In late 2020, the Acne Education Project was founded by 3 UBC medical students who shared a passion for dermatology and advocacy. Research has shown that skin conditions like acne have been associated with social stigma and can have profound impacts on the psychological well-being of individuals entering puberty. However, they noticed that this concern had yet to be addressed by our education system. Inspired by each of their own personal struggles with acne, and recognizing the unique privilege that medical students had in health literacy, they sought to take matters into their own hands and share the knowledge they obtained with the rest of the community.

Today, we are made up of a senior group of undergraduate students who all share this common goal. Many of us come from related backgrounds such as health science, nursing, pharmacy, education, and medicine. We want to inform elementary and middle school students about proper acne management and skin hygiene through the delivery of informative and engaging presentations. In doing so, we hope to dispel common myths found in social media and deliver accurate, evidence-based information to our youth so that they can become more confident versions of themselves as they enter their adolescent years. Eventually, we wish to liaise between Canadian dermatologists and school boards to integrate acne education more permanently into our education system.