Zit-ting Down with My Acne Big Cyster Cassandra Bankson

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, up to 50 million Americans are affected by acne annually, making it the most common skin condition. Defined as the clogging of hair follicles with oil and dead skin cells, acne usually begins in adolescence though it can extend up to adulthood. Beyond the overt physical pain and struggle of breakouts and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, acne - and all of its forms, whether pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, or cysts - also bring about emotional and psychological effects that are beyond skin deep. A 2008 study showed that acne significantly brought more depressive symptoms, greater feelings of uselessness, lower self-worth, and decreased body satisfaction. As a former victim o ...