Teen with cystic acne shares powerful message about embracing yourself

‘Acne doesn’t make you ugly, a heart full of hate does’

Barcroft TV (YouTube)

A teen with cystic acne has shared a powerful message about overcoming your insecurities and embracing your beauty to inspire others struggling with similar issues.

Hailey Wait is a 17-year-old from Colorado.

She regular shares makeup-free selfies on her social media channels to encourage others to accept themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin.

Wait has struggled with acne ever since she was in her early teens.

After years of trying to cover up her spots with makeup every time she left the house, Wait finally decided to stop hiding under her foundation.

As a result, she’s since come out of her shell and her confidence levels have soared.

Wait was bullied at school by kids who made fun of her acne. However, she doesn’t let the haters crush her spirit, tweeting: “Reminder that acne doesn’t make you ugly, a heart full of hate does.”

Kyla Hermelyn, a 19-year-old student, responded to the cruel comments one of Wait’s posts received from people who described her acne as “ugly” and “gross”.

“As someone with awful cystic acne, I have tried everything," she wrote.

“I’m so sick of hearing people call those with acne ugly and dirty.”

She continued, saying: “I wish I had enough confidence as @pigssart [Hailey Wait] to show more people and embrace my skin because acne doesn’t make us any less beautiful.”

According to the British Skin Foundation, acne affects eight out of ten people aged between 11 and 30 in the UK.

Acne can heavily influence a person’s mental health.

In 2006, a study of secondary school students in New Zealand concluded that those suffering from acne were more likely to experience symptoms of depression.

More adults are starting to seek help for their acne, with 88 per cent of skincare specialists noting an increase in the number of adults asking for advice, according to WhatClinic.