Mederma Survey: America's Got Skin Insecurities

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and Mederma is unveiling their new "You Are More Than Your Scar" campaign to help people overcome skin insecurities and boost self esteem.

One-third of Americans would not use their smart phone for a year if it meant they could have picture-perfect skin, according to a new survey from Mederma. 

That’s not all they would do for clear skin either, many would cancel Netflix for life eat only oatmeal for a year, give up their favorite food for life or skip sex for a year, the survey found.

More than half of Americans avoid events altogether (pre-pandemic) instead of going through the hassle of dealing with skin issues and insecurities, and three in five respondents agreed that their skin has a big impact on their self-confidence and mental health. 

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and Mederma is unveiling their new "You Are More Than Your Scar" campaign to help people overcome skin insecurities and boost  self esteem. Alongside the new campaign, Mederma has also unveiled new packaging design across their entire suite of products that is currently rolling out on shelves.

"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," says HRA Pharma America, President, Bradley Meeks, in a news release.  "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. 

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

• Fully 54 percent of respondents admitted they struggle to find time for self-love and self-care. 
• More than 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. 
• Fully 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. 
• Fully 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.

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. 

Survey 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.