SkinCeuticals Announces Partnership With ReSurge International

          An Initiative for Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery #SurgeOn

          SkinCeuticals is born from science, rooted in the belief that knowledge is power, and committed to doctors in the field of skin health and aesthetics. Through its new partnership with ReSurge International, the brand announces an initiative for Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery, to technically train, professionally mentor, and develop in leadership first generation female surgeons in order to increase access to reconstructive surgical care in under-served parts of the world.

          For people in developing countries who suffer from burn injuries or congenital conditions, a change in their appearance can change their lives--enabling them to fully participate in their communities, attend school, and provide for their families. For these people, reconstructive plastic surgery is transformative at many levels - yet 5 billion people worldwide lack access to safe, timely surgical care. SkinCeuticals believes that equality of medical training is essential to meeting this need. Today, there are only three female surgeons for every 1 million people in low income countries, often due to a lack of equal access to significant technical training or obstacles to gaining acceptance in their field. SkinCeuticals and ReSurge International aim to correct this imbalance.

          ReSurge International was founded in 1969, and since its inception, it has provided more than 100,000 reconstructive surgeries for patients in developing countries. In 2014, the ReSurge International Global Training Program & Academic Faculty was introduced. The program is led by Dr. James Chang, who serves as the consulting medical officer for Resurge International and is Stanford University's chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery. The Global Training Program embraces a "teach to fish" philosophy, working with world class medical faculty to educate and train local surgeons in reconstructive care.

          Through visiting educator programs, leadership training, mentorship support, and funding of supplies, Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery will help female surgeons grow their knowledge and as a result, provide networks of reconstructive surgical care within their communities. The first year of the partnership will focus on five up-and-coming female surgeons – Dr. Faith Chengetayi Muchemwa of Zimbabwe, Dr. Celma Marina Teles Issufo of Mozambique, Dr. Shilu Shrestha of Nepal, Dr. Lorena Escudero Castro of Ecuador, and Dr. Farzana Bilquis Ibrahim.

          Says Dr. Chang of the program, "These women are not only learning surgical skills, but how to navigate a male-dominated field, with specialty curriculum in reconstructive surgery and career advancement through our partnership with SkinCeuticals. It was a similar story in the US one generation ago – now more than half of medical students are women and of my 18 faculty at Stanford University, 8 are women. It is an issue critical to me as a father of three daughters. We would like to mentor and empower these pioneering women surgeons for future generations."

          Leslie Harris, Global General Manager of SkinCeuticals, adds, "Today, reconstructive surgical care is out of reach for 2/3 of the population. If we want to change this statistic, we need to change the number of women surgeons in low income countries who often face unique barriers to entering the field. This mission is an evolution of Dr. Sheldon Pinnell, our founding scientist's, commitment to the medical community and spirit of philanthropy. We are honored to partner with Resurge International in the years to come."