New Zealand-based start-up Firstcheck has launched its free app and low-cost dermatoscope on the Australian market, offering both consumers and clinicians better access to skin specialists for the early detection of skin cancer.

Firstcheck launched its free app in New Zealand last November, allowing consumers to take a photo of the area of concern on their smartphone or tablet and upload it to a secure cloud, where a dermatologist or other skin specialist will examine it and provide advice within 72 hours for $19.95 per consultation.

The company has also developed a low-cost dermatoscope called the SkinScope, which attaches over smartphone cameras and offers 20x magnification. As opposed to some other app-based systems, Firstcheck uses actual health practitioners to examine the images rather than a computer algorithm.