A shocking four out of every ten people who suffer from a skin disease in the UK have been bullied as a result of their condition, a new snapshot survey reveals.

23% said that they had suffered from an isolated incident of bullying, with a further 18% revealing that they suffered from regular bullying from their workplace or school. A staggering 92% had been on the receiving end of unwanted remarks and stares. The online survey, conducted by the skin disease research charity the British Skin Foundation, gives a thought provoking insight into the nine million people who live with a skin disease in the UK.

The survey was conducted to better understand how skin disease affects sufferers in the UK. 256 people were asked a series of questions relating to their skin disease and the impact it had on their life. The results show that the effects of skin disease go far beyond that of simply having to apply some cream. Four out of every ten people who took part said that their skin disease was a cause of high levels of stress and anxiety. One in ten participants said they had been hospitalized for their skin problems, 11% said they had taken time off work or education and 19% said they had regular loss of sleep as a direct result of their disease.

The results also highlighted the effects felt by those around the sufferer. When asked if they felt they were affected by someone else's skin disorder, 33% said they suffered from a lack of sleep and just under half of respondents stated they felt stressed or anxious by the other person's skin disease.

Worryingly, when asked about what forms of support they relied on for dealing with their skin disease, a quarter said they didn't rely on anyone or any service for help. Only 6 people out of the 256 relied on a patient support group, with the majority opting for friends and family (51%) and over a third relied on their GP for support.

The British Skin Foundation's Chief Executive, Matthew Patey, is determined to change the situation. He says: "It's about time people took skin disease seriously. We need to break down the misconception that skin disease is nothing to be concerned about. On the contrary, thousands of people will die this year alone from a skin disease. Although the survey offers only a tiny glimpse at what sufferers go through on a daily basis, we often forget that the effects are not limited to the symptomatic issues, but often branch out into discrimination and unfair treatment outside of the home."