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The objective of our study was to assess the attitudes and behaviors in Japan regarding sun exposure and compare them to those in Europe and North America. The study population was a representative sample of individuals aged >18 years from Ipsos panels in Japan (N = 1000), North America (N = 1000), and Europe (N = 6000) using the quota method. Questionnaires covered habits, practices, and perceptions regarding sun exposure. Results revealed that the majority of people (80.1%) believed that the sun gives them energy, and 61.1% considered that being tanned made them look healthier. However, there was a significant difference between men and women regarding the appeal of tanned skin, with 54.95% of men versus 34.67% (p < 0.001) of women seeing a tan as an aesthetic asset. People aged <40 years were less likely to find a tan attractive (30.3%) compared to those aged ≥40 years (48.9%) (p < 0.001). Of those questioned, 45.70% of used sunscreen with a much higher use among women (70.10%) than men (18.74%) (p < 0.001). Almost 54% of people said they stayed in the shade to protect themselves from the sun with this behavior being more prevalent among women (67.05%) and fair‐skinned individuals (56.13%). Fear of the risks of sun exposure was more common among women, with 84.8% fearing premature skin aging, compared to 71.8% of men (p < 0.001). In Japan, 44.30% of those questioned said tanned skin was attractive (p < 0.001); for Europeans and North Americans the proportions were 81.1% and 77.6%, respectively. Only a quarter (25.80%) thought it essential to return from vacation with a tan. On the other hand, Europeans showed a strong recognition of the energy the sun brings (83.18%), and widely believed that tanned skin is attractive (82.32%) and healthy (73.15%). In North America, attitudes were similar to those in Europe regarding the attractiveness of tanned skin (77.65%) and the importance of returning tanned from vacation (48.15%). Compared to Europeans and North Americans, the Japanese seemed to be more cautious about sun‐induced hazards and considered lighter skin to be more attractive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brigitte Dreno,1 Jean Michel Amici,2 Ann Laure Demessant-Flavigny,3 Charlotte Wright,4 Charles Taieb,5 Seemal R Desai,6 Andrew Alexis7 1Dermatology Department, CHU Nantes, CIC 1413, CRCINA, Nantes University, Nantes, Pays de la Loire, France; 2Dermatology Department, Bordeaux University Hospital, Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France; 3La Roche-Posay Dermatological Laboratoires, Levallois-Perret, France; 4Speak the Speech Consulting, Asnières-sur-Seine, Ile-de-France, France; 5Patients Priority Department, European Market Maintenance Assessment, Fontenay Sousbois, Ile-de-France, France; 6Department of Dermatology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center & Innovative Dermatology, Dallas, TX, USA; 7Skin of Color Center, Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USACorrespondence: Charles TaiebPatients Priority Department, European Market Maintenance Assessment, Fontenay Sousbois, Ile-de-France, FranceTel +33 771772100Email Charles.taieb@emma.clinicAbstract: Skin conditions such as acne, atopic dermatitis, skin toxicity from oncology treatment, and scars are among the most common health conditions and negatively impact quality of life (QoL). Yet the physician perception of this impact often varies greatly from the patient perception. This is important because patient illness perception is closely linked with seeking help and treatment adherence behaviors. The objective of this review is to better understand the impact of these four highly prevalent skin conditions on QoL including their health-related economic factors to improve treatment outcomes. The literature search included literature published on QoL with acne, atopic dermatitis, scars (from any cause) and skin toxicities on PubMed between 2015 and 2020. We found that patients with skin conditions have a much higher frequency of altered QoL and psychological distress than those without. Also, skin conditions negatively impact self-image and can cause feelings of isolation, loneliness, lower self-esteem, and lower body satisfaction. Additionally, physical discomfort adds to the psychological distress. These physical and psychological impacts are an enormous financial burden on patients, their families and society. We found evidence that holistic treatment including treating the skin condition itself, providing wider peer and psychological support as well as shared decision-making, therapeutic patient education and dermatologist involvement improves outcomes. Holistic history-taking, checklists, or the use of more formal QoL scoring tools can be incorporated into routine consultations to better assess patient well-being and provide clinicians with important information for adapting treatment to individual patient requirements. In conclusion, this review highlights the overall impact of skin conditions (including psychological and QoL impacts) and the importance of providing holistic care to optimize treatment outcomes. A comprehensive QoL screening tool would be useful to help provide patient-centered treatment.Keywords: quality of life, acne, atopic dermatitis, scars, burns, skin toxicities

A study published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology examines the effectiveness of sun safety campaigns in France over the past 30 years. The study found that despite the distribution of messages about sun safety, the number of melanomas and carcinomas in France has increased fivefold. The study surveyed 1000 members of the French population and found that while most respondents were aware of the skin problems caused by too much sun exposure, many still associated a tan with good health and attractiveness. The study suggests that prevention messages should be tailored to specific audiences and emphasizes the importance of dermatologists in educating patients about sun protection. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a survey conducted to assess parents' awareness and efforts to protect their children from overexposure to sunlight. The survey collected data from 17,001 adults worldwide and analyzed their sun-exposure habits, understanding of risks, and information on phototypes. The study found that there are no epidemiological data suggesting a decrease in excessive exposure of children to sunlight. The article provides detailed demographic information by geographical zone. A study found that a majority of parents regret not protecting themselves enough from sunlight and overexposing themselves. Women were more likely to express regret than men. When it came to protecting their children from the sun, parents with regrets were more likely to follow public healthcare recommendations compared to those without regrets. Compliance with preventive measures improved for wearing glasses and a cap, but not for wearing sunglasses. Parents without regrets had a slightly higher prevalence of improvement, possibly because they were less likely to comply with preventive measures. A worldwide survey conducted on the use of preventive measures against sun exposure in children found that parents who regretted their own excessive sun exposure during childhood were more likely to take preventive measures for their own children. However, the survey also revealed that preventive care measures increased awareness among parents who did not express regrets about their own sun exposure. The study emphasized the importance of educating parents about the risks of sun exposure and promoting sun protection behaviors for both skin and eyes to prevent UV-induced eye disorders, skin cancers, and premature aging. The study was funded by La Roche-Posay Laboratoire [Extracted from the article]

René-Jean Bensadoun,1 Phillipe Humbert,2 Jean Krutman,3 Thomas Luger,4 Raoul Triller,5 André Rougier,6 Sophie Seite,6 Brigitte Dreno71Department of Radiation Oncology, CHU Poitiers, Poitiers Cedex, 2Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Besançon, Besançon, France; 3IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, 4Department of Dermatology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; 5Centre of Dermatology, Hertford British Hospital, Levallois-Perret, 6La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Pharmaceutique, Asnières, 7Department of Cancero-Dermatology, Hôtel Dieu, CHU Nantes, FranceAbstract: Skin reactions due to radiotherapy and chemotherapy are a significant problem for an important number of cancer patients. While effective for treating cancer, they disturb cutaneous barrier function, causing a reaction soon after initiation of treatment that impacts patient quality of life. Managing these symptoms with cosmetics and nonpharmaceutical skin care products for camouflage or personal hygiene may be important for increasing patient self-esteem. However, inappropriate product choice or use could worsen side effects. Although recommendations exist for the pharmaceutical treatment of skin reactions, there are no recommendations for the choice or use of dermatologic skin care products for oncology patients. The present guidelines were developed by a board of European experts in dermatology and oncology to provide cancer care professionals with guidance for the appropriate use of non-pharmaceutical, dermocosmetic skin care management of cutaneous toxicities associated with radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy, including epidermal growth factor inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies. The experts hope that these recommendations will improve the management of cutaneous side effects and hence quality of life for oncology patients.Keywords: skin care, cosmetic, dermatological toxicity, folliculitis, xerosis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, supportive care, cancer, consensus