Brightly Launches Personal UV Monitor to Prevent Skin Damage and Promote Healthy Sun Habits

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) July 15, 2014

Brightly, your personal UV monitor, launched today in the App Store for download. Brightly continuously calculates UV exposure and makes personal recommendations based on skin type. The app also surfaces timely alerts and educational information to promote skin health. Download Brightly for free at http://www.getbrightly.com.

There are over 3.5 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed each year in the US, over 90% of which are caused by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Similarly, most of the skin damage associated with aging -- wrinkles, sagging, leathering, and discoloration -- is UV-ray related. This damage is cumulative, yet less than 20% of Americans use sunscreen daily. Board certified dermatologist Keira Barr and A.R.O. CEO and Founder Andy Hickl teamed up to build an app that uses contextual intelligence to track UV exposure and create a platform for sun safety and skin cancer education. Brightly warns users when UV levels have become dangerous and rewards good habits like finding shade, wearing appropriate clothing and re-applying sunscreen.

“We know all about sunburns, but too many people don’t understand the effects of UV rays. A cancer survivor myself, I understood the need for a technology that both educates and advocates. We built Brightly as a companion to help everyone prevent excessive UV exposure and promote healthy behavior,” said Andy Hickl, CEO and Founder, Brightly. “We’ve combined the contextual intelligence we’ve developed at A.R.O. with the knowledge and experience of Dr. Barr to build an easy-to-use and intuitive app that helps make you smarter and more importantly, keeps you safe.”

Brightly automatically monitors a user’s daily activity based on the current UV index at their precise location. Brightly senses if a user is indoors or outdoors, and tracks the UV levels over time, keeping a history of daily exposure. Brightly also prominently features a timer that counts down the hours, minutes, and seconds before one needs to seek shade and re-apply sunscreen.

Key Features:

• Countdown clock reminds users when to seek shade and re-apply sunscreen
• Personal profile builder to determine skin type and calculate individual risk
• Contextually intelligent indoor and outdoor UV detection
• Visualizations showing history of UV exposure over weeks and months
• Achievement awards for sun-smart activities to help build healthy habits
• Dermatologist-approved education about UV exposure, health, and sun safety

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, more than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, and colon. In the US alone, 1 in 50 men and women will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin during their lifetime. While the dangers of unprotected sun exposure are well-known, there has yet to be an app that functions as a significant advocate for education around sun safety.

“Through my own experiences as patient and doctor I have seen firsthand the need for Brightly. Even the most educated and concerned can easily lose track of UV exposure while focused on other things - rushing to work, chasing after our kids. And when our routine changes, say we head to the mountains or take a tropical vacation, we may be unaware of how the UV exposure has changed in our new environment,” said Keira Barr, board certified dermatologist and Medical Director of A.R.O., Inc. “That’s where Brightly becomes your best companion. It calculates your individual risk for skin damage and provides accumulated UV exposure over weeks and months, warning you when UV exposure levels have become dangerous. Brightly makes it easier than ever to stay on top of your time in the sun.”

Brightly is a product of A.R.O., Inc. a Seattle-based company looking to make life healthier, happier, and slightly more awesome. For more information about Brightly, please visit http://www.getbrightly.com.

About Brightly

Brightly is your personal UV monitor that prevents excessive UV exposure. Brightly tracks an individual’s personal risk for sun damage and provides helpful alerts to manage UV exposure.

Brightly was developed by A.R.O., Inc., the contextual intelligence company, and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. A.R.O., Inc., builds apps and technologies to help people lead happier, healthier, and generally more amazing lives.

Download Brightly for free at http://www.getbrightly.com. Find out more about A.R.O. and their current products, OverHeard, and Saga at http://www.aro.com.

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