Nestlé Skin Health plans to open a global network of 10 innovation hubs around the world that will serve as a forum to develop solutions and techniques designed to promote a life course of healthy skin through medical investigation, education and application of skin health technologies. The initiative comes in response to the expected rise in skin health needs as the importance of skin health in the well-being of a rapidly growing aging population has become paramount in the context of healthcare and modern society.

The Nestlé Skin Health Investigation, Education and Longevity Development (SHIELD) network will comprise unique innovation hubs for engaging with healthcare professionals from the fields of dermatology, general medicine, aging, nursing and technology. These hubs will provide an environment where these professionals can interact with innovative new products and technologies, working toward better solutions for skin health. The first location is planned to open in New York in 2015, followed by Hong Kong and Sao Paulo and then elsewhere in North America, Asia and Europe.

“This is an important opportunity for skin health research in light of rising skin challenges that result particularly from our enhanced longevity and the rapid population aging phenomenon emerging in country after country around the globe,” said Humberto C. Antunes, Chief Executive of Nestlé Skin Health. “We are committed to working with scientists and healthcare professionals to create an eco-system in which solutions and information can be developed to facilitate better maintenance, prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies that will help people today and in the future enjoy a life course of healthy skin. The SHIELD network will enable a healthier and more active aging, benefitting individuals and society as a whole.”

The SHIELD initiative is aligned with the needs identified in the recently released consensus statement of the 2014 Manchester Summit on Active Ageing and Healthy Skin, which calls for action and innovation in skin health as a path to wellness, social value and economic growth.

“At the Nestlé Skin Health Investigation, Education and Longevity Development hubs, scientists, investigators and experts will have master-level interactions facilitating the convergence of the latest products, technology, and disciplines related to skin health,” said Didier Leclercq, Managing Director for the SHIELD network. “With a focus on education and training, the SHIELD network will provide an environment in which diverse fields, including biology, anatomy, emerging trends and social sciences will be brought together and explored.”

The Nestlé Skin Health Investigation, Education and Longevity Development network will be launched in partnership with the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), a global business strategy group focused on the economic and social implications of population aging. The GCOA works with industry, global policymakers, non-government organizations, academia and research institutes, and other thought leaders to promote policy changes and new ways of viewing aging that are essential to build a robust 21st- century healthy aging.

The number of people over the age of 60 will exceed 1 billion by 2020, and all will face deteriorating skin as a result of the natural aging process. According to the World Health Organization, one out of every three cancers diagnoses is a skin cancer.  Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer diagnosed than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon combined.

Intense dryness of the skin, a medical condition known as xerosis, is one of the most common problems of aging; one of every two people over 65 suffers from xerosis. When skin becomes dry and cracked, bacteria and germs can enter the body more easily, which can lead to severe medical conditions such as bacterial and fungal infections of the skin, skinfolds and nails.

“We are excited to partner with Nestlé Skin Health and the SHIELD network. These innovation hubs will play an important role in helping us all better understand the importance of a life course of healthy skin and its role in supporting healthy and active aging,” said Michael Hodin, Executive Director of the Global Coalition on Aging.” Only by improving our health as we age, will we be able to harness the potential of the 21st century’s silver economy.” 

More proactive skin care across the full life course can help enable a healthier skin as we age, supporting a more active aging throughout the life course and therefore extending the quality of life and well-being at all ages.

Galderma—the operating company of Nestlé Skin Health specializing in prescription, self-medication and aesthetic and corrective medical solutions for the skin—is a member of GCOA, which includes companies in the technology, financial services, retail and healthcare sectors.