This short documentary follows the personal stories and lived experiences of five adults with scars. It is freely available online here.
Media, such as films and videos, can play an important role in reducing stigma towards people who look different, and thereby improve the lives of people living with visible differences, such as scarring.
Please note, this video includes descriptions of surgical procedures, self harm and abuse.
We’d to have your feedback on the Scars documentary – please complete our quick survey here.
“It made me question my acceptance of my own scars and how I could reframe my experience”
“Brilliant video, beautifully filmed and edited.”
“Seeing people with diverse appearance talking about their experience helps people to relate and empathise.”
Podcast
You can hear more about this resource in this episode of the Appearance Matters podcast.
The Research
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146 adults completed questionnaires before and after watching the ‘Scars’ film. After viewing it, participants reported feeling more positive about their own looks, whilst also viewing people with visible differences more favourably.
Publications
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Mathews, A., Costa, B., Mikkola, A. & Harcourt, D. (2023). ‘Scars: How Our Wounds Make Us Who We Are’: Improving appearance-based stigma, conceptualisation of beauty and body esteem through a documentary about scars. Scars, Burns & Healing, 9 https://doi.org/10.1177/20595131231205398
The Team
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Abbi Mathews, Bruna Costa, Aida Mikkola, Diana Harcourt
Acknowledgements
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‘Scars’ was directed by Laura Dodsworth and Rebecca Lloyd Evans. It is a Tigerlily Production for The Guardian. We would like to thank the people who shared their stories in the film. The study to evaluate the impact of the film was funded by the VTCT Foundation.
