Readers Respond: How Has Acne Affected Your Life?

Not all acne scars are ones you can see. Although acne is a skin problem, the effects of acne can extend much deeper. For many, acne negatively influences their self-esteem and self-image.

How has having acne affected you?

Are you less confident and more reserved? Do you spend more time (and money) on makeup, or run from family photo-ops? Or has acne not changed the way you feel about yourself at all? Share your thoughts, feelings, and what you do to boost your self-esteem.

Hoping things will start to look up:))

I first started getting small pimples when I was in Year 9/10 in High School but these were just hormonal. I thought having 1 or 2 pimples were bad so I started stealing my brothers creams and prescriptions and using them on my face, luckily, it didn't make anything worse. Until...I reached College. In Year 11 my skin was perfect. No marks, spots or scars, just the odd spot. I've now done a year at Col, and that's when things got worse. It feels like every spot I've ever popped has scarred. All over both my cheeks, forehead and nose is scarred. My doctor prescribed me with Differin 0.1% gel which has helped the little raised bumps but hasn't took away the scars. There red not brown so there new scars which gives me hope the Differin Gel will take them away. I've only been using it for a week, and its supposed to take it course after a few weeks. I'm off abroad in August and were now in June. So, i'm praying the scars have gone by then. Try it and don't give up:))

—Guest Jav

I am working on it

I have adult acne. I have 2 bad craters on my face & acne all over my body. I have used mometasone furoate that has helped heal after I cleaned the areas. They r very raised & deep I have been experimenting & found that w/help w/using an acne tool and extracting the pimples on my back, neck, chest and face then washing them with rubbing alcohol and every other few days switching the topical ointments from mederma scar cream, mometasone furoate (needs 3-4 days span to dry out the infected area) then peels like dead skin, and neosporin. I usually put on the mometasone on a Thursday so over the weekend I heal but that is up 2 your schedule. Then lastly I will be trying lemon juice (or just rubbing lemon cut in half) on my face when I wake up. It's supposed to prevent the acne from spreading. If inflamed I just started 2 put aspirin on (paste form) & it's helped. If ur young pls hang in. Get help w/cleaning them & try for 3-4 days & see if it works. We r all different but WE ARE BEAUTIFUL!

—Guest Lee lee

The Lowest I've Ever Been In My Life

I've had acne since I was in the 7th grade, i'm now in 11th. It's gotten much worse, it's out of my control... Ever since I noticed severe changes I literally cried every single night and couldn't go to sleep without doing so. I couldn't even look at my own mother in the eyes when she spoke to me. Every time she wanted to look at my face I started crying because I was so broken. I have tons of memories of sitting on my sink just crying my heart out begging to God to heal me or to give me a sign that everything will be okay. I almost even dropped out of school because acne took over my confidence. I was tired of holding my head down all the time and tearing up at times when I saw someone with beautiful clear skin. That's the first thing I acknowledge when I look at someone. I almost took my life 4 times because I was so tired of the struggle and depression. The truth is, I learned that having confidence is what makes you beautiful no matter the severity of your acne. Hang in there

—Guest Arianna

Glad im living life again

All throughout high school I had acne ranging from mild to bad on my face. After i finished high and left for college it has cleared up. But high school was awful, i seriously think acne played a huge part in my bad high school experience. I felt ugly and nasty with it and i hated my life. Makeup for me was a huge savior. It may not have helped alot since i didn't use alot but i made me feel even a teensy bit more beautiful. I still use makeup and love it to this day, not to cover up but to shine. None the less though acne still haunts me to this day. I still have horrendous acne scars on my back and im trying to figure out solutions for that. But i hope all of u do not lose too much confidence and always keep fighting!! Ur all beautiful!!

—Guest Amy

Ruined Self-Confidence

I have recently broken out so bad it's unlike anything I've ever experienced. I've had mild acne since grade 7, but for the past year or so (I'm in grade 11 now), i haven't been able to leave the house without makeup. My skin is so bad now, EVEN when i wear makeup, i can't look at people. Everyone around me has somewhat perfect skin, and when i look at myself in the mirror it's a horrible feeling. I feel depressed and ugly. Acne is in my genes and my brother and cousin have gotten over theirs. I try to keep up hope that mine will go away on its own too, but it's hard. I have tried seriously everything there is and I have totally given up. I come home crying because I'm so ashamed to be in public. It's honestly hard to carry on each day right now, my self-confidence is in the drain. I'm just hoping that one day this will all be a distant memory in the past.

—Guest Paula

Fighter

I have acne since 8th Grade. It was worse till 12th .. I shifted to a new place and from then, its got better.. but the new ones keep popping out.. and the scars! they just dont fade away.. I have lost much of my confidence. I dont keep an eye contact.. I avoid roaming around with friends and facing people. I just wished this acne wasn't there at all on earth. The scars or the acne deal the same way.. Coz i look the same with Acne or the scar.. I just pray God we all get clear skin and get freed from this problem..

—Guest Sia

Affects self-confidence

I'm now 22 years old and have been suffering with constant chin pimples/acne for what seems like a long time now. I constantly get huge damaging pimples on one area of my chin which eventually leave deep red scarring. I feel so self conscious about what the pimples have done to my chin. I've tried so many pimple treatment options and am starting to feel helpless. At one stage I was on antibiotics and the pill which helped immensely but then gradually my chin acne came back and has been so persistent since. It just makes you feel crap about yourself and I always feel I need to wear makeup to hide how disgusting my chin has become. I don't even enjoy things like I used to (eg going out) because I am constantly worried about my skin and think of how gross I would look like without the makeup on. I want to be carefree and happy again and although I do my best to ignore my skin imperfections there is always a mirror around to remind me.

—Guest cinnamon

I am depressed

i am 15 and i am having a lot of pimples on my face. i feel so awkward talking to a stranger. i always feel so depressed because of these pimples.

—Guest shikhar

Praying for a change

I have been bullied for so long when it came to acne. Every skin joke i have heard, and it hurts. It hurts to look in the mirror and see the scars. I have tried multiple medicines and treatments but nothing seems to work. I am grateful for my job and the friends that i have. My best friend tells me that i am perfect as i am but i dont feel that way at all. I am scared to meet guys because i know they will take one look at my face and be turned off. it hurts feeling like this

—Guest Catie

Please read

I've had acne since 7th grade, first it wasn't bad but then came 8th grade and I was devastated. I got made fun of and finally I went to see a Dermotologist. I was on epiduo for 6 months, it finally cleared up not one mark, good right, no. I stopped the medicine and it ALL came back. I'm in 9th grade and I'm currently battling it. People without acne try to understand our suffering but they never truly know. You people with acne, I give you all my support and love and I will pray for all of you. You are not alone. God works in mysterious ways, just pray and be patient. I promise you it will pay off. Please pray for me and I'll pray for all you, we will beat this together and we will all live the best lives anyone could imagine. Be patient, Be strong, and I hope for the best for all of you.

—Guest Proud german

Acne damaged me emotionally.

I'm 21 years old. I am a beautiful girl, and I have a nice body, and I am so thankful that God blessed me with these attributes. But I also have ACNE. I first got it in 7th grade. I've tried everything! Proactiv, birth control, home remedies, acne pills, and tons of over the counter products. None if it seemed to help and people kept telling me, don't worry it gets better, just give it some time. It has been 9 long years, and I've stopped believing them. There were times when I would just cry when I took my makeup off and looked in the mirror. I couldn't even stand to look at myself, how can I expect a man to think I look beautiful? Acne is ugly and I wouldn't want to be with someone who has it. So how can I expect someone to want me? I instagram all my pictures so I look ok. I have gone into depression because of it, but God is my strength and hope. Someday I hope it gets better. Acne is a monster that can kill hope and self esteem. I'm trying as hard as I can to get both back.

—Guest Katie

Acne ruined my life

Having acne has ruined my face and life, i have no self confidence, esteem or image due to being bullied for a number of years, now im left with scars and i still get ridiculed for the way i look, i feel like ill never fit in.. I feel like ill always feel ugly because that what i am. I hate looking at myself in the mirror, literally destest my appearence yet i have a boyfriend who thinks im gorgeous and friends who love me, i feel like ill never be happy and that im the only person in the world with these scars because everyone i see has perfect skin, it makes everything seem so unfair..

—Guest allybabs123

Surgery. But It Is So Expensive

I used Roactutane to get rid of my acne, but I still have the scarring. I think that it caused me to be unable to keep a job etc for years. I am hoping to save the money. When I look in the mirror with my glasses on I can see the damage. I have taken antidepressents for 16 years. I think that my face is a big part of it.

—Guest Ray

My Acne

The first time I had acne was during my sophomore year in high school. It was like someone took an acne shotgun and pointed it towards my face. However I didn't let that stop me from what I loved to do. And at the time I even had a girlfriend. At first I wanted to quickly get rid of it as soon as possible but then I figured out that many people didn't really care about my acne, just me. I'm in my junior year now and most of my acne had mostly gone away. Just the usual 2-3 pimples and acne scars where they used to be. Perhaps the fact that many of my friends had acne as well is what made me feel so indifferent about it.

—Guest Timmy

I Hope This Will All Go Away

I've had acne since the fifth grade. Each year, it progressivley got worst. I started wearing make up about sixth or seventh grade because I hated my imperfections. By this year, my freshman year in high school, its gotten terribly bad. Looking back, I wish I had my face in seventh grade as oppose to the face I have now. I can't look people in the eyes when I talk to them and I ALWAYS wear my hair down. I also avoid sunlight because I think it'll cast ugly shadows on my face and I never take pictures anymore. Seriously, my profile pictures are a year old or where you can't see my face at all. Acne has taken over. I never go out with out make up and my friends always ask me why but I don't tell them it's because I'm insecure. I know for a fact that my acne is really bad. What's even worse is that people used to come up to me and tell me how pretty I was but now no one does that anymore and I can't help to think it's because of my acne. I'm just so insecure because of my acne now. ):

—Guest J,C