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Rite Aid Customers Get ''The Skinny'' on Skin Care Thanks to Partnership With The Skin Cancer Foundation

Posted on: Tuesday, 3 June 2008, 12:00 CDT

Summer is fast approaching and protecting your skin from the sun is more important than ever. To help customers have a safe and fun summer in the sun, Rite Aid and The Skin Cancer Foundation are partnering to raise awareness and offer free information on the importance of smart skin care practices. During June and July, Rite Aid stores nationwide will offer a free Skin Care Guide and Skin Care Tip Book aimed to educate customers on healthy skin care and encourage them to protect their skin this summer season and all year round.

The 11-page Skin Care Guide contains important information on how to keep skin looking young and healthy, as well as advice on how to pick the right sunscreen and a special section featuring key sun and sunscreen terms to help customers be skin savvy this summer. The Skin Care Tip Book includes a calendar with tips about being skin smart all year long as well as a simple quiz designed to help determine your skin type and the best way to protect it along with savings on sun protection products. Rite Aid pharmacists also are specially trained to offer important, helpful and free information on proper skin protection options and always are available to answer questions on maintaining healthy skin while still enjoying the outdoors.

This summer and fall, The Skin Cancer Foundation's Road to Healthy Skin Tour presented by AVEENO(R) and Rite Aid with support from Columbia Sportswear will stop at more than 80 Rite Aid stores and other locations nationwide to provide early detection services to thousands of people. Local board-certified dermatologists will conduct free full-body skin cancer screenings on a 38-foot customized RV and provide sunscreen samples as well as printed materials, loaded with tips and information from Rite Aid pharmacists.

According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than one million cases of skin cancers diagnosed each year. About 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. The Skin Cancer Foundation, the only global organization solely devoted to preventing, detecting and treating skin cancer, reports the incidence of melanoma is increasing faster than that of almost any other cancer.

"It's important to practice smart skin care all year long, but especially in the summer when more people are out in the sun vacationing, picnicking or cheering for their favorite teams at outdoor sports events," said Mark de Bruin, Rite Aid executive vice president of pharmacy. "We partnered with The Skin Cancer Foundation to provide our customers with advice on how to protect their skin and potentially help them avoid skin cancer and save their lives."

Many people do not know that taking certain medications can cause skin to burn more easily, a side effect called photosensitivity. Some commonly used medications, such as antibiotics, antihistamines, birth control pills and oral diabetes medications require customers to take additional precautions to avoid sunburn, hives, rashes or other skin irritations.

Rite Aid's Skin Care initiative is part of its yearlong commitment to health and wellness. Throughout the year Rite Aid pharmacies offer special health condition programs that provide patients guidance on topics such as pain management, diabetes management, weight management, heart health and allergy awareness.

Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains with more than 5,000 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia with fiscal 2008 annual sales of more than $24.3 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company's website at http://www.riteaid.com.

Source: Business Wire

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