Makeup is often associated with beauty, vanity, and women; a weaving of colors and contours that highlight the assets and conceal the imperfections of a face. Meanwhile, a new study has found that makeup also benefits children and teenagers, particularly those with skin problems and conditions.
Researchers discovered that makeup serves like "medicine" that helps improve these kids' quality of life by helping conceal visible birthmarks and other skin conditions. The study affirms what some pediatric dermatologists have been claiming- that children and teens with disfiguring skin conditions were less likely to be teased and bullied when they wear durable makeup, also known as "cosmetic camouflage". Wearing such type of makeup also makes the child or teen more comfortable in his or her own skin, added the researchers.
According to Dr. Nanette Silverberg, she has had patients who were so embarrassed about their skin situation, that they had a hard time going to school. Cosmetic camouflage greatly helped these children return to class, Dr. Silverberg said.
She adds that not all children are used to having a distinct birthmark on their face, and cosmetic camouflage helps them deal with it.
Dr, Michele Ramien and her research team from University of Montreal studied 35 girls and three boys between the ages five and 18. These children had vitiligo, birthmarks, and other skin conditions. As for the stark difference in the girl-boy ratio, Dr. Ramien noted that although the team tried recruiting more boys to participate in the study, the notion of makeup makes the boys recoil and therefore refuse to get involved in the study.
Results revealed that makeup does wonders on how a child perceives and carries his or herself, as well as how other people respond to them.
Dr. Ramien adds that the opportunity to utilize makeup is a "sort of nice buffer". Though it is nice to think that every child can handle walking around with a huge birthmark on the face or red spots or anything distinct on the face, not every child can indeed weather this. "It's not fair to burden a child with this," she said.