App aims to supplement physician visits for acne

MDacne, the first app to launch from the MDalgorithms mobile health platform, helps consumers diagnose, treat, manage and prevent acne.

Israeli dermatologist and entrepreneur Yoram Harth, M.D., helped to develop the acne app and serves as chief medical officer of MDalgorithms, a company that uses smart algorithms and computer technology to provide real time mobile tools for people with health disorders. Among other business ventures, Dr. Harth founded EndyMed Medical.

The acne app offers a free and immediate analysis of acne type and severity; develops an individualized acne control plan; and monitors users’ progress. According to MDacne.com, acne diagnoses are based on a proprietary image analysis, where users take selfies of their pimples.

Press information on the app suggests the app launched in May 2016, with the goal to “disrupt the old physician-centric medical system” and “replace dermatologist visits for up to 80% of acne patients.”

Oded Harth, founder and CEO of Israel-based MDalgorithms, tells Dermatology Times that MDacne does not intend to replace dermatologists.

“We would like MDacne to be the stepping stone and expert assistant for the 50 million people in the U.S. struggling with acne at any given moment,” Mr. Harth says. “The app starts by teaching the users about acne, [emphasizing] preventive methods (right cosmetics, right diet …), treatment methods (how to cleanse the face, how much benzoyl peroxide [to apply]) and which OTC products are the best. When acne is moderate or severe, the users are referred to dermatologists.”

Mr. Harth says that he believes dermatologists should recommend MDacne to their acne patient.

“In the last month, we implemented in the app Apple’s CareKit framework, allowing MDacne users to share in one click their acne status report, improvement charts and [before and after pictures] with their dermatologist,” according to Mr. Harth. “We intend in the near future to implement a ‘Find a Dermatologist’ feature that will suggest nearby dermatologists for office consultation.”