Fully 62 percent of Americans agree that they have experienced more skin troubles during the pandemic than ever before.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on every aspect of life including skin, according to a new survey from CeraVe.  

Fully 62 percent of Americans agree that they have experienced more skin troubles during the pandemic than ever before, with top concerns being dryness (51%) and itchiness (31%), two symptoms that can also be a result of disrupted ceramide levels in skin. 

Unfortunately, winter also heightens these issues. Americans are concerned that this will only worsen due to new habits and behaviors, like increased frequency of handwashing (46%), wearing masks/face coverings (36%) and increased stress (28%). 

This is why as many as two-thirds (67%) of Americans are planning to recommit to a skincare regimen in the new year.

"Flareups of skin concerns are often a result of a compromised skin barrier, so winter skincare regimens should focus on protecting and supplementing the barrier with products formulated with ceramides, a key component that makes up 50 percent of skin's barrier," says dermatologist Elyse Love, MD in a news release. "I recommend upgrading moisturizers from lotions to rich creams in the winter months, like CeraVe® Moisturizing Cream to counteract the effects of winter and replenish ceramides which restore the skin's natural protective barrier."

Giving careful consideration to the ingredients in skincare products is important for giving the skin what it needs, yet 70 percent of Americans are not looking into product ingredients when making skincare choices. Of those who do consider ingredients, only one-third (30%) know to look for ceramides and less than one-quarter (23%) look for hyaluronic acid, two essential ingredients for healthy skin, which are both found in CeraVe products, the survey found.

"As a therapeutic skincare brand, CeraVe understands that the needs of the skin vary by person based on a variety of factors, such as age, gender, race and even geographic location," says Jaclyn Marrone, Vice President of Marketing at CeraVe. "We take pride in working with dermatologists to develop safe, effective formulas so our consumers can choose between a variety of therapeutic solutions to meet their unique skin needs, all made up of three essential ceramides and carefully selected ingredients to address their individual concerns, from acne to itchiness and more."

The new CeraVe survey was conducted online within the United States by OnePoll on November 25, 2020 among 2,005 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.