New Survey Finds Skin Insecurities Have Major Impact on Mental Health

MORRISTOWN, N.J., May 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Have you ever skipped an event because of a skin imperfection that made you feel self-conscious? If so, you're not alone. A new survey from the No.1 doctor and pharmacist recommended scar brand, Mederma, has found that more than half of Americans would skip events altogether (pre-pandemic) instead of going through the hassle of dealing with skin issues and insecurities. In fact, three in five respondents agreed that their skin has a big impact on their self-confidence and mental health.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness month this May and the brand's new "You Are More Than Your Scar" campaign, Mederma is revealing the ways in which perceived physical skin imperfections like acne scars, surgical scars and stretch marks, can affect mental health, self-confidence and anxiety.

"When we were creating our new 'You Are More Than Your Scar' campaign, it was inspiring to see that every scar has a story, and more importantly, people often fight silent battles with their marks and scars," said HRA Pharma America, President, Bradley Meeks. "This survey has shown that skin insecurities affect everyone and feeling confident in the skin you're in has a connection to mental health."

While the survey of 2,000 American adults revealed that skin imperfections have kept people from seeing family, going to birthday parties and even weddings, the survey also uncovered that some respondents already embrace their scars or have started to accept their insecurities – proving we are more than our scars.

Check out the Mederma "You Are More Than Your Scar" survey results below and what they reveal about Americans and their skin insecurities.

Americans' Top Skin Insecurities

• Respondents revealed that skin injuries like cuts (27 percent), burns (24 percent) and surgery scars (22 percent) have made them feel insecure about their physical looks.
• When it comes to what makes people most self-conscious about their skin, the top concerns included acne scars (32 percent), stretch marks (30 percent) and existing acne (25 percent).

Mental Self-Care Takes A Backseat

• 54 percent of respondents admitted they struggle to find time for self-love and self-care.
• Over half of respondents describe themselves as the "hype man" or "hype woman" of their friend group that always boosts everyone else's confidence – yet 54 percent struggle to get past their own insecurities to feel more confident in themselves.
• 62 percent of those surveyed are prioritizing the needs of others and neglecting their own mental health.

Skin-Esteem

• Three in five respondents also agreed that one thing, in particular, has a big impact on their self-confidence and mental health – their skin.
• 58 percent of those surveyed said they've even had social anxiety due to bad skin in the past.
• In fact, back in the pre-quarantine days, 61 percent of respondents said they'd skip events altogether instead of going through the hassle of dealing with skin issues and insecurities.

Skin Positivity

• For those with scars, 62 percent shared they've started wearing their scars with pride because they've made them who they are today.
• While so many suffer with skin insecurities, 64 percent of those surveyed said the pandemic has given them the time they needed to embrace their insecurities – and 52 percent have started to feel more confident in themselves.
• Half of the respondents feel so confident in themselves today, they'd post an unfiltered selfie on social media, and 42 percent shared they're more likely to join work video calls sans-makeup compared to the past.
• With these struggles and journeys in mind, it's no surprise that when respondents have a good skin day – 66 percent agreed they can take on the world.

Price of Clear Skin

• According to respondents, the top five things people would do for picture perfect skin:
• Cancel Netflix for life – 34 percent
• Not use a smartphone for life – 33 percent
• Only eat oatmeal for one year – 31 percent
• Give up your favorite food for life – 27 percent
• Give up sex for a year – 22 percent

Taking Cover

• Covering up skin imperfections was common, with 31 percent of respondents noting that they use heavy makeup and 36 percent saying they wear baggy clothing to hide perceived skin issues.
• Trying to get skin to look pristine also takes up a lot of time, with 26 percent of respondents saying their skincare routines take up about 5 to 6 hours a week.
• Out of the 87 percent of respondents with scars, half said they used to hate their scars and that their scars negatively affected their self-confidence in the past.

Celeb Skin Wishlist

• When asked what celebrity TV host's skin they'd like to make a filter of, Savannah Guthrie, Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest were the respondents' top three choices.
• When it comes to stars with scars, Gen Z felt that Selena Gomez, Padma Lakshmi and Kylie Jenner "owned their scars" the best.

Mederma understands how Americans feel about scars and stretch marks that leave a mark, which is why the brand's new "You Are More Than Your Scar" campaign strives to remind people that they are more than their skin imperfections. Alongside the new campaign, Mederma has also unveiled new packaging design across their entire suite of products that is currently rolling out on shelves.

For more information on Mederma, visit www.mederma.com or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Methodology
This 2021 survey was commissioned by Mederma and conducted online by OnePoll with a panel of 2,000 Americans (general population). The respondents were 18 years and older and results were split by age, gender and region.

About Mederma
Scars are a visible part of our past. Whether there's a meaningful story behind them or not, we don't always want them on show. The prying questions, the retelling of the same tale; or much worse – the silent judgment.

At Mederma®, we believe we all are more than our scars – our lives go deeper than what one can see on the surface. That's why Mederma® Scar products contain a UNIQUE TRIPLE ACTION FORMULA that doesn't just sit on the surface, but penetrates beneath the skin to visibly reduce the appearance of scars.

SOURCE Mederma