To cover or not to cover?

Embracing the skin you are in is a challenging concept when faced with a skin condition.  The stage of your life in which you develop a skin condition can affect how you approach your treatment and choices. This can be a challenge during school, university or an early career. Being a parent with young children or in a role where you are the face of a business can also test your strength of character, personality and mental health. As a result, people make the choice to cover the skin condition or not. - and this choice can change throughout the different stages of life.

Research[1] for Microskin™ found that almost half of those polled (45%) said their skin issues had made them feel self-conscious and more than a third (39%) said it had caused depression. A similar number reported anxiety (36%) and sadness (34%). It is important, therefore, to look beyond the surface level of skin conditions and acknowledge that the emotional and psychological issues relating to a condition can run deep.

Unfortunately, the reactions of others to skin conditions can exacerbate these issues. Our survey found that almost one in ten people (9%) had been refused entry into somewhere because of their skin condition. This was particularly common in those with vitiligo (33%) and hyper-pigmentation (25%). Visible skin issues, and particularly those on a dominant feature such as the face, can therefore have a big impact on someone’s well-being, with choosing to cover up the condition providing a source of relief from unwanted stares.

The chance to blend in can be a welcome relief, especially for those days when you’d rather not have to worry about other people’s reactions. This is where Microskin™ can help, thanks to our Camouflage by Microskin™ product which covers skin conditions such as vitiligo, scars, burns and birthmarks.

Ultimately, the decision around whether or not to cover up is a personal choice, there are many people who choose to do both, such as model Natalie Ambersley, who can be found on Instagram @being_just_us.  She has written about how she found using fake tan a huge saviour during her early twenties, however now that she’s in her thirties she feels liberated and is proud to have a skin condition.

Away from the modelling world, there are also ambassadors from the Vitiligo Society such as Simon Marlin, (featured image), an international DJ for The Shapeshifters. His work focuses on talking openly about vitiligo, as demystifying skin conditions is key to combating many of the misconceptions surrounding them. He is also a champion for loving the skin you’re in. In his talk at the Vitiligo Society he speaks about learning to wear his vitiligo “as a badge of honour”.

So rather than questioning whether to cover up or not, perhaps it’s about considering that you have the power to choose how you want to be seen by the world, rather than how the world sees you. 

Microskin™ is a specialised and versatile technology that has been developed to assist numerous skin conditions and at the same time protect the skin. All our products are focussed on providing choice when faced with a skin condition. Keep up to date with product release/ launch and the latest news at www.microskin.com.