Growing up, I had my battle with acne earlier than the rest of my friends. When everyone else was still worrying about which ‘Bobby Jack’ shirt to get, I was worried about the pimples and redness on my face. No creams or face masks would help, so I was stuck with my friends pointing out the blackheads on my nose. After a while, my bad bout of acne slipped away, but the remarks are always in the back of my mind, especially after a particularly bad breakout.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne is the most common skin condition, affecting 50 million Americans a year. It isn’t reserved for those awkward puberty years either — acne in adults in increasing. Up to 15% of adult women struggle with the condition.
So, if acne is so common, why is there a stigma? Unfortunately, conventional beauty standards value clear skin, which is not a reality for most of us. Models on the covers of many magazines are airbrushed to not have a single pore, much less a blemish. The girls on Instagram and Tik Tok make me feel especially worse about the state of my skin with flawless natural no-makeup shots.
That’s why I’ve compiled a list of Instagram accounts/bloggers who showcase their acne and make it normal for the rest of us. I used to be so scared of posting a single picture if I had a pimple or noticeable blackheads and refused to leave the house without makeup. But after seeing their openness about their acne, I feel more comfortable about revealing mine. I hope they give you the same courage:
- Lou Northcote (@lounorthcote & @freethepimple_)
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As a model and creator of the page @freethepimple_, Lou Northcote is definitely a person to follow for some #skinpositivity. She even shares lip and face moisturizer she uses to help with the side effects of Accutane.
- Sofia Grahn (@isotretinoinwiths)
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Not only does she post photos of her acne, but she also provides detailed accounts of her experiences with taking isotretinoin/Accutane. She will answer followers’ questions on her stories regarding side effects, doctors’ appointments and progress. She regularly discusses her confidence issues surrounding her acne and how she eventually came to love her skin. Her Instagram aesthetic is also just downright fabulous.
- Kaiser Coby (@kaisercoby)
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When she first started to develop acne, she was hesitant to post a photo without makeup because she didn’t want to hurt her image.
“I honestly expected to get a lot of mean comments because I felt that having clear skin was a big part of my brand, but I got the opposite,” Coby said in an interview with Teen Vogue, “I had so many people DM me and comment on my picture about how happy they were that I was showing my acne and how it was refreshing to see a blogger embrace it.”
She even started a YouTube video series, the Acne Series, in which she documents her skin care journey to help other people with acne.
- Scott McGlynn (@scottmcglynnofficial)
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As a child, McGlynn was bullied for his acne. Now, he has a podcast, IGTV series and social media platforms dedicated to skin care and acne positivity. He offers reviews on products, interviews with celebrities and some fashion tips as well.
- Emily Keel (@emilykeel_)
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As a physical trainer, Keel provides fitness inspo along with some skin self-love. She has documented her battle with acne and Accutane treatment on her Instagram by regularly posting her skin’s progress. She was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) more than two years ago, which brought with it an onslaught of painful cystic acne. She also documents her progress with PCOS using clean eating habits and exercise.
- Kadeeja Khan (@emeraldxbeauty)
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Khan is a makeup artist that is not afraid to show her skin, even if she gets trolled constantly. She goes against the grain of the typical beauty blogger and showcases her cystic acne to help her followers realize that it is normal. She even gives tutorials for her followers to follow for treatments for acne-prone skin. Her down-to-earth account shows everyone that acne is no reason to not love yourself.
- Thalia (@acne._positivity)
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Thalia regularly posts her followers who submit photos of their acne and lives by the saying “progress, not perfection” when it comes to her skin. Through her progressive photos and quotes, she engages with her followers by making it clear that acne and self-worth should not be correlated. Her #inspiration posts will leave you feeling beyond empowered, trust me.
It’s definitely worth it to hit the “follow” button on each of these pages. If you are struggling with acne and self-confidence, then it is important to surround yourself with supportive pages that normalize acne. If you are still bombarded by posts that make you doubt your worth, then maybe a good old-fashioned social media cleanse is needed to reconnect with your inner self and beauty. I’ve had to do this so many times, especially when I am scared to post content with a pimple in it. However, at the end of the day, it is not the end of the world to post a picture that shows your acne. After all, almost all of us have it. It’s about time for all of us to show it off.