NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug 28, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Serving the professional tennis community for the first time with the message of sun safety, volunteers representing the Women's Dermatologic Society (WDS) hit new outreach records through a busy day of skin cancer screenings at a recent Kids Day at the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament in New Haven, CT. Known as Play Safe in the Sun, this 3-year sun safety campaign is provided to outdoor athletes in collaborative partnership with L'Oreal USA, at a time when melanoma rates are rising among younger women, ages 18-29.

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WDS members and board-certified Connecticut dermatologists Mona Gohara, MD and Sumaira Aasi, MD, both Yale University faculty members, co-chaired this successful outreach, staged at an important final competition leading to the U.S. Open.

The following board-certified dermatologists volunteered for the free skin cancer screenings and sun safety education: Sumaira Aasi, MD, Carolyn Carroll, MD, Mona Gohara, MD, Christine Ko, MD, Ellen Milstone, MD and Jeremy Moss, MD. Additional volunteer support was provided by: Ginette Hinds, MD, Eleanor Knopp, MD and Kavita Mariwalla, MD. Amelia Roraback, representing La Roche-Posay, also contributed volunteer support.

"Our partnership with the WDS underscores our commitment to research in sun protection and educating consumers on the importance of sun safety," stated Philippe Patsalides, General Manager of L'Oreal Cosmetics Division.

Event highlights include:

-- A one-day record of 147 skin cancer screenings were conducted for tennis fans attending Kids Day at the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament, including several parents who brought their children in for their first screenings.

-- 30% of the individuals who were screened were referred to dermatologists for further diagnosis/biopsy of suspicious sites presumptively diagnosed as skin cancer.

-- Tennis fans received 5,000 free samples of broad-spectrum sunscreen with reminders to "re-apply in-between sets" and use a "ping-pong ball size amount of sunscreen."

-- New Haven Mayor John DiStefano, Jr. declared "Play Safe in the Sun" Day in the city in recognition of the local sun safety outreach.

The campaign is made possible through a generous grant from L'Oreal USA to the WDS Foundation. Product donations for the public were provided by Garnier, Lancome and La Roche-Posay.

WDS members Adrienne Stewart, MD (Denver, CO) and Michel McDonald, MD (Nashville, TN) lead the WDS Service Committee. This campaign draws from the Society's 1,500 members to provide volunteer support in local communities to heighten sun safety awareness and promote healthy skin practices among outdoor sports enthusiasts. For further information, please visit: http://www.playsafeinthesun.org or http://www.womensderm.org.

ABOUT THE WOMEN'S DERMATOLOGIC SOCIETY

The Women's Dermatologic Society supports the careers and professional development of women dermatologists. The mission of the Women's Dermatologic Society is to help women in dermatology achieve their greatest personal and professional potential by striving to foster, promote, and support women's issues in dermatology; identify, train, and recognize women leaders in dermatology; and provide a forum for developing relationships and the exchange of ideas and research relevant to women's issues; and promote the highest possible standards of ethics, research, patient care and education, as well as public education.

ABOUT L'OREAL USA

L'Oreal USA, headquartered in New York City, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L'Oreal SA, one of the world's leading beauty companies. L'Oreal USA has Research and Development, Manufacturing and Distribution facilities across eight states in the U.S., including New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, Colorado and Texas. L'Oreal's impressive portfolio of brands includes Lancome, Giorgio Armani, Shu Uemura, L'Oreal Paris, Garnier, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, L'Oreal Professionel and Kerastase. The U.S. is the base for the product development, international marketing and advertising for L'Oreal's nine American brands: Maybelline New York, Soft-Sheen, Carson, Kiehl's Since 1851, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Redken 5th Avenue NYC, Matrix, Mizani, SkinCeuticals and PureOlogy.

SOURCE Women's Dermatologic Society

URL: http://www.womensderm.org

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