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With so many skincare products and ingredients available, you’d be forgiven for thinking that skincare is already as personalised as it gets.
However, these days, the world of skincare has become much more advanced than simply picking and choosing your own cleanser and moisturiser from the shelf.
Now, with the advances in AI technology, skincare is becoming truly personalised and it’s for the benefit of everyone: clients, dermatologists, and doctors.
Waiting for a Dermatology Appointment?
Are you one of over 380,000 people who are currently on a waiting list to see a dermatologist? Have you been waiting for more than 15 weeks? These figures might sound surprising to you if you’re not currently waiting to see a professional - but to anyone who’s already begun the waiting process, you’ll know that this is absolutely the norm right now in the UK.
The dermatology industry is overrun with people wanting to access their services. In fact, according to the NHS, there are more than one million new patient referrals to specialist dermatology services every year. Add the fact the UK is currently suffering from a severe shortage of consultant dermatologists and you’ve got the perfect storm.
Introducing Deep Learning Algorithms and AI
So, how can this problem be eased? Well, it’s all down to huge leaps forward in technology - particularly AI and deep learning algorithms.
Recent advances in AI - or artificial intelligence - have shown promising results in the field of dermatology. In 2017 a ground-breaking study reported in Nature’s journal, Esteva et al. [1] demonstrated the potential of deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) which is a man-made system of input and output node layers designed to mimic the infrastructure of biological neuronal networks, in the classification of skin cancer.
The authors trained a CNN using a dataset of 129,450 clinical images consisting of 2,032 different diseases and tested its performance against 21 board-certified dermatologists on biopsy-proven clinical images. The CNN achieved performance on par with all tested experts across both tasks, demonstrating an artificial intelligence capable of classifying skin cancer with a level of competence comparable to dermatologists.
A Skincare Revolution for All
It’s clear for anyone to see that the implications of this study are hugely significant. With the prevalence of skin disorders increasing worldwide, automated classification of skin lesions using images would provide a low-cost and accessible diagnostic tool for patients and medical practitioners alike.
But these tools aren’t just of importance in the diagnosis of skin cancer and other more serious skin conditions. Deep learning algorithms have the potential to revolutionise the field of dermatology across the board. And that’s where the team at MiQuest saw an opportunity - in harnessing the power of AI to help in the treatment of more ‘everyday’ skin concerns such as:
The MiQuest Route
With dermatology appointments in scarce supply and waiting lists often tipping the 18-week mark, MiQuest could sense people’s frustrations. Products off the shelf weren’t working, and prescription-grade ingredients were becoming more difficult to access.
With MiQuest, the above scenario couldn’t be further from the truth. When you sign up to a personalised skincare subscription from MiQuest, you’re in the hands of highly skilled formulation scientists who use ground-breaking AI scanning technology to get to the bottom of your skin concern. Armed with this information, the MiQuest team is then able to create a personalised formulation to treat your skin.
Your New Routine
Your new routine is as easy as it gets with MiQuest. You receive your personalised skincare products direct to your door, and then each morning you cleanse and moisturise and apply your SPF. In the evening, you cleanse and moisturise and apply your Q-Stick.
The Q-Stick is the product that’s packed with all of your personalised ingredients. So, for instance, if you’re looking to treat melasma, your Q-Stick may contain some or all of the following ingredients, at levels that our pharmaceutical scientists have agreed are right for your skin:
- Tretinoin
- Hydroquinone
- Hydrocortisone
- Azelaic Acid
- Niacinamide
Take a look at Surinder’s melasma journey and see the difference in her skin from before starting her MiQuest treatment, to having used her personalised products for a number of weeks. We think you’ll agree her skin’s transformation is impressive.
Is AI Really the Answer?
In an ideal world, we’d probably all like to feel the level of attention that a face-to-face consultation allows. But with the dermatology workforce crisis in full swing, and waiting lists maxing out, another route must be found. And with such impressive test results as shown in the Esteva et al findings, it looks like AI deserves a chance to shine.
At MiQuest, we used AI-assisted diagnosis in conjunction with the expertise of our dermatologists, pharmacists, and formulation scientists and the results of our before and after images speak for themselves. AI helps to enhance the speed, efficiency, and quality of service we provide. It truly is a ground-breaking move forward in the way we can treat skin conditions - whether minor and purely cosmetic or more serious and life threatening. AI often gets a bad press, but in the world of dermatology and helping patients access services faster, it deserves to be appreciated.
Try It For Yourself
If you’re fed up with waiting around for an appointment, or the products that you’ve tried so far just aren’t working, try MiQuest and see how we can help you transform your skin. Our subscription service means you don’t even have to leave the house to get your personalised skincare routine.
Furthermore, our team of experts are on hand for regular check-ins to ensure you get the results you want, and if your skin’s needs change and your ingredients need changing, we can do that too. And if you need to, you can pause or cancel your subscription anytime too. Sign up today and give your skin the ingredients it’s been craving.
AI-Empowered Dermatology, Personalised For You.
