CAR: Social media experiences of young people with visible differences

The Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England, conducted research looking at the role of social media in the lives of adolescents with visible differences.

The research was supported by Nerve Tumours UK, with younger members of the NF Community invited to contribute. 

Twelve young people, aged 13-17 (9 girls, 3 boys) opened up about their social media experiences. 

• How spending time on social media can be harmful to their mental health. 

"I was constantly comparing myself to other people's lives, which made me quite unhappy."

"You've got people commenting horrifying things to people just because there's that screen and there’s the anonymity."

• Their strategies for coping with negative reactions, and how they protect themselves online

"If they (people who react negatively to visible differences) see more stuff on social media with visible differences, and they get more used to it, they'll stop commenting on it so much and they'll stop commenting badly on visible differences."

• The value of using social media to connect with others who have visible differences
• Increasing representation and supporting and uplifting others
• Using social media intentionally, choosing content and setting limits to maintain a healthy balance.

"I think if you use it carefully then it can be a good thing, but you just have to be careful not to go down a bad route."

The results of this study will be combined with results from two other studies:

• adults with visible differences
• influencers with visible differences

The findings will be used to create resources to help increase awareness of the risks of social media and tips to use it in a positive way. Download and read the results below. 

Our Help section offers guidance and support for people with visible differences, including links to the CAR Visible Difference Support Hub pages and Visible Difference Support from Changing Faces.