Dermatological Advice Is Often Restricted To Those In Metros: Arjun Soin, Founder, Clinikally
What problem does Clinikally tackle and why does it matter?
Today, there is a substantial shortage of dermatologists in India (1 per 130,000) and hence sound dermatological advice is often restricted to those in metros. On the other hand, over 300 millions Indians are estimated to be facing some skin or hair issue. Clinikally’s platform enables better treatment outcomes while making quality dermatology care accessible far and wide. The platform leverages digital dermatology to facilitate swift, cost-effective and the most professional health advice. Moreover, dermatology and skin/hair care are too heavily centred around a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. By instead taking a data-driven approach and keeping a doctor in the loop, Clinikally is building a digital health platform that unifies the product & telemedicine experience seamlessly for millions of Indians. In lieu of predominantly fragmented experiences in dermatology & elective care, the platform is able to deliver the entire value chain, from consult to prescription at doorstep.
What are the conditions you treat through the platform?
We deliver Telehealth-backed treatment plans/products for leading indications like eczema, acne, hyperpigmentation, ageing and hair loss. We’ve screened thousands of Rx-grade products on the market that are written by dermatologists, select the best after reviewing lakhs of prescriptions, and deliver personalised treatment plans most suited to the consumer’s specific conditions.
How do you help these users with dermatological issues?
We recently launched an India-wide Teledermatology service that connects users with an experienced doctor in under 30 minutes for a consultation and treatment plan that is customised to fit the consumer’s needs. After a digital questionnaire with image uploads and medical parameters such as pre-conditions, family history, patients are assigned to a doctor (in under 30 minutes if they so choose) to provide personalised remote care, including routine follow ups over the long- term. Clinikally dermatologists prescribe the most effective products tailored to the patient’s individual conditions. We have worked with India’s leading dermatologists and formulation scientists to create highly effective Rx-grade products that are now also written at doctors offices in over 10 cities. For instance, our proprietary Pigment Corrector Cream formulation targeted at hyperpigmentation and melasma is instrumental in delivering sound pigmentation care to thousands each day, while our first-to-India Anagain-based Hair ReGrow Serum is effectively treating Hair Loss (an indication that has been exacerbated majorly by COVID) day in day out.
What are your plans for Clinikally for the coming future?
We were just accepted to Y Combinator’s Summer 2022 batch, so we will be completely immersed in the coveted and intense program over the next 3 months. I am excited to have this opportunity to accelerate the growth and overall impact of Clinikally. Through YC, we will continue to challenge our assumptions, interact with users for rapid iteration and improvement, and double down on delivering accessible care to consumers across India. We are also actively developing our own database of skin profiles to be able to better care for certain conditions using automated, AI-enabled diagnoses. Beyond this, the plan is to continue expanding our presence across Tier 2, 3 and 4 cities (already 50 per cent of our user base) to truly reach populations that have traditionally been underserved for sound dermatological care and products.
