Health care startups Violet and Health in Her Hue collaborated this month to create a simple tool that helps clinicians better identify monkeypox (MPV) in people with dark skin tones.

Why it matters: Medical dermatology textbooks are replete with images of white or light skin, but dermatologic conditions can appear dramatically different on people with dark skin tones, leading to potentially missed diagnoses. That's a particular concern with MPV, which manifests on the skin.

How it works: The tool lets clinicians click on a series of 10 skin tones and view illustrations — based on photos from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — of how MPV appears on that tone as it progresses.

Context: Violet provides educational resources to help clinicians develop and get credentialed in cultural competency, while Health in Her Hue links Black women with culturally competent providers.

Flashback: Violet in August debuted with $4.1 million in seed funding in a round led by SemperVirens, bringing total funding to $5.3 million.

What they're saying: Jenna Lester, an assistant professor of dermatology at UCSF and the founding director of its Skin of Color Clinic, tells Axios the guide is an encouraging step towards more inclusive care.