Acne! What to do about it?

There is little in a teenager's life that causes as much anxiety as acne. Nothing compares to the overwhelming burden of dealing with the insecurities that come with this skin condition.

In our society, there appears to be an unearned bias against acne and scarring. In fact, research shows that individuals suffering from acne are perceived as being less likely to succeed in professional and social capacities.

Prone to acne and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, I have been on the receiving end of countless unsolicited opinions on my skin, what remedy is effective, and the necessity of drinking plenty of water. Not only are as such comments criminally unhelpful, they can have had an extremely detrimental impact on my self-image. People commenting on my skin has ruined my body image and left me incapable of thinking of much else than how bad my skin looks.

Over time, I have come to the realisation that perhaps my relationship with my skin would not be as warped if people did not choose to see acne in such a negative light. It is unfortunate that something as natural as acne is considered a disease, resulting from one's own shortcoming in taking care of their skin, despite the fact that hygiene and diet are not the only factors contributing to acne. As much as 90 percent of the population suffers from the condition at one point or another. The prejudice against acne and scarring can only be described as bizarre in comparison.

It is quite possible that the desperation to achieve a perfect skin and escape the throes of criticism can drive one to find remedies online. YouTube and TikTok are playgrounds of beauty gurus and aestheticians claiming to have discovered the ultimate cure. As tempting as the home remedies are, they are often ill informed and do much more harm than good.

Tea tree oil has a high chance of causing irritation when used in high concentrations, as does lime juice; baking soda does little else than ruin the skin's pH. Most of these remedies have little scientific evidence behind them and it is probably better for your skin barrier if you don't fall for the natural skincare hack bandwagon.

As fatigued as it may sound, a visit to the dermatologist's office is the best solution to combating acne. A skilled professional can properly diagnose the type and reasons behind acne and prescribe appropriate medication. However, there are over-the-counter products that can be quite useful.

Despite whatever method you choose to adopt, patience really is the key to success. It may take six months to a year or even longer, and it may get worse before it gets better but succumbing to criticism of your skin and giving up is not a choice.

Reference

Dréno, B. et al. (2016). How People with Facial Acne Scars are Perceived in Society: an Online Survey. Dermatology and therapy, 6(2), 207–218.

Zaima is a fake poet with a serious problem against anything that resembles seriousness. Send her your sympathies at zaima2004adrita@gmail.com