Most people are aware of Body Dymorphia Disorder, a mental condition in which a person thinks they have an abnormality that is revolting when in reality, it is barely noticeable or not even there at all. Body Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD) has all sorts of symptoms and subsets, some of the better known ones being eating disorders in women or steroid use and excessive exercise tendencies in men. BDD is also body part specific, such as fearing that the nose is oversized, too much or lack of body hair and sometimes even the size of muscles, breasts, and genitalia. This disorder is often linked to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as well.
Another subset of BDD is called Acne Dysmorphia Disorder and not many people are aware that it even exists. It has a lot of the same symptoms of BDD but focuses solely on the appearance of acne. Those with the disorder often go to extreme measures to cover up their acne. Now, we have all been conditioned to believe that acne is shameful and needs to be hidden- women especially being targeted for this issue. Makeup companies thrive off of concealers and foundations that promise to reduce the appearance of acne. It’s not necessarily abnormal for teens and young adults to want to cover up these “blemishes” with makeup. The thing with Acne Dysmorphia is those who struggle usually have little to no acne. They perceive it as being much more repulsive (bigger, redder, more prominent) than it appears to be to other people. These people often do irrational things to hide their acne and take measures other than makeup to hide it. Examples include wearing large sunglasses or scarves over their faces. In the most crippling cases, these people refuse to leave their houses because they are afraid of being seen. These are also all symptoms of BDD but like I said, the main focus with Acne Dysmorphia is, obviously, acne.
The Love Vitamin highlights that acne can often trigger mental illnesses:
Unfortunately, acne is an absolute champ at triggering some serious mental health issues – there is no question there. Most people blame their emotional problems on the acne itself, and therefore believe that as soon as the acne is gone, the depression and anxiety will go too. I believe strongly that acne may be the trigger and justify it but not the cause of the emotional distress itself.
Acne has been strongly linked to mental health issues such as depression, OCD, anxiety, Orthorexia Nervosa, (similar to an eating disorder but the victim hyper-focuses on healthy eating) and obviously BDD. The Love Vitamin also explains that sufferers usually have mild symptoms of these disorders but not to the full extent. As someone who struggles with Acne Dysmorphia, I can confirm that I have experienced mild forms of all of these in response to my breakouts. When I was younger, I was bullied from sixth grade until eighth grade because of my acne. I was teased and taunted by my classmates, siblings, friend’s parents and even my own step-parent. This contributed to my Acne Dysmorphia Disorder and even the slightest hint of acne can still trigger me. I even transferred to a school the next town over, desperately wanting to reinvent myself. I remember trying to eat healthier my entire high school career- being a vegetarian up until my senior year. I experienced deep depression and struggled with self harm for about two years as a result of the acne. I used to wash my face habitually, scrubbing at the skin until it was an angry red and raw, painful to the touch. I believed that constantly cleansing my pores and using harsh chemicals on my skin would rid me of the problem (sometimes I still catch myself doing this and have to step away from the sink.) I refused to go out in public without makeup on, always anxious and fearful that someone I knew would see my real skin and judge me. It was an exhausting time and there was never a moment that I wasn’t thinking about the flaws on my face. I didn’t understand why my skin couldn’t just be clear, like other girls at school or like the people on TV. It took a long time to get over it and to let myself be comfortable makeup-free. Even sometimes now, I fear going out without makeup on when I have mild breakouts. It’s a constant battle and I have to remind myself everyday that I am not my acne, that it doesn’t define me, and that it’s not the only thing people see when they look at me.
What can we do so that other teenage girls and boys don’t have to go through this exhausting trial? Why is there so much shame and stigma surrounding acne? The truth is, everyone gets acne at some point in their lives. Even newborn babies get baby acne, their pores trying to push out the amniotic fluids and other junk from being in the womb. Eight out of ten teens will get acne once they hit puberty. Our hormones tell our glands to produce something called Sebum. This then clogs and inflames the pores and we are left with infections: whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. Society tells us that this is somehow wrong and shameful, that our body’s natural response to puberty is ugly and repulsive. That the changes in our body must be hidden. It doesn’t matter if nearly everyone our age will experience acne, it doesn’t matter if even they themselves had acne as teenagers. We are told from almost every direction that it is gross and that we need to take corrective measures. The magazines give you tips that don’t really work on how to cure it and beauty companies constantly introduce all types of new products with the promise of clear skin within two weeks. What no one ever tells you is that your body usually sorts itself out in time as long as you use proper hygiene tactics. No one ever tells you that it is normal and that you are beautiful despite it. No one ever tells you that you do not need to hide or that you don’t have to be ashamed of it. But I’m here to tell you all of those things. You are beautiful and you do not need to hide from me or anyone else.
This stigma regarding acne NEEDS to be squashed. Society is ugly, acne is not. It is so strange to me that something almost every single one of our peers will experience is painted as gross and ugly. It’s utterly ridiculous that those same magazines that sell beauty standards are the ones who never show their faces. It’s hypocritical that the same companies that sell these “blemish removing cleansers” are the same people who pile makeup on their models and photoshop those same blemishes out of the picture. Why are we listening to this ,when, in reality, nobody has perfectly clear skin all of the time? Why do we allow these things to be sold to us when it’s all a falsehood. Acne should not be shamed to the extent of people (mostly teens) having horrific mental repercussions. We need to start selling the idea that pimples and zits are not ugly; the idea that truthfully no one really even notices them because they are too busy looking at the way your eyes sparkle.
Starting right now, I’m going to be carefree about my skin. I’m not going to worry about the pimple above my eyebrow or the red mark on the tip of my nose. I’m going to accept this as just another thing that makes me my unique, beautiful self. If you are struggling or worrying about your acne right now, I want you to know that I’m not interested in what’s on your face. I care more about your health and well-being and that is always the first priority, no matter what.
