Psychological impact

A brief discussion with teenagers with acne will quickly illuminate the degree to which ‘spots’ can affect their lives. Appearing as it does, during the emotionally turbulent teenage years, responses to acne range from mild annoyance to depression and even suicidal ideation. Not only can acne cause severe psychological hardship, but it can also prevent young people from achieving their full potential as they avoid applying for the job they really want because it means being in the public eye, for example. Whilst some people with acne may require extensive psychological support and intervention, for the majority having someone who takes their problem seriously and works with them to find a treatment regime which works will be all that is required. For this reason, nurses who care for people with acne need to take the time to find out how the disease is impacting on life and work with the person to find a satisfactory therapy. (See section 6 for further information on the psychological impact of skin disease.)