Acne's Effect On Mental Health

December 9, 2022

Acne consequences regarding mental health, and what you can do to feel better in your own skin.

If you have acne and feel alone, and sad all the time, avoid going out or hanging out with friends and even stopped doing things you liked, you’re not alone, and this has a logical explanation behind it. 

There’s a link between having acne and decreased mental health, in which people who have acne tend to develop low self-esteem thoughts as well as poor body image.

This, over an extended period, can truly affect people and even after their acne is gone, they can still suffer the consequences in various areas of their lives such as work, friends, personal expectations, and more. 

In this post, we talk about acne and mental health, including why acne can take a toll on your mental health as well as what to do to feel better during tough times. 

The Relationship Between Acne & Mental Health

Research has been conducted studying acne’s effect on mental health, concluding that most people who have acne or are doing an acne treatment feel more isolated, anxious and tend to avoid socializing.

This is due to a lot of factors such as acne (and other skin conditions) stigmatization, in which people think acne is a consequence of bad hygiene, or that is contagious, preventing individuals with acne from taking part in society.

The most critical age this can affect individuals is during puberty and adolescence, and this statement has to do with common thoughts regarding one’s appearance people have during their teenage years.

Although, adults who have acne can also struggle with their mental health if they don't engage in proper treatment or get support from loved ones (a professional in some cases when needed).

Acne Effect On Mental Health

Having acne is extremely common, and this can happen due to a change in your hormonal balance, not washing your face every day, and similar. Although it is a common thing, the world seems to put a barrier between them and the people who have acne, affecting their mental health.

Acne can seriously deteriorate someone’s mental health if not offered the proper help from a professional, and this includes both a doctor and a psychologist if needed. Support can make all the difference during your acne treatment.

Acne and mental health are highly connected, and despite acne not being formed directly by stress or anxiety, those emotions can trigger changes in your hormones that consequently will end up in the development of acne.

Acne Consequences Regarding Mental Health

Acne not only can have physical consequences such as scars that won’t go away if you don’t start proper treatment but there are other consequences that have nothing to do with the state of your skin.

People who have acne, regarding their age, tend to become more anxious, stressed, and isolated and stop going out with friends or doing a sport they like due to what others might think of their face or body.

This is not a one-day-only thing, but rather a prolonged period that can take months and even years. The result is a person with low self-esteem that thinks that they no longer belong to society because of their acne.

Even after their acne is gone, since they’ve spent a lot of time on their own and thinking badly about themselves and their skin, people tend to keep these traits and encounter blocks in their life.

These blocks are related to making friends again, engaging in a sport, speaking up in class, applying for a job, and more. 

Acne & Mental Health Wrap Up

Acne and low self-esteem, as well as other areas of mental health, have been closely analyzed by professionals over the years. 

In this post, we share some light on the importance of raising awareness about how acne can affect a person's mental health, the reason behind it, and what they can do to feel better.

If you have acne, it is recommended that you consult a skincare professional to get specialized treatment, and to talk to someone about how you feel about yourself, whether it is with a friend, partner, parent, or psychologist.

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