NHS project tackles diversity of skin tones in medical photos

The project aims to highlight how conditions can look on different skin tones

A special project in Bristol is aiming to help doctors and patients by providing more diversity in medical books, showing a range of different skin tones..

The project, which is called Reframe - Diversifying Images, is funded by the National Health Service (NHS) with the plan to help the NHS create a library of pictures showing medical conditions on lots of different types of skin, including black and brown skin tones which are underrepresented.

A big goal of the project is to make sure that people get the right medical treatments and help doctors and nursed identify skin conditions faster and more accurately.

Why are projects like this important?

When a person falls ill, a doctor or nurse might look at symptoms on their skin to figure out what's wrong with them.

For example, eczema is often identified by a red rash and yellow skin is a key symptom for the condition jaundice.

Online resources, like the NHS website, might be also used by members of the public if they're worried about certain symptoms they think they have - providing simple descriptions and pictures for different conditions.

However, when most photos online or in training books show illnesses on white skin, it can be much harder for doctors, nurses and patients to work out if someone has a particular illness.

Symptoms for illnesses can look different for people with black and brown skin tones

This is because conditions don't always look the same on all skin tones. They may be harder to spot on brown and black skin, and in some cases, the symptoms can look completely different.

Debbie Hubbard, who is a senior lecturer from UWE is leading the project explained: "White skin is presented as the normal - there isn't a consideration for other skin tones," she said.

The lack of diverse images featuring people with darker skin can also affect people studying to be doctors and nurses who use books to learn. Studies have shown there are fewer images which show symptoms on darker complexions.

There will be 30 photography sessions held in Bristol

There will be 30 sessions in total with photographers in Bristol and the aim is to represent people living with all sorts of conditions, including eczema, impetigo and psoriasis.

The plan is for the library of images to be eventually be put on the NHS website where it will be available to access freely by anybody.

"If we have those images then it will help healthcare professionals and students who are learning about these conditions. It can be hugely impactful from just one photo," said Debbie.

What other resources are available?

Medical student Malone Mukwende has created a resource containing images of conditions on darker skin

There are some websites and resources which are currently available which also aim to show diverse skin types.

The British Skin Foundation has a website with lots of information about different skin conditions and diseases and there are some images of people with darker skin tones featured.

Projects like Skin Deep, headed up by Don't Forget the Bubbles (DFTB) which provides care for children, and the Royal London Hospital (RLH) also highlight illnesses on different types of skin.

In 2020, a medical student called Malone Mukwende helped to produce a guide called Mind The Gap which contains images of medical symptoms and signs on black and brown skin.