Sometimes it is difficult to remember how hard the teen years were. From cliques and popularity contests to peer pressure, most of us are happy to put those days behind us for good. However, in today’s image-obsessed society, where millions of photos are uploaded daily through digital networks such as Facebook and Flickr, there is even more pressure on today’s teens to put their best face forward.
Acne is one of the most common skin problems, affecting more than 80 percent of young adults and teens, and can be challenging to manage.1 Since it is so prevalent, many parents do not realize that acne is a medical condition and can be treated. Doctors can diagnose the root cause and tailor treatment to each teen’s individual skin type.
To gauge the impact acne can have on teens' every day lives, I conducted a study with the American Acne & Rosacea Society (AARS). We asked thousands of teens and adults to offer their first impressions of teens based solely on photos of their face like the ones below--some with clear skin and others digitally enhanced with acne.2 
While we were expecting the results of the study to show that having acne would be difficult for teens, what I found most distressing was the extent to which acne can really skew the way society perceives teens.
The results were extremely interesting:
Teens with acne are automatically associated with certain characteristics, such as being nerdy, lonely and shy.1a
Teenagers with acne were also assumed to be followers rather than leaders.1b
American adults believe that more than half (56%) of teens with acne are likely to be bullied, compared to 29 percent of teens without acne.1c
When it comes to dating, adults assumed that on an average weekend, teens with acne are more likely to stay at home with their parents than go out on a date, compared to teens with clear skin. (58% vs. 36%)1d
When asked about their own acne, many teens revealed the lengths they would go to in order to get rid of the condition forever. Some stated they would stay off Facebook for an entire year or pick one of their parents as a prom date if they could be zit-free for life. As a mother of two teen daughters, this was shocking!1e
These results show that unfortunately, acne does play a role in how teens are viewed by both their peers and adults. So, what starts as a purely medical condition can have other implications.
Now, more than ever, it is important that parents take the time to monitor and help improve their teen’s self-esteem, as confidence plays a major role in their ability to successfully navigate these turbulent adolescent years. For teens, how others view them on the outside greatly impacts how they feel about themselves on the inside.
While there are multiple factors that can affect a teen’s confidence, acne is one thing mom and dad can do something about easily. Parents can provide their teens emotional and social advantages by taking them to a dermatologist, where they can get a prescription treatment that is right for their individual skin type and treats the root cause of the condition.
For more information on how you can help your teen achieve clear skin and improve those important first impressions, visit AcneSociety.org and click on the "Acne Awareness Month" link. This educational initiative was supported by Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
References:
1. Thiboutot, D, Pariser, DM, Egan, N, et al. Adapalene gel 0.3 percent for the treatment of acne vulgaris: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled phase III trial. J Am Acad Dermatol 2006; 54(2): 242.
2. American Acne & Rosacea Society/Dr. Eva Ritvo Teen Perception Study, Conducted by Kelton Research, 2009.
Dr. Eva Ritvo is vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida. She is an Associate Professor in both the Departments of Psychiatry with a secondary appointment in the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Ritvo is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a member of the American College of Psychiatry.
Dr. Ritvo has written and lectured extensively in the US and internationally to dermatologists, plastic and cosmetic surgeons, and psychiatrists on the "Science and Meaning of Beauty" as well as "How to understand and handle aesthetic patients." Dr Ritvo has written book chapters and articles on topics that include body dysmorphic disorder, and managing patient expectations. She is the co-author of The Beauty Prescription.
More articles by this author
Parenting Preemies
Vitamin D Deficiency and Pregnancy
How Over-Parenting Hurts Your Children . . . And You
OTC Cough Medicine Abuse
