While lots of us suffer with breakouts and acne long into our adulthood, many of us don't know when it's bad enough to need treatment or a visit to the doctor. It can be embarrassing both to suffer with acne and to have to pull together the courage to chat to someone about it, but French skincare brand La Roche-Posay might just have the answer. Their new Spotscan tool is aiming to make diagnosis and treatment much easier.
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Spotscan is a free tool that you access via your mobile on either Android or Apple. All you need is to take three photos of your face at different angles, in good lighting, without makeup on. The artificial intelligence tool then uses an algorithm to compare your skin with "dermatologist-reviewed" images of more than 6,000 other people. At the end, you will receive a grade between zero and 4+, depending on your skin.
This grade is based on the number of blackheads, spots, and other acne-related marks that the Spotscan detects. If you receive a grade of three or above, the tool will advise you to visit a doctor or dermatologist for further diagnosis and treatment. The tool does offer some not-so-impartial advice, too - recommending products from La Roche-Posay's Effaclar range that can help to fix your woes.
As well as diagnosis, the site can also help to track how your skin changes, giving you even more insight into what exactly could be causing your acne breakouts. This will give you the opportunity to see whether your skincare products are actually making a difference, or whether you need to switch it up.
Martin Foret, the brand's international senior product manager, told the Evening Standard that they built Spotscan "to help these men and women with acne-prone skin understand the condition better and identify their recommended skincare routine." Spotscan seems like just the thing to help people as a first step in their acne diagnosis and treatment, but don't forget that you should still go to the doctor or a dermatologist with any serious concerns as there is every chance you'll need more serious prescription treatment than La Roche Posay (or any other store-bought skincare) can offer.