The world is more connected than ever. And while seeing happy snaps from our friend’s and family’s daily lives makes us smile, an endless barrage of flawless influencer photos, seemingly forever-perfect lives and the pressure to post can sometimes cause the opposite — enter, Instagram anxiety.
What about my skin? He hasn’t seen my skin. What will he think if he sees me without makeup? Am I catfishing him? I’ll have to take my make-up off at some point. But he might think I’m disgusting. My skin might ruin everything. I’m terrified of showing him my acne. I hate my skin.
In the literal sense, acne is just on my skin. It’s just skin – it’s no big deal, right? Well… It’s not just my skin, it’s my mind Acne is more than skin deep — serious skin conditions like acne have both mental and emotional effects.
I’ve struggled with cystic, hormonal acne since I was 14. I’m now 24 and take spironolactone – an anti-androgen medication used, off-label, to treat acne and PCOS. I still get a few breakouts – but overall, my acne has improved significantly.
My skin consumed my thoughts Isn’t it crazy, that you can have such exciting plans and prospects, something you’ve always dreamed of – and acne, of all things, can make you dread it?
I’ve been challenging myself to not see the process of having acne as a bad thing. Why not take the positives from it and make the best out of a crappy time? Here are the positives I’ve found in experiencing acne – and I challenge you to find some, too!
