A dermatologist-reviewed search platform designed to improve diagnosis, representation, and access to care for people with melanin-rich skin.
CLIENT
Unilever
Product strategy | UX Design | Software Development | Data Systems | Platform Architecture
Vaseline
See My Skin
We built See My Skin, the only database designed to search skin conditions on skin of color. INPHANTRY led the full UX and technical development of the platform, aggregating thousands of dermatologist-reviewed images into the world’s most diverse medical image library. The experience allows users to search by condition, see results that accurately reflect their skin, and connect directly with culturally competent dermatologists at the moment they need answers.
Our Solution
Skin health inequity often begins at the point of search. When people don’t see themselves reflected in results, they are less likely to seek care. This issue demanded a purpose-built platform that could challenge biased systems, prioritize medical accuracy, and empower people to advocate for their own health.
Insight
For people of color, finding accurate information about skin conditions online is often the first barrier to receiving proper care. Image-based search rarely reflects melanin-rich skin, contributing to misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, and worse health outcomes. This was not just a user experience problem, but a systemic equity issue rooted in biased data.
Challenge
See My Skin originated from a clear and uncomfortable truth: dermatology, medical education, and algorithmic search have historically failed to represent people with melanin-rich skin. For many patients, search is the first step toward diagnosis. Yet the images and information returned rarely reflect what they are actually experiencing, creating a gap between symptoms, understanding, and care.
Vaseline, guided by its purpose of Equitable Skincare for All, recognized the systemic problem presented in lack of data, access, and trust. Addressing it required building something that could provide real utility to people at the moment they needed it most.
Working alongside Edelman, HUED, and VisualDx, INPHANTRY was brought in to lead the experience and technical execution. From the outset, the ambition was clear: create a medically credible, scalable platform that could challenge biased systems and "common knowledge", increase representation, and help people move from uncertainty to action. This was framed as a product build, not a marketing moment, with long-term value as the primary measure of success.
Background
INPHANTRY led the full UX and platform development, introducing an agile, sprint-based process to guide the work from early definition through launch. Given the complexity of the challenge, spanning healthcare, data integrity, accessibility, and trust, a traditional linear approach would not have worked. Instead, we established a structured sprint methodology that aligned stakeholders around clear goals, incremental progress, and continuous validation.
Early sprints focused on impact mapping, user journeys, and defining the core experience. This included understanding how people search for skin conditions, what information they trust, and where anxiety or uncertainty enters the process. From there, we designed a search-first interface that prioritized imagery over technical language, allowing users to quickly see conditions that actually resembled their own skin.
On the technical side, the platform was built using a scalable Rails and JavaScript architecture, enabling a stable yet dynamic system capable of handling complex search behavior and content growth. INPHANTRY developed custom integrations with the VisualDx API to ensure medical accuracy, while designing workflows that allowed every image to be independently reviewed and approved by board-certified dermatologists.
Beyond search, we built contribution tools that allowed users to submit their own diagnosed images, helping expand representation responsibly over time. Administrative systems, moderation workflows, and content governance were all designed to support long-term growth without compromising medical integrity.
Throughout development, INPHANTRY worked directly with Vaseline and partners to refine functionality in-stream, ensuring that technical decisions always served the core purpose of equity, clarity, and access. The result was a living platform designed to evolve alongside its community.
Development
Next Project:
See My Skin was recognized globally for addressing a real and systemic gap in healthcare and dermatological search. By creating a functional tool, the work demonstrated how brand purpose, thoughtful design, and rigorous development can drive meaningful change.
The platform earned top honors at major industry award shows, including Cannes Lions, The Clio Awards, The One Show, and The Webby Awards, validating the strategy and methodology behind the work. More importantly, See My Skin proved its value in the real world. The platform empowered people of color to better understand their skin, advocate for care, and take action at significantly higher rates.
Beyond recognition, the lasting impact of See My Skin is what defines its success. It exists as a living resource that continues to expand representation, improve access to care, and challenge biases long after launch. This project reinforced a core belief at INPHANTRY: when you build something genuinely useful from a place of understanding, impact follows naturally.
Reception
Contact
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