Acne Positivity versus Social Stigma

By Athena and Anumita

What is acne and how does it form?

Lindsey, an editor at Byrdie, an online beauty platform that gives readers access to expert information and beauty secrets, once said, "Acne is not something that is physically debilitating; It's more so emotionally debilitating." If you’ve ever had acne, chances are it has made you feel anxious, insecure, or perhaps even ashamed at least once in your life. Acne, at its core, is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that causes spots and pimples, usually concentrated on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest, and arms. It occurs when hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, and often causes whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples. Some of its most common causes are hormones, bacteria, excess oil (sebum) production, genetics, and more.

There are many different types of acne. A whitehead looks like a small pimple, but the area around it is not inflamed and red. Blackheads, on the other hand, form when the plug that clogs the pore sits at the top surface of the skin, but are also not inflamed. Sometimes clogged pores become so inflamed and infected that they burst through their walls. This causes the infection to spread, which leads to a bigger pimple. These pimples are called pustules and papules. Papules feel very rough and ragged. Pustules are filled with yellow-tinted pus and look more like blisters on the skin than typical whiteheads.

The human skin is covered in millions of tiny pores that sit at hair follicles. Pores connect the surface of the skin to underlying glands called sebaceous glands. These glands produce an oily substance called sebum, which is continually released in small amounts into the hair follicles and skin. Dead skin cells are also carried up with the sebum so they can be washed away.

Occasionally, a sebaceous gland produces too much sebum, and this overproduction of oil can clog a pore with excess sebum, dead skin cells, and possibly bacteria, forming a plug in the gland. The bacteria can multiply and lead to an infection, causing swelling and inflammation around the clogged pore. A white tip of pus will sometimes form at the top of the clogged pore, creating a pimple.

Acne is most common among teenagers, though it affects people of all ages. Although effective treatments are available, acne can be persistent. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to go away, others seem to prop up.

How acne affects people

Many individuals suffer from social stigma and negative perception surrounding acne and skin conditions, leading to dispirited emotions and a poorer quality of life. Lack of representation and society’s prejudiced view of acne especially in pop culture, advertising, and social media increases the perceived stigma. This can lead acne sufferers to believe that they are abnormal and unattractive, thus preserving society’s prejudiced views. University of Limerick (UL) researchers Dr. Aisling O'Donnell and Jamie Davern conducted a study to investigate whether acne sufferers' perceptions of stigmatization significantly predicts psychological and physical health outcomes. The survey, which was conducted on 271 individuals who suffer from acne, concluded that one’s own negative perceptions of how society views their appearance has a direct correlation with higher psychological distress levels and further physical symptoms, including sleep disturbance, headaches, and gastrointestinal problems.

#FreeThePimple and other acne positivity movements

To help end the stigma surrounding acne, facial distinctions, and so-called “insecurities” multiple organizations and campaigns were established to shed light on normality of acne and spread positivity about acne-filled skin. Online campaigns like #freethepimple and the recent “acne-positive” movement emerging on social media is an encouragement for people of all ages to get involved in. Acne sufferers of different backgrounds have also begun speaking up about their experiences, and their voices grow louder as time passes by, using different forms of media to express themselves. Through her Instagram account @myfacestory, Kali Kushner shared her struggles with acne. In 2015, British blogger Em Ford posted a video on YouTube called “You Look Disgusting”, which showed people’s negative comments about her bare face and visible acne. These actions shed awareness not only on acne sufferers but also on people who suffer from various skin conditions, like vitiligo. As more people joined the acne-positivity community, more diverse voices and stories were told, stories that taught everyone, especially younger generations, that acne is a normal and common skin condition doesn’t define people who have it.

Kushner once said, “People will always have something negative to say...but now I feel like our little community has been able to educate those who were once ignorant...I only hope that it continues to grow...” These acne-positive movements stress that it is okay to have acne and its scars. It is a skin condition that affects a lot of people, and it is not something to be ashamed of. What are scars but a reminder of a battle well-fought? Acne scars may mar the skin, but it will never hide one’s true beauty.

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Bibliography

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Barton, Laura. “‘Pimples are in’ - the rise of the acne positivity movements.” The Guardian, 18 September 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/sep/18/pimples-in-rise-of-acne-positivity-movement

Holland, Kimberly. “ How Can I Prevent Pimples from Forming?” Healthline, 13 September 2016, https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/how-do-pimples-form#causes

Pederson, Traci. “Perceived Acne Stigma Can Affect Quality of Life, Especially in Women.” PsychCentral, 29 September 2018, https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/09/30/perceived-acne-stigma-can-affect-quality-of-life-especially-in-women/139107.html#:~:text=Many%20individuals%20with%20acne%20suffer,with%20the%20condition%2C%20particularly%20women.

University of Limerick. "Acne stigma linked to lower overall quality of life, Irish study finds: Women and girls with acne reported greater impairment of life quality than their male counterparts." ScienceDaily, 28 September 2018, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180928162311.htm

Brazier, Yvette. “What you need to know about acne.” Medical News Today, 27 November 2017, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107146

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