Sudocrem Unveils Bold New Campaign, Uncovered, to Celebrate Skin in All its Forms
More than one in three Brits (36%) admit to feeling uncomfortable getting undressed in front of their partner because of skin conditions like acne and eczema, new national research reveals, today.
Inspired by the millions of people in the UK who live with problematic skin, Sudocrem commissioned a Skin Study of 2,000 men and women to understand how deeply skin problems affect those living with them to mark the launch of its bold new campaign: Uncovered.
The Skin Study, published today, reveals that one in five have feelings of anxiety, often leading to social withdrawal, making it one of the key reasons why Brits avoid looking in the mirror when their skin is flaring up or breaking-out.
The research paints a stark picture of the hidden toll skin concerns are taking emotionally and mentally, with 59% of those surveyed admitting their skin condition makes them feel self-conscious.
The report also reveals that the psychological burden of skin conditions often leads to widespread social avoidance. Half of those surveyed admit to skipping social situations because of their skin, including nights out (31%), swimming (30%), romantic dates (30%) and even everyday activities such as shopping (21%) and eating out (22%).
Many celebrities, including Catherine, Princess of Wales, Victoria Beckham, Kendall Jenner Cameron Diaz and Samantha Faiers have opened up about their visible skin conditions and Sudocrem® hopes its Uncovered campaign will give way for everyday people to feel seen and heard by sharing their stories.
Bethany Innes, Sudocrem spokesperson, said: “Skin conditions aren’t just skin deep. They impact everything from confidence through to relationships and these conditions can flare up or break-out completely unexpectedly for so many of us.
“Our Uncovered campaign aims to create a space where people feel seen and heard and features real people with visible skin conditions who have learned to love their skin. We hope this encourages more people to feel empowered, not embarrassed, and to see their skin as part of their identity, and not something to hide from or to define them entirely.”
Further statistics from Sudocrem®’s Skin Study revealed that 51% of women avoid looking in the mirror when they suffer a flare-up and 33% confess to applying a social filter to change the way they look when posting on social media.
But it’s not just women who suffer.
The research shows that 24% of men confess to lacking confidence when working as a result of their skin conditions with 52% avoiding social situations like going to the gym or going on dates, which in turn makes them feel lonely (12%).
Sudocrem believes real change will only come through sustained conversation and visibility.
Featuring the stories of 10 people living with skin conditions ranging from acne to eczema whose beautiful, unfiltered images will feature in a first-of-a-kind exhibition captured by photographer Sophie Harris-Taylor, the campaign seeks to spark national conversation around the emotional and mental impact of skin conditions.
Ava Godden, one of the 10 real people who suffer from skin issues and is a subject in the Uncovered Exhibition, said: “I've had eczema since I was two years old. I do feel less confident when my skin is flared. I don't want to say ugly but like not myself.
“It takes a lot of self-confidence to get out like and go out into the world. When I look at myself in the mirror and I say you are beautiful today, that's what makes me feel the most confident.
“Recently I haven't let my eczema stop me from seeing my friends and being out.
Eczema is a blessing, not a curse, and it showed me how to be confident no matter what I look like.”
To uncover the emotive stories which inspired the campaign, visit the Uncovered hub at Sudocrem.co.uk or follow the hashtag #UncoveredbySudocrem on social media.
