Bringing acceptance into your relationship with acne

Treating your skin with products that are most suitable for your individual needs is essential to your healing process when dealing with skin conditions like acne, and even though we wish for an overnight miracle it is more than likely a long process that requires patience. On the other hand, even with the correct routine, the subtleties of your skin condition are likely to stay with you – no matter whether in the shape of smaller pimples on your face or scarring from previous spots.?

Because we are constantly being suggested by the media that the ideal of beauty revolves around having clear skin with an unreachable smooth texture, it is distressing to accept it when most of us don’t meet those standards. The reality is that 73% of the entire population has battled acne in one form or another.?

Unfortunately, depression is twice as common in people with acne compared to those without, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. While we cannot confidently claim that depression causes acne, the data still indicates a correlation. Depression might be particularly prevalent among those who believe that they deviate from societal expectations of beauty.?

Changing those beliefs is the right step toward feeling better on the inside, and therefore handling better any treatment, making positive lifestyle changes, and following through with your skincare routines.?

What is acceptance??

Acceptance is the willingness to tolerate a situation, even when it’s difficult or undesirable.??

Regarding acne, acceptance relates to understanding that it is a skin condition that requires the right treatment and a lot of patience, as well as the realization that you deserve to be happy in your own skin – no matter whether the outcomes of such treatments are the ones you expected or not.?

Beauty standards are societally constructed and perpetuated by large companies to try to nudge you into purchasing their products in a never-ending pursuit of “perfect” beauty – according to their standards. Having that in mind and knowing that in reality, beauty presents itself in many shapes and forms, regardless of whether you have spots on your skin or not, will be helpful. Try to search for role models closer to your own experience, and remember that almost every perfect picture we see in cosmetics ads has been digitally retouched and doesn’t represent regular human skin.?

At the end of the day, no matter how far your acne treatment is, remember you deserve to feel good about yourself. Understanding that your skin does not determine your (un)happiness is a crucial realization that will help set you free from stress and allow you to approach your skin with more ease. Try accepting the upsetting feelings that can come up when dealing with acne, but be aware of the many other beautiful and healthy parts of your body that allow you to live your life and pursue your dreams. Aim for a balanced view of yourself and your life.

When we accept things as they are, we cut the stress and tension of fighting “something”, which changes our mental and physical state from fighting to relaxing. That can have a very big and positive impact on your healing journey.? In summary, remember:?

• Acne is a very common skin condition, it’s not your fault and nothing to be ashamed of
• Skincare treatments take time to bring results, but you can remain happy in the meantime
• Beauty standards are societally constructed, meaning, they’re not necessarily true. Be creative and create your own version of beauty
• Even though dealing with acne can consume a lot of energy, try to bring your attention to the many other parts of you that are healthy and beautiful
• Try relaxation techniques such as Diaphragmatic Breathing and meditation?

It's important to have the right tools to relax especially during periods when things don’t go your way. Use awareness and relaxation techniques to break the vicious cycle of negative emotions and to minimize stress since the impact it can have on our day-to-day life and our relationship with our own bodies can be tremendous.

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To help you create the perfect skincare routine, at Deep Skin AI we are developing an Ai solution to accurately scan acne on your face and recommend the most suitable products for you.

?Author: Karina Froehner, BA in Psychology, contributor at Deep Skin AI.

Co-Author: Astrid Badell-Suhr, Marketing, and Communications at Deep Skin AI.