Testing a Model of Disfigurement: Effects of a Skin Camouflage Service on Well-being and Appearance Anxiety

This paper outlines and tests a model of disfigurement that integrates psychological and sociological viewpoints on appearance anxiety. Thirty-two clients who attended the British Red Cross Skin Camouflage Service for assistance in covering skin blemishes completed questionnaires designed to assess aspects of the model just before and four months after their appointment. As predicted, the results indicated that attendance at the Service had beneficial effects in reducing self-reported avoidance and increasing confidence. Well-being as measured by the General Health Questionnaire improved for those who found the camouflage cream effective in covering blemishes. Also as predicted, more fundamental aspects of appearance anxiety as measured by the Appearance Schema Inventory and Fear of Negative Evaluation were relatively unaffected by the use of camouflage creams. The results suggest that the model can be used to understand the social and cognitive processes involved in dealing with disfiguring conditions and to inform assessment of the effects of medical and psychological interventions.