Skin Conditions, Confidence, and Psychology

Experts say that whenever you develop a skin condition, it will not only affect your skin or your physical appearance but your confidence as well. Another sad thing about this is that people will treat you differently when you have a skin problem because many think that skin conditions are contagious even if very few are. Although low self-esteem can be treated and if you have a skin problem, as long as the problem goes away, your self-esteem will come back. Low confidence or loss of confidence due to skin problems can become very serious. Experts say that embarrassment would resort to worrying and stress and later on lead to depression.

Withdrawing from social situations is one thing that people afflicted with skin problems usually do because they do not want to interact with other people. It is also interesting to note that there are extreme cases where people with skin afflictions become so depressed that they kill themselves. This is according to Dermatology Online Journal, Volume 9 No. 3. A paper from the said journal concentrates on Acne vulgaris colloquially known as acne affects 85% of teenagers and young adults. Since this is a common skin condition, it is usually dismissed by the medical community as well as society as a whole because it is considered as a superficial affliction and also associated with hormonal changes and thereby a part of growing up. However, there is a lot of backing from the science community now that this skin condition is more than skin deep.

A number of literature has discussed the potential effect of Acne vulgaris beyond the manifestations one can see on the skin and it affects psychiatric health, one’s quality of life, and one’s psychological well-being. It is interesting that doctors who wrote this particular paper in the journal focused on Acne vulgaris alone and not other skin ailments because there are other types of acne as well.

However it states in the paper that, this skin condition has caused a number of psychiatric and psychological problems more than any of the other skin conditions that exist. The non-dermatological effects of the skin ailment include social pressure and misperceptions regarding etiology and can affect a person’s emotional, social, and physical development especially if the one who is afflicted with this disease is an adolescent. This may not sound serious for some but it can predispose people with Acne vulgaris to psychosocial complications aside from psychiatric ones. The stigma of having acne usually leads to embarrassment and shame. Because we live in a society that places an emphasis on how one looks, it is not really surprising for people to find out that a skin condition such as Acne vulgaris can affect a person in a psychological way.

If you think you or a loved one is experiencing psychosocial or psychiatric problems due to Acne vulgaris or any other skin condition, it is a good idea for you to consult with a dermatologist with a background on psychodermatology.