CeraVe Rallies Dermatologist Community on World Skin Health Day to Close Access Gaps for Underserved Communities

Skin is the body’s largest organ, yet more than half of Americans face financial roadblocks to keeping it healthy and functional.

From a lack of insurance to a limited availability of dermatologists in parts of the country, these factors are preventing too many people from the access to the care they need when it comes to the health of their skin.

Per a recent CeraVe survey, nearly a third polled said cost deterred them from seeing a dermatologist while 20% said a lack of insurance kept them from making the call. Moreover, 16% of Americans cited travel an issue, estimating travel time over 25 miles to access dermatological care.

On World Skin Health Day, Monday, July 8, CeraVe is rallying the dermatology community to ensure these underserved communities don’t fall through the cracks when it comes to their health. The dermatologist-first skincare brand will sponsor events in North America, Argentina, Malta, Tanzania, Nepal and Australia to connect dermatologists with the patients who are most in need.

“While just a few small steps in helping to close the gaps in dermatological access across the globe, we hope to continue to scale our efforts both in support of World Skin Health Day and year-round,” said Tom Allison, senior vice president of medical dermatology marketing at L’Oréal. “We at CeraVe believe that dermatology should be accessible to all.”

Raising the Bar on Skin IQ

As part of its inaugural World Skin Health Day initiative, CeraVe is partnering with the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) and the International Society of Dermatology (ISD) while leveraging existing partnership with the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics and Gloderm to help close this access gap by offering training, mentorship, grants and in-kind products to ensure everyone can access the care they need.

Per the ILDS and ISD, more than 3,000 skin diseases affect 1.8 billion people globally and
over 1 billion people lack access to dermatological care. This gap reflects the critical need for education in the area. Per CeraVe’s research, 80% of people surveyed experienced at least one skin concern with 1 in 4 experiencing more serious health conditions in the form of new spot, lesion, mole or infection yet a slim margin – 15% – said they were confident identifying more serious skin issues (unless of course, their intuition said otherwise).

The need for understanding takes a toll on mental health, too, with as high as 76% reporting heightened stress levels and 67% reporting changes in their mental health over the skin concern.

With just under half of Americans (40%) penciling in their annual dermatologist visit, CeraVe is hoping to change that so cost and fear aren’t factors.

“It is completely understandable to feel apprehensive when seeing a physician of any kind, especially if it’s a patient’s first time or if they’ve had any previous experiences that left them feeling uneasy,” said Dr. Dustin Portela, board-certified dermatologist. “However, understanding the importance of maintaining skin health and how early detection of skin conditions can make a significant difference in treatment outcomes can help people become more proactive in seeking dermatological care.”