World Skin Health Day

​Skin disease is one of the most common human illnesses. According to the World Health Organization, over 900 million people are affected by skin diseases around the world at any time. Also, the WHO International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) includes more than 2,000 skin or skin-related illnesses.

​Taking part in World Skin Health Day helps to raise awareness about the wide-ranging impact of skin disease, as well as supporting people needing treatment in their local communities.

​The aim of World Skin Health Day is to recognise and promote skin health around the world.

Take Part

Taking part in World Skin Health Day helps to raise awareness about the wide-ranging impact of skin disease, as well as supporting people needing treatment in their local communities.

Many dermatological societies already hold action days in which members carry out differing tasks from skin cancer screenings and sun awareness to community clinics in remote areas. The nature of these activities is determined by the needs of the populations served by the society.

World Skin Health Day can be promoted in the context of existing and ongoing activities with co-branding and using the World Skin Health Day logo. Alternatively, you can create a new event or activity. The choice of activity for World Skin Health Day is left to your society so that you can tailor activities to the needs of your communities.

Your organisation can support the World Skin Health Day campaign in a few easy ways:

• Highlight World Skin Health Day in your organisation's newsletter or events pages on your website.
• Set up a public seminar on a local TV channel or radio station.
• Put together a media campaign to help raise awareness and educate people.
• Put in place a self-examination demonstration station/mobile screening unit.
• Hold health and community engagement workshops online.
• Provide free teledermatology consultations.
• Distribute skin health and patient information to members of the public.
• Hold health worker education/training or capacity building workshops online.

A toolkit of core materials has been developed to support your society in developing your own World Skin Health Day campaign, as well as guidance for adapting the messaging to the specifics of your event.

Other resources include Twitter, Instagram and Facebook images and graphics.

History

Originally set up in 2013, by the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) and International Society of Dermatology (ISD), the World Skin Health Day campaign was re-launched in 2017 to promote skin health globally. All over the world Members of the ILDS and ISD undertake activities to recognise and promote skin health. From screening clinics and public seminars to marches and social media campaigns, the campaign has a global reach. Taking part in World Skin Health Day helps to raise awareness about the wide-ranging impact of skin disease, as well as supporting people needing treatment in their local communities.

If you or your organisation are not a member of the ILDS or ISD and would like to take part in World Skin Health Day, please contact us and we will help you connect with your local ILDS Member Society to hold a joint activity.