Hyperpigmentation, vitiligo and keloids are some of the most common skin conditions affecting people of color. But trying to find information on diagnosis and treatment isn’t always easy.
Vaseline has long been a staple in Black medicine cabinets, healing everything from chapped lips to ashy elbows. Now, the company is doing their part to help combat racial inequities 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 what various conditions look like on Black and brown skin. And through a partnership with HUED, a platform that connects people with 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 they need for their condition.
According to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, less than 6 percent of image-based search results show conditions on skin of color. And unless you use qualifiers like “skin of color” or “Black skin,” you may find yourself on a never-ending Google hunt to get the information you need. This lack of information can lead to misdiagnosis and untreated conditions that can have serious consequences.
“People of color are negatively impacted by healthcare inequities that can lead to worse health outcomes, including caring for their skin. Whether it’s looking for answers in search, on social media, or even in textbooks – the results that resemble their skin are scarce, which can leave us feeling unseen and underrepresented,” says Kevin Tolson, Brand Director of US Skincare at Unilever. “We created See My Skin so that people with melanin-rich skin could finally see skin conditions on themselves. Our goal is to provide solutions that ensure communities are equipped to get the care that everyone deserves. This is a step in that direction.”