Acne-Plagued Teen Turned YouTube Sensation and Runway Model [VIDEO]

A. Foley on 25 Sep 2012 at 9:00am

Cassandra Bankson first gained a following with a series of how-to makeup videos on YouTube, which landed her a segment on Good Morning America last year. This last Wednesday, she walked America's hottest runway - New York Fashion Week. The twist to her story? She's struggled with severe acne throughout her teen and early adult years.

During her 2011 Good Morning America appearance, Cassandra spoke about the bullies who tormented her for skin, and how she dreaded leaving her house. Rather than face it, she became reclusive and stayed in researching makeup techniques and practicing on herself. One result was the wildly successful video below - i.e. 45 million total views - in which she addresses her audience first in full makeup, then strips off the layers of foundation, concealer and powder to reveal pimples and blemishes from cystic acne.

The latest chapter in Cassandra's book - her modeling career and New York Fashion Week appearance - continues to advance her message of inner beauty. While she still regularly sees a dermatologist and, now in her second year of college, has been able to improve her skin condition, it's all about confidence.

"Models shouldn't be modeling perfection because there is no such thing," she told reporters. "We should be modeling our imperfections."

Have you struggled with skin issues, or had it affect your daily life? Please share your stories and treatment solutions in the comments below!

Comments (10)

petersonmurdock 13 Jan 2013

Her hidden beauty was just invaded by pimples and acne, good that she treated well otherwise it will lead to more complicated skin disease. I am also suffering from face acne, but reading this post got my interest to ask you questions how you get rid of her acne?

demonicspawn 22 Oct 2012

Yes I used to have really bad acne but accutane has had dramatic benefits for me and little side effects other than dry lips. so impressed i know it doesnt work for everyone but it worked great for me.

Megan P (Community Manager) 23 Oct 2012

So glad to hear that Accutane did the trick for you! We have an entire community dedicated to accutane, and would love to have you share your story with others. :)

Zaggora Girl 9 Oct 2012

Oh, we're glad to hear that you have found a solution to your problem Megan! You are such a beautiful woman, and don't let any spot or scar bring you down!

HrtShapedBooty 3 Oct 2012

So happy for this young lady. I watched her video a long time ago. She has excellent make up tips! Happy for her. :) She reminds me of my own daughter. She is such an inspiration.

missgiggle 26 Sep 2012

Another story that just reminds me that our society shouldn't be so harsh, and that appearance isn't *everything*. People can't control how their body responds all the time. I'm happy for her. The little girls in school who are picked on usually most of the time end up becoming beauties later on in life.. and it's too bad people don't see that. Regardless, she was always beautiful. And I would love to see the look of the people who tormented her, must make her laugh. ^.^

Zaggora Girl 25 Sep 2012

Wow, this is such an inspirational story, and not to mention Cassandra is a beautiful woman, both inside and out! What's your opinion about this story?

Megan P (Community Manager) 25 Sep 2012

I agree with you - what a success story!

It seems the amount that acne can affect a person's self esteem is often greatly under estimated. Having struggled with it myself since I was a pre-teen, I know the feeling of not wanting to go places when your skin is really broken out...and the ridiculous amount of time spent standing in front of the mirror trying to get your skin to look normal, whether that be by trying different cleansers, masks, gadgets like Tanda, or layering on the makeup. Not a fun thing to deal with.

Zaggora Girl 28 Sep 2012

Oh no Megan, So sorry to hear about this. You are beautiful ! Nowadays, there are loads of treatments which can be used for skin conditions. How did you end up getting rid of this problem? :)

Megan P (Community Manager) 28 Sep 2012

I haven't gotten rid of it completely. I just do the best I can to manager it by using products that my skin reacts well to, trying to keep my facials regular (though that can be tough with a busy schedule) and last month I started taking Spironolactone at my dermatologists recommendation. That is suppose to take 2 months to see the real benefits, so hoping it will be a good change, until then lots of makeup. ;)