New L’Oréal study exposes global divide in access to dermatology care

Only 27 of 158 surveyed countries have enough dermatologists to meet population needs, according to a global assessment supported by L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty.

The Global Access to Skin Health Observatory study, conducted by the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) and L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty, estimates that adequate provision requires 5.63 dermatologists per 100,000 people. The global average is 2.66.

High-income countries were 8.84 times more likely than countries in other income groups to meet the benchmark. Dermatologist density ranged from 5.05 per 100,000 people in high-income markets to 0.37 per 100,000 in low-income countries, while no surveyed country in the WHO African or South-East Asia regions reached the threshold.

The study included countries whose populations account for 96.7% of the global population. More than two billion people live with skin disease, yet 74% of participating countries said their national governments did not prioritise skin health.

Workforce numbers also mask geographic disparities: around 79% of dermatologists globally work in urban areas, rising to 91% in low-income countries. Meanwhile, 42% of surveyed countries said access to general dermatological care was inadequate or extremely poor.

Dr Esther Freeman, the study’s principal investigator and Vice Chair of the International Foundation for Dermatology, said: “Where you live should not determine your access to skin health – but today, it does.”

The assessment identifies expanded training, better dermatology education for frontline healthcare workers, telemedicine and artificial intelligence as possible responses. However, its authors said AI diagnostic tools still face weaknesses, including limited validation and poorer performance across darker skin tones.

The global results do not provide a UK-specific ranking. However, Statista data offers a recent snapshot of the workforce in England, reporting 720 dermatology consultants working across NHS hospital and a in February 2026, alongside 295 dermatologists at staff-grade and specialty-registrar level.

At the same time, private dermatology services in the UK have expanded in response to sustained pressure on NHS capacity. Lengthy waiting times for routine and chronic dermatological conditions have encouraged some patients to seek private alternatives, where shorter waiting periods and greater accessibility can provide faster access to specialist care.

These pressures are further compounded by significant regional disparities in the distribution of dermatology specialists. According to the London Dermatology Centre, consultant availability is concentrated more heavily in London and southern England, while northern, rural and economically disadvantaged areas can experience persistent shortages.

For L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty, the new study places greater emphasis on the role dermocosmetics companies can play in supporting clinical education and access. Through its Act for Dermatology programme, the company is working with healthcare practitioners and international organisations on research, training, and access to skin diagnosis and treatment.

The Observatory’s online data explorer will be updated over time, allowing governments, researchers and healthcare organisations to track workforce distribution and barriers to care.