Vaseline has announced the launch of ‘Equitable Skincare for All’ in partnership with award-winning actor Regina King, in a bid to champion true equity in skincare.
The programme aims to “improve skin healthcare outcomes for people of colour”, said the company. However, this goal can’t be achieved “if part of the Vaseline community doesn’t have access to equal care due to systemic racism”, it pointed out.
Healthcare inequities continue to negatively impact Black and Latinx communities which can lead to worse health outcomes – and this includes skin health and access to dermatological care. That’s why Vaseline is championing change for true equity in skincare for Black and Brown skin by partnering up with award-winning actor and advocate for equality, Regina King, for its new campaign, Equitable Skincare for All.
HEALTHCARE INEQUITIES
“I love being a Black American woman. Using my platform to celebrate who I am affords me the opportunity to remind people who look past the dissimilitude, that the inequities experienced by Black people still exist. Black and Brown people have been at a disadvantage for far too long. The lack of access to healthcare resources is still a huge concern,” said Regina King, Vaseline Brand Ambassador and Creative Director. “It’s important to shed a light on the inequalities that exist and be part of the solution alongside a brand that does as well.”
Image credit: Vaseline
Born out of The Vaseline Healing Project, Vaseline’s Equitable Skincare for All commitment focuses on the advancement of training, providing resources and education to better equip dermatologists and medical practitioners to accurately treat, diagnose and care for skin of colour.
Skin health for Black and Latinx communities continues to be underserved and without access to proper care comes the likelihood of misdiagnosis or no diagnosis leaving them at risk for long-term consequences, pointed out Vaseline. This is partly because nearly half of dermatologists say they are not adequately trained to treat skin of colour. Representation is also an issue in dermatological care, with only 3% of practicing dermatologists identifying as Black and 4.2% identified as Latinx.
EDUCATION FOR SKINCARE PROFESSIONALS
So Vaseline wants to create change and heal the skin of those who don’t currently receive quality and impartial care by focusing on three important areas: education for skincare professionals, resources for the community, and providing access to care.
In partnership with Medscape, the leading online global destination for physicians and healthcare professionals worldwide, Vaseline has sponsored the development of a programme to equip dermatologists and medical practitioners to better treat, diagnose and care for skin of colour. These learning modules will cover treatment for common skin conditions such as acne and scaring, seborrheic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis specific to skin of colour.
RESOURCES & ACCESS TO CARE
To meet the skin health needs for people of color with trusted resources and education, Vaseline has partnered with HUED, a first-of-its-kind healthcare technology startup and website that connects patients with medical professionals that specifically understand their cultural, physical and mental health needs. Through this partnership, Vaseline co-created a search tool specifically focused on helping people identify and “connect with dermatologists of colour experienced in treating skin of colour”.
“HUED is on a mission to bridge the gap between dermatology and people of colour,” explained HUED Founder and CEO, Kimberly Wilson. “Vaseline is equally as passionate about providing people of color with the resources needed to care for their skin, so we couldn’t have asked for a better partner to launch this invaluable tool.”
The online platform will also offer educational resources that provide expert recommendations on how to treat and monitor skin at home, understanding when to seek a dermatologist for proper care and how to best prepare for an appointment with the right questions and what to expect. For additional information on how Vaseline is working towards equity in skincare visit the Vaseline or Hued websites.
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