A New Understanding of the Acne Scarring Patient Journey

How does psychosocial and emotional pain impact a "cosmetic" condition?

Context

In anticipation of a product launch in a new space, our client needed to understand the patient journey of those living with acne scars in order to meaningfully connect with this new target market.

Challenge

Our client sought to understand the acne scarring patient experience and journey, including journey stages, emotional experience, unmet needs, drivers and barriers, and treatment experiences each step of the journey.

While many may categorize acne scarring treatment as cosmetic, to the acne scarring patient, it represents psychosocial treatment for the significant emotional pain they’ve experienced while dealing with both acne and acne scarring. Rather than a cosmetic endeavor, seeking treatment is an effort to feel normal after experiencing a lifetime of social rejection, ridicule, depression, and anxiety.

Our Approach

Analysis / synthesis of themes identified in audio recordings of Gastro-patient appointments.
Video-recorded responses from Gastros and patients just before and after an actual UC appointment.
Ethnographic interviews including behavioral interviewing techniques, such as metacognitive exercises.

Our Impact

Armed with a new understanding of the acne scarring patient experience, the team used our final report and video to push for insurance coverage of their new acne scarring product. They recognized how critical acne scarring treatments are for the psychological health and wellbeing of these patients. Additional psychological measures were also added to the clinical trial studies, allowing our client to demonstrate the psychological impact of their new product.