By Nyla Stanford ·Updated June 1, 2026 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Growing up, my skin has found ways to shape shift into craters with deep valley pores. I’d look into the mirror and run my hands over my face, pretending it was smooth and even, like the beautiful women in the magazines. If there were a poster child for unstable oil production, I’d be posted on every billboard along I-95. Every time I flipped through Ebony or ESSENCE, there was a moment of pause to take in the endless mahogany underneath my fingertips.
So imagine my surprise when I curled up on the couch to watch the first dark-skinned model with raised skin around her face, striking poses with Tyra Banks. America’s Next Top Model gave me Ebony Haith. I felt a connection—a lifeline. Her confidence >2018 study on Racial disparities in the management of acne by A. Rodgers found Black patients are less likely to visit a dermatologist or receive acne medication. The lack of search for access is correlated with the lack of representation of Black skin conditions on social media and marketing. Due to the racial stigma, white skin is already regarded as more valuable on a societal level, and when including the anomalies of skin conditions White skin still finds a way to be showcased more despite its attractive difference. Meaning people are willing to digest content from imperfect white skin to imperfect Black skin, according to R. Fliorent’s study on Skin of Color Is Underrepresented on Instagram: Assessing South Jersey Skin Talk as an Educational Tool to Increase Awareness.
The extreme case of cystic acne still has cult bounds of em>#freethepimple due to her difficulties finding modeling work because of her severe acne. While it’s commendable that she chose bravery over shielding herself from the industry, it’s obvious that the same camaraderie wouldn’t be the same if created by a Black influencer. It’s critical to note that Northcote also appeared on Britain’s Next Top Model and didn’t receive the same level of scrutiny nationally, but rather in private from agencies. Not stating this is acceptable on any level, but the ease of Black humiliation when it comes to skin care comes too quickly to the tongue.
The cause of differences isn’t just from the perception of the average viewer, but also among beauty experts working and living within the industry. Stixx Mathews, a beauty expert and editor who’s worked for 13 years across both brand and editorial, spoke about his personal view of the blatant discrimination of racial skin conditions. “Black skin is so complex and complicated because we don’t suffer from many of the same concerns as those who are white x white-adjacent,” states Mathews. Non-white skin has more difficulty with hyperpigmentation and scarring than their white counterparts, thus when acne reoccurs, they have less chance of healing the dark spots. This was found by V.Callender’s study on Racial Differences in Clinical Characteristics, Perceptions and Behaviors, and Psychosocial Impact of Adult Female Acne.
Matthews states, “Black acne is almost an afterthought.” Reinforced by Callender’s discussion of previous research on Black acne, claiming it occurs due to early-onset puberty. Not only did Callender’s research contradict those findings, but it also eliminates the harmful stereotypes of “fast” Black adolescent development on which the original research was founded. Moreover, statistically, younger acne onset occurs more often in White skin patients.
So with misinformation spreading around, a lack of access and weak representation, what hope do young black people have in retrospect to their skin. We can’t blame the likes of early 2000s reality TV when, in 2026, with social media taking the brunt of marketing, brands still operate on keeping Black acne outside their models and mission. I won’t sit in pessimism when the other option is glaringly obvious. The reclamation of our stories includes our bodies, our faces—that being perfect isn’t the only way for recognition. Black acne deserves the space and face as its white counterparts, and publicly normalizing Black skin conditions is the first step.
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