health equity – SkinDex

Recently, I developed a very frightening skin condition. Out of nowhere. It was these little bumps that ran from my feet all the way up to the palms of my hands.

So, as most people would do, I went online. Typing my symptoms into Google, I struggled to find images that matched my condition. Not only were the symptoms different (and honestly too confusing to compare), but a lot of the images showed light skin tones. I am Southeast asian (Indonesian), and so my skin is around a tan to golden color. The deeper the rabbit hole I went, I even started to question: was my skin somehow less important?

I’m writing this article to speak on this issue. Dermatology, “the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders,” should reflect ALL skin tones. And this doesn’t just affect me. I’m sure countless others out there with colored skin have felt or are feeling the way I am.

I’ve had a lot of time to reflect. Instead of feeling like darker skin like mine is the “problem,” I now question the system.

I started seeing my skin differently. Each little bump reminds me of the emotional turmoil I had to fight through. But it was bound to happen.

I’m open to talking with anyone else who has experienced something similar, personally feeling like their skin is “left out.” Hopefully this blog can be the space for just that.

I’m sure we can agree that understanding skin conditions and skincare products is confusing enough.

As a young patient of color who struggled to find clear, inclusive information, I wanted to create a resource that makes learning about skin health simple, engaging, and representative of all skin tones.

About nine months ago, I started creating exactly that. Now, I’m proud to announce the release of SkinSage—a free gamified educational app available on the Play Store! Instead of reading textbooks or scrolling through dense articles, users can test themselves through quick and short multiple-choice questions (with cartoon diagrams!), earn badges, and learn from friendly animal mascots!

How cool is that?

Most importantly, the app represents skin conditions across ALL skin tones. This matters because too often resources show only lighter skin, leaving many patients of color overlooked.

With over 6 categories (shown below) and 160+ multiple-choice questions, you’ll get a thorough, well-rounded understanding of skin health and dermatology!

“But I don’t know anything about the skin yet. ” Don’t worry! SkinSage promotes learning. Most of the time, the cartoon diagram can help guide you towards the right answer. Don’t be afraid to use your intuition! Let’s take a look at some of the questions:

If you happen to get the question wrong, you can ‘star’ it and return later!
You’ll be greeted by a starfish!

Download ‘SkinSage’ now, available only on the Play Store!

Alex Siauw is a senior at Inglemoor High School in Washington. Once a patient himself, he is very passionate about dermatology equity. He has published research, developed an educational app, and written op-eds for outlets including KevinMD.

Tag: health equity

How Not Seeing My Skin Tone Reflected Changed How I See It

I Built an App That Makes Learning About the Skin Fun and More Inclusive — SkinSage