Q&A: Laura Scott, MD, FAAD, and Sun Bum on the Road to Accessible Sun Safety

Laura Scott, MD, FAAD

As the summer months draw closer, sun safety and skin cancer awareness are more important than ever. Brand initiatives, such as Sun Bum’s “Trust the Bum Tour,” are working to make educational resources and broad-spectrum SPF products more accessible for patients across the country. Laura Scott, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and owner of Scott & Co. Skin in Del Mar, California, spoke to Dermatology Times about the significance of this new campaign, how it addresses misconceptions around sun care, and why initiatives like this are crucial for reaching diverse populations and encouraging lifelong sun-safe habits.

Dermatology Times: Could you tell us about your partnership with Sun Bum and this new campaign? What is the significance of the “Trust the Bum Tour” for dermatologists and their patients?

Scott: I’ve been working with Sun Bum for years now, and we’ve collaborated on so many great projects, from a Sun Bum Kids event in New York City to their largest beach hang out event ever in Miami, Florida, championing Skin Cancer Awareness by giving out free products and providing sun safety tips. Locally here in San Diego, they even help co-host skin cancer screenings, and I’ve volunteered my time for doing skin checks for the last few years, too. The “Trust the Bum Tour” is their first ever national tour where they’ll be stopping across 10 cities to bring free sun care resources, merchandise, and free products [to patients] and I know they’ll have really unique, locally inspired activations. I think it’s a great campaign that emphasizes the importance of sun care and, more importantly, shows how easy it can be to incorporate sun protection into any daily routine. For dermatologists and our patients (or those who don’t know they should be patients yet), campaigns like this are amazing for increasing awareness about sun safety and education and then making sun protection accessible too.

Dermatology Times: How does this initiative reach patients of all backgrounds, including those with various skin tones or levels of sun safety awareness?

Scott: We know that skin cancer and sun damage are pretty universal health issues and can affect populations with darker skin tones. This campaign is bringing sun safety education, resources, and free SPF directly to consumers across the country, to cities big and small. It’s about making education and resources available, so people understand how to best care for and protect their skin from the harmful effects of sun exposure. Sun Bum has done an incredible job of creating products that work on darker skin tones. It’s not all the thick white pasty sunscreen; they have some gorgeous silky formulas that always wow patients of all skin tones. They also have an online hub of sun care resources and sunscreen protection tips available year-round on their Sun Education page, and the brand uses its social channels to expand that reach further.

Sun Bum's "Trust the Bum" tour stop in New York City | Image Credit: Sun Bum

Dermatology Times: In your clinical experience, what do you think are the most common misconceptions about sun protection and damage?

Scott: There are so many, and sometimes it feels like there are new misconceptions popping up every day! On one end, there is the innocent misconception that we only need sunscreen when we’re at the beach or at the pool, but we know that daily sun accumulation over the years can drastically affect the skin. To combat this misconception, I educate patients on using facial sunscreen daily and finding something that feels easy to use and incorporate. There are, of course, misconceptions that those with darker skin don’t need sunscreen, and while melanin does provide a small amount of natural UV protection, we should still be using sunscreen. Having sunscreen options that blend into all skin tones, even clear and tinted formulations, makes a big difference. We also have a lot of noise about sunscreen itself being dangerous, and the data just doesn’t support that. For those who are concerned about chemical sunscreens, I always make sure to have beautiful mineral-only options available too.

Dermatology Times: How do you communicate consistent and correct sunscreen application to your patients?

Scott: In our patient handouts and clinic links, we actually show how much sunscreen patients should be using and how often to reapply. As a clinician, one tip to increase sunscreen use is having samples in clinic. Patients love to see how these work on them and are so much more likely to use them after trying something approved by a dermatologist they trust and that they were already able to try. I realize not everyone can come into a clinic, but that’s another reason initiatives like the Trust the Bum Tour are amazing in being able to meet people where they’re at – not only physically in their cities, but in their sun care journey too, online and on social media.

Dermatology Times: What’s next for this campaign and your collaboration with Sun Bum? Are there any other similar initiatives in the works?

Scott: The “Trust the Bum Tour” kicked off with its first stop in New York City on April 19, and is continuing across the US until it makes its final stop in San Francisco on May 25th – giving out more free SPF, and sharing sun protection education and tips ahead of the summer. I’m really excited to keep working with the team and see how they’re continuing to make sun education not only accessible, but also fun for all people, no matter your age or background.