Acne affects 9.4% of the global population, making it the most common skin condition. Yet, despite how normal it is, those who have it still endure unfair judgment and stigma.

For this Redditor, acne has been a long-standing struggle. Hoping to avoid further irritation, she finally ditched makeup and embraced her natural skin. What she didn’t expect was for her bare face to personally offend a classmate, who claimed it triggered their trypophobia and caused panic attacks.

Now, instead of support, she’s under pressure from students—and even her teacher—to cover up with concealer. Feeling isolated, she’s turning to the internet for advice.

After struggling with acne for a long time, the young woman finally ditched makeup to avoid irritation

Image credits: Bluesandisland (not the actual photo)

What she didn’t expect was for her bare face to personally offend a classmate

Image credits: Pressmaster (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Yeetoads

More than half of acne sufferers experience hurtful comments about their skin

We’re told not to judge a book by its cover, but if you have acne, you quickly realize that rule doesn’t apply to you.

A 2015 survey by the British Skin Foundation found that 56.8% of acne sufferers had been subjected to hurtful remarks—not just from strangers, but even from friends and family. Meanwhile, 95% said their skin issues affected their daily lives, and 63% reported a blow to their self-confidence.

Another study showed that 72.88% of people with skin conditions said it negatively impacted their intimate relationships, with some too afraid to date or admitting they’d been rejected because of it. Nearly 70% also reported difficulties in their work or education.

It’s ridiculous how much cruelty people with acne endure. A few blemishes shouldn’t be enough to shake someone, yet they often do.

I know this firsthand. My acne followed me from my late teens to my mid-twenties, flaring up at the worst times, ranging from mild to severe. Once, an elderly woman stopped me in the middle of the street and urged me to get an STD test because she believed that was obviously the cause of my acne—without so much as a hello. No introduction, no hesitation, just a stranger deciding my skin was her business.

Now that my skin has mostly cleared and I’m surrounded by people who support me, I can laugh at that absurd encounter. But behind the humor are years of frustration, exhaustion, and self-doubt, constantly wondering why nothing seemed to work.

Let’s not forget that acne isn’t just an emotional nuisance, it’s also incredibly expensive to treat. I don’t even want to think about how much money I’ve spent on skincare, medications, and dermatologist visits, all in the hopes of finding a solution.

The good news, however, is that it does get better. And even in the moments when it feels like it won’t, the right people will never make you feel like you need to hide. In fact, acne is a great way to filter out the judgmental ones—because who wants to be around people who treat you differently over something completely out of your control?

So be patient and trust that things will fall into place. You are so much more than your skin.

Image credits: Pablo Merchán Montes (not the actual photo)

In the replies, the woman shared more details about the situation

Readers responded by telling her to stand her ground

Update: “I won’t wear the concealer”

Bored Panda reached out to Yeetoads, the author of the post, to see how she’s feeling and what steps she’s considering taking next.

“I really appreciate the support and advice people have shared,” she revealed. “It was reassuring to hear from others who’ve been in similar situations and to know I’m not alone. People have also reached out to me privately, which has been really nice.”

At the same time, she noticed that many Reddit discussions tend to be very American-centric, leading some users to question her story simply because it didn’t align with their experiences. “It’s been a little frustrating, but overall, I’m glad I shared my story,” she said.

Since then, she has scheduled another meeting with her teacher, the principal, and “Callie” to discuss how things have played out so far.

“I want to make it clear that the way this was handled was unfair to me and that there needs to be a better approach if a similar situation arises in the future,” she explained. “I don’t know how receptive they’ll be, but I feel like I at least need to say my piece. I won’t wear the concealer.”

She also wants people to understand that acne isn’t something that can just be “fixed” overnight. “It’s not a sign of poor hygiene or something we’re doing wrong,” she said. “It’s often genetic, hormonal, or just out of our control.”

Aside from how it looks, acne can be physically painful too. “Deep, cystic acne can throb, itch, and even make simple things like washing your face or resting your head on a pillow uncomfortable. Sometimes it feels like having bruises all over your skin, and there’s really no way to get immediate relief.”

“On top of that, many acne treatments are harsh and can cause dryness, burning, and peeling, which just adds to the discomfort. The isotretinoin pills I’m on right now are causing these things, for example,” she shared. “It’s exhausting to deal with both the pain and the stigma at the same time.”

More than anything, she hopes people realize that acne doesn’t define someone’s worth.

“Acne sufferers aren’t ‘dirty’ or ‘careless’ about our skin. It’s often completely out of our control. And no one deserves to be treated poorly because of it. It doesn’t make someone less deserving of kindness or respect.”

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