In order to better serve black patients — a subset of the population that will grow to 15% by 2060 — there is a need to increase the number of black dermatologists overall, which requires taking down some of the barriers to entry for the field. “On a daily basis, I hear from my patients that they found me because they were looking for a black dermatologist,” says Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, director of the Skin of Color Center at Mount Sinai hospital in NYC, who notes that there's a comfort level when you see a doctor that looks like you. “Patients are demanding a physician that has the cultural awareness and can empathise with their condition.” More importantly, regardless of race, dermatologists must educate themselves on the proper ways to treat brown skin and the cultural practices that affect the way we approach beauty, all while recognising the deeply-rooted biases that make black women feel overlooked.