L’Oréal USA, a subsidiary of the L’Oréal Group, has granted the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS) Foundation US$1,050,000 over a three-year period to support the WDS Play Safe in the Sun campaign, effective April 2008. The WDS educational outreach campaign focuses on promoting sun safety and skin health awareness.
The mission of the WDS campaign, which will be supported through funding from L’Oréal USA, is to educate, encourage, and empower women athletes and outdoor sports enthusiasts to maintain healthy skin and hair by promoting sun safety and optimal skin care practices. The campaign will target female participants and spectators in the fields of golf and tennis, who face a heightened risk of developing skin cancer due to prolonged periods of cumulative sun exposure.
Skin cancer continues to be the most common and most preventable form of cancer in the United States. Melanoma rates among women are rising, and it is the second most common cancer in women ages 25-29, according to the company. Community outreach will take place at various venues in select cities hosting these outdoor sporting events. Local WDS members will reach out to the public on location with free skin cancer screenings conducted by board-certified dermatologists licensed in that state. Volunteer dermatologists will also provide photo damage assessments utilizing an ultra-violet reflectance camera and skin scanner unit which reveals the sun damaged areas of the face to the physician and participant. In addition, educational materials will be distributed containing information on sun safety practices, including proper sunscreen use and application. Free sunscreen samples will also be provided to the public at these outdoors events. For more information, visit www.loreal.com.
