Bees, here's the deal, I'm feeling very insecure, and hoping you could help me feel better?
I'm 22 years old, soon to be a collge graduate (and certified middle school teacher!), and counting down the days until I marry the man of my dreams.
BUT.. I'm only 5'0'' tall, and because of my very poor complexion, I'm incredibly insecure. I get deep cysts, I always have a few pimples on my face (plus lots of little bumps), and my skin is never even. I photoshop EVERY photo to remove my acne. I just wish I could look normal!
If I'm at the bar ordering a drink, I can always feel judgmental eyes looking at me "is she even old enough to be in here?" Sometimes when I'm teaching.. I'm jealous of my students who have better skin than me! Yikes! THEY'RE the ones going through puberty!
Have any bees gone through this? Most of the time I can hold my head high, but other times it drags me down :( How do you deal?
@OnceUponATime: Have you seen a dermatologist? If you haven't, you really really should. The longer you put it off (if you are putting it off), the worse it'll be for your scars and self esteem. Hopefully a good derm can help. It may take some time to find the right combination of treatments for you, but I am sure your acne can be controlled.
Have you considered Accutane? I know it's a bit controversial but it has worked wonders for many people.
*Hugs*
I would love to see a dermatologist, but it is so so expensive, especially in our little rural area where there is ONE dermatologist in the county. I just don't know what to do! I'm not sure mine is severe enough for accutane anyways. Mine is more moderate than heavy. A friend did bring me an entire botte of prescription acne medication (I know, I know you shouldn't take someone else's prescription!) but it didn't help anyways. lol
At 26, my skin still isn't clear, if I don't wash my face at least 1x every other day I will breakout, not a lot but usually like one bad bigass pimple. For me, going on ortho tri cylcen birth control pills about 10 years a go was a real lifesaver for me and I use a combo of proactiv and a neutrogena face cream at night. It's really about finding a good routine that works for you since everyone's skin is different.
I second going to the derm, they can work wonders for you.
@OnceUponATime: You should save up to see the dermatologist. I am serious. When I do get the occasional breakout (and sometimes i pick at blackheads and make the situation worse - bad I know), my confidence is LOW. I feel like if my skin is bad, it doesn't matter how nice my outfit or hair is... all I see is bad skin. I think that seeing a derm is a much better investment than buying a new pair of shoes or trying another 10 skincare products that won't work.
A derm will assess whether your case is severe enough for Accutane or not. Cystic acne is pretty serious stuff, though. There are other meds out there too.
I really encourage you to see a derm - it'll make a world of difference!
ETA: Acne is stubborn and you may not see results right away, but it can be controlled with the right combo of topical and oral meds.
@OnceUponATime: I went through the same thing in college and my early 20's. I'm 27 now and I still break out every month before my period, but it's way more manageable. Besides seeing a dermatologist (which I did, but I don't like using prescriptions for very long), 2 things really helped me:
1) Switching my makeup to Bare Minerals foundation. It boosted my confidence sooo much just by covering up my acne better and making me worry less about how I looked. It also helped clear up my skin a little bit because it doesn't hold in oil like regular makeup, and I didn't have to constantly touch my problem spots to cover them up.
2) Using the Oil Cleansing Method to wash my face instead of regular facewash or soap. Google it if you haven't heard of it! It seems really counterintuitive to wash your face with oil, but I swear it made my skin much clearer, and it feels great. I still use a regular medicated acne facewash about once every week or two, but I usually just use OCM every night and my face is much less oily and breakup-prone.
I finally has gotten my skin clear and it took a lot of hard work. I can say that the ONE product that I feel has saved my skin is the clarisonic. I cant say enough good things about it, and I was in the skincare industry, so I can verify it really does the trick. I wouldn't even waste my money on any other knock off brand. I would go straight to the clarisonic verison. They have more affordable options now with the mia and mia 2. Also doing a deep cleanse once a week and a facial clay mask to pull out impurities really keeps my skin glowing. I used to use 10% benzoyl peroxide and proactiv on my face everyday and I can tell you that for me its all chemicals and harsh products that made it worse. Now i use the st ives apricot scrub once a week along with the mint julep clay mask from Sally Beauty Supply, and my clarisonic everyday. Another great product line that I use is the Hylunia line and their Salicylic acid face wash is excellent if you have very oily skin. If that still doesn't seem to do the trick, I can also reccommend getting a blue and red light at home therapy unit. I can tell you that IT WORKS! The blue light kills the bacteria, and the red light helps heal and antiage. You have to get your skin into a routine, make sure products say noncomodegenic, and give your skin time to adjust to your routine. Please dont mix things up every other week. most people do this when they become discouraged. Birth control also helped me, but the clarisonic really was my life saver... along with my weekly routine. Hope this helps!
I'm 25 and I have had terrible acne my whole life. I am currently on a hormonal birth control and I still have acne, but I would no longer classify it as "bad."
I am undergoing a tea tree oil and activated charcoal regimine from a friend from another forum -- you can check it out if you're interested, HaloSoap on Etsy.
I've been using her soap/toner/serum treatment for 2 weeks and my face has cleared up dramatically that even my to-be husband noticed over webcam when we chatted last.
I have a few red marks, but no visible bumps.
Edit: I'm 5'3" and I am prone to the deep cysts as well. After starting my treatment, I haven't had a single cyst. If you're interested (I have before & after pictures I can show you) you can PM me.
Don't be afraid to ask your regular doctor about it. I went to a derm that prescribed me an awful hormonal medication for cystic acne. When I went to see an MD for something completely unrelated it came up and he switched me to something else. I'm 27 and after almost two months on this topical gel I'm the closest I've been to clear skin in years.
Ehh.. I'm 32 and still using acne facial medication daily.
ETA, I use the medication at acne.org and it works great! It works as well for me as the stuff I got prescribed at the dermatologist and it's alot cheaper.
I'm 27 and strangely, my skin cleared up when I got pregnant. Well, somewhat. I'll go weeks without any issues, then break out again. It'll be interesting to see what happens after baby is born.
I was 24 going on 25 when I had clear skin for the first time in a decade (and a teacher as well). Since then, I've had a small breakout before my period, and that's it. The same happened to my mother and she now has awesomely young skin!
If you have a CVS near you the minute clinic can prescribe medication. Not every acne medicine will work for everyone which is why your friends may not have worked for you. I use doxycycline and it works really well for me.
@OnceUponATime: i am 28 and i had problem skin, similar to what you described, until about 6 months ago.
1. i started using a good cleanser for MY skin - not just one i bought at the chemist. i have been seeing a beauty therapist for about 3 years for my waxing, nails and facials when i was spoiling myself, and she suggested using dermalogica clearing wash which was a big help for me. since then i have also added a daily exfoliant and an oil free moisturiser.
2. i tried microdermabrasion for the first time - and i absolutely swear by it. it sounds a bit scary, and it can be quite costly, but it actually makes the scarring go away forever! ive had 6 sessions in the past 12 months (3 x one month apart, then every 3 months) and my skin has improved dramatically. i've stopped wearing make up every day!
3. i started using birth control pills - the one i use is called diane and it has helped clear my skin up completely!
good luck! i hope you're able to work out what works best for you and your skin!
I am just now starting to gain control of my skin with the Murad acne kit- I use the wash, gel, lotion, and spot treatment. It's the only thing that has worked for me, and thank goodness I found it when I did because I started getting cystic acne on my cheeks right before I started using it.
My problem has always been overly dry skin. I have had to slather creams on my face and lotions on my body since I was a child. I have since found out that supplements like omega fatty acids seem to make a difference over time. So for me, blemishes were very far and few between. Occasionally I would get a blemish-like cyst and those seemingly last forever.
I'm 22 and was getting painful deep pimples around my jaw and even my cheeks sometimes. It's awful and I can totally understand.
I've been using a skin system that's been workin for me:
alba botanical deep pore scrub 2% salicylic
dickinson's witch hazel toner
alba botanical 2% salicylic moisturizer
it works for me and my combination skin, good luck!
Yes. Yes yes yes. I am right there with you, girl.
I am 5'2", look like I'm about 16 (people give my mom the DIRTIEST looks when we go wedding band shopping), and have struggled with acne since I was about 13.
It actually wasn't until I turned 20 and changed up my skincare regimen after my FI proposed that my acne started to go away.
I occasionally get one or two small pimples just before my period now, but other than that I'm completely clear.
The secret? I honestly believe Dickinson's Witch Hazel Toner has done it for me. It's like $3 at the convenience store. I saw a board here on WeddingBee about how it had helped so many Bees get clear skin, so I decided to give it a shot.
Secondly, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
I always thought this was going to make things worse for me, because I have the world's OILIEST skin. Seriously I could probably market to some of those biofuel companies... But after a couple of months of using an oil-free moisturizing serum which evaporated/absorbed very quickly, I've been able to keep it under control.
I have to STAY ON TOP OF IT, though, 'cause if I get lazy and don't do my routine for a day or two, I turn into an oil slick again.
Oil isn't really bad for your face. Oil lubricates all sorts of naughty things locate in your pores and push them out (If you rubbed the oil off your face with a towel, it would be tinted).
The serum I use is a combination of oils, tea tree oil & salicylic acid (I think around 1 or 2%).
So, not everything has to be oil free, because oil isn't bad for you.
My skin got better after high school but I still get occasional acne or pimples. Sucks but I'm glad it wasn't the way it used to be.
My mom had bad acne in her youth and still has a lot of skin issues to this day (she is 50 now). I've never had any problems with my skin at all (on my face at least). I get KP on my upper arms. But I will have to second that witch hazel comment above. That was a key part of the skincare line my mom forced on me as a teen. We used to go buy it at GNC. I didn't really get why I had to go through all that effort when I didn't have skin problems, but I think my mom was just freaked that I would have skin like hers. I have always been a fanatic about washing my face and hands. If you can find a nice, gentle face soap and moisturizer to go along with the witch hazel, hopefully you sould see an improvement. I'm fond of the Aveeno line.
I'm almost 34 and was told I'll be treating my acne basically forever. There is no cure.
my skin is only clear when i am good about using my AcneFree every single day... except I still break out the week of my period.
I'm 29 and I look like a pizza face right now because it's that time of the month... Aunt Flo might be a day late, but my acne isn't! yay!
RetinA has worked wonders for me. I wish I had started on it many years ago. Bonus is that is also fights wrinkles!
I'm 24 and I still get monthly break outs. I'm a week out from the wedding and have two nasties on my cheeks! Damn it all!
@Sarahbear: Oh no! *fingers crossed they heal* (It find it helpful to put a glob of neosporin on scabby pimples when I need them to heal extra fast. Works like a charm!)
The unfortunate truth that no one ever tells you is that you will always get zits no matter what age you are!
Try witch hazel, it works wonders!
UGH! I still get the occasional pimple. I can always tell when I am getting my period or have been way too stressed. I so feel your pain!!!
I use Proactive and it helps for the most part. Like I said, I do still get a pimple or 2. I also make sure to wash my face before bed whether I feel like it or not. Washing the pillow cases often is important.
Mine is far from clear, but it has improved a lot because I changed my facial wash to something more abrasive, to get rid of the dead skin and deep cleanse my pores, and atarted getting facials to draw out the impurities. I also found a good moisturiser with SPF which helped, because now I produce less oil as a reaction to dry skin. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you have greasy skin just because you have spots... it is sooo not always the case!
I still have pretty bad acne around my chin though, and I doubt it will ever clear up. I am 29. I still get ID'd practically every week, which is doubly frustrating because the legal drinking age in the UK is 18. A few weeks ago, I got ID'd buying razor blades, and I was pretty shirty with the bloke behind the till actually, because I thought it was so ridiculous. I've also been ID'd buying glue before. The legal age for buying glue is 16 here. Another time, I bought over a hundred quid's worth of barbeque stuff for a party, along with traditional cask ale and some single malt whisky. When I pulled my credit card and car keys out so that I could pay and go, I got ID'd. Whatever happened to common sense? What, the cashier thought that I spent £100 on groceries and borrowed a friend's car keys and credit card as part of a bizarre subterfuge so that I could buy a bottle of malt whiskey and some luxury beer?
You get ID'd because cashiers are morons. It's not your fault. Don't be embarassed.
I used to have moderate acne as a teenager. The kind where I always has at least 1-2 pimples on my face, sometimes more. Anyway, it never really cleared up COMPLETELY but now I would say I get 1-2 pimples several times a month not daily. I'm 26.
Did any of you ladies not take something your doctor prescribed? I hate the side effects to the antibiotic and would rather just use the topicals.
I'm 28 and still have bad acne. Going to re visit dermatologist. But started a zinc supplement today. I'm already on birth control and have the at home "blue light" by tanda. Hopefully something will work. I think patience and sticking o regiment might be the best thing.
I had cystic acne from about 12 - 18 which has permanently scarred my skin. After I extricated myself from a very emotionally stressful living environment and started seeing my primary care doctor and a dermatologist, things improved for the better.
The key to treatment is to NOT overstress/strip the skin of its natural protective barrier. Using combinations of harsh, drying products that contain acids, peroxides, and physical exfoliator can actually make acne worse as the skin then starts to overproduce oil in order to protect itself.
Cystic acne is DIFFERENT than the traditional acne that most over the counter medications are created to treat. That's why it is vital that you see a doctor.
If you have health insurance, seeking antibiotic treatment and a presecription retinol will help. Antibiotics such as doxycycline and erthromycin are generally covered by insurance with a small prescription copay. Additionally, a generic prescription retinol may be covered by insurance with a relatively modest copay. When I think about all the over the counter, drugstore and department store soaps, toners, gels, peroxides, etc... I purchased over the years, I realize that these "less expensive" treatment choices cost me more money than the prescription treatments i received from my primary care doctor.
I also highly recommend microdermabrasion once a month. They are excellent at providing the requisite exfoliation both prevent clogged pores and to allow treatment products to penetrate the skin. If you can find a "spa" that performs facials, ask what they would charge you to just perform a quick "microcurrent" treatment to the face. The microcurrent is an electical current that will kill bacteria and help dramatically heal cystic acne that has already formed or is in the process of forming. It's just a wand that they skim over the top of your skin a few times - total treatment time is less than 5 minutes.
I wish I had known about the above options when I was young enough to prevent some of the scarring I now live with.
Good luck - feel free to message me if you have any follow up questions.
Not until I took Accutane for several months when I was about 19. I had terrible skin for a few years there. I sometimes wonder if it was worth it, though - my eyes dried out a lot and now I can't wear contacts.
I do not have terrible acne (not cystic or anything), but at 33 I still get small breakouts (mostly hormone related I think!). I exercise, drink lots of water, eat well, wash my skin...and still get them. Almost always the same place too. I would say I have 1-2 pimples a few times a month. I use a sulfur containing cream to dry them out right away and tea tree oil to kill the bacteria (or polysporin) and I wash with a mild acne treating/preventing wash in the morning after running/the gym.
My husband, like me, does not have terrible acne, but still gets a couple painful ones a couple times a month...and he is 38. He also tends to get some on his back/chest now and then. We joke about how we get the white hairs of age, and the pimples of youth. Best of both worlds, ha ha.
While my acne is not bad, I can relate to feeling insecure. But...do not be embarassed by your skin, honey. I highly recommend you see a dermatologist. Save your pennies if you need to! (I think it is horrible that you cannot just go to one & need to save at all...but that of course is not your fault!)
P.S. I still get ID'd and I have white hairs! I just am one of those people who looks younger, and I always have. Do not take it personally!
My skin cleared up on its own when I was between 13-15 years old. Before that, my skin was awful. I don't know why it happened, because I didn't do anything. I didn't even start taking the pill. I still get break outs sometimes, but they are not as bad.
My brother is 18 and he has terrible skin. He has been using proactive for some time now and it's really helped him. The only thing with that is that you should use a moisturizer because it can dry your skin out.
The best suggestion I can give besides going to a dermatologist is to have a good face cleaning regime!!!! If you aren't taking off your makeup well or cleaning well, the problem will continue to grow. I like neutrogena acne products, which I buy at Target, so they're inexpensive. I can send you picture of what I use if you would like. I use the cleanser and toner. I use cetaphil daily facial lotion. Also, the clarisonic facial brush is the BEST tool out there for cleaning. EVERY woman should own one (and you can find them under $100 during Black Friday/cyber Monday deals online). I swear by mine, as do many bees. It's by far the best investment you can make for your skin. I have the Mia which is their cheapest one and it works great for me.
RetinA
Benzoyl peroxide
BHA
all work wonders! paula's choice sells BHA and you can get benzoyl peroxide at the drug store
I don't have bad skin or anything and never have, but I do get breakouts especially around my menstrual cycle and they have never increased nor decreased over time. My moms hasn't either so I think we're all pretty much stuck with breakouts ever now and than at least.
Crazy that everyone hates having pimples so much yet everyone gets pimples. But I'm one of those people who hate having them
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