This app could help you spot skin cancer
Most of us grew up hearing our parents warn us about the health effects of a bad sunburn. Warm summer days meant blistering sunburns, the kind that left your skin feeling red and raw for days afterwards. According to recent studies, a dermatologist shortage has left patients waiting for up to six weeks to be seen for a check-up. Skin cancer isn't something patients should ignore. Doctors say that the sooner a suspicious mole or freckle is checked out, the less likely it is to lead to melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
While there is no substitution for a dermatologist, the MelApp may be able to help you identify your risk assessment before visiting the dermatologist.
MelApp works by taking a picture of a skin lesion using your camera iPhone. After you label the image, you are asked to pinpoint the mole size and evolution of the lesion. To complete the last step, you click a "Check risk" button, and wait for the application to process your information.
According to a prepared statement, "MelApp uses highly sophisticated patent protected state-of-the-art mathematical algorithms and image based pattern recognition technology to analyze the uploaded image. The app was validated using an image database licensed from Johns Hopkins University Medical Center."
After your results are processed, the application offers a risk assessment based on the information entered in the program. If your estimated risk assessment is high, a message will appear advising you to consult a dermatologist.
The Apple website shows that iPhone and iPad users can purchase the MelApp through the Apple application store.
Watch a demonstration video of the MelApp in action:
Disclaimer:This information should not be used in place of a visit to a dermatologist or trained medical professional. If you have any questions, consult your nearest dermatologist.
Image: Health Discovery Communications
Video: via AppShopper
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com