A Clear Case for Public Messaging

We all want to feel good in our skin.

Skin matters—how we look, how we feel, and how we move through the world. But it’s more than appearance: it’s your body’s front line. Skin reflects your internal wellbeing and shields you from external harm. And yet, the UK still has no clear, centralised public health messaging on how to care for it.

Each year, around 24% of people in the UK—equivalent to 13.2 million individuals (1:4)—visit their GP with a skin concern. That makes skin conditions the most common reason for starting a new consultation in primary care.

This is not a small problem. It’s one of the biggest—and yet many of these issues are preventable, manageable, or significantly improvable with consistent, evidence-informed advice.

According to the British Skin Foundation:

• 60% of people in the UK have experienced a skin condition in their lifetime

• 1 in 5 children has eczema, often beginning before the age of five

• 70% of people with visible skin conditions or scarring say it affects their confidence

• Acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and sensitive skin are among the top reasons people seek help

Skin issues are significant. They affect millions, and many could be avoided—or significantly improved—with earlier access to clear, evidence-informed guidance.

Yet public information on how to care for your skin—before things go wrong—is almost non-existent.

The Why: Prevention Is Possible

Skin is one of the few organs we can see, touch, and care for daily. Many common conditions can be prevented or improved through early guidance, lifestyle choices, and consistent care. Even hereditary or chronic skin concerns can be managed more comfortably and confidently when people understand what influences them.

Public health advice already exists for many of the same topics that affect skin health:

• Stress

• Sleep

• Diet and gut health

• Environmental exposures (e.g. pollution, heat, water hardness)

• Sun and UV safety

But skin is rarely included in those conversations—despite being affected by every one of them.

I believe this is an easy win. The NHS already does this work. It already delivers national messaging around prevention. It already funds dermatology teams, app content, and skin cancer care. What it’s missing is cohesion—and expansion.

It’s time to bring skin in.

The How: Building on What Exists

Across the country, some NHS Trusts and professional teams are already delivering inspiring work:

• UHDB (University Hospitals of Derby and Burton) have launched pop-up skin cancer education roadshows across local employers and GP surgeries, delivering practical information on sun safety, mole checks, and skin protection.

• Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance is running its “Be Smart Outdoors” campaign with similar aims.

• Dermatologists like Professor John McGrath are sharing clear, evidence-based skincare advice in public-facing platforms like the Zoe podcast—busting myths about anti-ageing products, suncream use, and skin resilience.

But these initiatives are scattered and disconnected. Imagine if they weren’t.

The Vision: A National Skin Hub

Imagine a dedicated NHS hub—or integrated section within NHS.UK—that provides:

• Clear, age-appropriate guides to everyday skin care

• A directory of preventative tools: how to cleanse, protect, and support the skin barrier

• Lifestyle-linked content: stress, sleep, diet, and skin

• Myth-busting advice from dermatologists and NHS teams

• Seasonal alerts via the NHS App (e.g. UV, air quality, hard water)

• Localised event listings for skin pop-ups, sunscreen giveaways, or educational roadshows

Skin support that’s engaging, aspirational, and practical.

Not just for eczema.

Not just for melanoma.

But for everyone.

The Opportunity

People care about how they look. And many are willing to invest in skincare—but without guidance, they’re left to navigate a noisy, confusing market alone.

This isn’t about making people feel worse.

It’s about helping them feel better.

Better informed.

Better protected.

Better supported—by a system that recognises skin as a vital part of health, confidence, and everyday life.

The Skin Well™ believes this is where Phase Two must begin.

With honest messaging. Real stats. Practical change. And the public, front and centre.

Sources and Further Reading

British Skin Foundation, NHS, Cancer Research UK, Wound UK, British Association of Dermatologists, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, Kent & Medway Cancer Alliance, Professor John McGrath (ZOE podcast), and others.

Because skin health is public health.

And it’s time we said so.

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