Problem skin is never just ‘a minor irritation’

WE ALL know the phrase ‘comfortable in your own skin’ and understand instinctively what it means — a valuable sense of self and an ease with who we are. But what if, quite literally, you don’t feel comfortable in your own skin?

It is estimated that one in four adults are depressed by their skin condition — be it dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, acne, vitiligo etc — and only a third of those with the severest conditions say they have talked to a healthcare professional.

These statistics, compiled by the skin care brand E45’s Straight Up Skincare Project, confirm what I know from my own work about the huge emotional impact that skin conditions can have.

They may affect the sufferer’s conduct in the workplace, making them reluctant to engage with colleagues or promote themselves in meetings. They can also prevent them from enjoying a fulfilling social life, because who wants to go out and meet new people when looking in the mirror fills you with dread?

Sufferers can also fear that a partner will reject them because they are repelled by their face or body.

There is a wealth of information available if you know where to look, but I fear that GPs are too pressured to take seriously the impact of skin conditions on mental health or properly explore treatment options in any detail with patients.

It’s too easy to dismiss skin problems as minor irritations — but there is nothing minor about the problems they can cause, and the NHS must do more to address them.