Individuals with acne may face stigmatizing attitudes in social and professional settings, according to a recent study published by Shields et al in JAMA Dermatology. In a cross-sectional study, investigators recruited 1,357 individuals to take an online survey to better understand the degree of stigmatization towards people with acne across various settings. The respondents were randomly shown stock images of people who either had mild, severe, or no acne and were subsequently asked to answer questions regarding stigmatizing attitudes toward the images. The investigators found that the respondents were less comfortable being friends with, having physical contact with, hiring, and dating those who had severe acne compared with those who had no acne. Those with more severe acne were also more likely to be seen as unhygienic, unintelligent, unlikable, immature, and untrustworthy. Based on the study results, the study authors concluded that people with more severe acne and darker skin tones may experience a greater degree of stigmatization, and that their new findings signify a critical need to identify novel strategies for reducing the stigma associated with acne.
December 20, 2023