BEAUTY & COSMETIC TECH Part 2: tech-solutions in dermatology and medical aesthetics

In the first part of BEAUTY & COSMETIC TECH articles we concentrated more on startups that change the industry of digital aesthetics and reshape it in the direction of personalisation. The second part of the articles focuses on technological solutions that are transforming the industry of dermatology and cosmetic surgery, as well as providing an additional set of tools for industry professionals: dermatologists and surgeons.

Due to the emergence of digital medical solutions such as teledermoscopy, AR, 3D modeling, industry professionals today have a wide range of technological solutions in their clinical practice.

Reconstructive and plastic surgery is applied in wound treatment, it is used to harmonize the appearance, correct birth defects and other aesthetic problems. 3D printing provides more accurate tools for plastic surgeons. Augmented and virtual reality help surgeons interactively understand patient anatomy.

MirrorMe3D is an American startup that develops solutions for modeling plastic or reconstructive surgery. The software creates anatomically accurate preoperative patient profiles and simulates postoperative conditions. MirrorMe3D gives surgeons control over the planning and simulation of operations based on 3D data and interaction with doctors in real time. We can say that MirrorMe3D is launching the next phase of cosmetic and reconstructive evolution. The company obtained exclusive patent rights for the 3D data design in the operating room. Surgeons can fully plan operations based on 3D data (including CT and MRI).

Since surgery is a super difficult skill, teaching surgeons is a very expensive and laborious job to do. However, simulators offer a more safe and objective alternative for training future surgeons. 

Sensus3D — is a startup that develops low-cost simulators for complex surgical skills. It combines haptic feedback and virtual reality (VR) to simulate surgical procedures and basic surgical skills such as suturing. The startup develops products for training surgeons to work with breast and dental implants.

It’s worth noticing that back in the early 2000s, there was developed a model based on machine learning algorithms that allows to estimate the depth of a burn wound and healing time based on data from a portable spectrophotometer with an accuracy of about 86%. In practice, such data can help clinicians determine which patients need more careful evaluation and which patients can be discharged earlier. 

And a bit earlier in 2019, there was developed a machine learning model which successfully diagnosed patients with jaw pathology using 3D scanning, which can even simulate the results of surgical intervention. This method certainly helps in surgical planning as well as in preparing patients for surgery. 

Thus, by using artificial intelligence-based technologies, plastic surgeons can develop and advance their surgical practice specifically by predicting and determining the diagnosis, which helps the decision making process.

Dermatology startups are developing new approaches to treating skin conditions and diseases.

Dermio is a mobile teledermatology platform. The application allows patients to consult with a dermatologist by sending a photo of their skin, and after that they can receive a diagnosis and order a prescription that will be sent to the pharmacist at the pharmacy closest to the user.

PathologyWatch is a professional platform for dermatologists, providing remote consultations with specialists of related fields or more qualified dermatologists based on digital images of the patient's skin, as well as histograms. The platform is able to integrate the patient's electronic medical record, which optimizes workflows.

DermaSensor is a non-invasive medical device designed to detect the risk of skin cancer. Thanks to optical spectroscopy, the device allows you to analyze the condition of the skin at the cellular level. DermaSensor has 93% sensitivity and increases skin cancer detection by 13%.

Triage is an AI-based app that provides screening for over 500 skin diseases. The platform also provides a “second opinion” for dermatologists in complex clinical cases.

TeleSkin is a dermatological startup producing hardware and software for the early diagnosis of skin cancer, melanoma and other skin diseases. TeleSkin provides a complex solution for the analysis of various skin conditions using a combination of dermoscopy, spectroscopy and other advanced techniques. 

Nia is an app designed for patients with eczema and neurodermatitis. Nia provides: daily support for identifying the triggers of these diseases with a medical history tracker; medical advice and useful content; telemedicine consultation with a specialist. 

Haut.AI is SaaS product that automates the collection of high-quality skin data, recognizes skin pathologies, and helps skincare brands create interactive beauty product recommendations on e-commerce platforms. 

OnlineDoctor is a telemedical platform that provides the user with remote online consultation on skin problems, as well as subsequent treatment algorithms. 

Direct Derm Is a telemedical platform that connects patients with leading dermatologists through a web platform and mobile app for consultations, diagnosing and treatment plans.

The world of dermatology and plastic surgery is growing rapidly with the development of AI-based technologies and 3D-modeling, solving various skin problems, such as, the automatic detection of moles and neoplasms. Clinical decision support tools will be increasingly used in plastic surgery. And with the development of technologies based on digital image processing, the field of telemedicine will grow and modernize even more.

MedTech startups strive to improve access to quality care for our body's largest organ - the skin; as well as, soft tissue treatments for cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries. Together, they are transforming the healthcare system, opening up new delivery channels and improving preoperative planning.