to comprehensively illustrate pathology across all skin tones. Further studies evaluating the efficacy of teledermatology in evaluating skin diseases and skin cancers in patients with skin of color are needed.
While the immediate implementation of teledermatology served the function of protecting providers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may also serve to help practitioners and patients facing logistical barriers in face-to-face appointments in the years following the pandemic. Further research needs to be performed in the areas of surveillance and diagnostics, and studies should assess how effective these methods are in evaluating different skins of color, so our knowledge regarding the remote evaluation of skin cancer applies to all patients.
While the immediate implementation of teledermatology served the function of protecting providers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may also serve to help practitioners and patients facing logistical barriers in face-to-face appointments in the years following the pandemic. Further research needs to be performed in the areas of surveillance and diagnostics, and studies should assess how effective these methods are in evaluating different skins of color, so our knowledge regarding the remote evaluation of skin cancer applies to all patients.
DISCLOSURES
The authors have no relevant conflicts to report.
REFERENCES
1. Chuchu N, Dinnes J, Takwoingi Y, et al. Teledermatology for diagnosing skin cancer in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;2018(12). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013193
2. Tognetti L, Cartocci A, Balistreri A, et al. The comparative use of multiple electronic devices in the teledermoscopic diagnosis of early melanoma. Telemed e-Health. August 2020. doi:10.1089/tmj.2020.0057
3. Reddy N, Nguyen BT. The utility of optical coherence tomography for diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma: a quantitative review. Br J Dermatol. 2019;180(3):475-483. doi:10.1111/bjd.17201
4. Rubinstein G, Garfinkel J, Jain M. Live, remote control of an in vivo reflectance confocal microscope for diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma at the bedside of a patient 2500 miles away: A novel tele-reflectance confocal microscope approach. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019;81(2):e41-e42. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.02.016
5. Alvarado SM, Feng H. Representation of dark skin images of common dermatologic conditions in educational resources: a cross-sectional analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. June 2020. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2020.06.041
2. Tognetti L, Cartocci A, Balistreri A, et al. The comparative use of multiple electronic devices in the teledermoscopic diagnosis of early melanoma. Telemed e-Health. August 2020. doi:10.1089/tmj.2020.0057
3. Reddy N, Nguyen BT. The utility of optical coherence tomography for diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma: a quantitative review. Br J Dermatol. 2019;180(3):475-483. doi:10.1111/bjd.17201
4. Rubinstein G, Garfinkel J, Jain M. Live, remote control of an in vivo reflectance confocal microscope for diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma at the bedside of a patient 2500 miles away: A novel tele-reflectance confocal microscope approach. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019;81(2):e41-e42. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.02.016
5. Alvarado SM, Feng H. Representation of dark skin images of common dermatologic conditions in educational resources: a cross-sectional analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. June 2020. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2020.06.041
AUTHOR CORRESPONDENCE
Edward Hadeler ehadeler@med.miami.edu
