According to 2004 estimates by the American Academy of Dermatology, acne affects as much as 50 million Americans annually. Maroon 5 frontman, Adam Levine, reveals that he undergoes bouts with acne breakouts from time to time. “I’ll be honest. As a teenager, I had horrible breakouts. I would hide from cameras, hide in my room. I was just ashamed of my acne … Today, even though I’m a celebrity, I’m no different than anyone else. Acne just shows up and causes trouble. And it can mess with your confidence.”

What you don’t know about acne can hurt you.

While acne is often tackled as a skin problem, the effects of acne go far beyond the physical to include mental, emotional and psychological impacts that dampen the spirits of many acne sufferers, particularly adolescents who often have the hardest time coping up with this skin condition.  Listed below are five things about the effects of acne that you should know:

Getting acne under control wins you just half of the battle.

Scarring and dark marks left behind by breakouts need to be resolved too. These after effects of acne require plenty of time, effort and resources, just like acne itself, to be successfully managed and sustainably maintained.

To deal with acne marks, try any of the following treatment options or a combination of which:

• Honey and lemon facial mask. Simply blend both ingredients on a 1:1 ratio and apply like a mask on thoroughly cleansed face.

• Cosmelan. A procedure that combines a professionally administered first phase of treatment, followed through by a home-based procedure.

• Skin bleaching. It is a common procedure that women have been doing for decades. While it may seem like a normal and easy procedure to DIY, this skin lightening technique carries with it the most risk when it comes to treating acne scars. There is high likelihood for this procedure to lead to permanent loss of skin pigment. You must take care when using this procedure, most especially when you have dark skin.

• Spot correcting cream. Available over-the-counter, these products often contain active skin lighteners like hydroquinone, retinol or licorice. Tretinoin and retinoid containing products which are available only by prescription, are also potent ways to treat acne scars and make these much less visible.

• Oral medications. Intake of antioxidant-rich Vitamin C and glutathione can also help lighten skin. Although, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a  warning that it is possible to overdose with these vitamins.

• Laser skin resurfacing. A non-invasive procedure, this is a highly targeted solution to treat your acne scar concerns.

Acne and acne scarring causes poor body image.  

Whereas weight gain is to body shaming, acne also causes poor body image. Due to the poor appearance of the skin, people who have chronic bouts with acne breakouts suffer from public scrutiny. This eventually evolves to more serious problems concerning other, non-superficial effects of acne like depression.

Acne impacts a person’s self-esteem.  

Many studies have made a positive link between acne and self esteem. In 2008, a study published in the Journal for Nurse Practitioners found that there was a significant relationship between acne and certain negative psychological indicators measured by the study. Yet another study published in 2004 in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery concluded that low self-image and low quality of life were positively affected by acne. The study further found that improvements in acne condition resulted to observable improvements in both self-image and quality of life.

Acne is caused by chronic stress and, in turn, causes it too.  

Stress, a major cause of acne, is also an effect of acne. As people who are affected by this skin condition lose self-confidence, it also becomes a source of stress. In fact, some behavioral and skincare practitioners have linked skin picking with self awareness and the unending consciousness about the appearance of the poor appearance of the skin.

It takes years for these effects of acne to go away.  

The number one driver to resolve these effects is improving the impact of acne treatment. Unfortunately, the reality is that it does take time for acne and its scars, both the superficial and intangible ones, to heal completely.

3 Ways to Get Rid of Acne Scars for Good

CONCLUSION.

Acne is not impossible to treat. Although, treatment may take time or a lifetime. Therefore, patience is a virtue when it comes to acne treatment, just like with everything else.