Privacy policy
Last Updated: May 21, 2026
Introduction and Scope
The American Academy of Dermatology (“AAD,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to maintaining the privacy of the personally identifiable information of visitors to its sites. Our policies are designed to disclose the information collected and how it will be used. This policy applies solely to the information provided while visiting this website, www.aad.org and its related subdomains, and explains how the AAD collects, uses, shares, and safeguards Personal Information in connection with our websites (the “Sites”) and online services provided via the Sites(together, the “Services”). The terms of the privacy policy do not govern personal information furnished through any means other than this website (such as by telephone, mail, or email). By using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the data practices described here, you should not use the Services.
For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “Personal Information” means information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with an individual. The scope of this Privacy Policy extends to visitors, members, and other users of our Services. It supplements any channel-specific notices we may provide at the point of collection.
Who We Are and How to Contact Us
The data controller for your Personal Information is the American Academy of Dermatology Association. If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at mrc@aad.org or at:
9500 W Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 500 Rosemont, IL 60018-5216, United States.
How We Collect Personal Information
We collect Personal Information directly from you, automatically from your device and browser when you use the Services, and from third parties, as described below.
Summary of our collection and use practices. We collect categories of Personal Information such as contact information, membership and professional details, account credentials, payment and transaction data (processed by our payment providers), and communications you send to us. Personal Information such as postal and email address may be used internally for maintaining member records, and for marketing purposes for the AAD and AAD partners alerting customers or members of additional services available. Phone numbers may also be used by the Academy when questions about products or services arise. We also collect technical and usage data (including IP address, device/browser information, pages viewed, and interactions) and general location data from your device or browser. We use this information to operate and improve the Services; administer memberships, programs, and events; provide support and communications (including marketing consistent with your preferences); perform analytics and security; and develop and deliver targeted and retargeted advertising. We disclose Personal Information to service providers and vendors that support our operations; to partners and sponsors involved in AAD programs; and to advertising and analytics partners to measure performance and deliver targeted advertising. In connection with advertising and analytics, we may “sell” or “share” Personal Information as defined by certain state laws; you can opt out as described below, and we honor browser-based opt-out signals where required. We retain Personal Information for as long as necessary to carry out the purposes described herein, including preserving application data for member convenience in the event an individual reapplies for membership. Once it is no longer needed, we delete or de-identify the information in accordance with our retention practices described below.
Personal Information you provide to us. We may collect the following categories of Personal Information that you choose to provide: contact information (such as name, postal address, email address, and phone number), membership information, professional details, account credentials, and communications you send to us by phone, email, postal mail, or via the Services. We also collect information you provide when you register for, purchase, or participate in AAD programs and events (for example, Annual Meeting registration), educational offerings, certifications, or other AAD services, including payment-related details processed by our payment providers. Information provided on a form (such as registering for the Annual Scientific Meeting) is maintained by AAD solely for that intended use, unless stated otherwise. We may use phone numbers to contact you when questions about products or services arise.
Personal Information collected automatically. When you visit or use the Sites, we automatically collect technical and usage information, such as your IP address, device and browser characteristics, system settings and identifiers, pages viewed, navigation paths, search queries, time spent on pages, links clicked, and similar interaction data. We may also collect general location information derived from your IP address. We use this information for analytics, troubleshooting, security, and to improve and personalize the Services.
Personal Information we collect from third parties. We may receive Personal Information about you from service providers and vendors (e.g., analytics providers, payment processors, event management platforms), affinity and research partners, or publicly available sources, to help operate and improve the Services, deliver programs, administer memberships, and provide offerings that may be of interest.
Non-personal and aggregated information. We may generate and share aggregated or de-identified information (i.e. information about you and other individuals collectively, but not specifically identifiable to you) with third parties, including for general business analysis, to develop website content and services, and to communicate general insights to advertisers, research companies, vendors, and affinity partners. We may also share this information with third parties to develop and deliver targeted advertising to you on our websites and retargeted advertising to you when you visit websites of third parties.
Sensitive Data and Special Categories of Personal Information. To the extent we process sensitive Personal Information, including special category data under applicable data protection laws, we do so only where permitted by law and where an appropriate legal basis and condition for processing applies, including explicit consent where required. Such information may include, for example, data relating to racial or ethnic origin and sexual orientation. We use this information only for limited, specific purposes connected to our charitable and educational activities as a nonprofit organization, and not to infer additional characteristics about individuals. We will not share this information outside our organization except as necessary to carry out those purposes, to comply with legal obligations, or with your explicit consent.
Cookies, Pixels, and Similar Technologies
Our Sites use cookies, pixels, tags, SDKs, and similar technologies (collectively, "Tracking Technologies") to provide functionality, enable efficient navigation, understand usage, and support analytics and marketing, including targeted and retargeted advertising. In particular, our Sites utilize tracking pixels and tags provided by the following third-party platforms: Facebook (Meta), Instagram (Meta), TikTok, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. These Tracking Technologies allow us to measure advertising performance, build and refine targeted audiences, track conversions, and deliver relevant advertisements to users across those platforms. When you interact with our Sites, data such as device identifiers, browsing activity, and interaction data may be collected and shared with these platform operators, who may use such data in accordance with their respective privacy policies:
Meta (Facebook & Instagram): https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/
We may use Google Analytics to help us analyze how users interact with the Sites; Google’s collection and use of data is subject to its own privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Third-party cookies and tracking. Third parties, including advertising networks and analytics providers, may set cookies and other tracking technologies on the Sites to support analytics and to deliver targeted and retargeted advertising.
Your choices. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Some browsers and extensions support Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals; if we detect a GPC signal when you visit our Sites, we will treat it as a request to opt out of data sharing for targeted advertising where required by applicable law. You may also email us with the subject line “Opt Out of Targeted Advertising” or “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” to submit an opt-out request.
How We Use Personal Information
We use Personal Information for the following purposes:
To operate, administer, and improve our Services, including membership administration, event and program operations, educational and certification offerings, troubleshooting, analytics, research, and security.
To provide information, products, and services you request, and to fulfill other contractual or transactional relationships, including processing payments via our payment providers.
To communicate with you about AAD offerings, including newsletters and service-related communications, and to provide marketing for AAD and AAD partners where permitted by law and your preferences.
To develop and deliver targeted advertising on our Sites and retargeted advertising on third-party websites, including by using persistent cookies and similar technologies.
To comply with legal obligations, enforce our terms, protect our rights, security, and property, and prevent fraud or misuse.
Where required by law, we rely on your consent for certain processing (for example, some marketing or special-category data processing). Otherwise, we process Personal Information as necessary to perform a contract with you, to comply with legal obligations, or for our legitimate interests in operating, improving, and securing our Services, and communicating with our members and users.
How We Share Personal Information
We may share Personal Information with:
Service providers and vendors that help us operate the Services and our programs, including data hosting, maintenance, analytics, customer support, communications, payment processing, and event or learning management.
Partners, sponsors, and affinity organizations involved in AAD programs, events, or offerings, consistent with your choices and applicable law.
Advertising and analytics partners to measure performance and deliver targeted and retargeted advertising; we may share persistent cookies and usage data to support these activities.
Other parties in connection with corporate transactions or organizational changes, consistent with applicable law.
Government authorities, regulators, or other parties to comply with law, legal process, or to protect rights and safety.
Other Academy members, where approved by us, but only with respect to a member’s primary email address and only for purposes related to Academy advocacy activities or fundraising efforts in support of Academy programs.
Aggregated or de-identified information. We may share aggregated or other non-personal information with third parties, including advertisers, research companies, vendors, and affinity partners, for general business analysis and to develop content and services, provided such information does not identify you.
Targeted advertising, “sale,” and “share” disclosures. We may process Personal Information for targeted advertising and may “sell” or “share” Personal Information as those terms are defined under certain U.S. state laws when we allow advertising partners to collect or receive data via cookies, pixels, or similar tools for cross-context behavioral advertising. You can opt out of targeted advertising and the “sale” or “sharing” of your Personal Information by emailing mrc@aad.org with the subject line “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” or “Opt Out of Targeted Advertising,” or by using a supported browser that transmits a GPC signal, which we will honor as required.
Your Privacy Rights (U.S. Residents)
Depending on your state of residence, you may have rights to: (1) know and access information about our data practices and the categories and specific pieces of Personal Information we have collected about you; (2) request data portability; (3) request deletion of your Personal Information; (4) request correction of inaccuracies; and (5) opt out of targeted advertising, “sales,” or “sharing,” and in some cases profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects. We do not engage in profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
To exercise these rights, email mrc@aad.org. Where required by law, we will verify your request by matching information you provide with information we maintain, and we will respond within the timelines required by applicable law (generally within 45 days, with the possibility of a lawful extension). If we deny your rights request, you may be entitled to appeal; to initiate an appeal, follow the instructions in our response or contact us at mrc@aad.org. We will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising your rights. To opt out of marketing emails, follow the unsubscribe link in our messages or email us with the subject line “Unsubscribe”.
Your European Privacy Rights
If you are an individual located within the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, your personal data will be processed, used and stored in compliance with EU/UK data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If and when the EU/UK data protection laws apply to our processing of your Personal Information, you may have rights to request access, portability, rectification, erasure, restriction, and to object to certain processing; you may also withdraw consent where we rely on it. You may contact mrc@aad.org to exercise these rights or to raise concerns. If you believe we have not addressed your concern, you may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. If we transfer your Personal Information outside the EEA/UK, we will protect it through appropriate safeguards, which may include the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses and the UK IDTA/Addendum, as applicable. We do not rely on your use of the Services as consent to international transfers. Click here for our complete GDPR Privacy Policy.
Data Retention
We retain Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to provide the Services, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Where feasible, we aim to delete or de-identify Personal Information when it is no longer needed for these purposes.
In general, we retain membership and account records for the duration of your relationship with AAD and for a period thereafter as required or permitted by law; transactional records (such as event registrations and payments) for recordkeeping, accounting, and compliance; and marketing contact information until you opt out or we no longer need it to provide relevant communications. Retention periods may vary based on legal, operational, and security requirements.
Security
We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect Personal Information against loss, misuse, and unauthorized access or disclosure. While we strive to protect Personal Information, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Payment transactions, if any, are encrypted using SSL or comparable technologies by our payment processors.
Children’s Privacy
Our Services are not directed to children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 16. If we learn that a child under 16 has provided Personal Information, we will take steps to delete such information.
Links to Third-Party Sites
The Services may contain links to third-party websites or services not operated by AAD. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites or services you visit.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page and may provide additional notice as required by law. Your continued use of the Services after an update constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.
Contact Information and Requests
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, contact us at mrc@aad.org. For opt-out requests, please use the subject lines “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information,” “Opt Out of Targeted Advertising,” or “Unsubscribe,” as applicable.
