Skin Health & Skin Concerns Research Abstract

Prevalence, Persistence, and Psychosocial Impact of Skin Concerns: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey of 317 Adults

June 2026

Key Findings

1. Skin concerns were near-universal: 99.7% of respondents reported at least one, with a mean of 3.6 concerns per person and 69.1% reporting three or more concurrently.
   
2. Ageing-related concerns dominated - wrinkles or fine lines (67.5%) and signs of ageing (61.8%) were the two most prevalent - followed by dry skin (45.4%) and spots or breakouts (39.4%). The mean age at which fine lines were first noticed was 44 years.
   
3. Skin concerns carried a substantial psychosocial burden: 62.1% said their skin impacts their confidence, 28.4% rarely or never feel confident going make-up free, and 18.0% had been prevented from attending a social event by their skin.
   
4. Respondents strongly linked lifestyle to skin health: 87.7% believed stress or poor sleep affects their skin and 79.8% believed diet does, yet only 42.3% regularly drink two litres of water a day.
   
5. Awareness of supplement composition was limited: among those who answered, 44.4% did not know that conventional collagen supplements are derived from boiled animal or fish bones, ligaments, and skin - a relevant consideration for vegan and vegetarian consumers.

Background

Skin concerns - ranging from acne and breakouts to wrinkles, dryness, and signs of ageing - are among the most prevalent cosmetic and dermatological complaints, yet population-level data describing their breadth, persistence, and psychological impact outside clinical settings remain limited. The skin is also increasingly recognised as responsive to nutritional and lifestyle factors, and the market for skin-health supplements has grown accordingly. This study aimed to characterise the prevalence and frequency of skin concerns across a broad adult sample, the psychosocial impact of those concerns, beliefs about lifestyle influences on skin, and awareness and experience of skin and collagen supplementation. The survey was conducted by DR.VEGAN^®.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 317 adults. Individual-level response data were available for all analyses. The survey captured age and gender; the range of skin concerns experienced across the body (15 defined categories, multiple responses permitted); the frequency and body location of those concerns; the age at which fine lines were first noticed; the psychosocial impact of skin appearance, including effects on confidence, make-up use, and social participation; beliefs about the influence of diet, stress, sleep, and hydration on skin; and experience of, and attitudes toward, skin and collagen supplements. The sample skewed female (95.0%) and toward midlife, with 73.2% aged 45 or over - a demographic profile consistent with heightened engagement in skin-health concerns.

Results

Prevalence and burden of skin concerns

Skin concerns were effectively universal: 99.7% of respondents reported at least one, and the burden was typically multiple - a mean of 3.6 distinct concerns per respondent, with 69.1% reporting three or more. Ageing-related concerns led the profile, with wrinkles or fine lines (67.5%) and signs of ageing (61.8%) the most prevalent, followed by dry skin (45.4%) and spots or breakouts (39.4%). See Figure 1.

Psychosocial impact

Skin concerns extended well beyond the cosmetic. 62.1% of respondents reported that the appearance of their skin impacts their confidence, and among the 66.2% who wear make-up, three-quarters (75.2%) did so at least partly to cover skin concerns. More strikingly, 28.4% rarely or never feel confident enough to go out without make-up, and nearly one in five (18.0%) had at some point been prevented from attending a social event by the condition of their skin. See Figure 2.

Beliefs about lifestyle influences

Respondents perceived a strong link between lifestyle and skin health. The connection was most strongly felt for stress and sleep, with 87.7% believing these affect their skin (49.2% ‘a very big impact’), followed by diet at 79.8%. Despite this awareness, behavioural follow-through was incomplete: fewer than half (42.3%) reported regularly drinking two litres of water a day. See Figure 3.

Supplement experience and awareness

Skin or collagen supplements or topical products had been tried by 40.7% of respondents. Notably, among those who answered the question, 44.4% did not know that conventional collagen supplements are typically derived from boiled animal ligaments and bones or the skin and bones of fish - an awareness gap of particular relevance to the substantial proportion of consumers following vegan or vegetarian diets and a clear opportunity for plant-based alternatives.

Conclusions

This survey of 317 adults demonstrates that skin concerns are highly prevalent, typically multiple, and carry a meaningful psychosocial burden that extends to confidence and social participation. Ageing-related concerns predominate in this midlife-weighted, predominantly female population, with fine lines first noticed at an average age of 44. Respondents intuitively connect skin health to modifiable lifestyle factors, particularly stress, sleep, and diet - yet hydration behaviour lags behind belief, suggesting a gap between awareness and action that nutritional and educational interventions could address. The finding that a substantial minority are unaware of the animal origin of conventional collagen supplements highlights both an information gap and an opportunity for transparent, plant-based formulations. Taken together, these findings establish a clear rationale for evidence-based, accessible approaches to skin health that address the visible concerns, the psychosocial impact, and the lifestyle drivers that consumers themselves recognise.

Keywords: skin health, skin concerns, wrinkles, fine lines, signs of ageing, dry skin, acne, psychosocial impact, confidence, collagen supplements, diet and skin, women’s health

Survey date: 2024–2025  |  Sample size: N = 317  |  Population: 95% female; 73% aged 45+  |  Data type: Individual-level responses   

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