My experience dealing with severe acne was not pleasant. It started when I was 13 years old and hasn’t stopped since then.
I constantly asked myself what was wrong with me, as if it was my fault to have this condition on my skin.
I read multiple “How to Get Rid of Acne in Two Days” articles, I drastically changed my diet and I tried every acne prescription from my dermatologist and other painful treatments. No matter how hard I tried, nothing seemed to work.
I remember covering my face with tons of makeup every day. No way would I go out without makeup even for a few seconds.
As exaggerated as this might sound to some people, such insecurity reached an extreme level that I could no longer control.
In my case, acne is hereditary. In my teenage years, my mother confessed to me that she had acne when she was younger. She told me that she made the mistake of popping her pimples, and this caused permanent scarring.
People with acne often feel unwanted by others, which can lead to isolation and affect the way they live their lives.
They also present in many phases in their life such as the insecurity in their physical appearance and the distorted idea of beauty until they question their own habits.
I suffer from acne and I am not ashamed to have it or say it to the world. But it wasn’t always like that.
Back in high school, my life with acne was like a toxic relationship— Some days were good, while some others weren’t.
At some points, this insecurity led me to make terrible decisions. For example, not going to prom due to a terrible breakout.
It took me some time to finally realize that I don’t have to postpone my life for my acne.
I am not an expert who can recommend acne treatments, but I’m here to inform you that there’s nothing wrong with having acne. It’s important to emphasize the importance of self-love.
All types of acne, from mild to most severe cases, can affect how we see ourselves.
Another occasion that I skipped out on due to acne was when I decided not to go to the pool with my friends. I was scared that my friends would judge me. Wearing a bathing suit turned out to be a nightmare. Showing my skin to the world felt like a curse.
According to Dr. Liji Thomas, “individuals who suffer from acne often feel ashamed of the lesions, and compensate in various ways.” This can include wearing heavy makeup or refusing to go out.
In most cases, the necessity of being socially accepted leads us to compare ourselves with people who have clear skin such as celebrities or people within our environment.
Such desire can turn into admiration for that ideal perfect skin. Thus, we postpone our life in the hope of aspiring to perfection.
Acne is not only based on what you eat or hormones. There are other factors that cause the appearance of these unpleasant pimples.
Dr. Sirisha Yellayi said that there’s no one gene that makes us more likely to have acne breakouts, but research has demonstrated that genetics could impact being exposed to acne.
After a couple of failed treatments, my dermatologist prescribed me Accutane, a medication that is used to treat severe acne but is also well known for its extreme side effects such as depression and anxiety.
The procedure took six months, and during that period, I saw great changes in my skin.
By the last two months, my skin was clear, but it took me a while to feel comfortable without makeup.
To this day I have some pimples, but now, the way I see my skin and my beauty has changed.
Life is so much more than how your skin looks. Learn that it is time to start living with acne and learning to coexist with it. We need to stop postponing our happiness until we find the desired treatment or clear skin.
Life’s too short to hide our identity behind Photoshop, beauty filters or taking far-away pictures. We need to break out of the stigma on how we view ourselves.
