Acne—the plight of the oily-skinned teenager, the obnoxious house guest of the epidermis, and the cash cow of the dermatologist. Waking up every morning to face the mirror with a face full of zits takes a special kind of confidence about which public speakers and supermodels could only dream. The average teenager with acne has all the gumption of a daredevil, the composure of a poker shark…and the deep-seated insecurity of, well, the average teenager with acne.
Acne, once it has staked its claim, is something from which one cannot escape, even if one avoids the mirror like the plague. There is always the knowledge that others can see the puss-filled face invaders, and that others can judge based upon what they see. There are always the seemingly never-ending nighttime routines of creams and antibiotics, and always the side effects from said antibiotics (*cough* Accutane *cough*) with which to deal. There is the panicked feeling when one does not wear sunscreen, or chapstick, or, heaven forbid, makeup.
We try so hard to hide acne—we feel ashamed at the very thought of this thing which we cannot control, but why? It probably has something to do with the fact that in most sitcoms we watch whilst growing up, the “geeks” and “nerds” are the ones with pimple ridden visages. These are the role models to whom teens with acne must look; the ones who are daily criticized and mocked.
If the popular girl on a show has a pimple, it is catastrophic. She cannot show her face in public, and if she does it must be under the cover of some ridiculously ostentatious mask or disguise. Inevitably, the pimple is discovered and the once perfect archetypal queen bee is knocked down a peg due to the snide comments of her peers. Therefore, it must be concluded that we grow up wary of acne because we are wary of the ostracism it causes, as seen on television.
Acne, however, is a normal part of life. It is an annoying, unsightly part of life, but it is a normal part nonetheless. It is not something to be ashamed of, it is not something to take pains to hide. There is no remedy that will get rid of it overnight, so it is important to become used to its daily presence until the creams and antibiotics kick in. Having acne does not make one ugly, it is just a temporary inconvenience.
The next time you see a Proactiv commercial while flipping through the channels, do not think to yourself that you will never look like those “after” photos. You will, I promise. And it will do you good to love yourself in spite of those devilish, red blemishes scattered about your face. Do not let acne control your life. Let yourself rise above, and show your acne that you are the one who is in charge.
