June 15, 2022 South Africa – Two grant winners were awarded 20 000 euros at a prestigious award ceremony by an external independent jury of seven medical and science experts from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and France. The jury was led by Dr Peninah Kitili, a consultant in pediatrics, dermatology and venereology – the first physician in Kenya to specialise in three fields.
Over 30 research project proposals were received from 13 African countries for the fifth edition of the L’Oréal Africa Hair and Skin Research Grant, managed by L’Oréal Group’s Medical Department, part of L’Oréal Research and Innovation Division. “We are very proud of our winners who are conducting important research projects in Africa, Dr Ehiaghe ANABA Lagos State University College of Medicine for her research on “Trichoscopic characteristics of the healthy and richly pigmented scalp of Nigerians” and Dr Lamissa CISSE Hôpital de Dermatologie de Bamako for his research on “Skin microbiota and acne of adult women in Bamako: Case control study”. The research is focused on broadening the data on African hair and skin which will translate into new guidelines for hair and skin care for men and women on the continent.” Says Dr Peninah Kitili, Jury president 2022.
L’Oréal’s commitment to a scientific approach in understanding skin and hair in all its socio-environmental dimensions, is evident in its development of personalised products driven by the Research & Innovation center in Johannesburg, South Africa. The dedication to building research in Africa through collaboration with local dermatologists, scientists and universities has been relentless.
“This is an excellent initiative by L’Oréal to encourage research in Africa by Africans on African skin and hair. Thought leaders such as scientists and academics with extraordinary ideas and revolutionary theories for change, can prepare for the future. Developing and testing theories require continuous and consistent research, and this research is dependent on significant investments. While research is an important part of academia, it can also be very expensive. Fortunately, companies like L’Oréal continue to encourage and support research in the field of ethnic skin and hair” Professor Ncoza Dlova, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, 2015 laureate.
The 3rd biennial conference of the African Society of Dermatology and Venereology (ASDV), held alongside the 16th annual conference of the National Association of Dermatologists in Nigeria from 22nd and 24th June in Port Harcourt, Nigeria is an important strategic partnership for L’Oréal Research & Innovation Division. These conferences bring together world-renowned experts and past L’Oréal grant winners. This conference looks into the future with an innovative medical attention to dermatology for hair and skin care on the continent, with participation from health systems and government officials.
“The objective of the Medical Directorate is to support hair and skin physiology scientific research by dermatologist and scientists worldwide. These new scientific data discovered in each country thanks to the local health specialists pave the way of innovative skin care and hair care, according to local environmental context. We are also working to enpower and make more visible the African medical experts and scientists during workshops, through their communication of this work at national and international conferences and thanks to peer reviewed publications of the L’Oréal sponsored research works. For more than 15 years, these efforts have led to the gathering of dermatologists from the whole African continent and the strengthening of skin s research by Africans in Africa.” Dr. Michele Verschoore, Medical Director, L’Oréal Research & Innovation, France.
