A skincare expert, Mr. Kelvin Boateng, has blamed the widespread use of ineffective and unsuitable beauty solutions on individuals’ poor understanding of their skin types. According to him, many Ghanaians continue to struggle with identifying their skin type, making it challenging to choose appropriate skincare products.
Mr. Boateng, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Accessplus Communications Ltd, made the remarks during the launch of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered skincare platform, Smartskin Africa, designed to provide personalised skin assessment and guidance to users.
He explained that many people rely largely on advertising, peer recommendations, or trial-and-error methods in selecting skincare products, often without understanding their skin’s unique needs. “Most people do not know their skin. Most people do not know the type of skin they have,” he noted, describing the platform as a tool to enhance public understanding of skin health.
Smartskin Africa enables users to upload or take a selfie, which the system scans to assess up to 15 skin parameters, including acne, uneven tone, dark spots, pigmentation, hydration, wrinkles, redness, and firmness.
Mr. Boateng highlighted that the system was developed by a team of computer engineers and dermatologists from across the world, with particular emphasis on African skin. The AI model was trained on a broad spectrum of African skin tones—from light caramel to mid-brown and dark brown—to ensure accuracy in analysis and recommendations.
He advised users to take photographs in good lighting and without makeup for best results, preferably in the morning after a bath. While the platform provides product recommendations based on users’ skin profiles, he cautioned that it is not intended to diagnose severe skin conditions, urging individuals with serious concerns to seek medical care.