It’s common knowledge that acne, even in mild cases, can cause permanent facial scaring which is unfortunate. But did you know that acne can exact and even heavier emotional toll? Psychological scarring and social disabling among acne sufferers, both teenagers and adults, actually can have far more serious long term consequences than the physical fallout.

By some estimates, around 85% of people between the ages of 12 and 25 develop acne. The psychological and social impacts during this emotionally sensitive time of life are huge. Adolescents are in the throes of developing their personalities just when acne manifests itself. During this time, peer acceptance is critical, and peer status becomes inextricably woven with physical appearance and attractiveness, often leading to severe emotional disturbance when acne erupts.

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Psychological Effects and the Emotional Impact caused by Rosacea and Acne

Research has shown that 75% of rosacea and acne sufferers have reported psychological effects such as lowered self-esteem and self-confidence that lead to a reduced quality of life. As a former rosacea sufferer for 27 years, I can deeply relate to this statistic which has led me to write this article from personal experience. I also stress the importance of seeking medical advice if you feel your are suffering from psychological effects that you feel you can not manage.

My rosacea symptoms started at the beginning of the 1980′s when I was in my late teens. It began with a light redness in the cheeks that became more intense as the day progressed. At first I thought I had contracted some sort of viral infection and tried to forget about it. However, after several weeks I continued to suffer from frequent flushing, which then lead to a permanent red complexion. At that time little was known about rosacea and the symptoms were considered to be a form of acne and were treated as such with sulphur based remedies. My doctor even recommended hot baths to relieve the symptoms; little did they know that these remedies actually made the condition worse, After a while I became very self-conscious of my appearance and had to endure the daily jokes such as: ”Don’t stand on street corners you might stop the traffic” or ”Are you sun burnt again?” Even social occasions or nights down the pub with my friends became a challenging event, as I continually found myself searching for the darkest corners to hide my flushed face. Back in the 80′s there was no Internet so the only source of trying to find a suitable remedy was through books in the local library, a quest that proved to be hopeless.

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One of the long-standing skin conditions among teenagers or adults alike is acne. There are many types of acne and there are equally numerous solutions that have been formulated to treat each of them. The scarring caused by acne does not only affect the person’s outside appearance but it also scars emotionally and psychologically.

Teenage years are the most physically-conscious years of all our lives. When an adolescent has acne during these years, it is possible that he would totally shy away from his peers. Adults, when still afflicted with this condition would possibly have an abnormal social life. People today are approval-seekers. The society dictates that physical appearance matters most and is the focal point of all decisions affecting a person’s social life. Today, how a person appears is highly significant of how other people would think of him as a person. A human’s tendency is to conform to the so-called norms and when he falls short, that is where the wrong perception about him begins.

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Acne is probably the most prevalent skin condition among both adults and adolescents. The physical appearance is not the only thing affected by acne; many people suffer psychological effects as well. Often they will avoid social interactions and events because of the insecurity they feel. Appearance, in modern society, has assumed monumental social importance. How we look often affects other people’s perceptions and evaluations of us, and more importantly, our estimation of ourselves. For teenaged sufferers in particular, the stress created by this social pressure can cause low self-esteem and low self-image that continue to affect people long after they have reached adulthood. Social acceptance during the teen years is more important than at any other time of life. So what happens if a person has a physically altering condition like as acne?

Why Acne Has Such A Negative Psychological Impact

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Self-image and self-esteem
The link between appearance and subjects’ self-image or self-concept and self-esteem was explicit and gave rise to much of the psychological morbidity in acne patients. Not surprisingly, the effect of an acne-related self-image on their self-esteem was considerable for many subjects. The effect was global and pervasive and colored most aspects of many subjects’ lives. Some older, more self-reflective, subjects noted that acne effect was particularly acute because of its peak prevalence during the teenage years, a time of psychosocial and sexual maturation and development of adult identity. A prominent element of self-image in the teenage years was acne’s effect on self-perceived sexual attractiveness.
Embarrassment and self – consciousness
Embarrassment and self-consciousness were directly linked to self-image and self-esteem. The theme of embarrassment was prominent in all subjects’ responses and was seemingly easier for many subjects to articulate than, for example, dysphoria or depression or anxiety.
Taunting and being judged.
Two important exacerbating factors in the relationship between acne and embarrassment and self-consciousness were taunting or teasing and a perception of being judged by others. Teasing could be psychologically damaging. Many participants were uneasy that they would be judged not only as unattractive but as less worthwhile people. They even feared being thought unhealthy, unhygienic, or in the case of the subject quoted here (a nursing student), not fit to be a health professional. The word “stigma” was used infrequently, but the theme of stigmatization was apparent in discussions of judgment.
Depression and anxiety
Mood and anxiety symptoms were common in this study, but depression and anxiety were somewhat peripheral in the map of psychological morbidity. A striking finding was that symptoms of anxiety related temporally to experiences of acne tended to be milder and less obvious than would be required for a clinical diagnosis of major depression. At times, emotions described as depression by subjects were more consistent with frustration and anger than with clinical depression. Another notable finding was that anxiety tended to arise in anticipation of, rather than during, episodes of being on show.
Consequences of the effects of acne
Consistent with findings regarding reduced self-confidence and fear of being on show were indications of avoidance behavior.
Permanent effects on personality
Contrary to the common perception that acne is a minor and temporary affliction of adolescence, many subjects thought that acne had had a permanent effect on them. Some subjects reported avoidance behavior in response to their acne, and some bore evidence of avoidant personality traits.
Moderating factors
Some factors moderated the relationship between acne and psychological squeals. Age and sex were relevant; women with late-onset acne were seen as especially likely to have squeals. Supportive family and peer groups were generally seen as buffering the psychosocial effects of acne. Women found camouflaging their acne with makeup was effective in decreasing embarrassment and self-consciousness, while men tended to try to rationalize acne as a normal accompaniment to adolescence. Subjects of both sexes employed “compensation,” which is pursuit of endeavours that compensated for their acne-affected appearance.

Acne, whether the common teenage variety or the rarer adult variety, is one among several types of skin infections that could produce serious skin blemishes and aesthetically undesirable consequences. Aside from the obvious physical markings that come with the onset of the acne, there is also the possibility that the breakout would leave scars on the face. While only adult acne and a select few skin infections leave scars, these marks are often difficult and costly to remove. Facial scars due to acne can have serious mental and social implications. Acne and skin infections can have mental health side effects that can be more serious than the infection itself since skin problems often have an effect on a person’s self-esteem.

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