By Dr. John Koo
Today, teens are more concerned than ever about their appearance and body image. Many of you will go to great lengths to appear cool, hip and fashionable. For those of you suffering from acne, you may experience increased concern over appearance and body image and this can cause problems in social situations, relationships and with lifestyle.
As a board-certified dermatologist and psychiatrist, I have researched how acne impacts teenagers emotionally. Acne can lead to many problems for teenagers including problems with self-esteem/self-confidence, body image, embarrassment/social withdrawal, depression, anger, preoccupation/obsession with acne, frustration/confusion, limitations in lifestyle and difficulty with family dynamics.
To learn more about how acne impacts teenagers, I worked closely with Galderma to construct a survey of teenagers AND parents. We learned some disturbing, but not surprising information:
- Acne causes decreased self-esteem: Almost half of girls and a quarter of boys have decreased self-esteem and problems with body image as a result of acne.
- Parents don't understand: Only 18% of parents believe acne can result in problems with body image for their teenagers.
- Acne negatively impacts relationships: More than 1 in 2 teens say that acne is a reason they have been turned down for a date in the past.
There are some things you can do to help overcome your bad experience with zits:
- Talk with your parents: While they may not fully understand how acne is eating at you inside, your parents do want to help you. But you need to level with them about how acne is making you feel at school, in your personal and social lives.
- See a dermatologist: This is not a scary experience. A dermatologist will evaluate your skin type and skin condition and may prescribe treatments for you. Click here to find a dermatologist in your local area.
- Periodically return to www.losethezits.com: This is a great resource to get updated information about acne and treatments. You may also want to encourage your parents to visit www.mychildsacne.com to learn more.
John YM Koo, MD, is board certified as both a psychiatrist and a dermatologist. Consequently, he has a special interest in seeing patients who have both psychological and skin concerns. As the Director of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center and Phototherapy Unit, Dr. John Koo specializes in the treatment of psoriasis, eczema and other skin conditions. As Director of the University of California, San Francisco Dermatology Drug Research Unit, Dr. Koo conducts clinical trials for new topical and oral medications for psoriasis, acne and eczema, as well as other skin disorders. Dr. Koo runs his own dermatology practice, located in the San Francisco area.