Faces with acne were perceived as significantly less attractive, less trustworthy, less successful, less confident, less happy and less dominant.
In studies, teen girls often say that acne makes them feel unattractive. Given that acne can lead to such experiences and feelings, it's not surprising that researchers have found that people with acne often develop depression or anxiety.
In comparison to the pictures of those with clear skin, those with acne scars were less likely to be considered attractive, confident, happy, healthy and successful, and more likely to be perceived as insecure and shy (all p < 0.05; Table 1).
Preferences vary among individuals. Some men may not find acne attractive due to societal beauty standards, while others are unfazed or even find it endearing. Ultimately, confidence and personality matter most. If someone truly cares about you, they'll see beyond any imperfections.
Psychotherapist Azra Alic dismantled the belief that our acne is visible and obvious to other people through a number of behavioural experiments with her own clients. Turns out, no one really sees your acne the way you see it in yourself.
Faces with acne were perceived as significantly less attractive, less trustworthy, less successful, less confident, less happy and less dominant.
People with acne were perceived as being unattractive, sad, lonely, distant, unhealthy, disheveled and shy as compared to people with clear skin (p<0.05).
Acne effects around 90% of adolescents with the prime age across all genders being the teenage years of 14-19 years old. For people who have widespread acne that is classed as moderate to severe, more intervention in the form of acne treatments is often required.
To determine whether women were prone to acne, we further stratified the prevalence of acne by gender. The prevalence was higher in women, at a rate of 6.06% (95% CI, 5.99%–6.12%), than in men, at a rate of 3.34 (95% CI, 3.29%–3.39%). Male to female ratio of prevalence is around 1 : 1.81.
“For many years dermatologists have identified that the skin of acne sufferers appears to age more slowly than in those who have not experienced any acne in their lifetime.
Results: All faces with acne were perceived as less attractive and received poorer personality judgements with mid-facial acne presenting smallest deviation from healthy faces. T-zone and mixed acne exhibited the least significant difference in respondents gaze behaviour pattern from each other.
Grade 1 (mild): Mostly whiteheads and blackheads, with a few papules and pustules. Grade 2 (moderate or pustular acne): Multiple papules and pustules, mostly on your face. Grade 3 (moderately severe or nodulocystic acne): Numerous papules and pustules, along with occasionally inflamed nodules.
A study published in The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology found that participants rated individuals with radiant skin as more attractive than those without, regardless of facial structure or symmetry, traditionally known to play a role in perceived attractiveness.
Acne is most common in girls from the ages of 14 to 17, and in boys from the ages of 16 to 19. Most people have acne on and off for several years before their symptoms start to improve as they get older. Acne often disappears when a person is in their mid-20s. In some cases, acne can continue into adult life.
Kendall Jenner right now is one of the most popular high fashion models, but she also suffers from acne. Another big name in the modeling industry that has acne, is Taylor Hill. The Victoria's Secret model shared on her Instagram a picture of her normalizing this skin condition.
The best answer is yes, of course they do. But if someone judges you for your skin, for its imperfections and character, they're not worth your time or effort. The most beautiful woman with the clearest skin could just as easily be the worst sort of person.
Rates of nodulocystic acne were significantly lower in African-American subjects. However, Hispanics and Asians are thought to have similar prevalence rates of nodulocystic acne as Caucasians, although supporting evidence is lacking.
"We know that there's a hormonal influence." A 2023 paper published in the International Journal of General Medicine concluded that "both genetics and the environment play a significant role" in the development of acne, while other papers have drawn a link between hormonal changes and acne.
When will I stop getting acne? While most people outgrow the worst of their acne after puberty, the truth is that for some people, acne is a lifelong battle. That is because there are different types of acne.
High-dose vitamins B6 and B12 have also been linked to rosacea fulminans, a condition that looks like acne. Rosacea is marked by large red bumps and pustules that typically appear on the nose, chin, and/or cheeks.
If you have a red or brownish mark on your face that you got from a bad zit, it should eventually fade. However, it may take 12 months or longer. If you're upset about acne marks, talk to your doctor, who might have advice on what you can do.
You're beautiful just as you are. The more skin products you use on your face the more it can get worse. It doesn't matter what other people think of you or say because of your acne. If anyone can't look past your acne and accept you for who you are then they're not really someone you want to be around, right?
Adult female acne concentrated around the 'U-zone' received the lowest scores for attractiveness and was considered the most visually disturbing. Happy faces with female adult acne were also rated as less happy than clear-skin face, the study showed.
Celebrities often appear to have flawless skin in videos and photographs. In reality, however, many Hollywood stars struggle with the same acne and skin blemishes as the rest of the world.