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NEW YORK — La Roche-Posay said it had a "successful summer" with its "SOS – Save Our Skin" sun protection campaign
The UV protection skin care company said Wednesday that in this campaign, now in its second year, over 40 volunteer dermatologists were stationed at nearly 30 events nationwide, performing more than 1,600 free skin cancer screenings to promote proper sun safe behaviors.
La Roche-Posay noted that suspicious legions were discovered in almost a third of those screenings, leading to dermatologist referrals for further investigation. The findings, the company said, reinforced the campaign’s goal to inform Americans about the dangers of UV rays and the importance of sun safety while encouraging behavioral change by incorporating sun protection in daily routines and visiting dermatologists for regular skin checks.
This year’s campaign, drew more than 500,000 event participants, the company said. Also, 197,000 free sunscreen samples were distributed, 61,000 educational materials were provideded, and over 300 volunteer hours were logged.
In addition, La Roche-Posay this year partnered with the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS), kicking off the partnership with the announcement of a $750,000 grant over a three-year period to support the "WDS Play Safe in the Sun" campaign.
The SOS – Save Our Skin campaign undertook a series of initiatives this summer, including skin checks at two New York Yankees games, local hospitals, drug stores as well as free skin checks offered to all L’Oreal corporate employees. The campaign also added a viral component with the launch of the new iPhone application, My UV Check, which provides an index for the day’s UVA and UVB exposure in the user’s location, educates and alerts users of the dangers of UVA and UVB exposure and more.
"The second year of the SOS – Save Our Skin campaign so far has proven to be even more successful than the first, with more than 235 million media impressions to date," commented Yannick Raynaud, general manager of La Roche-Posay. "We plan to broaden our campaign even further with each year to come in order to expand the reach of this very serious public safety message."
In the fall, La Roche-Posay plans to continue to promote its message through more skin screening events, including the LGPA Titleholder’s tournament in Orlando, Fla., in November.
"Many people associate UV radiation with summer, but UVA and UVB rays are present all year, even in the cold winter months," stated Dr. Adam Friedman, assistant professor of dermatology for AECOM. "While much of our skin is covered in the winter, it’s important to protect the areas that aren’t, such as the face, ears, neck, and hands, with sunscreen and protective clothing. And always remember to get your skin checked by a dermatologist at least once a year."
