Instead of dishing out advice on how to banish acne (Drink more water, eat less sugar, go vegan, only eat raw foods!), inspiring American teenager Hailey Wait is encouraging her 132,000 Instagram followers to cease letting their skin troubles define them.
And FYI, her Insta bio dubs her a ‘Professional Pizza Face’, so she’s clearly an all-round legend as well as a pioneer and inspiration to her peers.
Truth is, whichever way you slice it, most people will deal with some level of acne at some stage in their life. Sure, it might be a little more ‘socially acceptable’ when you’re a teenager and are also dealing with y’know, weird hair, weird eyebrows, weird moods etc., but the reality is that a lot of women in their 20s and 30s are battling the breakouts too.
Hailey’s message is abundantly clear: acne is never enjoyable, and cystic breakouts are especially painful. But they do not define you. You are worth much more than the quality of your skin.
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Which, let’s face it, is quite a refreshing sentiment, and one that is catching on. At the Golden Globes in January, Kendall Jenner was called out for her acne, to which she responded “never let that shit stop you.” The supermodel has been open about her struggles with acne, speaking out about how much it affected her self confidence and perception of herself.
As Hailey writes in one of her Instagram posts, acne is usually a whole lot more complex than simply drinking more water and washing your face. Acne sufferers often work with professionals for years in order to try and tame their breakouts, frequently resorting to rounds and rounds of intense antibiotics that have potentially disastrous consequences (we’re lookin’ at you, Accutane.)
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But thanks to inspirations like Hailey, the tides seem to be turning. Alongside other social accounts that are encouraging women to accept themselves just as they are, (thank you @anybodyco, @thenakeddiaries) — self acceptance seems to be firmly on the agenda for this year.
So may 2018 be the year of embracing yourself, accepting yourself, and loving yourself wholeheartedly.
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