Hybrid telehealth platform to facilitate dermatologist referrals through AI-assisted image screening and collaboration between hair professionals and dermatologists.

About This Grant

Abstract SOCAi Labs is developing the first community-enabled, AI-powered dermatology platform aimed at increasing early detection and referral of skin conditions through collaboration between hair stylists and dermatologists. Despite close and frequent contact with clients, stylists currently have no standardized training or infrastructure to help identify and escalate potential dermatologic concerns. SOCAi’s platform addresses this critical gap by creating a direct, structured channel for stylists to flag concerns, connect with dermatologists, and prioritize cases requiring faster intervention. The proposed platform will do this through the integration of four key components: 1) Standardized dermatologic image capture enabled by computer vision-guided framing and lighting correction tools using low-cost smartphones (<$100) and no specialized equipment; 2) AI-driven screening algorithms that triage dermatologic conditions such as suspicious lesions/melanoma, alopecia, and psoriasis, based on visual data and aligned with clinical scoring frameworks; 3) Secure, HIPAA-compliant communication infrastructure that enables encrypted, anonymized data sharing between stylists and dermatologists to facilitate referrals and ensure rapid, compliant continuity of care; and 4) Personalized educational modules tailored to the types of conditions encountered by each stylist via machine learning algorithms that identify and analyze patterns in the types of conditions each stylist frequently encounters. This platform will be developed and validated through three key aims: 1) The development of an integrated platform for standardized dermatologic image capture, assessment, and collaboration between stylists & dermatologists; 2) The advancement of computer vision (CV)-based image analysis to enable automated screening for suspicious lesions/melanoma; and 3) The implementation of a pilot study to demonstrate the effectiveness of the hybrid telehealth platform to facilitate early screening and expand access to care. Accurate monitoring depends on consistent image capture in terms of angle, depth, rotation, and lighting. To support this, the platform will include photo assist tools such as photo relighting, overlay guides, facial feature alignment, and translucent reference images to ensure repeatable, high-quality imaging across time points and environments. In parallel, new AI models for detecting melanoma and other suspicious lesions will be developed, trained, and validated against clinically relevant dermatological standards used for diagnostic assessment. The pilot study will assess the feasibility and usability of SOCAi’s hybrid telehealth platform, in which hair stylists will capture and submit client scalp and skin images via the platform. Dermatologists will then independently assess each submission to determine whether referral is warranted. Their assessments will serve as the clinical reference standard to evaluate the AI model’s diagnostic accuracy, including sensitivity, specificity, and alignment with expert diagnosis. This project will lay the foundation for a reliable, effective platform to enhance early detection and broaden access to dermatologic care.