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Modeling & Acne

While I'm adamant about stating that there is no such thing as "perfect" skin, I will say that having "good" skin is a huge requirement for the industry. Acne is a troublesome skin problem that teens and adults alike suffer from. If you want to model but have acne, this could definitely be something that will work against you. However, it all depends on the type of acne you have, how severe your breakouts are and a couple of other factors.

That being said, it is completely okay to have a pimple every now and then. Heck, whenever I have a beauty shoot in particular, I'll always wake up that morning with one lone pimple somewhere on my forehead where it can't be hidden--go figure (thank my stars for Photoshop)! But there is a big difference between a pimple or two and a full-on acne breakout.

For those that are aspiring models with acne, I would suggest taking care of your skin first and getting your skin condition under control before attending any open casting calls or moving forward with getting your foot in the industry. Agencies won't look twice if your complexion is not up to par and because they prefer to have you show up with little to no makeup you can't count on tons of concealer and foundation to get you by. In a sense, that could be considered "false advertisement," if you get my meaning.

Whether it's meeting with your agent or going to a casting, you will be required more often than not to show up with a clean face and no makeup. If you can't manage to pull this off successfully, it will be in your best interest to handle your skin care first and then pursue modeling. One thing at a time.

If you really want to get serious about kicking your acne so you can model, I would suggest visiting a good dermatologist and finding out whether you have mild, moderate or severe acne. I will say, however, that if your acne is severe with no chance of clearing up any time soon, modeling won't be in your future, unfortunately. Mild acne sufferers have a better shot at clearing up their condition, while moderate is definitely in between.

One of the best ways to get your complexion under control, in addition to using acne formulated skin care products, is to make water your best friend. Cut out the caffeine--coffee, soda, fruit juices with tons of fructose corn syrup and not much actual fruit juice, etc. Eliminate excessive sugar as well. Beef up on fresh fruits and veggies and substitute them for unhealthy snacks. Give it time as well. Acne doesn't go away overnight. A good skin care regimen combined with the right eating habits and enough time will result in skin that is more suitable for modeling.

I do want to also mention that you should actually be diagnosed with acne before using any acne formulated skin care products. Just because you have an occasional breakout every once in a while does not necessarily mean that you have acne. Products that are made for acne prone skin contain very harsh and strong chemicals that work fine for complexions with acne but can do major damage if you do not have this skin type. I cannot stress this enough. Instead of using acne products as a shortcut to take care of your occasional blemishes, simply be more diligent about your skin care routine--and if you don't currently have a skin care routine, shame on you and get one started now! Trust me, it will come in handy in the long run.

Photoshop is great but it should not be the main method for making a model look flawless. Already possessing a good and healthy complexion puts you far ahead of the competition and will increase your chances of booking a gig.

Comments

Anonymous said…
What about body acne? of course not like full on break outs, but if there is a blemish here or there or slight scarring/unevenness because of old blemishes
Dania Denise said…
Hello, and thank you for your question! You will find your answer in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #65." Thanks for reading!
Anonymous said…
Hi Dania,
I was wondering if you could help me understand better what it takes to become a commercial model. I am 25 (unfortunately) so I know I'm not runway material anymore but I do think I would be good for commercial jobs, i.e. leg modeling, ads etc. Another problem I have are mild blemishes on the lower part of my facial skin - is this a big problem for this type of work? Thanks! P.S. I hope this blog is still active! :)
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Anonymous! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #713," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!
Anonymous said…
Hi Dania,
I am thinking about enrolling my daughter in modeling classes, but she has acne on her forehead and she has some acne on her chest and a little bit on her back. She also has hair on her stomach, but does this really matter? Everyone keeps coming up to me saying that she should model but I am not sure because of these things. What do you think? Btw my daughter is 16.
Unknown said…
Hi! My name is Shonnon and I'm a model or at least aspiring. I have done TFP shots with people near where I live and I think they look good and I'm doing a shoot this weekend in the city. But anyway I have acne and my dermatologist classified as severe acne but the thing is the acne doesn't cover my whole face it's just certain spots. He put me on this regimine and my skin does appear to be healing and people have even mentioned it and I just want ed to know if you think I have what it takes to model. The only thing is I have dark spots but my dermatologist said they'd take care of it after the acne
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Anonymous! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #782," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Shannon Marshall! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #783," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!
Unknown said…
I also have pimples and really wanna model(catwalk).I am 14.
Dania Denise said…
Hi Jean!

I would suggest making an appointment with a dermatologist and getting a jump start on putting together a solid skin care routine. Before you start pursuing modeling, it would be best to get your skin in the best shape possible so that you are 110% confident going in.

Take care of your skin first and then you can move forward with looking for local agencies to submit to as a starting point.
Anonymous said…
Hi, I don't have acne on my face but i have acne on my back. Is that a huge issue?
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Anonymous!

Having acne or "bacne" can be problematic for models so it would be best to start tackling that common skin care issue sooner than later. If you can manage to get it under control and fade any resulting blemishes or scarring, you'll be ahead of the game.

An online search will turn up tons of results about ways to eliminate bacne and what types of products/methods work best.

Hope that helps!
Anonymous said…
Hi Dania, I'm 16 and I want to pursue a career in modelling but I have really bad scars and acne on my face and back. Also I have psoriasis on my left feet and my legs. I don't know what to do to make it better or at least make me feel confident enough. Since I have had this I have had so much going on, I've been Bullied, told I can never be pretty or a model because I'm too ugly. I want so much out of modelling and if it works out I want to get into acting. hope you can respond and help me. I really want to improve my skin, so that when I'm 18 I can get on with my modelling career. Thank You :)
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Anonymous! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #947," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!
Unknown said…
I have a skin condition known as vitiligo along with acne on my face back and chest. Could I still be a model?
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Unknown! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #961," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!
Anonymous said…
Hi I was really wanting to become a sports model, and I'm young and meet many of the standards but, I have terrible acne on my back. I got rid of many of the pimples, but I've noticed there are some scars. How would that affect my chances as well as having frequent breakouts on my face?
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Anonymous! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #964," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!
Freyaaaa said…
Hi, I’m not sure if you’kk reply to this anytime soon but whatever. I have acne on my face and have had for the past 3 and a half years. I’m 14 and i’ve Tried many washes and scrubs but haven’t visited a dermatologist yet. I really want to give modelling a shot because i’m Always complimented on my ‘ model figure’ . I don’t know where to start and want to know how likely I am to actually model. (Hopefully mostly catwalk). Thanks, Freya
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Freyaaaa! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #973," which can be found on my other blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much for this post. You don't understand how much this means to me. I have big dreams and this is just one of the things I need to cover to get there. It's so reassuring to have someone/something you can turn to when the world is so big and you're unclear on a lot of things. I just wanted to thank you for that. This gave me lots of insight for what to expect in the future and I really appreciate that
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much for this post. You don't understand how much this means to me. I have big dreams and this is just one of the things I need to cover to get there. It's so reassuring to have someone/something you can turn to when the world is so big and you're unclear on a lot of things. I just wanted to thank you for that. This gave me lots of insight for what to expect in the future and I really appreciate that
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Anonymous!

You're so welcome...skin issues are often one of the biggest things that keep people from considering modeling as an option and being someone who has dealt with eczema my entire life, I can tell you that I totally relate when it comes to this topic!

Should you ever have any questions or concerns, you can either comment on here like you did or shoot me an email directly: daniadenise@gmail.com.

Best of luck to you and your future modeling endeavors/goals!
Zita Kuhlman said…
I used Dermalmd Acne Serum after I started breaking out suddenly on both sides of my face. It's a little strong for sensitive skin so I experienced some peeling on my face, but it did its job wonderfully to get rid of my acne quickly.

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