Verbal abuse experienced by more than half of acne suffers

A recent acne survey by the British Skin Foundation has found that more than half of acne sufferers (56.78%) have experienced verbal abuse from friends, family and other people they know due to their skin condition.

The survey had more than 2,000 responses and was aimed at getting an insight into what acne sufferers go through during their everyday lives. 95% of acne sufferers said acne had an impact on their daily lives and 63% reported a fall in self-confidence due to acne. Shockingly, just over 10% of people had been unfairly dismissed at work due to their acne, according to the research, while nearly 20% had a relationship end. More than 40% had also been bullied due to their condition. More worryingly, over 20% of those surveyed had thought about or attempted suicide.

Consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson Dr Anjali Mahto said “I’m not surprised to hear that acne can have such a profound effect on every aspect of someone’s life. I think these results highlight that acne should be taken far more seriously. It is important to seek help and advice early before scarring (be that mental or physical) develops and request referral to a dermatologist if treat-ments aren’t working. We also need to investigate the psy-chological burden of this further.”