L’Oréal Announces Landmark Global Study on Access To Dermatological Services

L’Oréal Groupe’s Dermatological Beauty division and the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) will embark on a landmark study into the availability and accessibility of dermatological services in 194 countries. The “Global Access to Skin Health Observatory” is the first global survey of its kind, investigating areas such as the global distribution of dermatologists, patient barriers to accessing dermatologic care for skin diseases, and access to “surrogate” skin health providers in dermatological deserts, according to L’Oréal.

The announcement was made yesterday during the Skin Alliance Forum, a three-day conference which concludes on Oct. 19.

Access To Skin Healthcare

There are two billion people living with skin disease around the world, yet fewer than half have access to healthcare for their disease. Currently, there is no comprehensive view of how dermatologic care is accessed and delivered across different populations and regions worldwide. This includes regions and medical deserts where the ratio of dermatologists-to-citizens is fewer than one for every million, versus the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of four dermatologists for every 100,000 people.

Study Phases

The study will be conducted in two phases. The first will span all 194 WHO-recognized member states to define the global, geographic distribution of dermatological care. The second will provide an in-depth evaluation of dermatological care amongst general population and healthcare providers in 30 countries, spanning all income levels and all six WHO regions (Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Western Pacific, South-East Asia, and the Americas). 

Results will be publicly available in 2025, according to the stakeholders.

“This collaboration between the International League of Dermatological Societies and L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty represents a groundbreaking effort to systematically assess global access to skin health,” said Esther Freeman, director of Global Health Dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and vice chair of the International Foundation for Dermatology. “By establishing a standardized approach, we can better understand the disparities and work towards improving care for all.”

“Skin diseases affect more than one in three individuals worldwide, posing a significant but often overlooked health challenge. Furthermore, recent studies on its impact showed 88% of people with skin disease said it negatively impacted their personal life, while 27% reported depression and around 29% claimed anxiety,” said Myriam Cohen-Welgryn, president, L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty. “With billions of people suffering physically and psychologically, the knowledge gained from the Global Skin Health Access Observatory can help improve access to life-changing skin health services by directing resources where they are most urgently needed.”

“Achieving ILDS’ mission of ‘skin health for the world’ begins with understanding the global landscape of dermatologic care and the disparities in access across regions and populations.This exciting partnership with L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty marks a crucial first step towards this goal,” said Professor Henry W. Lim, president, ILDS. “We’re grateful for their commitment to elevating dermatologic care standards worldwide and look forward to working with them on this important initiative.”