Acne: More Than A Skin Condition -By Omohwovo Loveth

Acne is a common skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, thereby causing breakouts.

At thirteen, I realized Nigeria was not fair to an acne-prone girl. In fact, the whole world was not fair to acne-prone people. I would walk and a glance would be sent my way. I could feel their eyes on my skin even without me looking at them. I could see the questions lingering within their gaze. I was the weird one, the one with acne and dark spots on my face and chest.

“How about you buy this product?” The constant reminder that I was not normal. I would love it if you let me be, let me breathe, let me walk without those looks, let my ears rest without those words.

So, when I was thirteen, I searched Google to find out what acne was and I discovered that it was a skin disease, a disease of the pilosebaceous units in the skin and I was gripped with fear. I did not really understand these words, but at that age the word ‘disease’ was what stuck to my mind. I had a disease, I was dirty, I would infect others.

This idea was what became a reality and everyone acted as if indeed acne was a contagious disease and as if it was something to be afraid of. It did not happen to me, but it happened to a boy. He had cysts, pustules, and nodules and his face was swollen. Everyone looked at him with distaste, looked at him with pity and he was avoided by all that was around him and was mocked in secret.

There are a lot of misconceptions about acne, a lot of myths that have led people and their advice astray. Some would say, acne is caused by eating groundnuts, so if you have acne, you probably ate groundnuts last night. Others held the belief that anyone with acne is either dirty or has very poor hygiene, so if you have acne, you probably stink. There are also some on this earth that still think that acne only happens to a teenager.

In Nigeria, mostly in secondary school settings, people with acne are bullied and they are picked on, they are laughed at, pushed and made to feel little. It still baffles me how such a mindset arises in young minds, arises in humankind. How is it possible that you will look at someone and think bullying them is the best option, how people speak without realizing the heaviness of their words. People with acne most of the time are not just judged but people make them feel as if they are responsible for their situation. As if it could be corrected in the blink of an eye. A lot of them are made the subject of jokes and mockery in their classrooms.

These words said about acne without care do more harm than people think. They pull down self-esteem, walls of courage, destroy happiness and limit self-love.

Acne vulgaris, mostly in the lives of teenagers, has a lot of emotional and psychological effects. It causes awkwardness and self-consciousness. For some, it causes social withdrawal where they no longer feel the need to socialize. For others, it leads to depression and depressive thoughts even to the extent that some people develop body dysmorphic disorder related to their acne.

Acne myths have caused a great deal of harm in society and in the lives of acne-prone people. They have spread a great deal of misinformation about what acne truly is and what actually causes it. For example, in the case of groundnuts causing acne, a lot of people stopped eating groundnuts for the fear of having acne or breakouts. A lot of people have done the same for food made with oil.

But acne is more than all of this. Although it is a skin condition, it really is not contagious or something that we should be afraid of. It is caused by excess oil (sebum) production, hair follicles clogged by dead skin cells, bacteria, and inflammation. Acne is sometimes triggered by hormonal changes, medications, menstruation, diet and various environmental factors. Acne is mostly characterized by blackheads, whiteheads, cysts, nodules, and pustules.

Over the years, with my journey with acne, I have learnt to love myself so much that words cannot get to me and looking in the mirror is no longer something I am afraid of. I have learnt that with the right skincare and proper sensitization, acne can be treated and for some managed properly. Acne may affect the skin, but the words people speak often leave the deepest scars. A little kindness and accurate knowledge can make all the difference.

In conclusion, rather than relying on myths, social media, friends, and family, people living with acne should look for professional help. They should visit a dermatologist to give them proper treatment and medication. More importantly, people should learn how to be kind and understanding and not judgemental to those with acne.