Google has announced a new tool using artificial intelligence to spot skin, hair and nail conditions.
The "dermatology assist tool" - which uses images uploaded by patients - will launch a trial later this year, and has been awarded a CE mark for use in Europe.
In a blog post following its reveal at the company's I/O conference this week, they explained: "Once you launch the tool, simply use your phone’s camera to take three images of the skin, hair or nail concern from different angles.
"You’ll then be asked questions about your skin type, how long you’ve had the issue and other symptoms that help the tool narrow down the possibilities.
"The AI model analyses this information and draws from its knowledge of 288 conditions to give you a list of possible matching conditions that you can then research further."
However, the tech giant was keen to point out that the tool shouldn't be used as "a substitute for medical advice".
In the post - written by Google Health product manager Peggy Bui and technical lead Yuan Liu - they added: "For each matching condition, the tool will show dermatologist-reviewed information and answers to commonly asked questions, along with similar matching images from the web.
"The tool is not intended to provide a diagnosis nor be a substitute for medical advice as many conditions require clinician review, in-person examination, or additional testing like a biopsy.
"Rather we hope it gives you access to authoritative information so you can make a more informed decision about your next step."
