A snapshot of a suspicious mole or rash could give a dermatologist all the information needed to determine whether a visit is necessary.
And there's a name for it: teledermatology.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, teledermatology is the remote delivery of dermatologic services and clinical information using telecommunications technology. That could include live video interaction or the sharing of digital images -- selfies.
ABC7 Chicago reports that researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are behind a small, new study.
They found that in 95 percent of cases in which a biopsy was required, the opinions of the dermatologists who saw a selfie of the skin matched those of the doctors who saw it in person.
Study participants were using a secure smart phone app called AccessDerm.
