Miiskin, a digital health app that assists people in tracking changes to their skin which includes new and existing moles has launched a new mole sizing feature that allows patients to check if their moles have changed size through augmented reality.
With 80% of melanomas appearing as new moles or marks, dermatologists think that individuals are the first to be aware of the signs of skin cancers on themselves more than half the time. Therefore self-examination of the skin is very important for early detection.
During self-examination of skin, changes and size in the appearance of moles are vital elements to analyze while looking for possible signs of melanoma. However, subtle changes in size may not be noticeable to the naked eye, or when it is present in areas that are hard to reach.
Miiskin’s mole sizing feature requires that users photograph their mole next to the reference object such as a coin to measure and record the size of the lesion. This allows users in identifying two of the five signs of the ABCDE tracker, a system doctors recommend.
The measurement capability of the app enables users to identify when a mole meets the threshold for “D” – a mole 6mm in diameter. Users can also capture images of moles which include the size and monitor changes to color and shapes with time. This way, a user can see if the mole evolves which is the warning sign “E”.
The founder and CEO of Miiskin, Jon Friss said: “This type of technology has never been made available to the public use until now.”
“We have merged the latest in Apple’s machine learning, augmented reality and computer vision technology to bring it to patients directly to support them with self-examination of their skin, a vital process for early detection of skin cancer.”
Miiskin collaborates with the British Skin Foundation to assist in raising awareness of the importance of skin self-examination
Consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, Dr. Anton Alexandroff said: “Bringing this type of technology to patients will assist them with exanimating their skin. It helps in awareness of the importance of skin examination and identifying the major factors to look for when checking their skin.”
Zuzana Kokes, 37-year-old from London uses the Miiskin app to track her skin after being diagnosed with melanoma.
She said “I get very stressed knowing that I am at high risk of getting melanoma again and I know how quickly it can spread, but Miiskin really does reassure me. Since my first procedure, I Have has around six moles removed. Some of these were discovered through Miiskin as I had photographic evidence of them changing in size and color.”
“My husband Peter helps me to take photos of my moles and he measures the dimensions of them. The new mole sizing feature on the app is a really helpful addition and will make the app even easier to use.”
ORCHA, the organization in charge of reviewing, testing, and evaluating digital health apps for NHS rated Miiskin recently as one of the top five apps out of a total 3603 that make use of the best practice.
