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Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018 12 4;12:CD013192. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, B15 2TT.

Background: Melanoma accounts for a small proportion of all skin cancer cases but is responsible for most skin cancer-related deaths. Early detection and treatment can improve survival. Smartphone applications are readily accessible and potentially offer an instant risk assessment of the likelihood of malignancy so that the right people seek further medical attention from a clinician for more detailed assessment of the lesion. Read More

Sensors (Basel) 2018 Sep 22;18(10). Epub 2018 Sep 22.

Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.

Diabetes has become a chronic metabolic disorder, and the growing diabetes population makes medical care more important. We investigated using a portable and noninvasive contact lens as an ideal sensor for diabetes patients whose tear fluid contains glucose. The key feature is the reversible covalent interaction between boronic acid and glucose, which can provide a noninvasive glucose sensor for diabetes patients. Read More

Am J Clin Dermatol 2018 Oct;19(5):779-785

Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a mobile application (app) in patients already using total body photography (TBP) to increase skin self-examination (SSE) rates and pilot the effectiveness of examination reminders and accountability partners.

Design: Randomized controlled trial with computer generated randomization table to allocate interventions.

Setting: University of Pennsylvania pigmented lesion clinic. Read More

Dermatol Online J 2018 Apr 15;24(4). Epub 2018 Apr 15.

Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, California.

Store-and-forward teledermatology involves transmission of a patient's images to a healthcare provider and subsequent response from the provider about the diagnosis or management. Furthermore, teledermatology in which mobile phones (e.g. Read More

J Photochem Photobiol B 2018 Jul 14;184:27-33. Epub 2018 May 14.

Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.

Nowcasting model for online monitoring of personal outdoor behaviour is proposed. It is envisaged that it will provide an effective e-tool used by smartphone users. The model could estimate maximum duration of safe (without erythema risk) outdoor activity. Read More

Dermatol Online J 2018 Feb 15;24(2). Epub 2018 Feb 15.

Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado Dermatology Service, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado.

Background: More than 80% of households in the US have a smartphone. Growth of mobile applications (apps) has grown in parallel with access to smartphones. Mobile health apps are used in medical fields, including dermatology. Read More

J Am Acad Dermatol 2018 Sep 7;79(3):520-524. Epub 2018 Mar 7.

Department of Dermatology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Electronic address:

Background: Various means to facilit ate accurate biopsy site identification have been proposed.

Objective: To determine the accuracy of biopsy site identification by using photographs taken with a patient's digital device by a dermatologist versus professional medical photography.

Methods: Photographs of circled biopsy sites were taken with personal digital devices by the principal investigator (PI). Read More

J Am Acad Dermatol 2018 Sep 10;79(3):564-567. Epub 2018 Feb 10.

Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address:

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2018 Oct 6;32(10):1804-1809. Epub 2018 Mar 6.

Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.

Background: Medical photography enhances patient care, medical education and research. Despite medical photography's widespread use, little is known about how dermatologists choose to implement photography in routine clinical practice, and how they approach issues of image storage, image security and patient consent.

Objective: To characterize dermatologists' medical photography habits and opinions. Read More

Int J Dermatol 2018 Apr 5;57(4):458-462. Epub 2018 Feb 5.

Department of Dermatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospitals, Taipei and Linkou, Taiwan.

Introduction: Medical students and residents will encounter many cutaneous fungal infections in medical practice. However, the training for identification of medical fungi has been insufficient due to limited lecture-based courses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of using smartphone-based wallpapers in learning the microscopic morphology and colony characteristics of medical fungi for medical students and residents. Read More

Australas J Dermatol 2018 Aug 2;59(3):168-170. Epub 2018 Jan 2.

Department of Dermatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

A research team at Stanford recently reported that their deep convolutional neural network had learned to classify skin cancer with a level of competence equivalent to that of board-certified dermatologists. It is possible that in time, and using larger datasets, such software may surpass the average doctor in diagnostic ability, and that highly accurate technology may be available to both clinicians and patients via smartphones. This technology is poised to change the landscape of skin cancer diagnosis for both physicians and patients, but whether such changes are beneficial will depend on how they are regulated and implemented. Read More

JAMA Dermatol 2017 12;153(12):1243-1248

Section of Dermatology, Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Importance: Advances in smartphone photography (both quality and image transmission) may improve access to care via direct parent-to-clinician telemedicine. However, the accuracy of diagnoses that are reliant on parent-provided photographs has not been formally compared with diagnoses made in person.

Objective: To assess whether smartphone photographs of pediatric skin conditions taken by parents are of sufficient quality to permit accurate diagnosis. Read More

Vet Dermatol 2018 Apr 1;29(2):165-e61. Epub 2017 Nov 1.

Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Strada Provinciale 9, 28060, Granozzo con Monticello, NO, Italy.

Background: Dermoscopy is a diagnostic tool that has been introduced into small animal dermatology for the evaluation of hair and the skin surface. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the use of this technique on horses and the dermoscopic appearance of equine hair and skin have yet to be reported.

Hypothesis/objectives: To assess the feasibility of dermoscopy, and to describe hair and skin surface features of healthy warmblood horses. Read More

Ann Plast Surg 2017 Dec;79(6):529-531

From the *Attending at the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France; †Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Henri Mondor Hospital, Creteil, France; ‡ Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon; and §Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.

Background: Internet use for health information has dramatically increased in the past decade. Mobile medical applications (MMAs) could be a useful tool to improve postoperative patient education and care. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of an MMA on patient care in plastic surgery. Read More

J Am Acad Dermatol 2018 03 22;78(3):e65-e66. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Florida Center for Dermatology, PA, Saint Augustine, Florida. Electronic address:

Dermatol Clin 2017 Oct 9;35(4):551-557. Epub 2017 Aug 9.

Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address:

With the advancement of mobile technologies, smartphone applications (apps) have become widely available and gained increasing attention as a novel tool to deliver dermatologic care. This article presents a review of various apps for skin monitoring and melanoma detection and a discussion of current limitations in the field of dermatology. Concerns regarding quality, transparency, and reliability have emerged because there are currently no established quality standards or regulatory oversight of mobile medical apps. Read More

Clin Exp Allergy 2017 Dec 11;47(12):1526-1533. Epub 2017 Oct 11.

MACVIA-France, Contre les Maladies Chroniques pour un VIeillissement Actif en France European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing Reference Site, Montpellier, France.

Background: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a validated tool to assess control in allergic rhinitis patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to validate the use of VAS in the MASK-rhinitis (MACVIA-ARIA Sentinel NetworK for allergic rhinitis) app (Allergy Diary) on smartphones screens to evaluate allergic rhinitis symptoms and disease control.

Methods: Each user filled 4 different VAS measuring overall, nasal, ocular, and asthma symptoms at least once. Read More

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2018 Jan 11;32(1):79-85. Epub 2017 Sep 11.

Department of Dermatology and Allergy, National Allergy Research Centre, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark.

Background: More than 25% of the adult European population suffers from contact allergy, with fragrance substances recognized as one of the main causes. Since 2005, 26 fragrance contact allergens have been mandatory to label in cosmetic products within the EU if present at 10 ppm or above in leave-on and 100 ppm or above in wash-off cosmetics.

Objective: To examine exposure, based on ingredient labelling, to the 26 fragrances in a sample of 5588 fragranced cosmetic products. Read More

Australas J Dermatol 2018 Feb 1;59(1):e81-e82. Epub 2017 Aug 1.

Dermatology Department, Meade Clinical Centre Level One, Waikato Hospital, Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand.

Skin Res Technol 2018 Feb 17;24(1):117-122. Epub 2017 Jul 17.

Department of Dermatology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.

Background: Although measuring would size using digital photography is a quick and simple method to evaluate the skin wound, the possible compatibility of it has not been fully validated.

Purpose: To investigate the error rate of our newly developed wound surface area calculation using digital photography.

Methods: Using a smartphone and a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera, four photographs of various sized wounds (diameter: 0. Read More

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2018 Jan 3;32(1):73-78. Epub 2017 Jul 3.

Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.

Background: Distal interphalangeal (DIP) arthritis is a frequent form of psoriatic arthritis being often linked to nail psoriasis. Modern society is characterized by overuse of smartphones. Indeed, literature has recently focalized on research into smartphone addiction and health-related problems. Read More

Telemed J E Health 2017 12 31;23(12):948-954. Epub 2017 May 31.

6 Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ludwig-Maximilian University , Munich, Germany .

Background: With the advent of smartphone devices, an increasing number of mHealth applications that target melanoma identification have been developed, but none addresses the general context of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer identification.

Introduction: In this study a smartphone application using fractal and classical image analysis for the risk assessment of skin lesions is systematically evaluated to determine its sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer along with actinic keratosis and Bowen's disease.

Materials And Methods: In the Department of Dermatology, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 341 melanocytic and nonmelanocytic lesions were imaged using SkinVision app; 239 underwent histopathological examination, while the rest of 102 lesions were clinically diagnosed as clearly benign and not removed. Read More

Int J Dermatol 2017 Dec 11;56(12):1359-1365. Epub 2017 May 11.

Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

Background: Mayo Clinic developed an internal iOS-based, point-of-care clinical image capture application for clinicians. We aimed to assess the adoption and utilization of the application at Mayo Clinic.

Methods: Metadata of 22,784 photos of 6417 patients taken by 606 users over 8040 clinical encounters between 3/1/2015 and 10/31/2015 were analyzed. Read More

Br J Dermatol 2018 01 6;178(1):286-288. Epub 2017 Dec 6.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Windmill Rd, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5NY, U.K.

Int J Dermatol 2017 Sep 24;56(9):920-925. Epub 2017 Apr 24.

Department of Dermatology, University of California - Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.

Background: Cloud-based image sharing technology allows facilitated sharing of images. Cloud-based image sharing technology has not been well-studied for acne assessments or treatment preferences, among international evaluators. We evaluated inter-rater variability of acne grading and treatment recommendations among an international group of dermatologists that assessed photographs. Read More

Telemed J E Health 2017 09 29;23(9):766-772. Epub 2017 Mar 29.

1 Department of TeleHealth, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal , Durban, South Africa .

Introduction: The smartphone simplifies interprofessional communication, and smartphone applications can facilitate telemedicine activity. Much has been written about the steps that need to be followed to implement and establish a successful telemedicine service that is integrated into everyday clinical practice. A traditional and systematic approach has evolved incorporating activities such as strategy development, needs assessment, business cases and plans, readiness assessment, implementation plans, change management interventions, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation. Read More

Br J Dermatol 2017 12 26;177(6):1754-1757. Epub 2017 Sep 26.

Department of Dermatology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, U.K.

Dermatol Online J 2017 Feb 15;23(2). Epub 2017 Feb 15.

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This commentary addresses the emerging market forhealth-related smartphone applications. Specific todermatology, there has been a significant increasenot only in applications that promote skin cancerawareness and education but also in those meantfor detection. With evidence showing that 365dermatology-related applications were available in2014--up from 230 in 2012--and that 1 in 5 patientsunder the age of 50 have used a smartphone tohelp diagnose a skin problem, there is clearly a largesubset of patients participating in this growing trend. Read More

Dermatol Surg 2018 Jan;44(1):138-140

DermSurgery Associates, Houston, Texas.

J Biomed Opt 2017 09;22(9):91508

University of Oulu, Optoelectronics and Measurement Techniques Unit, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Oulu, Finland.

Chromophore distribution maps are useful tools for skin malformation severity assessment and for monitoring of skin recovery after burns, surgeries, and other interactions. The chromophore maps can be obtained by processing several spectral images of skin, e.g. Read More

Australas J Dermatol 2018 May 28;59(2):101-107. Epub 2017 Feb 28.

The Dermatology and Skin Cancer Centre, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia.

Background: Smartphones are rapidly changing the way doctors capture and communicate clinical information, particularly in highly visual specialties such as dermatology. An understanding of how and why smartphones are currently used in clinical practice is critical in order to evaluate professional and legal risks, and to formulate policies that enable safe use of mobile technologies for the maximal benefit of practitioners and patients.

Methods: Australian dermatologists and dermatology trainees were surveyed on their current practices relating to clinical smartphone use. Read More

Australas J Dermatol 2018 Aug 27;59(3):e175-e182. Epub 2017 Feb 27.

Dermatology Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Background/objectives: Melanoma apps are smartphone applications that assess risk of pigmented lesions using a smartphone camera and underlying algorithm. We aimed to assess the capability of melanoma smartphone applications (apps) in making clinical decisions about risk, compared with lesion assessment by specialist trained dermatologists.

Methods: A prospective study of 3 melanoma apps was conducted between 2015 and 2016, recruiting 30 patients with 57 pigmented lesions. Read More

JAMA Pediatr 2016 12;170(12):1202-1208

Institute of Primary Care and Public Health, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Neuadd Meirionnydd, Cardiff, Wales7Johns Hopkins Center for Clinical Global Health Education, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore-Washington-India Clinical Trials, B. J. Medical College, Pune, India.

Importance: Sleep is vital to children's biopsychosocial development. Inadequate sleep quantity and quality is a public health concern with an array of detrimental health outcomes. Portable mobile and media devices have become a ubiquitous part of children's lives and may affect their sleep duration and quality. Read More

J Am Acad Dermatol 2016 Nov;75(5):1063-1064.e1

Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Electronic address:

Emerg Med J 2017 Feb 5;34(2):95-99. Epub 2016 Oct 5.

Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Background: Mobile health has promising potential in improving healthcare delivery by facilitating access to expert advice. Enabling experts to review images on their smartphone or tablet may save valuable time. This study aims at assessing whether images viewed by medical specialists on handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets are perceived to be of comparable quality as when viewed on a computer screen. Read More

J Am Acad Dermatol 2016 Nov 7;75(5):887-888. Epub 2016 Sep 7.

Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California. Electronic address:

Direct-to-consumer teledermatology is radically changing the way some patients obtain dermatologic care. Many direct-to-consumer teledermatology services offer care to patients younger than 18 years, but policies and standards are nonuniform. For pediatric patients, direct-to-consumer teledermatology is a substantial departure from in-person care. Read More

J Cutan Pathol 2016 09 1;43(9):805-6. Epub 2016 Jul 1.

Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.

J Am Acad Dermatol 2016 Jul;75(1):e27-8

Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

Australas J Dermatol 2017 Nov 10;58(4):e216-e222. Epub 2016 Jun 10.

uRepublic Cosmetic Dermatology & Veins, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Background/objectives: Patients should be monitored post-laser resurfacing for reassurance and the early detection of adverse events. Smartphone monitoring in the post-laser resurfacing setting is an efficient and convenient tool that is well accepted by patients and dermatologists. The objective was to identify the benefits and barriers of, and patient attitudes towards, smartphone monitoring in the post-laser resurfacing setting. Read More

J Am Acad Dermatol 2016 Jun;74(6):e123-5

Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York. Electronic address:

Dermatol Surg 2016 Jun;42(6):793-5

Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana Department of Dermatology, State University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York Department of Dermatology, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York.

J Wound Care 2016 Apr;25(4):177-80, 182

Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Objective: To verify the reliability and validity of FLIR ONE, a device connected to a smartphone, for the assessment of inflammation based on relative temperature increase compared with the thermography routinely used in pressure ulcer (PU) and diabetic foot assessment.

Method: Participants in this pilot cross-sectional observational study were recruited from the patients in the PU team rounds and the diabetic foot outpatient clinic at the university hospital in January 2015. Cohen's kappa coefficient with its 95% confidence intervals was used to evaluate the criterion-related validity and inter- and intra-rater reliability for the thermal imaging assessment. Read More

Med J Aust 2016 Mar;204(5):198-200e1

University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD.

Capturing clinical images is becoming more prevalent in everyday clinical practice, and dermatology lends itself to the use of clinical photographs and teledermatology. "Store-and-forward", whereby clinical images are forwarded to a specialist who later responds with an opinion on diagnosis and management is a popular form of teledermatology. Store-and-forward teledermatology has proven accurate and reliable, accelerating the process of diagnosis and treatment and improving patient outcomes. Read More

J Am Acad Dermatol 2016 Apr;74(4):e63-4

Skineplex, Burdwan, West Bengal, India.

JAMA Intern Med 2016 05;176(5):619-25

Department of Dermatology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco.

Importance: Conversational agents are smartphone-based computer programs designed to respond to users in natural language, thereby mimicking conversations between people. Many people use their smartphones to obtain health information.

Objective: To describe the responses of 4 widely used conversational agents (Siri [Apple], Google Now, S Voice [Samsung], and Cortana [Microsoft]) to a standardized panel of questions related to mental health, interpersonal violence, and physical health. Read More

Telemed J E Health 2016 09 9;22(9):755-60. Epub 2016 Mar 9.

1 Department of Dermatology, Hospital das Clinicas, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil .

Background: It is estimated that there are around 7 billion mobile phone subscriptions worldwide. Considering the availability and convenience, it appears to be a suitable device for store-and-forward (SF) consultations.

Introduction: Although teledermatology has been suggested as an effective way of reducing costs and providing otherwise inaccessible expert evaluation, most studies have relied on high cost and high technological means. Read More

Orv Hetil 2016 Mar;157(10):363-9

Orvosi Fizikai és Orvosi Informatikai Intézet, Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Szeged.

Technological advances in the fields of information and telecommunication technologies have affected the health care system in the last decades, and lead to the emergence of a new discipline: telemedicine. The appearance and rise of internet and smart phones induced a rapid progression in telemedicine. Several new applications and mobile devices are published every hour even for medical purposes. Read More

Dermatol Surg 2016 Mar;42(3):305-9

*Department of Dermatology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; †Dermatologists of Southwest Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio; ‡Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut.

Background: Digital photography is pervasive in dermatology. Potential uses include monitoring untreated disease, disease progression and treatment response, evaluating medical and cosmetic treatment, determining surgical sites, educating trainees and colleagues, and publishing reports in scientific journals. However, the nature of use, storage, and informed consent practices for digital photography among dermatologic surgeons has not been investigated. Read More

Dermatol Surg 2016 Feb;42(2):249-50

*Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri; †Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.

Background: The use of video can enhance the learning experience by demonstrating procedural techniques that are difficult to relay in writing. Several peer-reviewed journals allow publication of videos alongside articles to complement the written text.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to instruct the dermatologic surgeon on how to create and edit a video using a smartphone, to accompany a article. Read More

Arch Pathol Lab Med 2016 Jan;140(1):86-90

From the Departments of Dermatology and Pathology, University of Texas Houston Health Science Center, Houston (Drs Jahan-Tigh and Rapini);

Context: The incorporation of high-resolution cameras into smartphones has allowed for a variety of medical applications including the use of lens attachments that provide telescopic, macroscopic, and dermatoscopic data, but the feasibility and performance characteristics of such a platform for use in dermatopathology have not been described.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic performance of a smartphone microscope compared to traditional light microscopy in dermatopathology specimens.

Design: A simple smartphone microscope constructed with a 3-mm ball lens was used to prospectively evaluate 1021 consecutive dermatopathology cases in a blinded fashion. Read More