How Having Acne Taught Me Self Love

Acne. Pimples. Those red bumps that magically appear in the night without invitation. Yeah, most of us probably get those, and for those who don’t, consider yourself lucky. I first started getting pimples in high school, which made me feel incredibly insecure. It was no longer just a small thing, acne is something that used to take over my life. I would cancel plans if I felt like it was too bad and walked around with my hair around my face, using it as a curtain to try and block out whatever acne breakout I had that week. And you know what? Having acne is really hard. Something no one really talks about is the mental effect that having acne also has on a person.

In the years that you’re going through puberty and trying to practice self -love, ance can completely destroy every ounce of self confidence. So how did I learn self love while having acne? Well, first thing first: your skin does not define your beauty. Like, at all. This is definitely a mindset that’s hard to get into, but it is the first step. Also, no one ever notices the things you do about yourself and everyone is insecure about something, so no one will think you’re “gross” or “ugly” for having acne, and if they do, then you don’t need people like that in your life. Having struggled with acne, it taught me so much of the true meaning of beauty, and the importance of self care. By the way, self care isn’t always a facemask or painting your nails. Self care is looking at yourself and saying kind things even when it feels impossible, or just reading your favorite book, or watching a good movie. Acne also taught me how much my body does for me and to not stress because it is out of my control. There is no reason to not love yourself because of your skin. You are going to be with yourself for the rest of your life, and that taught me that I need to love myself first and look beyond just my skin.

Fast forward a couple of years, and now, I am in my second year of college knowing that having acne does not define anything. My skin eventually cleared up, and looking back, I am sad with the way I used to see myself. But it also taught me so much. It taught me how to be kind to myself and take care of myself. Those low lows of me looking in the mirror and crying have allowed me to now look in the mirror and smile because when I look at my reflection now I don’t see my skin, I see my inner beauty. Loving yourself looks different for everyone, and we all reach that moment differently too — and that’s what makes everyone’s journey so unique. My journey taught me to look beyond my skin and notice other features, both physical and internal, that I love about myself and to embrace them. To anyone that is struggling with acne, it’s okay, trust the process and grow from it.

• acne
• self-love
• skincare