
And the biggest bugbear among those insecure with their appearance is their teeth, with 36% admitting to worrying about them.
The research, commissioned by SmileDirectClub noted that nationwide, Gen Z spends a staggering 36 minutes per day (8.4 days per year) worrying about their looks, which is 44% higher than the national average (25 minutes).
Meanwhile, baby boomers (55+) feel the most confident above any generation, with 60% of boomers rating their self-esteem as six or higher on a scale of one to ten, but 63% of respondents under the age of 55 are not so self-assured, rating their confidence as six or lower on the same scale.
As well as teeth, other features people in Scotland feel most self-conscious about are their smiles and hair (22%), as well as facial hair and eyebrows (15%), while well over half (61%) admit they tackle their insecurity by smiling with their mouth closed.
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Top Things Scots feel self-conscious about:
1. Teeth (36%)
2. Smile/Hair (22%)
3. Facial hair/Eyebrows (15%)
4. Nose (14%)
5. Eyes/Chin (10%)
Kay Oswald, President of International at SSmileDirectClub the industry pioneer and first direct-to-consumer medtech platform for transforming smiles, said: “It’s disheartening to learn how many people are struggling with their confidence and self-image on a day-to-day basis.
“Overcoming negative perceptions of ourselves is a vital step to transforming our lives and positively impacting our place in the world. SmileDirectClub is honoured to help people rediscover their confidence through affordable and convenient access to a straighter, brighter smile.”
Interestingly, the study revealed that 48% said that smiling has the power to instantly make them feel better. Perhaps this is why half (51%) of Scots say they would smile back at a stranger, no matter how out of the ordinary or awkward the situation.
Scots also voted Julia Roberts and Cheryl Cole’s smiles as their favourite (24%), followed by Michelle Keegan (23%), Kylie Minogue (19%) and Holly Willoughby (14%).
However, with a smile, must come a frown; according to the survey, being told to smile more was highlighted as the number one thing to make somebody in Scotland scowl (28%), closely followed by looking at finances (26%), receiving the wrong takeaway (24%), their football team losing a game (19%), and the Monday morning commute to work (16%).