Acne is Not Ugly – Why it’s Normal to have Acne & Acne Scars

There are 10.3 million posts under the #acne hashtag on Instagram. Most of the pictures are “before” and “after” images of people with pimply faces and glowing skin respectively. There are also several paid posts and endorsements of acne ointments and face whitening creams. Amidst all these superficial posts, there’s one image that caught my attention, and it was an unfiltered, close-up of a woman with a face full of painful cystic acne, open pores and textured skin. More than being surprised looking at this picture, I thought it was a welcoming change.

For decades, society has considered acne ugly. People with acne have also suffered severe mental health and self-esteem issues. Well, I understand the trepidation. Pimples of any kind can be annoying to deal with and can be a big blow to a person’s self-confidence. However, that’s mainly because society, social media and advertisements have set unrealistic expectations for all of us. Ultra-curated poreless selfies and face-tuned jawlines are considered cool.

Embracing your Skin for what it is…

Thankfully, there’s a shift in the conversation surrounding acne. Photoshopping pesky pimples, covering acne, and retouching photos is now passé. Influencers, celebrities, and skincare bloggers are now embracing acne and putting them on full display. Social media users want to view content that is genuinely relatable. It is also considered powerful. Perfect, filtered and beyond-recognition skin is something nobody cares about anymore. This liberation has given birth to the acne positivity movement.

Activist Louisa Northcote started her #freethepimple campaign on Instagram, sharing selfies of her own unfiltered spots and encouraging followers to do the same. The premise of her movement was simple. Even though smooth, glowing skin can be achieved, she expressed that it shouldn’t be the goal. She wanted to lay emphasis that we can find peace with our flaws and realise that inner beauty isn’t defined by what is on the outside. As a result of this movement, people on social media started taking pictures of themselves without any filter or makeup, and tried to portray how they’re comfortable in their own skin.

It’s high time we realise that having acne and acne scars is completely normal. In fact, National Acne Positivity Day is observed each year on September 1^st across the United States. While Louisa is a part of the growing movement, Justin Bieber also declared that “pimples are in” with a selfie in 2019. Other celebrities that were praised for ditching makeup and showing their acne on-screen were Kylie Jenner, Mindy Kaling and Miley Cryus.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kusha Kapila (@kushakapila)

Besides actors in the United States, our “desi” influencers are also doing their fair bit when it comes to acne positivity. Content creator and actor, Kusha Kapila, has discussed every societal issue on her social media handle. Be it classism, gender issues, body shaming, or even politics, she has a witty and real take on everything. Earlier this year, Kusha took to Instagram to share her struggle with hormonal acne. She even posted flared-up images of herself. While her hilarious take on acne is a breath of fresh air, it also sends out a very important message. It gives people a chance to be and accept themselves. This has led to several people making peace with their skin problems, and this is definitely a welcoming change.

7 Interesting Facts about Acne

• Over 80% of the world gets affected by acne at some point
• 20 minutes of sun exposure can help how your skin deals with acne
• No specific food item can cause acne
• While water does not directly treat acne, it cleanses the skin and improves overall skin health
• Excessive face cleansing can do more harm than good
• There are 6 types of pimples – papules, pustules, nodules, cysts, black heads and white heads
• Acne has no age restriction, even though it commonly begins in puberty

Reasons to Embrace Acne Positivity & How you can be a part of the Movement?

Embracing your acne helps in more ways than one. The day you accept your skin for what it is, you will start feeling a lot better. Here are a few reasons why you should accept your acne:

• It spreads positivity

Embracing your acne creates body positivity. People on social media are tired of seeing perfect skin and hair. They want to see real people and read real stories. By embracing your acne, you get to spread positivity too.

• It encourages self-love

These days, acne seriously affects a person’s confidence and self-esteem. They try to conceal, contour and cover it. In the bargain, this leads to more acne. When you show the world that you’re comfortable in your own skin, they too get inspired by you. It makes you love yourself better and you end up feeling more content.

• It creates a community

When a person is dealing with acne, they tend to feel lonely. When you become a part of an acne positivity moment, a community is created. It becomes a forum for people to share their own journey and experiences with acne. When you see several people dealing with the same thing, you tend to feel reassured that you’re not alone.

To be a part of the acne positivity movement, it is important that you share your story. You can put up your journey on social media, share your struggles and reassure them that they’re not alone. Remember to use the hashtag #acnepostivity to create a sense of community and belonging. Whether you struggle with acne or not, learn to love yourself a little more each day. When you do that, you will tend to feel more confident.

“Your happiness shouldn’t be reliant on how perfect your skin is.” Go ahead and accept your flaws because acne, acne scars, pimples, zits, red spots, textured skin, open pores and anything else that is considered imperfect is completely normal.