Even though acne is a skin condition that affects many teens and young adults, a new study has found that misconceptions about acne are still very common.
For this study, the researchers headed by Alexa Boer Kimball, a board-certified dermatologist and a professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, set out to examine people's views on acne. Previous research has found that acne can greatly affect people's self-esteem.
"Acne is a very visible condition, and it affects many patients during adolescence, when they're especially vulnerable," Kimball said in the news release. "When acne persists into adulthood, so can its effects on self-esteem, which may create difficulty for patients in work and social situations."
The researchers recruited 56 healthy volunteers and showed them pictures of common skin conditions, such as acne, eczema and warts. The researchers collected the participants' opinions in regards to the images that they saw via a questionnaire.
For acne, specifically, the team found that 62.5 percent of the participants stated that they became upset over the images. This rate was the second highest after images of herpes. The aspects of acne that the participants reported were the most upsetting included open sores, color and location on the face.
Around 80 percent of the participants stated that they felt sorry for people who have acne, 67.9 percent said they would be ashamed if they had acne, and nearly half of the participants stated that they would be uncomfortable walking out in public with someone who has acne. Another 44.6 percent said that they would not be comfortable touching someone's acne.
"I was surprised by these results," Kimball said. "Since so many people have experienced acne, I thought they would have more empathy for patients with this condition."
The researchers also found that many of the participants did not really understand how acne works, with 55.4 percent believing that acne is caused by bad hygiene, while 50 percent thought that acne can be infectious and 37.5 percent said acne is linked to poor diet.
"People are making incorrect assumptions about acne, and it's affecting their opinion of patients with this condition," Kimball said.
The researchers also explained that these misconceptions could affect how acne-sufferers manage their skin. For example, people who think that acne is caused by poor hygiene might feel the need to over cleanse their skin, which can end up making the acne worse.
"Acne is a medical condition, so you shouldn't hesitate to seek medical attention for it," Kimball said. "There are a variety of effective treatment options available, for both teens and adults, and a dermatologist can determine the best option for you."
Kimball and her colleagues presented their findings at the American Academy of Dermatology's 74th Annual Meeting.
