A sweeping new study published in JAMA Dermatology — the largest of its kind — surveyed dermatology leaders across 158 countries and found that access to skin care is deeply unequal worldwide. The global mean is just 2.66 dermatologists per 100,000 people, and nine countries reported having none at all. Only 27 of 158 countries (17%) met the threshold of 5.63 dermatologists per 100,000 needed for adequate care, and 42% of countries reported inadequate or extremely poor access.

The problem isn't confined to low-income countries. Even in high-income nations, about 79% of dermatologists are clustered in urban areas, creating "dermatology deserts" in rural and underserved communities. In the U.S., experts note that marginalized populations — including racial minorities, people experiencing homelessness, and migrants — face persistent access gaps, sometimes just miles from major academic medical centers.

By the Numbers

• 2.66 dermatologists per 100,000 people — global mean density
• 0.37 vs. 5.05 — dermatologist density in low-income vs. high-income countries
• 17% of countries meet the adequate workforce threshold (5.63 per 100,000)
• 42% of countries report inadequate or extremely poor dermatologic access
• 79% of dermatologists globally are based in urban areas
• 9 countries report zero dermatologists

Why it matters: Skin disease is a leading cause of illness globally, yet the infrastructure to treat it is severely mismatched with need. Experts are calling for country-specific solutions — expanding training programs in low-income settings, incentivizing rural practice in wealthier nations, and scaling teledermatology and task-shifting models everywhere.