It’s embarrassing to get a big pimple on your cheek. You can try to pop it and cover it up with makeup first thing in the morning. Or you can do nothingand hope that no one will be rude enough to point out that there is something wrong with your skin. 

When you deal with a chronic skin condition, you live with that struggle every single day. The stigma of “bad skin” can wear down your self-confidence over time and take a serious toll on your mental health. 

A study found that there is a heightened risk of developing depression for people who have been diagnosed with acne in comparison to those who don’t have the chronic skin condition. The study followed patients for 15 years. Experts found that patients had a high risk of a major depressive episode at least one year after their initial diagnosis. The chance was 63% higher than people without acne. 

Beyond depression, acne also causes feelings of social anxiety, especially when it’s located on the face. It’s difficult to hide your face in social interactions. Even makeup might not be able to disguise large bumps or clusters of pimples. 

The extreme visibility of the condition can cause constant shame and worry, forcing people to avoid basic social activities to save themselves the mental anguish. It could be something as simple as refusing to pose in group photographs or refusing to sign up for online dating apps for fear of romantic rejection. 

People suffer from stress and social anxiety because their rosacea flare-ups alter their physical appearance and attract unwanted attention from strangers. At first glance, rosacea can look like blushing cheeks, a small sunburn or a flushed face after having too much to drink. It can lead to a lot of unfortunate misunderstandings. No one wants someone to assume that they’re intoxicated, especially if they’re on the job or driving.

Sadly, this emotional response exacerbates the chronic condition. According to Contemporary Clinic, emotional stress can trigger rosacea outbreaks and create a frustrating cycle of worsening symptoms for patients. 

There are two things you can do to alleviate the emotional repercussions of chronic skin conditions: treat the physical symptoms and treat the psychological symptoms. If you haven’t already done so, seek out the help of a dermatologist to come up with a treatment plan to manage breakouts and flare-ups as much as possible. 

If you have acne or rosacea, you can visit the Baywood Laser skin clinic to reduce the signs of outbreaks and lessen your chances of permanent scarring. If you’ve found that creams, cleansers and lotions have not been doing the trick, you could be surprised by the results of non-invasive laser treatment. 

And of course, you should consider finding a counselor or a therapist to discuss any mental health issues related to or exaggerated by your chronic condition. You may not even realize how much of an impact the problem has had on you.