Pigmentation, vitiligo, and keloids are some of the most common skin conditions affecting people of color. However, trying to find information about diagnosis and treatment is not always easy.
Vaseline has long been a staple in black medicine cabinets, treating everything from chapped lips to yellowing elbows. Now, the company is doing what it can to help combat racial inequity in skin care with a platform designed to provide culturally sensitive solutions for people of color. See My Skin is an online platform that helps users identify their skin condition and provides them with information, treatment options and pictures of various conditions on black and brown skin. By partnering with HUED, a platform that connects doctors of color, See My Skin users can also search a directory of dermatologists of color in their area who can help them get the treatment and support their condition needs.
According to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, less than 6 percent of image-based searches show skin conditions for people of color. Unless you use qualifiers like “colored skin” or “black skin”, you may find yourself googling endlessly to get the information you need. This lack of information can lead to misdiagnosed and untreated conditions with serious consequences.
“People of color are negatively impacted by inequities in healthcare, which can lead to worse health outcomes, including caring for their skin. Whether it’s in search, on social media, or even in textbooks for answers – with Their skin-like results are rare, which can leave us feeling invisible and underrepresented,” said Kevin Tolson, Unilever’s U.S. skincare brand director. “We created See My Skin so that people with melanin-rich skin can finally see the skin condition on their own. Our goal is to provide solutions that ensure communities have the ability to receive the care that everyone deserves. This is a move towards this A step in the direction”.