How to build bridges between professionals to improve access to dermatology

Canada is the second-largest country in the world, with the most diagnoses of skin cancer, plus 30% of the population suffers from chronic facial erythema, and eczema statistics continue to rise.

Our biggest challenge: our shortage of dermatologists for the size of our territory and their exodus to aesthetic, rather than traditional practices. We can wait up to a year for a problem of the pathological type, but only two weeks for a Botox injection, for example.

Pharmacists are not well trained enough in topical galenic and are practically no longer preparing magistral formulae. Cosmeticians have been unable to work in therapeutic complement with their pharmacists and our estheticians (beauticians) are still considerably underestimated.

Which led me to teach chemists about cosmetics to make them want to know more about the skin and cosmetology; train pharmacists in topical galenic; develop a training program for estheticians; and take part in the creation of the first pharmacy training program for cosmeticians, because we urgently need to learn to work as a team, and my role is to build bridges between professions to improve access to dermatological care and treatment. And, as a European formulator, I help companies in creating products that respect the integrity of the skin, while fulfilling their expectations for their efficacy.