Emotional acne (acne psychology)

If the eyes are the mirror of the soul, the skin is a reflection of the psyche. Acne is a skin condition that must be treated but not only the symptoms, you should consider the emotional factor of the person, because this skin problem is completely related to the emotional factor.

The skin is an organ that communicates, silently, what we deeply feel. The skin speaks what we don’t say in words. Skin says:

"I'm irritated"
"I am very angry"
"I want you to like me"
"I do not want you watch me"
"I do not want you touch me"
"Stay away"
"I have a problem"
"I have fear"

When the skin condition is concentrated in one area of the body, the message is much more pronounced and strong to the outside world. For example, if the affected area is the eyes, then perhaps "what the person sees" is a source of irritation or silent message. If it’s the face, then the message might be "Not wanting to face", you are embarrassed or irritated by something, wanting to tell the world that there is a conflict or a problem, feeling ugly or unsafe.

Acne in young people

In the case of acne, it is interesting to note the psychological patterns that generate it. In the case of youth and adolescents, for example, occurs when the glands begin to mature and a hormone is secreted in the skin fat in order to make the skin more supple and attractive. However, when the adolescent feels fear, anxiety, or have any dispute or protest to the world, then this is certainly reflected in the skin.

What happens is that the internal stress causes the muscles under the skin to tighten, blocking the pores. The sebaceous glands continue to produce natural oils, but if the pore is closed by tension, it will give the outbreak of acne, which is only stored fat.

A young man with acne tells us that he may feel anxious, fearful of its growth, insecure or with a strong protest for not wanting to grow or face a change or new responsibilities that will come. Many times, when the young get compromised in any circumstance, then the tension lowers, and somehow the young man says "Look, I've grown and I can take responsibility" and acne will fade.

Sometimes, acne could also be triggered in response to the irritation felt by the young to adults, may feel under-funded, highly valued or perhaps required or criticized, so that’s the protest inside becoming evident with acne. The conflict of becoming an adult is exacerbated by the demands of home and the people around you as teachers, family, etc.

Stress and acne changes

The stages of change are generally strong and often cause stress on the person. When this stress is not handled in an appropriate way, then the skin will undoubtedly suffer. That's why many people who are sensitive to developing acne, tend to see it in times of conflict or where they feel unsafe.

Acne in pregnancy, for example, also starts because of the tension to the changes related to the new family member. Many times, when the baby is born, the acne is gone.

However, in some cases, acne doesn’t go away and is persistent, or appear intermittently at different stages of life. In these cases, it happens that the times of stress or distress in the person usually vary strongly, sometimes you feel relaxed and calm, but when you face a situation of stress, fear, anxiety, etc. acne reappears.

What to do?

Medicines and drugs do not solve the acne, only control it. Only if the medicine coincides with a maturing understanding of interior, then the acne is cured, we will believe that was the medicine, but in reality, it was only a moment of understanding what actually causes the true healing. But if you still feel unsafe, then no drug will cure it, and medicine could only aggravate the problem.

If you help adolescents who are prone to acne to understand their feelings and deal with change, and understand each stage that passed as a time of adventure and discovery, arguably the acne will disappear. You should guide them primarily to be open to the enjoyment of their new experience, the confidence and security of the environment.

The more calmly you talk to them, the more peace they will feel. You should avoid the severe criticism, so it is necessary that the parent feel confident to engage in friendly dialogue. If the adult does not feel able, it is best to send the young with someone who can guide him/her.

Often, all the young people need is to be heard, let them express their fears, their protests and their insecurities. Once they’ve heard themselves, they will be aware of what affects them, and then the tension will cease. Often, young people are not attractive enough, accepted, loved, etc., this will generate a lot of tension.

For adults, they can have the task of investigating for themselves what they fear or makes them feel insecure. Write what you feel and look without trial, just see it as way of feedback. Knowing what makes us feel fearful or anxious is already a big step to build peace.

At the time that the serenity increases in a person with acne, whether young or old, skin problems like acne will come down considerably.

So, if you suffer from acne and want to eradicate it from your life, you must work to understand what your skin is telling you. Talk to it; ask what irritates it or what it feels. If you can establish a good dialogue with your skin, it is more likely that this will not have to speak in other ways.

References

1. Marron, S. E., Tomas-Aragones, L., & Boira, S. (2013). Anxiety, depression, quality of life and patient satisfaction in acne patients treated with oral isotretinoin. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 93(6), 701–706.
2. Parna, E., Aluoja, A., & Kingo, K. (2015). Quality of life and emotional state in chronic skin disease. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 95(3), 312–316.
3. Revol, O., Milliez, N., & Gerard, D. (2015). Psychological impact of acne on 21st-century adolescents: decoding for better care. The British Journal of Dermatology, 172 Suppl 1, 52–58.
4. Gieler, U., Gieler, T., & Kupfer, J. P. (2015). Acne and quality of life – impact and management. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV, 29 Suppl 4, 12–14.
5. Kouotou, E. A., Adegbidi, H., Bene Belembe, R., Sieleunou, I., Nansseu, J. R., Kamga, J.-P., & Ndjitoyap Ndam, E. C. (2016). [Acne in Cameroon: Quality of life and psychiatric comorbidities]. Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie, 143(10), 601–606.
6. Hazarika, N., & Archana, M. (2016). The Psychosocial Impact of Acne Vulgaris. Indian Journal of Dermatology, 61(5), 515–520.
7. Chilicka, K., Maj, J., & Panaszek, B. (2017). General quality of life of patients with acne vulgaris before and after performing selected cosmetological treatments. Patient Preference and Adherence, 11, 1357–1361.

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