This September, eczema warriors are demanding an overhaul of the skincare industry and the way it approaches skin of colour — and Satya Organic stands with them.
Our friends at Preventable Doc (@preventable_doc) Chiquanna Villines (@theitchy_chi), Ashley Ann Lora (@ashleyannlora), Rakhi Roy (@gut.skin.nutritionist) and many others have spent years raising awareness about the risks associated with topical steroids steroid creams, how the overuse of these creams can trigger a debilitating condition of topical steroid withdrawal, and how to heal from this condition naturally.
Today, they’re demanding the skincare industry act on this truth: #POCSkinMatters.
Although atopic dermatitis disproportionately affects people of colour, they have been left out of the skincare and beauty conversation for decades. If it’s not the struggle of finding skin products designed for their pigment, texture, type, or condition, then it’s the challenge of connecting with skincare professionals that have the knowledge to treat POC skin.
Representation in Eczema
This issue runs deeply in the eczema community. Eczema is commonly described as a red, dry, itchy rash — how it appears on lighter skin tones. This is rarely the case for melanated skin, where eczema can present itself in the form of small bumps or hyperpigmentation that is darker brown, purple, or grey. This happens because representation of Black and brown skin is often, if not always, missing in dermatology research journals and textbooks. In a field where imagery is critical, lack of representation for skin conditions like atopic dermatitis is the reason why underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis for patients of colour is so common. Treatments developed and suited for white skin can permanently discolour melanated skin—or worse.
A Call for Change in the Skincare Industry
Satya supports the #POCSkinMatters initiative in calling on the entire skincare community—from general doctors to dermatologists to researchers to skincare companies—to serve and equally represent skin of colour. Head over to our Instagram feed @satyaorganic to share these calls to action and tag your favourite skincare companies, health professionals, and research institutions that need to be a part of this change.
As these skincare justice warriors put it: “The time is NOW for skin care companies and researchers to pay attention — to care.” Thank you for being a part of this change.
