When I was younger, I wanted to be pretty so bad. I wanted the charm and smile of Disney Channel darlings, and the hotness of Hollister models wearing three camisoles at once and a frayed denim mini, cavorting on the beach with shirtless surfer “brahs”. While I probably wouldn’t have gotten around to such debauchery anyway, I can’t help but feel like I let my acne really stand in the way of living my best life; I didn’t date until college because I hated the way I looked and assumed no guy would find me remotely attractive. I didn’t bother trying out for cheerleading — even though it looked fun — because I didn’t think I was pretty enough. (I was also kinda scared of shattering every bone in my body.) “Many studies have shown that acne takes a real toll on self-esteem, can cause depression and anxiety, and an overall withdrawal from life,” board-certified psychiatrist and dermatologist (and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection) Dr. Amy Wechsler, M.D. tells me. “I have patients who come in and they might not make eye contact with me. Everything about their body language kind of says, ‘I’m not feeling good [about myself].”
