What the Skin-Acceptance Movement Means for People With Conditions Like Mine

I'll never forget the moment my perception of skin conditions started to shift. It was the middle of a mind-numbingly hot summer night, and I had woken myself up from scratching again (an occurrence as common for me as washing my hair, which I do every two or three days). I started scrolling through Instagram to occupy myself, as you do, and after a few minutes of thumbing through photos of the same old — memes, models, beauty bloggers — I stumbled upon an image that left me shell-shocked: a stunning woman whose face and bikini-clad body was covered in what appeared to be psoriasis.

Sure enough, I clicked on her profile and was met with a flood of similar photos, some of which featured others showing off their psoriasis, too. Holly Dillon of @getyourskinout is just one of many spearheading the skin-acceptance movement taking over Instagram. In recent months, the movement, if you will, has amassed major popularity among those with all types of skin ailments. Acne serves as one of the most prominent for obvious reasons: an estimated 80 percent of people have it at some point in their lives.

Photographer and creator of the viral portrait series that spotlights the beauty of skin diversity, Peter "PJ" DeVito, says he can't recall exactly when the skin-acceptance movement started, but that this image of a New York City-based blogger who opens up about her acne was the first post he saw on Instagram related to the subject. The photo was taken just last summer. DeVito isn't the only person I spoke to who points out that we only started to see this switch in perspective recently.

"I would say it's a fairly new movement that began in the last year or so as an offshoot of the self-love movement," says Nainika A. of the @badassbrownactivist account. "I think the sudden increase in how many 'perfect' faces we're exposed to on a daily basis caused people to snap and say, 'Enough is enough. This isn't reality, and we're tired of being fed endless pictures of airbrushed skin that make us feel bad about ourselves.'"

Instagram as an Emotional Outlet

Her words ring true to me in more ways than one. As someone who's struggled with a pretty intense, debilitating skin condition known as Netherton Syndrome since birth, which is characterized by perennial redness, chronic flaking, and near-constant itch, there's a part of me that can't help but wonder how things would have panned out differently if this kind of progression had taken place when I was 15 and covered in head-to-toe rash (the kind that made me want to curl up and hibernate for weeks at a time). The other half of me, however, is just so happy it's happening, because it means that millions of people with seemingly "imperfect" skin can turn to social media for support — to remember they're so far from alone.

This solace can come from someone else's unfiltered photo evidencing their blemished skin in its natural state, or from posting their own pictures and receiving uplifting messages of support and solidarity in the comments section. Commiseration is real: It can be a powerful coping mechanism that has the potential to create a sense of community and change the course of some people's lives. (Consider that the next time a stranger shares their skin woes with you.)

The Positives

You didn't just hear it from me, though. "Social media allows people to connect in a way that was not possible even a decade ago and allows people to easily find others who are suffering or going through similar issues," muses dermatologist and author of The Skincare Bible, Anjali Mahto, who has been candid about her own battle with cystic acne on Instagram. She continues to share her skin journey on social media in hopes that it would help dissolve some of the stigmas that skin experts, especially dermatologists, should always have crystal-clear complexions. "This hopefully leads to positive reinforcement that it is acceptable to talk about acne and prevent a feeling of being isolated," says Mahto.

Based on the number of people, including influencers like Ingrid Nilsen and high-profile celebrities like Kendall Jenner, who have shared their own relatable skin stories, posted bare-faced selfies, and supported those suffering from crippling conditions, it appears we're on the right track to what could someday be a skin-judgment-free society. Maybe not everyone is on board yet, but social media has certainly become a safer space for people to strip down, forgo the filters, and get raw with their followers.

YouTubers Kadeeja Khan and Rocio Cervantes are just two of many who prove the growth of the movement to be true. Both bloggers have chosen to speak out about acne and self-acceptance on their accounts, and the positive feedback they've garnered because of it has been remarkable.

"The amount of love, positive, and sweet comments I received by just sharing myself with major breakouts to people was so overwhelming in a great way," says Cervantes. "I still get so many messages about that post and how it helped their struggle with accepting themselves, so I would definitely say Instagram is a vital platform for the skin-positive movement. It allows people to reach out to those who deal with common struggles." See? Sliding into someone's DMs can actually be therapeutic, as well as an excellent way to keep this conversation going.

The Drawbacks

As with any sort of activism that seeks to adjust societal norms, the skin-acceptance movement hasn't seen its way through without backlash from people who fear it or fail to understand it (the two often go hand in hand). For instance, Khan notes that it's likely that some beauty brands will never truly change their advertising tactics, using visuals of people with "perfect," Photoshopped skin that yields the unrealistic expectations.

Brands are one thing, but online trolls are an entirely different beast. They hide behind screens, typing insensitive or malicious messages aimed at those who are simply trying to say, "It's OK to be yourself." Nainika tells me over email that she sometimes sees people on social media, who are promoting skin-positivity, get flack for trying to treat their skin. "They get criticized for being 'fake,' but this movement isn't about promoting the idea that you must have a skin condition," she says. "You can promote acceptance while treating your own acne. No one ever deserves to be bullied."

In a similar vein, Mahto says that while the "real skin" movement has been beneficial in unveiling the filtered perfection on social media and normalizing widespread conditions like acne, it's also, by extension, minimizing the importance of treatment. "Despite this acceptance, people should never leave acne or skin conditions unattended," she says. "You should always seek professional help to determine any potential underlying issues to maintain good skin health." On the other hand, if you have mild acne or an incurable skin condition and choose to leave it untreated with the OK from your physician, that's a 100 percent your decision.

The Future of Skin-Acceptance

Look, say what you will about the skin-acceptance movement, but amidst all the devastation in the world right now, along with the self-destruction many of us are exposed to daily on social media, it's incredibly encouraging. Who knows, maybe someday my kids will look at me, rash and all, and not see a mutant or a monster (both of which societal pressures have made me feel like before). Instead, they should just see a human being with skin...not "imperfect," "flawed," or "damaged" skin. Just skin.

Too ambitious? I hope not. Here's to the future of skin-acceptance — no, make that every single kind of acceptance. It's in our hands. Literally.

Now read more stories about amazing examples of body positivity:

• This College Student's Rare Birthmark Is Going Viral for the Best Reason

• Body-Positive Yogi Jessamyn Stanley Wants the Wellness Industry to Embrace Fat

• This Stunning Photo Series Features Women Covering Their Insecurities in Glitter

Watch how this lupus advocate finds beauty in illness:

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