AI and Digital Tools in Dermatology: Addressing Access and Misinformation Journal: JMIR Dermatology

Comprehensive Summary

The following study presents a conceptual and narrative review examining how digital dermatology–including teledermatology, artificial intelligence (AI), mobile health (mHealth), and large language models (LLMs)--can address global inequalities in skin health while mitigating the risks of misinformation. Drawing on expert panels from the 2023-2025 Skin and Digital Summits and a targeted literature review, the authors identify three interlinked priorities: expanding access through scalable digital platforms, ensuring AI fairness via diverse and representative datasets, and combating dermatologic misinformation. As illustrated in the study, dermatologic disparities resemble an “iceberg phenomenon,” where visible burdens (advanced disease, cost barriers) are underpinned by deeper structural inequities such as geographic inaccessibility and misinformation. The review further emphasizes the importance of multimodal data integration–combining clinical images, patient-reported outcomes, environmental exposures, digital biometrics, and socioeconomic context–to improve fairness and personalization in AI systems.

Outcomes and Implications

The authors argue that while digital tools hold transformative potential, equity is not automatic and requires intentional design, governance, and clinical oversight. They proposed a conceptual AI-powered dermatology chatbot built on retrieval-augmented generation architecture that analyzes scientific literature, ranks evidence using frameworks such as GRADE, translates research into patient-friendly language and delivers trustworthy, real-time guidance. This tool aims to counter misinformation amplified through social media, where non-expert voices often dominate dermatology-related content. The paper introduces the concept of “radical dermatology,” urging dermatologists to actively lead digital transformation through collaboration with technologies, policymakers, and public health stakeholders. Ultimately, the authors conclude that ethical AI deployment–guided by fairness, accountability, transparency, and ongoing safety aditing–can meaningfully expand access, improve health literacy, and reduce disparities in global dermatologic care, provided clinicians remain central to design and implementation.