International Expert Consensus on Defining Skin of Color and Delivering Equitable Dermatologic Care

Dermatological practice faces significant challenges in meeting the needs of populations with skin of color (SOC). Patients with SOC face disparities, including misdiagnoses and inequitable treatment outcomes. This expert consensus sought to identify gaps in dermatologic care for these populations and to propose strategies to promote inclusivity. Classification systems for SOC and healthcare disparities were investigated by reviewing English language articles on the subject published in PubMed between 2019 and 2024. An international panel of multidisciplinary experts from four continents (America, Asia, Africa, and Europe) analyzed the findings and developed recommendations. There are limitations in the current skin type classification systems, and gaps persist for SOC populations in research, clinical trials, and education for both providers and patients. Proposed strategies to bridge these gaps include refining classification systems (Dermatology societies), advancing SOC-specific research, enhancing education, and integrating artificial intelligence. Key recommendations from the panel focused on four areas: (1) Research: Achieve SOC numbers in clinical trials and publications that would be a reflection of local and global populations, publish new guidelines on key SOC-related issues, and achieve representative authorship in the said clinical trials and publications; (2) Resources: Create a global library of SOC images for dermatological diseases; (3) Education: Provide training for healthcare professionals and scholarships for students worldwide to improve awareness and expertise; (4) Representation: Ensure SOC representation in images used for patient communication and educational materials.