Cloud-Based Deep Learning for Multi-Class Dermatological Screening: An Empirical Study Using Pretrained CNNs

Abstract

Diagnosing skin diseases remains a clinical challenge due to the visual similarity among diverse dermatological conditions. This study presents a prototype deep learning–powered system for multi-class dermatological screening, implemented through a cloud-based architecture and accessed via a smartphone interface. A pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), EfficientNetV2B3, was fine-tuned on a composite dataset encompassing nine disease categories. The model achieved promising performance, with an accuracy of 0.87, precision of 0.87, recall of 0.87, and an F1 score of 0.86, indicating its potential reliability for automated classification. Prototype validation was conducted using a cloud API (Google Cloud Storage + PostMan) to verify the inference pipeline and user interaction. While the current implementation demonstrates the feasibility of cloud-based dermatological screening, real-device mobile performance metrics such as latency, model size, and memory consumption remain future work. Users can capture or upload skin images, which are processed to generate preliminary diagnostic feedback, including symptom descriptions and general treatment information. While not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, the prototype serves as a proof-of-concept tool for initial screening and early intervention. This work illustrates how artificial intelligence (AI) can be harnessed in mobile health applications to expand access to dermatological care and supports broader initiatives to integrate AI into healthcare delivery.