How Taking a Selfie Can Help Heal Your Acne
If you look in the mirror and you’re not happy with your complexion, what are your options? Should you see a specialist or try a DIY approach? Recently, new approaches have emerged to make that decision much easier.
An estimated 85 percent of the population between the ages of 12 to 25 suffers from acne, although it’s no longer a condition associated only with the teenage years. Changes in diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors mean that more than 25 percent of individuals 25 to 40 years old experience it as well. Across the age spectrum, a staggering 96 percent of those with acne reported feeling depressed about their skin. The lack of confidence about their appearance takes an emotional toll on their wellbeing.
Acne sufferers face the difficult and daunting task of finding the right solution. The experience can be disheartening after trying many solutions, and feeling as though none have worked. It takes a personalized solution for success, since there’s no single approach that’s right for everyone. While some people may turn to advice from a local dermatologist or doctor, many can feel dismissed or uncertain about how to treat their acne. In response, patients are taking control of their own health care through innovative new technologies.
A new, customized approach
eTreatMD is designing a suite of apps to transform smartphones into medical devices equipped with the latest self-management tools. The Canadian company was co-founded in 2014 by CEO Shanil Gunasekara and VP of Clinical Strategy Nicholas MacKinnon, who set out to empower patients with customized solutions for chronic conditions, giving users options beyond waiting to see a specialist.
Your journey to healthier skin starts by downloading the intuitive, easy-touse app. Then, take a selfie to prompt the app to evaluate the condition of your facial skin. “Our algorithm analyzes the skin and detects all lesions and blemishes. From there, it classifies each type and measures the severity of the facial acne,” says Gunasekara.
The software kickstarts a process to find treatments that really work. The interactive eTreat Acne app functions are designed to help users understand the causes of acne. For example, did you know that diet has a direct impact on skin? The app helps you keep an accurate record of your food intake so that you can see patterns emerge based on your eating habits.
If you are one of the many people looking for a customized solution that will help treat your acne, eTreatAcne also offers product recommendations that are personalized to your needs, budget, and acne severity. The product suggestions are based on most effective treatments for users who share your skin type, and recommendations by experts in the field. Taking an individualized approach removes much of the frustrating — and often expensive — guesswork in finding the most effective formulations.
Patient empowerment is key
“We want the experience to be personalized to the user,” says Marketing and Business Development Director Alissa Taylor. “Our priority is to give the users as many choices as possible within a framework intended to provide education and resources to help them treat their acne.” The app was developed after years of careful research and clinical tests and used input from both patients and health care providers.
Based on feedback from its users, eTreatMD will continue to evolve the app to meet their needs, meaning patients with acne no longer have to deal with extended wait times or the trial and error phase of new products.
“It’s so important that we get it right for our customers,” Taylor explains. “We’re always looking to improve each version and we value every person who lets us know how we can make the experience as amazing as possible.”