The Power of Acne Positivity

Nova speaks to presenter and founder of Don’t Pop That Spot Afia Kufuor about all things acne positivity.

PHOTOGRAPHY - HANNA HILLIER

Growing up with acne: Most people start getting spots in their teenage years, but Afia Kufuor knew her spots were different to the “odd spots” that her classmates had. So, she turned to doctors to find some answers: “I was prescribed with antibiotics and creams, and over the last 10 years, I’ve constantly been in and out of GPs and dermatologists trying various different things that work for a short period of time, but then essentially stop working because there’s not actually a cure for acne, which is something that the GP didn’t really explain to me.”

Afia also considered Accutane but ultimately decided that it wasn’t right for her: “I think it’s quite an intense thing to put your body through over such a long period of time, as well. The percentage of chance that it can come back is still high. I don’t think that my desire for clear skin is strong enough that I would like to potentially put myself and my body at risk for it.”

The insecurity that comes with having acne is something that Afia, 24, has known ever since she her acne started at 12 years old: “Acne is so visible, and it tends to be on your face, which is literally plastered everywhere. And obviously, your face is the first thing people see when they meet you.”

One of Afia’s proudest moments in her acne journey is starting Don’t Pop That Spot, an Instagram account she created in 2019. She finds solace in sharing her acne journey and has since become a champion of acne positivity, sharing all the tips she has gathered over the years: “I think the biggest thing is just to embrace it and not let it stop you from doing what you want to do. Don't let it make you feel like you're less than or that you're not as good as someone who has clear skin.”

The presenter had the idea to create the account when she was already documenting her acne journey on her personal account, but wanted a honest and unfiltered space to share her journey and theories that made her friends laugh, such as university being the cause of

her spots: “As soon as Monday came and I'd be back in my accommodation, I can literally just feel my skin start bubbling and burning which is really weird, so I had this idea like uni is what gives me spots.”

About 95% of people aged 11 to 30 are affected by acne to some extent according to the NHS

Don’t Pop That Spot has empowered many to embrace their acne. Recently, an 18-year-old girl contacted Afia letting her know that because of the account, she finally posted a

picture of herself on Instagram for the first time: “That’s just what you would expect an 18-year-old to do. But some people feel so insecure about their skin that they couldn’t dream of putting their real face online and through ‘Don’t Pop That Spot’ it's helped people to be confident in themselves and accept their skin no matter how it looks.”

In February of this year, Afia appeared on the ITV documentary, In Search of Perfect Skin presented by Made in Chelsea Star Georgia Toffolo who also opens up about her struggles with acne: “They played it right after Love Island, hopefully it meant a lot of people stayed on to watch it.. so it was actually quite like a big, big moment for people with acne and also for people that don't have it at all to just learn and not take it for granted.”

The documentary reveals some of the dangerous lengths people go to for perfect skin: “a girl confessed that she made a concoction and ended up having to go to hospital for it,” Afia recalls from one of the scenes.

For Afia, acne positivity is about making acne normal: “It shouldn't be a shock to see someone with spots as a model or on TV or as an actor. It should just be like, ‘yeah, they just have spots like normal people.”