Anyone who is used to unexpected breakouts knows the damage acne can have on self-esteem, and experts have now confirmed the connection. While psychologists have examined the link between appearance and confidence for many years, studying the impact of skin health is a fairly new phenomenon.
If you suffer from acne, it may be doing more damage than you think. Here’s a look at how acne negatively influences us, as well as how healthy, clear skin can improve our self-confidence.
Psychodermatology is a relatively new treatment for skin conditions using psychological and psychiatric techniques. While it’s currently considered a controversial part of dermatology because of its heavy reliance on psychology, it has also led to the discovery of data that links the skin to self-confidence. The British Association of Dermatologists performed a survey in the UK and found that 54 percent of adults who have acne feel that it has a negative impact on their self-confidence, and 22 percent feel that it has had a negative impact on their social interactions. Sounds about right!
John Anastasiou, the President and CEO of Frezyderm explains these numbers saying, “As a condition which has an impact on how we look, acne can have a big emotional toll. If we are unhappy with our appearance then this can often spill into other areas of our lives.”
Within their survey, they realized that acne alone affected numerous areas of people’s lives including their romantic relationships, social lives, and careers. It’s not uncommon for people who suffer from skin conditions to struggle with depression as well.
Dr. Nick Levell, President of the British Association of Dermatologists explains, “What we wanted to illustrate with this survey, is that for many people this is not a trivial condition and that they need and deserve impartial, expert advice on how to manage their acne. Although it may be surprising to some people, for those with experience of severe acne, being acne-free can be more important than sports, politics, financial stability, even relationships in some cases. This shouldn’t be viewed as a weakness or anything of the sort, rather it is an indication of quite how awful an experience it is for many.”
Acne isn’t the only skin condition that has these effects on the psyche though. Rosacea, eczema, sun damage, and others have been linked to low self-esteem as well.
When it comes to transforming your skin, many experts recommend starting by working on the inside. Our skin system is constantly renewing skin cells, which keeps the surface looking healthy and clear. Support the body from the inside with vitamins such as Vitamin E, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, as well as minerals and antioxidants that promote cell renewal.
In addition to treating your skin to promote health from the inside, it’s essential to take on a skin regimen that stimulates collagen growth and reduces the build-up of dead skin cells to help prevent breakouts. Often our body will stop producing collagen when we reach our thirties, which leads to loose skin, wrinkles, uneven texture, and age spots. To get your body to produce collagen again and eliminate these skin issues, laser skin rejuvenation is recommended.
Laser skin rejuvenation is a noninvasive skin treatment that encourages collagen production and eliminates skin imperfections. It works by targeting damaged skin cells with microscopic wounds in the deepest layers of the skin. This the healing process where new skin cells are produced, replacing the damaged ones and ultimately eliminating any imperfections. The body will also begin to produce collagen again at this point, tightening up the skin to make it appear fuller and more youthful.
Laser skin rejuvenation can also be performed in order to get rid of acne-causing dead skin cells that are trapped in the skin. Unlike facial scrubs or exfoliants, lasers can eliminate the dead skin deep within the pores.
These are the skin conditions that laser skin rejuvenation treats:
Want to see how it’s done? Take the first step toward healthy-looking skin and higher self-esteem and watch this video that shows how a laser skin rejuvenation treatment is performed: