Can acne be associated with lower quality of life?

Acne is a skin issue many of us suffer from. And by this, we mean both, men and women. However, we never considered acne anything more than just a skin problem, right? Well, there's more to it than what meets the surface. A recent study states that the stigma of acne can be associated with lower overall quality of life.

A survey of 271 acne sufferers revealed that their own negative perceptions of how society views their appearance is linked to higher psychological distress levels. This then led to farther physical symptoms such as sleep disturbance, headaches and gastrointestinal problems. UL researchers, Dr Aisling O’Donnell and Jamie Davern conducted the study to investigate whether acne sufferers’ perceptions of stigmatisation significantly predicts psychological and physical health outcomes.

“We know from previous research that many acne sufferers experience negative feelings about their condition, but we have never before been able to draw such a direct link between quality of life and perception of social stigma around acne,” said Dr O’Donnell. “The findings of this study echo previous research showing that individuals with visible physical distinctions, which are viewed negatively by society, can experience impaired psychological and physical well-being as a result,” Dr O’Donnell continued.

According to the article’s lead author, Jamie Davern, a lack of representation of people with acne has increased this stigmatisation. He explained, “Like many physical attributes that are stigmatised, acne is not well-represented in popular culture, advertising or social media. This can lead people with acne to feel that they are ‘not normal’ and therefore negatively viewed by others. Online campaigns like #freethepimple and the recent ‘acne-positive’ movement emerging on social media is encouraging for people of all ages that are affected by acne.”
The full findings of this research have been published in the journal, Plos One.