Acne Support Group

Hi. I feel the same way. I've been living with acne for 13 yrs and with acne scars for 7 yrs. I'm talking about very noticeable scars, scars that no make up in the world not even dermablend can cover. My dad has spent 10,000 on laser treatment, which helped but I still have many scars and break outs. My self esteem is very low. I too have never seen a girl with as much scarring and acne as me and that makes me feel so ugly. I just signed up for a dating site and want to take my profile off already because my scars make me feel so unworthy. But I'm trying to push myself out of my comfort zone. I think the best advice I could give is to not let your insecurities rule your life. I know it's easier said than done. I'm sorry you're going through this. We are all beautiful and shouldn't let our imperfections define us.

It's just really difficult since it seems like everyone has clear skin, compared to mine. But you're absolutely right, I can't let the acne scarring control my life..even though sometimes I let it. It's so difficult idk when I'll ever be able to overcome or finally have the scars disappear, my parents think I'm too young for laser treatments but I would honestly consider it. Realistically, i dont have the money but if i did i would.

I, too, am struggling with acne scars. I have never had acne problems, like this, in my life. I am about to be 23 and I feel like I should be having the time of my life and enjoying the way I look and love the way I feel. It's the exact opposite though. I hate that I have to wear makeup everytime I step out of my house. Just so I minimize the useage of makeup, I usually stay inside where I don't have to see anyone--how crazy right? It's hard not to let your looks and insecurities control you. I think we all have to try and understand that we are not alone. Although there are SO MANY people around us that don't suffer from acne/acne scars like we do, there still is SO MANY people that are just like us. Besides...even if it feels like there isn't people "like us" around, we can now to talk to one another--give each other advise about what we are using, our habits, how to change some of the bad habits we have, etc...that may help :)

I know this is really specific, but you guys seem really nice so....I was wondering if any of you have experience with tretinoin (retin-a, etc.). I'm at the initial breakout stage and it's awful....i could use any encouragement or advice I can get right now.

Thanks!

I hate how my acne goes in cycles. I sweat a lot at my job, I'm in the dirt, and I feel that when I wipe my face I'm getting all that super grime on my face. Just out of the blue, I recently had these 2 areas of breakouts, and it was like they were deep rooted infections, but they were just part of my acne. Esp since I like to visit my bf often, and work with him, I try to stay looking good and get very conscious about my acne when it flares up.
I can't wait for the day when I stop having acne. It's already scarred my skin, and I always feel obligated to put make up on to lessen the appearance of it. Esp since I see so many girls with plush soft skin, acne free, and they blow up when they get just 1 little zit once in a blue moon. If being a doctor wasn't such a pain in the ass, I would make it part of my career to find different alternatives that are affordable for everyone with acne.

Im there with you, sometimes i just want to talk about how im feeling, but no one understands because most people around me dont have acne. This site helps me to know im not alone in how im feeling.

It's nice to know we're not alone. I'm no longer worried about the way I look because that's no going to change so now I'm focusing on the way I feel about myself .

Foreverstressed- I am currently on Retin-A 0.1% and I like it because I think it controlled my breakouts. I went on the Accutane cycle for 6 months and then they put me on Retin-A which i think is why I haven't had acne yet (like bumps). My skin was EXTREMELEY oily so accutane never made me flake or dry up super badly, Retin-A didn't make me flake right away but now I am seeing some flakeyness..well its been since march. When I first started retin-a in march i flaked, but then that went away quickly, and now I am finally flaking. Retin-A I like it, only because I think it's responsible for me not having any acne (as in bumps/zits cysts/etc)... for scarring i don't think it has made an effect yet. But i hope it does!

I think that we have all had our moments where we just got sick and tired of letting acne/scarring affect our lives, because I too try leaving my house as least as possible so that i don't have to do my whole makeup routine. I would hope that one day i can just walk out of my house without having to worry about anything. I was thinking about this the other day and how we "let" our acne/scarring "control" our lives, but in total honestly we cannot control the acne/scarring so its not like we have the "let" option. If it was up to me I wouldn't let it "control" my life, but it kinda does forcefully. Why do I feel so horrible and so embarassed/ashamed to show my face in public? (i asked myself) and I realized it's because of the implications my severe acne scarring has.

The acne scarring is saying that I don't know how to take care of my skin (when in reality I probably know how to take care of my skin ten times better than someone with no acne), the acne scarring implies that I am dirty (when in fact I have a good regime and I am very clean), the acne scarring implies that I picked at my acne (when in reality any pimple/zit or even mosquito bite leaves a scar no matter what -- on my type of skin), acne scarring has so many implications its just like i want to scream.

I have posted repeatedly on this site that acne is totally hormonal. Here is an excerpt from Prof. Hywel C. Williams taken from an artical in The Lancet.



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The Lancet, Volume 379, Issue 9813, Pages 361 - 372, 28 January 2012

doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60321-8Cite or Link Using DOI
This article can be found in the following collection:
Published Online: 30 August 2011
Acne vulgaris
Prof Hywel C Williams PhD a Corresponding AuthorEmail Address, Robert P Dellavalle MD b, Sarah Garner PhD c
Summary
Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit resulting from androgen-induced increased sebum production, altered keratinisation, inflammation, and bacterial colonisation of hair follicles on the face, neck, chest, and back by Propionibacterium acne

I'm happy you posted this. And I actually have read you're other posts, where you post this you are right you have repeadtly said this.

My question:

So what do we ask our derm/dr. to look for? What test should we have done so that we can start to take care of the problem? I have had so many blood tests, and urine tests and they say I'm fine, I'm normal. But you know what the truth is..I don't feel fine, and I don't feel normal. So how should I approach my doctor? What should I be doing to help my acne?

Thank you, I hope you read this. :)