SkinDeep

Empowering skin health, together.

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Inspiration

Do you or someone you know struggle with Eczema or other skin conditions? Skin conditions like Eczema cause dry, itchy, and inflamed skin and can impact individuals physically and mentally. To manage their condition, many people turn to self-research, seeking answers to questions such as whether vitamin-rich diets or specific creams can help. Since each person's journey is unique, individuals could ask unique questions such as whether switching detergents has affected their allergies. At SkinDeep, we believe that knowledge is power. Our app serves as a community platform, where individuals can share their experiences and support one another through conversation and Q&A. By contributing to research, we aim to uncover patterns and triggers, and ultimately improve the lives of those affected.

What it does

At SkinDeep, we understand the importance of community in overcoming skin problems. That's why our app serves as a hub for individuals to connect, share their experiences, and support each other. Our platform offers a space for individuals to ask and answer questions, fostering a community of shared knowledge and support. By providing a supportive network, we aim to help individuals find relief and improve their skin health. Whether it's sharing advice on managing symptoms, discussing triggers, or simply offering a listening ear, our community platform is designed to empower individuals to take control of their skin journey and find the support they need.

How we built it

From the beginning, we knew that our idea was going to take the form of an app so we decided to use the Expo framework to build a React Native application. For storing questions and user responses, we decided to integrate the Firestore API from Firebase as it was fairly simple to use and some of our team members had previous experience with it. We started by drawing out the various screens a user would be able to navigate through on paper. This helped us clearly see what we were going to have to focus our efforts on and gave us a clear path. Next, we started building up the skeleton of our application with the various components and screens. We split our team up to design the front-end and develop the back-end in tandem to speed up the development process. We focused on implementing the send and receive functions to Firestore and developing basic functionality while the other team members worked on styling the pages and designing the logo for our application.

Challenges we ran into

While working on SkinDeep, our team faced some challenges in the development process. One of the biggest difficulties we encountered was drafting up thorough details of the application, as we were still figuring out the best direction to take. However, we did not let these obstacles discourage us and instead approached them with determination and a can-do attitude. As we continued to work on the project, we faced additional challenges such as minor bugs and styling issues. Despite these setbacks, we were able to overcome them through perseverance, collaboration, and a willingness to learn from our mistakes.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

One of our proudest moments was getting the Firebase database to connect successfully, which allowed us to store and retrieve user data efficiently. Another highlight was setting up the Expo simulators for all team members, which enabled us to simulate our code in real time and speed up the development process. We were also proud of overcoming bugs with rendering cards and displaying data, which required creative problem-solving and a willingness to learn. Our collective efforts resulted in a well-designed, functional application that met the scope of our original vision and surpassed our expectations. This experience taught us the value of perseverance, teamwork, and determination, and we are proud to have created a tool that can make a real difference in the lives of those affected by skin conditions.

What we learned

During the development of SkinDeep, we utilized the React Native framework, Expo, and Firebase storage services to build a cutting-edge app. The use of Expo allowed us to simulate our code in real-time, enabling us to rapidly develop and test our application. This fast-paced environment allowed us to refine our skills in frontend development and design, and deepen our understanding of the technology behind modern software. We also learned about teamwork, version control, and collaboration, utilizing tools like VSCode LiveShare to streamline our efforts. This full project was a valuable learning experience, providing us with new challenges and opportunities to grow both technically and as a team.

What's next for SkinDeep

At SkinDeep, we are dedicated to providing a comprehensive platform for individuals to manage their skin health. In addition to our current Q&A system, we are exploring the possibility of adding direct messaging between users, where they can add each other as friends and rate each other's posts based on their usefulness. As we look to the future, we aim to expand our community to encompass a wider range of health topics, including mental health support, substance abuse recovery, physical disability, and chronic pain. Additionally, we aim to continually advance research on skin conditions by leveraging the collective experiences and insights of our community. Our goal is to create a supportive network where individuals can find the answers, resources, and community they need to thrive.

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