A question as deep as the dermis

Why do I really feel bad about my skin?

Stigma surrounding skin conditions is a complex issue deeply rooted in societal perceptions, cultural influences, and historical beliefs.

With increasingly pristine photo quality and the availability of image editing - skin is subject to more scrutiny than ever. You can zoom in and edit whatever imperfection you see, but the long-term effect that this has it to raise the bar to inhuman levels. Flawless skin like this is not based in reality.

Add into this the advent of social media within the last couple of decades, and it's clear to see how fixation and negativity around normal appearances to skin is becoming more common, especially in younger people (yes that includes you 30 year olds in the back).

So let's break it down into six slices of this juicy topic...

Why is skin a sensitive subject for so many people, and what can we do individually?

1. Visible Nature of Skin Conditions: Historically, and perhaps for as long as humans will exist, physical appearance can play a significant role in shaping judgments and impressions. If you see someone creeping in a dark corner of an alley, your fight-or-flight response tells you to be on the lookout for danger. If you see someone green and skulking around on the lookout for brains in a horror movie, you would hopefully run the other way. This natural response to visual stimuli, and the automatic interpretation that our mind generates are misapplied to skin conditions as well, potentially leading to unwarranted attention, curiosity, or discrimination.

   What can we do? - whilst treatment can help, the judgments of other people are not something that we are in control of. Be embracing of your own skin, and outside opinions don't matter as much.

2. Misinformation and Lack of Awareness: Limited understanding of skin conditions often breeds misinformation. A lack of education about skin and underprovided public awareness has perpetuated myths and misconceptions about the causes and contagious nature of certain skin conditions. We know that there are indeed infectious skin diseases - but acne, psoriasis and rosacea for example are certainly not part of this group.

   What can we do? - spread awareness! And try to be unoffended by genuine questions if you feel that they come from a good place - sometimes it takes one honest answer to change the perceptions of a person who is close to you. Interacting with them in the future may then be a bit easier.

3. Historical Beliefs and Superstitions: Throughout history, various cultures have associated skin conditions with moral failings, punishment for wrongdoing, or even supernatural influences. These ingrained beliefs can persist, creating a stigma that is deeply rooted in cultural norms.

   What can we do? - these are long-standing, and untangling them can take decades of concerted effort. Often, it's the smaller changes that we don't notice, which over time make a much larger impact on this. The skin-positivity movement on social media is likely an unfolding one :)

4. Media Representation: Media plays a significant role in shaping societal attitudes. Unfortunately, the media often portrays individuals with skin conditions in a negative light, reinforcing stereotypes and contributing to the stigmatization.

   What can we do? - if you're a creative, take skin differences into account! Much like different anatomy, heights and sizes, appearances of skin is a spectrum.

5. Social Comparison and Beauty Standards: Societal emphasis on beauty standards can lead to social comparison and a sense of inadequacy among individuals with skin conditions. The pressure to conform to an idealized image of flawless skin can exacerbate feelings of shame and contribute to the stigma. Efforts to promote diverse representations of beauty can help challenge these unrealistic standards.

6. Psychological Impact: Individuals with skin conditions may internalize the negative societal perceptions, leading to psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem.

   So, what can we do? We've left perhaps the hardest one last.

   Feeling negative about yourself can impact how you interact with others, and this in turn can reinforce the cycle. Remember skin-love always, and celebrate your skin for the good things that it is doing for you. Protecting you from bugs in the environment, the sun's UV rays, and letting you soak in the warmth of the sun, the chill of the snow and the softness of a puppy. Without your skin, you wouldn't be able to experience the world around you. It's there for so much more than Instagram likes and the approval of peers.