Skin positivity: 6 Ways to Love the Skin You’re In

Every day, we are exposed to hundreds of photo-shopped and airbrushed images. In a culture that places a high value on appearance, it’s easy to feel like we don’t measure up. Most of us are self-conscious about at least one body part. For many people, it’s their skin. Luckily, there is the new skin positivity movement.

Skin positivity: 6 Ways to Love the Skin You’re In

The origins of our dermatological discontent

The skin is the largest organ in the body, and one of the most vital. It regulates body temperature, protects your body from bacteria, ultraviolet light, and other toxins, and provides crucial sensory information about your environment. But we often take these critical functions for granted. Because skin is the “face” that we show to the world, it is easy to focus on how it looks versus the important purpose that it serves. Skin positivity is about appreciating your skin for its function versus its appearance.

It is hard to practice skin-positivity in an appearance-obsessed culture in which photoshopped images are the norm.

Reality check

Did you know that skin conditions are the fourth most frequent cause of human illness? A study completed in Germany in 2019 found that 64.9 percent of participants had at least one skin abnormality, and others estimate that 1 in 3 people have a skin disease at any given time. The American Academy of Dermatology ranks acne as the number one most common skin condition, affecting up to 50 million U.S. citizens annually. Other common skin disorders include atopic dermatitis, rosacea, eczema, and hair loss. If you are struggling with these or other skin conditions, you are not alone!

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How to practice skin positivity

Skin positivity doesn’t happen overnight, but there are steps that you can take towards accepting and appreciating your skin. You can begin by simply paying attention to how you think about your skin and the amount of time that you spend engaging in appearance-focused activities. Then you can work on replacing these habits with more skin-positive ones. Like with any new habit, the more you practice, the easier it gets!

  • Recognize triggers
  • Tune in to self-talk
  • Redirect time, energy, and attention
  • Face your fears
  • Connect with others
  • Practice skin neutrality
Connecting with others can help to challenge your negative beliefs about your skin and promote skin-positivity.

What skin positivity DOESN’T mean

At the heart of skin positivity is the belief that your skin should not define you. How you put this belief into practice is up to you! Accepting and appreciating your skin doesn’t necessarily mean forgoing makeup, beauty routines, and skincare procedures all together. What it does mean is being mindful about how much time, money, and energy you spend on these activities. For example, if you are using makeup as a mask to “cover up” what you find unacceptable, you may want to challenge yourself to go without makeup some of the time. Similarly, if keeping up with beauty trends is stressful or obsessive, you will probably feel better if you redirect your attention to something else.

You can still enjoy makeup and other beauty routines while practicing skin positivity.

Conclusion

Skin positivity is about appreciating your skin for all of the important functions that it serves instead of its appearance. It’s about rejecting popular notions of what skin “should” look like, and redefining what constitutes beauty. By being more mindful about how much time, energy, and money we spend trying to improve our skin, we can redirect our attention to the things that bring us long term satisfaction. After all, what is more beautiful than making a meaningful connection, pursuing a passion, or fully engaging in an activity that brings you joy?

To practice skin positivity, make sure your social media feeds are filled with skin positive influencers.

How can I get skin positive?

  1. Start by improving your self-image. Take time to focus on the things that make you unique and special, rather than what you don’t like about yourself.
  2. Focus on practicing self-care. Take time for yourself, do things that make you feel good, and practice self-compassion.
  3. Celebrate your skin. Take time to appreciate the beauty of your skin and all its features, even the ones you don’t like.
  4. Embrace beauty diversity. Understand that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and that you don’t have to fit into any particular mold to be beautiful.
  5. Connect with other people. Spend time with people who make you feel positive and accepted, and don’t be afraid to speak up if someone is being negative or hurtful.
  6. Educate yourself. Develop an understanding of skin health, and learn how to properly care for your skin.

What is skin neutrality?

Skin neutrality is the idea that skin color should not be a factor in how people are judged or treated. It is based on the concept of racial equality, suggesting that everyone should be treated equally regardless of their skin color or ethnicity. It encourages individuals to accept and respect each other’s differences while celebrating diversity.

What is acne positivity?

Acne positivity is a movement that encourages people to accept and love their skin regardless of any acne or blemishes they may have. It is based on the idea that beauty is not determined by the appearance of your skin, and that acne does not define you or your worth. This movement encourages people to embrace their acne, instead of trying to hide it or feel ashamed of it.

How do you embrace acne?

  1. Accept and embrace your acne as part of your journey. It’s okay to be frustrated or upset about having acne, but try to focus on the positive things in your life and the fact that it will eventually go away.
  2. Practice self-care and avoid picking at your acne. This can cause further irritation and worsen it.
  3. Use gentle skincare products, such as those labeled “non-comedogenic” and “non-acnegenic”. These products are specifically designed to help reduce acne without further irritation.
  4. Talk to a dermatologist about your options for managing your acne, such as topical medications, light treatments or oral medications.
  5. Try to maintain a positive outlook and remember that acne is a normal part of growing up.

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Directly translated wohlgefühl means pleasant feeling sense of well-being. Read about everything mental health and wellness.

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Filler bite - Wohlgefühl

Directly translated wohlgefühl means pleasant feeling sense of well-being. Read about everything mental health and wellness.