App for analysing skin health reduces melanoma risk

A melanoma risk analysis app has been launched to coincide with Skin Cancer Action Week from 15–21 November, offering Australians a simple and effective tool for monitoring, tracking and understanding skin health.

Scientifically proven with a unique algorithm, and reportedly the only app in Australia that provides an analysis of lesions based on fractal geometry, SkinVision* has been designed to complement medical visits by providing a mobile solution for assessing and tracking moles, with an 83% accuracy rate.

Users simply take a photo of a mole with their smartphone and receive an instant analysis and recommendation.

The app’s risk rating (traffic-light outcome) for the mole helps people select moles that should be tracked for changes over time within a personal gallery, which they can then share with their doctor.

SkinVision is offering a free one-year subscription to the app, which usually costs $38, for everyone who downloads it during Skin Cancer Action Week.

“Regularly checking moles or lesions can assist with early detection and prevention of melanoma and skin cancer. With SkinVision, we’re helping Australians to detect changes to their skin and take action in a timely manner,” said Dick Uyttewaal, SkinVision CEO.

However, users are being advised not to solely rely on the app or delay regular visits to their doctor or dermatologist.

“The app isn’t designed to replace a medical expert’s opinion, but instead to provide a tool for analysing and tracking moles in between professional check-ups and help people prepare for medical appointments with their own personal image gallery,” said Uyttewaal.

According to Cancer Council Australia, two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by age 70. Skin cancer accounts for 80% of all newly diagnosed cancers each year.

However, 2014 saw Australia become the first country in the world to see a decline in skin cancer rates, with a small reduction in levels of melanoma and non-melanoma in the under-45 age group.

SkinVision said its aim is to support this trend by making it easier for Australians to track their moles and detect melanomas in risky lesions earlier, increasing their chances of a successful treatment.

*The app is certified by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), a division of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The AU certification means that SkinVision meets the regulatory requirements to bring a Class 1 medical device onto the Australian market.