"I'm hoping to make people with visible difference more visible"
1 in 5 people in the UK self-identify has having a visible difference such as a mark, scar or condition that affects their appearance.
Last updated 17th Feb 2025
A woman from Essex - who started losing her hair due to alopecia at 13 - is hoping to raise awareness and "make people with visible difference more visible".
Laura Mathias, from Manningtree, kept her hair loss a secret for 17 years.
She told Greatest Hits Radio "I was waking up every morning with more and more hair on my pillow and didn't know how to disguise the fact I was going bald."
Laura is part of the campaign, The Changing Faces Pledge, which is encouraging better representation and awareness of people with visible differences and the impact societies perception towards them is having on their daily lives.
New research by charity, Changing Faces, reveals nearly one in five people across the UK self-identify as having a visible difference such as a mark, scar or condition that affects their appearance.
Yet, more than four in five (81%) people with a visible difference have experienced staring, comments or unpleasantness from a stranger, a figure that has been steadily rising in recent years.
The ‘A Face for Radio’ campaign, aims to challenge outdated perceptions by showcasing the stories of people living with visible differences across the UK.
Embracing her new life as a bald woman, Laura began posting about her condition on Instagram, and has now participated in numerous interviews and awareness drives for alopecia.
She tells Greatest Hits Radio: "I cannot remember the last time I watched a show and there was some incidental representation of a happy healthy bald woman."
She continues, "if 1 in 5 people in the UK self-identify as having a visible difference, why shouldn't we be seeing that in the media we're engaging with?
"That media should be a true reflection of the world we see, and if it's not then it's not working for us."
The stigma surrounding visible differences is severely impacting their daily lives, with almost half experiencing hostile behaviour, a third experiencing hate crimes, and over a third being discriminated against in a job application.
The Nationwide Call to Action includes outdoor advertising featuring vibrant images of Changing Faces ambassadors, a social media movement, inviting those with visible differences to share their stories, and The Changing Faces Pledge, urging brands to commit to greater inclusivity.
Businesses that sign up will receive expert guidance, connections to talent and agencies, and recognition as an approved partner.