Gina Torres Introduces SXSW Documentary Under My Skin About People with Eczema: 'There's No Shame'

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Gina Torres is raising awareness about eczema and hoping to help those who suffer from it.

The actress and health activist is hosting a SXSW film screening of Under My Skin: Untold Stories of Life with Eczema, a short documentary film on the physical and mental health aspects of the skin condition; it premieres on March 14 and will be available on YouTube.

Though Torres does not suffer directly from eczema, which causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, she told PEOPLE exclusively how she can empathize with people who do, after struggling with past insecurities from adult acne. The New York City-born star has also seen firsthand how eczema can affect people, as she has "family members and dear friends who have suffered from it for years."

"Friends who have children who have suffered from it," Torres tells PEOPLE. "So it is definitely a cause close to my heart as somebody who has not personally had it," she adds, noting that she is "happy to lend her voice" to bring more attention to eczema, explaining that it does not typically get enough attention in the health space.

Specifically, Torres says she didn't understand "the levels of severity" and "how differently it realizes itself in different bodies."

"I understood that not everybody knew about this," the former Health magazine cover model says.

As for the sometimes debilitating emotional effects, Torres explains "that's why this film is so important," she says of the Redglass Pictures-produced film. "They've brought these three people together to tell their stories and how differently they live and have had to live with — and their own individual journeys with this condition. And it can be devastating."

"I mean, our skin is what people see, right? It's the first thing that people see," the Suits alum continues, "especially as somebody who has suffered from various skin conditions over the years as well, who is on camera," she says.

"It affects all aspects of your life because all you're thinking is, 'this is all they see,'" Torres points out. "All they see is my skin. They're not seeing my smile. They're not seeing the twinkle in my eye," she says.

"And so the struggle to get past that in your life, to make sure that people sort of see the person inside you — I mean, what's so lovely about these individuals that you're going to meet ... is that you see the light in their eyes, you see their humanity. You see how real the struggle is just to be seen as themselves and to not feel like all they are is this shell."

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Redglass Pictures

Under My Skin: Untold Stories of Life with Eczema follows Lanese, a single mom who took control of her own condition after seeing it affect her young daughter; Rob, who sought help from a dermatologist with encouragement from a loving girlfriend who saw the toll eczema was having on his emotional well-being; and Alexis, a young woman who discovered a supportive community after sharing her story on social media.

As the film uncovers what is often unknown and misunderstood about this chronic disease, it shows that having the courage to seek help can turn a story of suffering into one of hope.

For those out there suffering, Torres advises seeking individual treatment to "properly diagnose that's what's going on, you know, the 'why' of what's happening," she says, explaining how important it is to get "dietary input" as well with these types of conditions.

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Most importantly, Torres wants people to know "there's no shame in it, to fight the stigma of it and know and understand that you're not alone."

"You know, when you start off a career, you really don't expect to have these kinds of opportunities," Torres says of her fortune in being able to play "exemplary women" on screen, which in turn has given her a platform to amplify voices of people suffering.

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"And that's what Under My Skin does. It really helps people understand that they are not alone in this, [and] that eczema is a problem worldwide."

Under My Skin: Untold Stories of Life with Eczema is co-directed by award-winning filmmakers Sarah Klein and Tom Mason from Redglass Pictures. The film is presented by AbbVie and will be streaming on YouTube March 14.