Skin camouflage volunteering
| "I burst out crying! I couldn't see any of the scars – it was the old me."
Apply now |
| | | 
| |
We give a new lease of life to people with visible skin conditions – such as burns, scars and birthmarks – by teaching them how to self-apply specialist cover creams. Could you help them brush up on their technique?
How would I be helping people?
As a skin camouflage volunteer, you could be instrumental in helping people transform their lives and gain new confidence. With just a little training, you can show people how to use the creams to provide effective, long-lasting cover. Your role might include:
- teaching someone to apply specialist creams
- helping someone regain confidence and self-esteem.
What skills and training do I need?
You should have good interpersonal skills and an excellent eye for colour and tones.
We provide all equipment and a comprehensive five-day training course, updated annually.
How much time do I need to give up?
You and your volunteering manager will discuss how much time you are able to give. Since our volunteering opportunities depend on local needs, some areas may need volunteers more regularly or for longer hours than others. If one of our services requires more time than you are able to give, we may have other volunteering opportunities that fit your schedule.
Why are volunteers needed?
Without volunteers we would never be able to give people the help they need in a crisis. Because we offer so many services across the UK, we depend on people who generously give up their time to help others.
How do I apply?
You can search and apply online for skin camouflage volunteering opportunities. You can also talk to a service manager about current opportunities near you.
True story: Teen transformed by skin camouflage
After a bad fall from her bedroom window left Suzanne MacMonagle, 18, with a deeply scarred forehead, she became very reclusive for more than a year, rarely leaving home.
The teenager remembers: "I became very withdrawn and down after getting those scars. I became known as Harry Potter because the big scar was on my head, and people I hadn't even met before would call me names and laugh.”
An increasingly depressed Suzanne asked her GP about skin grafts, but instead he pointed her to the Red Cross’ free skin camouflage service – and she hasn’t looked back since.
Suzanne said: "It's the best thing I have ever done. A lady spent half an hour matching a special make-up to my skin colour and then applied it. When she handed me the mirror and I saw my face, I burst out crying! I couldn't see any of the scars – it was the old me.
“She then taught me how to apply it and I've never looked back. I put it on every day now and don't even think about those horrid scars because I know nobody can see them."
Apply now | |
|
