtual consult report from a board-certified dermatologist within two days.
If you need a prescription, you can pick it up at your local pharmacy.

Novimedicine
Relies solely on a set of detailed questions and three uploaded photos, all of which is sent to a dermatologist for evaluation.
Each patient receives a detailed explanation of the hows and whys of his or her new prescription and plan, as well as an archived log of progress to refer to and build on for future visits.
Believed to effectively treat up to 85% of all acne cases -- with no foot set in the office.