New global study reveals stark inequalities in access to skin health care

A skin problem can begin with something familiar. An itch that persists. A rash that returns. A patch that looks different from the rest of the skin. What happens next often depends on where a person lives and whether appropriate care is within reach.

That disparity is at the heart of the Global Access to Skin Health Observatory, a landmark global study led by Esther Freeman in collaboration with the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) and L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty.

Published in JAMA Dermatology, the study brings together data from 158 countries representing 97% of the world’s population, offering the most comprehensive picture yet of global access to dermatological care.