Independent breakdown
MelApp & Mole Detective (FTC-sanctioned)
Not recommendedTechnology: Photo + questionnaire "melanoma risk" calculators (now discontinued)
What it actually does technically
These apps asked users to photograph a mole and answer questions, then output a low / medium / high melanoma risk. They were marketed as able to assess melanoma risk, including in early stages.
What peer-reviewed research says about accuracy
There was no adequate scientific evidence the apps could do what they claimed. They are a documented example of consumer skin tech making medical claims it could not support.
Known limitations the company doesn't advertise
A risk score from a snapshot can falsely reassure someone who actually has a melanoma — a potentially deadly failure mode.
Who funded the studies they cite
This is the accountability lesson: in 2015 the U.S. FTC charged the marketers with deceptive advertising for unsubstantiated melanoma-detection claims. Both settled — Health Discovery Corp. (MelApp) and New Consumer Solutions (Mole Detective) — and were barred from making such claims without scientific evidence.
Plain English verdict
Included as a cautionary case study, not a recommendation. These melanoma-risk apps were sanctioned by the U.S. FTC in 2015 for deceptive claims they could not back up. They are the clearest example of why "AI can detect your skin cancer" marketing deserves deep skepticism — a falsely reassuring result can be dangerous.
Worth it if you want
- +Understanding why melanoma-detection claims demand FDA-level evidence, not marketing copy
Not worth it if
- −Any actual skin-cancer concern — see a board-certified dermatologist