In this highly introspective and self-indulgent age,
many acne sufferers do not seek a medical solution because they are convinced it is all in their heads.
The words, actions, and attitudes of their physicians, families and friends often confirm this notion. They
feel that unless they go to a psychiatrist or somehow
successfully work through their emotional problems
on their own, their faces will continue to fester as a
symptom of their inner turmoil. They give up on
their acne, which simply perpetuates the vicious
cycle. Acne sufferers who hide behind this myth are
not alone in their naiveté. Plenty of professionals
have examined the psychological problems of acne
sufferers exclusively from the assumption that
psychological problems initially caused the acne.
Personality disorders came first and the acne second.
We don’t believe that.
We are not saying that acne does not have a
devastating and lasting effect on personality and emotional health. We are convinced that acne’s most
serious side effects are the psychological and emotional scars. These “scars” run the gamut from
chronic depression and withdrawal to hostility and antisocial behavior. After looking into the lives of
thousands of acne sufferers, we are convinced that the acne came first and the personality disorders
second. We have plenty of evidence that the best way to deal with emotional problems spawned by acne is
to first clear up the source, which are those eruptions on the face. When some of those emotional
problems disappear or at least become easier to treat,
I see a lift in the step, smiles, and heads held high.
There is a new grasp on life that patients display
when they have clearer faces.
But right now, for those who are at the beginning of a
fight against acne, let’s clear this self-defeating myth right out of the way. It’s not the things going on in
your head that are causing the eruptions. It is the
things going on in your pores.
We would like to make one other distinction. While
psychological problems or stress rarely cause acne in
the first place, they can aggravate existing acne.
Stress has a tremendous negative effect on acne prone
skin; so much so that we have devoted an
entire chapter (5) to the stress connection. Just as
stress translates into ulcers for a person with a
history of digestive disorders, or into heart problems for someone genetically prone to heart disease, those
who are acne prone are more likely to have “flare ups”
when stressed. This sudden “outbreak” ensues
further stress, which further fuels the acne problem.
Keep in mind, all of it starts with genetically triggered
acne. Acne itself must be treated first and foremost.
Then stress reduction must be added to a person’s
arsenal if he or she is to stay clear.
Discarding the myths is the first step to clearing up
your face. When your head is clear, so will your vision be clear as you peer with us into the
microscope to see what really causes acne.
**END
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