It has become commonplace for many people of all ages to get skin advice from the internet. An individual decides to be their own doctor to figure out how to care for their skin by researching it online. There also has been an explosion of telehealth and teledermatology platforms like Dear Brightly, Musely, and Keeps, that offer online diagnosis and treatment of some skin conditions. “Hims & Hers and Nurx, for example — have seemingly exploded on social media, giving consumers the ability to ‘shop’ for prescription-strength medications from the comfort of their couch.”1
This may be fine if you have no skin issues. However, sometimes you need professional help to solve them. Board-certified dermatologists have specialized education and training to diagnose and treat patients who have real skin problems.
Dr. Rebecca Baxt, board certified dermatologist, advises to be cautious in diagnosing your skincare conditions. “When TikTok and other social media platforms, and online skincare apps are not working, be sure to see a board-certified dermatologist.” Dr. Baxt continues, there is only so much someone can try to research themselves without a medical doctor background and experience.”
At BAXT CosMedical®, we see patients who have correctly diagnosed themselves, but often are off base when it comes to treatment based on what they have found on the internet. “It is great to educate ourselves about all sorts of things on the internet, but it is hard to sift through the misinformation,” says Dr. Baxt. Caution is recommended while looking at information or being given to us via algorithms and bots trying to sell us products. “Beware especially of the apps that ask for selfies uploaded and charge a fee for a ‘medical evaluation’ and then ship you medications to your home,” says Dr. Baxt.
While telehealth and teledermatology play an important role in taking care of patients, many of these new self-diagnosing apps are no substitution for consulting with a physician. These applications do not deliver personalized medical care. In fact, some of these apps do not have a licensed physician but may be using unsupervised ancillary healthcare providers.
Also of concern is that some of the platforms may use artificial intelligence (AI) to make skin condition diagnosis and recommendations. A word of caution, before you answer questions, upload a photo, and pay your fee, be advised that there are challenges in using AI for dermatological conditions. “Dermatological AI can only recognize a few specific skin diseases, whereas the dermatological condition is extremely varied. To make AI identify and classify a long and vast list of dermatological disorders with various clinical presentations will be a challenge.” The researchers also assert, “the diagnosis and classification of skin diseases require comprehensive consideration of patient history, gender, age, and other information beyond photographs.”2
“Many patients are misdiagnosed, or get dangerous medication without a proper medical history, skin evaluation, and counseling,” says Dr. Baxt. “Sometimes the apps get it right and that is great, but they are not a substitute for real healthcare delivered in person, or via telehealth from a board-certified dermatologist.” When it seems too good to be true – cheap, quick, perfect healthcare to fix your acne or skin issue delivered to your home – it usually is too good to be true.
If you are not doing well with your skin care, book an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist either in person or via telehealth. We are expertly trained in complicated skin issues, so we can find the underlying cause of the issue and solve it safely.
If you live in or near the Bergen County, NJ area, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rebecca Baxt to discuss your medical and cosmetic skin care concerns in her Paramus, NJ medical office. Schedule your consultation by contacting us online or by calling 201-265-1300 today.
At BAXT CosMedical®, we deliver outstanding patient care and excellent customer service with the best technology available. We provide honest consultations and natural results.
1I Sent My Doctor a Selfie. Intentionally. Boncompagni, T., NY Times, Nov. 13, 2023
2Use of Artificial Intelligence in Dermatology, Abhishek, D., Sarda, A., Gupta, S., and Das, S., Indian J. Dermatology 2020, Sep-Oct; 65(5): 352–357.
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