Bianca Ranieri

Addie Degenhart
IDEAS Project Block
October 21, 2016

Almost every teenager will experience at least one type of skin disorder within their
adolescent years. A lot of those teenagers, and teenagers in general, often spend their free time
observing all different types of media. The media sets and defines societys beauty standards and
trends, that these teens are observing almost daily, ingraining popular beliefs about beauty into
what they believe. The beauty standards set by the media are often harsh, and cruel leaving
stigma and self-loathing. Evidence of such is present in intenses like the YOU LOOK
DISGUSTING video, in which people left harsh comments about a womans acne. Shows like
Seinfeld in which there are about 240 jokes about dermatology, often using satire and
exaggeration (Vickers, et al). It is an all too common theme in popular media to make jokes or
play to a certain trope surrounding characters who have skin conditions (Rise of Zitboy). The
constant use of jokes and tropes of characters with skin conditions leads the public to believe that
it is okay to make jokes and believe the stigma created by these tropes.
The different systems of religion are highly influential on the people who follow them,
making religion just as influential in forming opinions and beliefs as the media. This influence,
depending on the view point, can be positive or negative and can cause extreme harm if not
received correctly or with a positive message. The view on skin conditions by the Christian
church is an interesting one, many fractions and individual churches have different views on skin

conditions. Some views they have on skin conditions are that one does not need to rely on
conventional methods of treatment, that they need to use both prayer and medicine to heal, but
there are also those who believe that you only need prayer and positive thoughts. Beliefs by the
Church are also that skin conditions are punishments for sins and caused by the devil, their proof
being the monsters and villains depicted by horror movies and the severe acne suffered by the
actors in the Harry Potter movies because of the films satanic nature (Percy). Similar to how
some factions of the Christian Church views skin conditions, Islam also believes that prayer to
Allah will help in curing your skin condition and diseases in general, but unlike what I have
found about Christianity, Islam has specific guidelines for how and what to use to treat these
conditions. Unlike like the information I found from Brother Percy, Islam does not view skin
conditions as signs of evil or sin, they do still however believe that practitioners of Islam should
pray for and bless people who live with diseases and skin conditions (Prophets medicine for
Eczema).
How does societys perceptions of skin disorders affect how adolescents with skin
conditions view themselves? How have societal perceptions of skin conditions evolved as
different influences come together to make societys values over time? Society believes that by
showing people what it considers beauty and degrading individuals who do not fit these
standards will inspire people to improve themselves, however, these images and opinions only
alienate and harm individuals with skin conditions.

Cliff, Martha. "Are Spots Hot? Models Covered in ACNE Take to the Catwalk in a Bizarre Moto
Guo Show at Milan Men's Fashion Week ." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 20
June 2016. Web. 28 Sept. 2016. The article talks about a fashion show, by designer Moto
Guo, in which his models were makeup-less. The reactions of the author and the
designer's peers were that the exposure of acne was gross and "human abuse," according
to fashion designer Eugene Lin. This reaction depicts how the fashion industry often
views skin conditions. This article is biased against the showing of acne in fashion. The
author only has quotes from people who are against or have negative views on the topic,
not asking or having information on the designer's views or the models' feelings.
Showing how the media can have negative impacts on subjects and how they can
manipulate what the give to the public.
"Eloise Midgen." Harry Potter Wiki. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. Eloise Midgen is a side
character in the Harry Potter series, only ever mentioned and shown a few times in the
book and movie series. She is known for having severe acne and for going to drastic
measures in attempts to rid herself of her acne. Ron, one of the main characters, can be
quoted saying "I'd rather go alone than with- with Eloise Midgen, say," in book four of
the Harry Potter series. She is often used as a humor point for acne. In the Goblet of Fire
movie, during the dance practice scene, Ron whispers "Something's about to burst out of
Eloise Midgen, but I don't think it's a swan." A negative depiction of skin conditions in
such a large series that is targeted at children and young adults can have devastating

effects on how they grow up perceiving skin conditions and the people who have them, as
well as themselves.
Kirkova, Deni. "'You Look Disgusting': Beauty Blogger Gets Ugly Taunts after She Wipes off
Her Perfect Makeup to Reveal Severe Acne (and Is Told She's Amazing When She Puts
It Back On)." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 03 July 2015. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
This article talks about a beauty blogger who, after being harassed and bullied online,
created an emotional video in which she tells how she was treated both when her acne
was uncovered and when she covered her acne with makeup. This article, and video,
shows how social media often and frequently sees and reacts to skin conditions. The
article itself is more on the side of explaining what happened and being supportive of the
situation.
Misener, Jessica. "Acne-Plagued Teen, Walks In New York Fashion Week." The Huffington
Post. The Huffington Post, 13 Sept. 2012. Web. 15 Sept. 2016. This article talks about a
girl, Cassandra Bankson, who struggles with cystic acne that walked in New York
Fashion Week. The article talks about how she struggled with acne all of her adolescent
years and how she gained fame by doing YouTube makeup tutorials. They talk about
how she uses makeup to cover her acne and "show it who's boss." This article depicts
how the fashion industry can be supportive of individuals with skin conditions, however
often only when they cover up their conditions.
Percy, Brother. "Acne The Mark of the Devil!" The Landover Baptist Church Forum. N.p., 10
Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. Brother Percy, no known credentials other than
"Honorary True Christian", started a conversation thread on a religious forum about how

acne is created and caused by the devil and sin. He claims that the three lead actors, who
were teenagers at the time, of the Harry Potter movie series suffered from severe acne
during the filming of the Goblet of Fire movie because they participated in a movie about
witchcraft and devil worship, believing that if they had not done so they would not have
suffered so. Other evidence he provided was the depiction of evil characters with acne,
skin conditions, and facial scars. This, a good argument for him, broadened my view
point into how the horror genre, an incredibly popular genre, effects how people perceive
skin conditions. He also gives the argument that good thoughts will lead to no health
problems or skin conditions, whereas bad and sinful thoughts lead to health problems and
skin conditions, a belief that is popular.
"Prophets Medicine for Eczema." Islamweb. N.p., 23 Jan. 2001. Web. 26 Oct. 2016. According
to the responder, it seems in Islam there are usually specific rules or guidelines as to how
diseases and afflictions are treated. This particular instance asks about what to use to treat
eczema. Deducting from what the responder says, in Islam there are rules and guidelines
as to how one can treat diseases and wounds. It does not say that Muslims are not allowed
to use conventional medicines, but it does not mention any when giving the asker advice.
What they do recommend are "supplications", praying to Allah, using natural healing
ingredients that either Allah or the Prophet have made a source of cure, honey, and black
cummin. They do give a recipe on how to make and use the honey and cummin mixture.
It is brought up in this question and answer thread that it Muslim's are to pray for the
healing of people afflicted by skin conditions and diseases.

"Rise of Zitboy." TV Tropes. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2016. It is a common theme in mainstream
television and film to have a female character fall under the trope of Horrible Blemish
Appears Night Of the Dance/Date. The trope focusing on a large, often dramatized, single
zit commonly placed in a very visible spot on the face. The receiver of this zit is often
called ugly because of the blemish or she perceives it as ugly and herself as undesirable,
often resolving these issues with quick unrealistic remedies only to say that she is
beautiful now/again. The opposite happens for male characters, often having more severe
acne than their female counter parts, male characters with acne are most often the butt of
the jokes and almost never are relieved from their acne. Even their attempts at removing
their acne have been made into jokes. Sometimes a male character is allowed relief from
his acne and is made into the handsome guy that everyone now wants, leaving the
impression on youth that acne makes you ugly and only when you do not have acne are
you attractive and desirable.
Vickers, Jennifer L., Tatsuo Uchida, and Richard F. Wagner, Jr. "Television Depictions about
Dermatology and Skin Diseases in Seinfeld." EShcolarship: Dermatology Online
Journal. University of California, 2010. Web. 4 Oct. 2016. This journal examined all
nine seasons of the television show Seinfeld. Marking down every time a medical related
reference was made, using categories such as dermatology, non-dermatology
(ophthalmology, surgery, neurology, and cardiology), and psychiatry. Of the 1,638 health
related references that they found, 240 were about dermatology. They then examined
what type of humor was used when those topics were referenced. They found that
Dermatology was frequently used in satire, exaggeration, and nonsensism. The authors

then discussed how popular media like Seinfeld effects the views of society and how
those views effect those medical topics and others. In the introduction to their journal
they discuss the history of societal opposition to dermatology, which I will look into.
X, Sarah. "Jesus Healed Me of Severe Eczema/Dermatitis!" Testimony Share. N.p., 18 May
2011. Web. 05 Oct. 2016. This is a personal testimony of a 17 year-old girl's experience
with severe eczema. She tried several different treatments and none of them were
working, desperate she turned to praying in hopes of relief. She claims to have heard god
tell her it was a gluten allergy. This testimony and the comments on it give me a
perspective on how the church and other religions view skin disorders.

I have found that the amount of negative media representations of skin conditions more
often outweighs the influence often received from religious and other influences. This leads me
to believe that if the creators of television shows and movies were to portray skin conditions in a
positive light, or to write or speak about why the situations or jokes they created that show skin
conditions negatively were harmful that it would vastly improve the way the rest of society sees
and reacts to skin conditions. I also believe that if the fashion and advertisement industry did
similar things that it would be equally as beneficial in changing the way skin conditions are
viewed, as well as helping eliminate the double standard that can be seen in Em Fords video
YOU LOOK DISGUSTING. Elimination of these standards and stigmas would allow people
who battle with skin conditions to live more comfortably not only in society but as well as with
themselves.