Handling comments and questions
View our tips, techniques and suggestions to help you handle comments and questions about your visible difference or disfigurement.
On this page
Most people with a visible difference or disfigurement are all too familiar with people staring in curiosity or surprise. Staring can be difficult, uncomfortable, distressing or even offensive.
Many people with a visible difference find that it can be useful to have a plan for how to react when someone stares at you.
On this page, we share some tips and techniques you can use if you notice people staring at you.
Why people stare
It can help to try to understand why people stare at those with a visible difference or disfigurement. This in itself can make it easier to know how to react when someone stares at you.
Not everyone will have met someone with your condition, mark or scar before – and most of us are naturally curious when we see someone or something new. People often look longer than usual without realising that they are doing so, to make sense of what they are seeing. People might stare, double-take or turn away because they are surprised, uncomfortable or unsure of how to act.
Most people are not being deliberately hurtful. Maybe you could think of a time you were interested, shocked or surprised by someone’s different appearance – it’s possible you were also curious and looked for longer than usual. You may find this reassuring if you see people staring at you.
Although it may help to remember that most people are not being unkind and don’t want to hurt your feelings, it can still be exhausting and upsetting to experience people staring whenever you go out.
Every day, people stare at me. People need to be aware of how that makes someone with a visible difference feel – having a visible difference means never having a day off. I don’t get to take my scars off and forget about them. Every day when I leave the house, I need to check in with myself to see how I am going to handle staring or comments.
Tips for handling staring
If you find people staring at you because of your visible difference or disfigurement, the way you respond is up to you. You may choose to respond differently depending on the situation and how you are feeling at the time.
If you would like to, try these tips for handling staring in different situations:
Help the person to become aware of their staring
- Look back, smile and hold the other person’s gaze briefly. Most people will smile back and then look away.
- Look back, smile or nod to show them you have noticed – this may also break the ice.
- For people staring more persistently, look back and hold their gaze whilst raising your eyebrows as an acknowledgement that you’ve noticed their staring.
- If the staring continues, frown to tell them you are not happy.
It is possible to control a social situation where you find people are staring just simply by smiling or saying, “Hi”. I work in a shop and find that most people smile back, reply and actually realise that you are “normal”. Others will continue with what I consider to be hostile behaviour, which can be upsetting, but I just think what a waste of time they are!
Decide not to respond
You might notice people staring at your visible difference or disfigurement and decide that you are not going to respond to them. This doesn’t mean you are “letting them get away with it”. It is in your power to choose how you will respond to others.