Acne Positivity: Being Confident in Your Own Skin
Breaking Down the Stigma Surrounding Acne
I have struggled with acne since I was fifteen. High school is stressful enough, and the added anxiety of being self-conscious about your skin is nothing to take lightly. I tried everything, from Proactive, to birth control, to all of the skincare kits in existence. I spend hundreds of dollars and countless hours trying to get rid of something that would be with me for years.
Nothing seemed to work, so I decided to paint my face with foundation every morning before school. I would spend hours in the bathroom, trying to cover up my insecurities. The fear of acceptance is something that everyone deals with, and feeling insecure about your face only makes it harder to fit in.
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No matter how much I tried to cover my pimples, people still made comments, because if you know anything about cystic acne, it’s not easy to hide. People would ask me questions like, “Why don’t you see a dermatologist?” and “Don’t you wash your face?” As if their advice to simply “wash my face” was groundbreaking information that I had never considered.
I would try not to let it upset me, they didn’t always realize the impact their words had on my self-confidence. I wish I had realized sooner that it didn’t define me, and that I noticed my imperfections more than anyone else.
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I knew it was nothing I was doing wrong. With the help of my dermatologist, I had come to the conclusion that it was genetic, but most of all that it was stubborn and at the end of the day, it wasn’t going anywhere. Despite the daily struggle, I soon realized that I wasn’t alone in my battle for clear skin. Most people experience breakouts at some point in their life. In fact, 85% of people between the ages of 12 and 24 struggle with acne.
The media often portrays the standard of beauty as having perfect skin, and it’s easy to scroll through Instagram and compare yourself to celebrities and models. In reality, most of the people we see in the spotlight are going through the same struggles. Countless celebrities have come forward with their acne struggles, and they know how it feels not to be comfortable in your own skin. It’s easy to assume that celebrities are perfect inside and out, but behind all the retouching and professional makeup is a real person who faces the same insecurities as everyone else.
Lili Reinhart, who openly suffers from adult acne, started a hashtag on Instagram to let people know they are not alone. She shared her story on social media, how she often felt “ugly” and how her breakouts destroyed her self-esteem. Despite her struggle, Lili Reinhart has used her story to inspire people to not let acne define them.
It is easy to get caught up in appearance, to compare yourself to others. It is important to remember that you are not alone, and confidence truly does come from within. The mythic and sought after perfection surrounding clear skin is a fairytale. The reality is, the standard of beauty must be rewritten, and it’s time to normalize breakouts. We are all full of flaws and insecurities, but those are what makes us unique.
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
I am 20 years old and I still struggle with acne. It isn’t always easy to look in the mirror and see the flaws in your reflection, but I will not hide from my scars or breakouts. Instead, I’ll learn to love them. One thing I have learned from my battle with acne is that the scars you’re left with tell a story of struggle, bravery, and growth, and that is what defines you.
Your beauty is not lessened by the marks on your face. If anything, the confidence that comes with embracing your skin makes you even more beautiful. So, embrace your imperfections. Acne is beautiful and so are you.
Strike out,
Emma Saunders
Boca Raton