6 replies to this topic

[microbiek]

When you decide to buy a new car, say a new ford, you start to notice fords driving around. When you decide to get a new watch you notice other peoples watches. When you have acne you notice other peoples acne.

BUT

People that dont have acne dont notice it as much as you would? So stop worrying about going out nobody sees your acne as bad as you do!

Just thought Id say that because it really shouldnt effect you emotionally/psychologically...the only psychological effect it has is by being there making you much more aware of it in other people hence you think everyone sees it like that but really its like the car or the watch...once you get the car/watch you stop noticing these things!!

[soysauce]

Never thought of it like that, but it's Deffinetly true. I want a motorcycle sooo bad and I do notice them more than usual now. Good post

[JSA]

microbiek, on 05 February 2012 - 07:35 PM, said:

Just thought Id say that because it really shouldnt effect you emotionally/psychologically

Going to have to respectfully, but strongly, disagree with this statement and the overall analogy.

You say it shouldn't effect people emotionally or psychologically, but there are people on this forum who have been made fun of or picked on because of their acne. That falls under bullying, and of course bullying is going to hurt people emotionally and psychologically.

In addition, acne often lowers people's self-esteem and makes people think they are less attractive than they normally are. Wanting to look good and attractive to others is simply human nature. Why do we buy clothes that we think look good on us? Why do people spend so much money on braces? Why do we care so much about how our hair looks? Etc...(an individual may not care about ALL these things, but I think the majority of people do care about how they look).

Finally, you say people don't notice. I disagree -- they do notice, but *most* people have the respect, courtesy, and sense not to comment about it. It's like seeing a random overweight person--surely you notice they are overweight, but you understand it is mean and simply not appropriate to being it up to him or her. Unfortunately, some people are either 1.) assholes who bring it up because they think it's "gross" or they think we aren't taking showers, or (insert another ignorant, clueless assumption here) or 2.) trying to sincerely "help" without realizing how much it hurts us and without realizing how we are trying everything possible to win the battle. Of course people notice it, you just don't realize it because again, most people are nice enough not to say anything. Some do though, unfortunately.

I myself have had family members bring it up. My little cousin asked me why I had "so many owies" and asked me if I cut myself shaving ( yeah, I know, he doesn't know better ). My aunt asked me if I was refusing one sip of celebratory champagne (one sip, still under the legal age here ) because of my "medicine." When I asked her what she was talking about, she said "your face?" Ouch (and no, she didnt know that i was on a regimen and neither dud anyone else in my extended family -- she just assumed). Another relative asked me if I was using BP randomly one day because my shirt was stained (I hasn't brought it up before so they obviously thought my face was bad enough to have to use medication, and they were right). Even though most of my family hasn't said anything, I can't help but feel kinda self-conscious at big family events because of those examples (though I'm sure I'd feel that way even without those instances).

I could go on, but I think I'm rambling at this point.

TL;DR: It's easy to understand why acne impacts people emotionally and psychologically, and it isnt as easy as one may think to just "ignore" it.

Edited by JSA, 05 February 2012 - 10:39 PM.

[Omnivium]

I have to agree with JSA. You shouldn't feel depressed about your skin, but you shouldn't accept your acne either. Your acne is a sign that something is not right internally, and the most important thing to do is be healthy and clear your skin, not just get used to your acne. After you clear your acne, you will automatically feel good about your skin.

[mrjarjarbinks77]

You familiar with bro science? The study of attractiveness is based upon symetry. Things like skin tone and complexion are taken into account. Despite many of our best efforts, many of us are not that fortunate, and it sucks. I find it pretty fucked that, I admire everyone's skin, I envy even guys with nice skin cause, I feel this is where I lack, and while i have acne under control for the most part watching out for trigger foods, its hard to get over. Mr matt posted about the anxiety and self esteem issues that come over acne. I think the biggest determining factor is our self concept that gets damgaed and hindered cause of the feeling of inadquacy or doomed. These are not true but, it is such a shitty thing to have to battle. Thank you for posting man.

Omnivium, on 05 February 2012 - 10:24 PM, said:

I have to agree with JSA. You shouldn't feel depressed about your skin, but you shouldn't accept your acne either. Your acne is a sign that something is not right internally, and the most important thing to do is be healthy and clear your skin, not just get used to your acne. After you clear your acne, you will automatically feel good about your skin.

The hardest thing to accept is damaged skin when I have tried everything humanly possible over the years. It feels bad guys. Its great to conquer acne but, permanent damage is still left behind. Even the slightest of imperfections bugs me and yet, I see people post photos, face full of scars, and man, I just admire your mental toughness of the people in here to get past it and seek a solution. All the positivity in the world doesn't change the fact that, we can only treat symptoms and make things look better. Unfortunately, risks are always involved. Accutane is a perfect example.

Edited by mrjarjarbinks77, 05 February 2012 - 10:28 PM.

[snsdgirl14]

In all honesty, I somewhat agree with this post. While I think it's silly to say that no one notices each other's skin at all, back when my skin was pretty clear I almost never noticed other people's acne. If other people did have acne, I did not actively think about it. Now that I'm dealing with it, I notice people's skin all the time.

[microbiek]

Yea I agree with you guys people notice if someone has really bad acne etc but I know theres people that get down with mild- moderate acne. IMO thats as far as the analogy should go...extreme acne is a different kettle of fish.

Would people get bullied if they had mild acne? doubt it.