From a photo to a rash report in about a minute

Step 1: Take a photo

Open RashScan in your browser or in the iPhone app and take a photo of the rash, or choose one you already have. Nothing to install, no account to create.

A good photo makes a big difference:

• Use daylight from a window. Avoid flash, which washes out color.
• Get close so the rash fills most of the picture, but keep it in focus.
• Include a bit of normal skin around it so the difference is visible.
• One area per scan. If you have a rash in two places, scan them separately.

Step 2: Answer a few questions

A photo only shows part of the story. RashScan asks the same kind of questions a doctor would: Does it itch or hurt? Do you have a fever? Is it spreading? When did it start? Have you used a new soap, cream or medicine, or been somewhere new?

These answers change the result. Two rashes can look alike in a photo and still be very different things.

Step 3: RashScan compares what it sees

RashScan looks at the color, shape, texture and pattern in your photo and weighs them together with your answers. It compares all of that with what common skin conditions typically look like, and works out which ones fit best.

Step 4: Read your report

Your report tells you, in plain words:

• What it most likely is, and how sure RashScan is.
• How serious it looks, from mild to "get this checked soon".
• What you can do now: simple care steps and what usually helps.
• How long it usually takes to settle.
• Warning signs that mean you should see a doctor.

What RashScan can and cannot do

It can give you a quick, informed first read on a common rash, bump or patch, so you know whether it looks like something to treat at home or something to get checked.

It cannot examine you, run tests or give you a diagnosis. Some conditions need a swab, a scraping or a doctor's hands and eyes to confirm. RashScan is an educational tool, not a doctor.

Skip the app and get help now if the rash comes with a fever, blisters or open sores, spreads quickly, affects your eyes, mouth or genitals, or comes with swelling of the face or trouble breathing.

Your photos stay private

• No name, no email, no account.
• Photos are sent over an encrypted connection.
• Your scans are linked to a random device ID, not to you, and you can clear your history at any time.

The details are in our privacy policy.

What it costs

Taking a photo and answering the questions is free. If you want the full report for that scan, you can unlock it once, with no subscription, or choose RashScan Pro ($29.99 a month on the web) for unlimited full reports. You always see the price before you pay.

How RashScan compares

There are several rash and skin checkers out there. We compared RashScan with each of them, using their own websites and app store pages:

Start here