???? Article published on January 22, 2025
✅ Updated January 22, 2025
In the town of Ribérac, the SkinMed company has established itself since 2022 as a pioneer in the detection of skin cancers. By using artificial intelligence (AI) for early detection, the company is tackling this very widespread public health problem.
Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, requires rapid treatment in order to be treated effectively, a real challenge for ever fewer healthcare professionals. Thanks to initiatives like those of SkinMed, technology offers new hopes in this fight.
Developing new solutions in the face of medical deserts: the challenge of a startup in Dordogne
A new way to address the shortage of dermatologists
In France, the Ministry of Health estimates that medical deserts affect approximately 11% of the population. In these areas, access to a dermatologist can take months, considerably delaying the detection and treatment of the pathologies concerned. According to a study by the Jean Jaurès Foundation, in mainland France, nearly forty departments have fewer than five practitioners listed on Doctoliband there are rare examples of territories in which only a few weeks are necessary to obtain an appointment.
New Aquitaine is one of the most severely affected regions, with departments very poorly covered, if at all, such as Creuse or Dordogne, and residents often forced to travel to Bordeaux to finally obtain follow-up. . This shortage of professionals will logically become established over time, because of the number of years of training required and the low number of internal students.
It was to deal with this emergency, and following the departure of the local dermatologist, that SkinMed was created in 2022. The co-founder, Jennifer Gauthier, is originally from the region and personally understands the challenges of the lack of local resources, which pushed her to look for new solutions.
Located in the village of Ribérac, SkinMed offers a rapid and effective skin cancer detection devicewhich can be used in any local pharmacy. This system allows front-line staff in medical deserts to quickly identify cases requiring specialist consultation. A significant time saving for patients, who can go to a local pharmacy to carry out an initial screening.
Artificial intelligence, a valuable aid in detecting skin cancers
Initiatives like these also help relieve congestion in dermatological practices in urban areas, and thus reduce the time it takes to obtain appointments.
Application in rural areas in New Aquitaine
In the region, where many rural areas are affected by a drastic lack of practitioners, AI-based solutions make it possible to bring technology closer to isolated populations at a lower cost. No need to invest in sophisticated equipment, which is very expensive and requires in-depth training. Only a hand-held dermoscope is needed, accompanied by the AI application that performs the prognosis. Artificial intelligence provides both ease of use and reliability of results.
A Ribérac pharmacy has already carried out nearly 200 screenings this year, allowing patients in the region to have access to an initial preventive diagnosis as soon as a suspicious lesion appears, whereas they would probably have to wait at least four six months to get an appointment with a dermatologist. The experience therefore seems conclusive and is only waiting to be extended to new territories in the region, throughout France, and even abroad.
Understanding skin cancers: causes, prevention and risks
The urgency of developing effective and accessible solutions to detect skin cancers is very real, since these are among the most widespread and can be fatal if not treated in time (nearly 18,000 cases recorded in France in 2018 according to the National Cancer Institute). Here are some details about these diseases.
-What is skin cancer?
Skin cancer is mainly divided into two categories: melanomas and carcinomas. Melanomas, although less common, are the most dangerous because of their ability to spread quickly into the deeper layers of the skin and then throughout the body. Carcinomas are much more widespread since they represent approximately 90% of skin cancers. They are generally less aggressive, but also require prompt treatment to avoid complications.
The main causes of skin cancer
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is the leading cause of skin cancer. Prolonged, unprotected exposure to the sun significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer. UV rays are in fact particularly aggressive for the skin, both on the surface and in the dermis, located deeper. By coming into contact with them, they damage skin cells and cause various more or less permanent damage.
How to prevent skin cancer?
By adopting good practices to protect yourself, it is possible to significantly reduce the risks of developing skin cancer.
Sun exposure remains safe when accompanied by adequate skin protection. The most common way is of course applying sunscreen. But this is generally poorly carried out and therefore ineffective. The protection index, frequency of application and quantity used are often insufficient. For optimal protection during outdoor exposure, an index 50 cream must be applied in sufficient quantity every two hours.
To avoid worrying about applying the cream correctly, and not having the sticky feeling left by it, it is also possible to protect yourself with protective clothing. Several brands which have developed collections of anti-UV clothing, specially designed to stop UV rays, are available on platforms such as Ker Sun (itself based in France). A protection index similar to that of sun creams exists to measure the protective capacity of clothing, it is called the UFP index and indicates the rate of UV rays reaching the skin when the clothing is worn.
Detection time is crucial for patients
Late diagnosis of melanoma can lead to serious complications, including more cancer cells in the lymphatic system or other organs. According to the World Health Organization, the survival rate drops to less than 20% when melanoma reaches an advanced stage. This is why access to effective screening tools is essential to treat these increasingly widespread pathologies more quickly and more effectively.
Develop skin cancer screening in medical deserts is thus the best way to relieve specialist services by treating pathologies more quickly. Speed of action is the first healing factor, which is why the proximity of the means of detection is an absolute priority. The demand is real, and the technology developed at Ribérac provides a new solution to a medical system that is today completely clogged and ineffective in its treatment.
The possibilities of AI are immense: opportunity for the region?
Unrivaled efficiency
Artificial intelligence excels in analyzing dermatological images. THE algorithms used by SkinMedtrained on millions of data points, can detect early signs of cancer. This tool has an accuracy of around 95%, according to a study published in JAMA Dermatology. These tools often outperform human practitioners, particularly for atypical or difficult-to-observe lesions. The results are there, but the competition is tough. Start-ups must keep pace in an ultra-competitive environment popular with investors.
The future is bright for medical AI in France
Artificial intelligence has a good chance of leading to the next revolution in dermatology. Thanks to innovative companies like SkinMed, patients benefit from more effective and accessible tools. This helps prevent, monitor and diagnose skin cancers. These technologies, by responding to major challenges, bring innovation to the medical world and could even make the region a new expert development center in the field. Time will tell, but the potential is there. AI is still only exploited to a limited extent, and the possibilities are almost limitless, with ever-increasing demand.
However, for these innovations to reach their full potential, additional efforts are required. Education in the use of AI tools, awareness of prevention and an appropriate regulatory framework will be essential to generalize this progress. In France, as elsewhere, the future of health is being written with artificial intelligence, a valuable ally in saving lives.
