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How To Navigate Acne With Confidence

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Maddy Pappas
How To Navigate Acne With Confidence

The Psychological Effects of Acne 

With age and the effects of certain hormones, a lot of people find themselves dealing with acne. While acne is a skin condition, the sudden appearance of red bumps can actually affect mental health too.


Impacting everything from self-esteem to self-image and inducing feelings of depression and anxiety, the effects of acne are anything but skin-deep. However, sufferers must take comfort in the fact that the end is always in sight.


Rather than obsessing over the appearance of every blackhead or whitehead, there are ways to remain confident when dealing with blemishes. This is especially true when you consider that the majority of people will be forced to deal with acne during their lifetime. 


Understanding acne 

It’s important to consider that acne can occur on many different facial types. In fact, 80% of people will experience some variety of acne at some point. This is because hormones related to everything from puberty and menstruation to menopause can cause acne. 


When it comes to identifying acne, it’s important to understand that there are many different forms of this skin condition. For example, some people may deal with noninflammatory acne like blackheads and whiteheads.


However, other individuals may be forced to deal with inflammatory acne such as pustules that are characterised by their red, tender and pus-filled nature. Additionally, some people may suffer from cystic acne


Traditionally, cysts are inflamed, filled with pus and highly painful. Developing beneath the surface, cysts occur when facial pores are clogged by things such as bacteria, oil and dead skin.


The mental effects of acne


While acne mainly affects the skin, the visible nature of these blemishes can impact various elements of mental health. As the broader world can see bumps and redness, acne can cause sufferers to cancel social engagements in an attempt to escape such scrutiny. 


This isolation can then lead to feelings of depression and anxiety.  As such, a vicious cycle can begin. A spot appears, social isolation follows, self-esteem and self-image decreases, feelings of depression and anxiety increases. 


While this cycle undoubtedly has negative mental effects, it’s important to consider how stress contributes to acne. It’s true that stress doesn’t necessarily cause acne, however, for people who already suffer from acne, stress can make the spots worse. 


In fact, it’s widely researched and reported that acne wounds take significantly longer to heal when a person is under stress. This is because hormones responsible for stress levels also control oil production- something that is known to cause acne. 


How to stay positive

Looking in the mirror and seeing acne can be incredibly disheartening. However, by remaining committed to treatment options, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Remember, a little bit of positive thinking can go a long way. 


However, remaining positive when it comes to visible blemishes is often easier said than done. So, rather than losing hope, take it one step at a time. This way, confidence gradually builds. 


A good first step is to find a treatment option that is known to work on the specific type of acne you may be suffering from. While treatment options present a great first step, results won’t happen overnight. Treatment may take 6-8 weeks to show results. 


While this may be disheartening, it’s important to note that undergoing some form of treatment is better than doing nothing. Taking action can go a long way towards developing feelings of confidence by taking the situation into your own hands. 


The next step is to gain perspective. Remember the stats, 80% of people experience acne at some point. You’re not alone. While it may feel like people are looking at your acne, spots are always going to be more visible to you as you’ve likely been studying them in the mirror. 


Perspective gives you a little distance from the situation and helps you see things clearly. It also gives you the confidence to approach social situations again, rather than cancelling such obligations. 


Finally, a little bit of makeup can go a long way. While some people believe that makeup can contribute to acne, the right type of makeup for your skin type can truly work wonders without making matters worse.


By finding the right coverup for your skin, you can successfully hide breakouts that would otherwise keep you from going out on social occasions. Experimenting with different makeup and looks can be fun and helps you view your skin in a different, more positive way. 



Source: Pexels


Managing the emotional effects of acne

Waking up in the morning, looking in the mirror and seeing a new spot of acne that’s appeared can be extremely disheartening. However, despite being a visible condition, the effects of acne are more than just skin-deep. 


Impacting self esteem and inducing feelings of depression and anxiety, one small red spot on the face can have a myriad of different consequences. While any blemish on the skin can be frustrating, it’s important to remain positive. 


By looking at this skin condition through a positive lens, the cycle of having a pimple appear and feeling unhappy can be broken. Eliminating extra stress and leaving you with room to actually get out there and enjoy what life has to offer.



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