58 replies to this topic

[starness]

I started getting pimples in the seventh grade so i was about twelve years old. I didn't think much of it because a lot of the kids at school had it too, It was really mild though. I did use products like clean & clear, acne free, clearasil, but i regret not being persistent, I was only twelve and i would get lazy to do the regimens, I regret it tho because for the past several years it got worst, It has been six years now. And i can say I have tried EVERY THING, from natural remedies, ads on TV, burts bees, lush products and nothing has worked. I thought even changing my diet would help because my mom would always tell me to "stop eating greasy foods and my face will clear up". I was up to the challenge and i started running everyday and stopped eating junk food, dairy products, even MEAT!! I now eat very little to no food and drink alot of water. I was clearing up a little but then it just went back to being severe. Instead of helping clear up my face i lost 45 pounds! I started university and everyone i mean EVERY ONE has clear skin! I feel when Im walking by everyone just stares at me. It has really damaged my emotional life because i have no friends, I have never had a boyfriend, I cry to myself a lot and just wish i would die. I can't get a job because of my acne. I had a job for like two months and little kids would always look at me and say "EWWWW!!" in front of everyone. Some would question their parents "Why does she have a ugly spotty face, mommy?" and some would just look at me and make faces at me. Random people ALWAYS stop me and tell me they have the cure but i just listen to them nod my head because i know it wont work. I get mad at my mom when she tells me im beautiful but i get mad because i know shes only saying it to make me feel better. The only place im beautiful is from the inside but not one guy has ever got the chance to get to know me because of my image, Please help, I cant go on looking like this.

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[cocobean]

I can only tell you to get on accutane. i went on it 3 times but sh*t, its the only thing that has ever actually let me leave the house with out crying all day. I was on it for 7-8 months at a time, I would do anything to get it again, but i dont have insurance enough to cover it rite now. I actaully posted a thing this morning saying how i cant deal with it anymore, and be crying when my husband says ur fine, it doesn't bother him, but it has bothered me since age 12.
I remember at 14 in school so many boys, I over heard them say: oh wat u think of her...and his friend saying, oh, u mean the ugly spoty lanky one...yep. Thats stuck with me even now and i didn't even know him. People are hurtful, even when they dont realise it. Another guy i liked in school was like, yeah, shes cute, but her face is red and ugly. Wow, believe me, i know what ur taking about. hell, you're not alone. I wish i could stay at home with other people who know how this feels, and not people who don't know and think you're complaining about nothing, when they dont have it. I never heard some one else with acne say, stop crying, you're being stupid. I know it sounds like another piece of crap u prob tried. But heres my only piece of annyoing advice if i could tell u try anythying. I researched it and I have been drinking excessive amounts of green tea, the good stuff, not lipton, but real asian market, green tea. I don't drink anything else, and although i still have this, its not AS bad as usual. 6 months and it HELPS. not cures but helps, for me anyway. Also i use a tea bag of green tea x2 day instead of cleanser, rub a cotton pad on the green tea bag and swip over my face with it. Leave it on. The green tea is an antioxidant and lessons free radicals. I dunno, try it!! Its good for you and I can tell u tried everything else, but just add this into your life. Thanks for sharing your story. pS: I have it on my neck and check too...ur neck looks super clear!!!!

[starness]

I went to a derm but my peditritian would always take too long to send in the authorizations so he never got to put me on accutane. I wanted to so bad but i was scared because all the research I did scared me. But now that i am 18 I am going to my dermatologist again. I totally agree with you on living with people who know how it feels! This acne that i have right now might look super bad but it was worst a couple of months ago. My face was purple and very inflammed. And my friends always wanted to go out and i always said no but they wouldnt understand. I would lie and tell them my mom wouldnt let me. Oh and the green tea is awsome! I was using it as a toner a couple months ago and my skin was clearing up. But i wasnt persistent enough. Thats my problem. I become impatient. Im going to make make some RIGHT NOW. I had just bought a whole box of de-caff green tea. Your skin looks very clear! Thanks for making me feel better.

[y3rfd0g]

My heart goes out for you, my dear. Around this time last year I started breaking out in cysts all along my neck and jawline and forehead. It was sooooo painful to the touch and even to move my face. Thank God my best friend told me about this site, and it has nearly saved me and given me soo much knowledge....and an outlet for the emotional pain. I've had acne too for a decade now, and still finding the cure. At least your mom tells you you're beautiful. My mom used to point out all the new breakouts on my face, get up close to me, and say "why don't you use blah blah blah again for your breakouts?" Now, she has learned that it completely devastated me. It seems that only people who have suffered with acne scrutinize other people's skin. In high school, my acne was very light/mild. I would see people with these huge bumps on their face, and terrible scars, and didn't even know they were called cysts. But I didn't really say anything to them, just thought to myself they just had really bad acne. I didn't criticize other's skin, until my acne grew worse. Then I noticed every person who had glowing skin (I still do). This just doesn't help. And kids are just so innocent and impulsive that they don't even realize what you're going through. I've had the same problem. A kid one time said, "why you have owies on your face?" I was shocked, but smiled at this 3 year old girl and said, "Well, it happens when you don't eat your vegetables!" And she got all scared. Her mom said that she was asking for more vegetables! lol so funny now. Anyways, people who don't have acne will never understand. They may have sympathy, but never be able to empathize.

The very red and bumpy parts of your skin, I had localized to that degree on my temples, left cheek, and jawline/neck area. I went on accutane for a few months, which all those angry patches of firey looking cysts completely went away with minimal scaring.....but slowly acne came back (not as severe tho)

Do you have acne anywhere else? What products are you using now? It seems like it's just only on your face, because your neck looks fine.

I don't know exactly what you've tried, if you've ever seen a dermatologist, or your thoughts on the "scary ol' accutane." It actually looks like an infection/folliculitis- not just simple acne, because it is just red everywhere. This may sound offensive, but accutane was created for this type of severe acne. And for your skin to heal, it will take a long time, a lot of patience, and a serious medication like accutane.

I'm sorry my dear you need to go through this. I, and others, are here to help you choose a path to getting clear skin. I don't want to shove my advice down your throat, or say that "this will cure your skin!!!" because what works for me may be different for you. Please keep updating! You're a priceless woman. Hang in there.

[starness]

Yea i got the "owwie" one too lol. well right now i just wash my face with burts bees chamomille and willow bark creme cleanser. and use lush grease lightning spot treatment then go to bed. then in the morning i do the same but use neutrogenas oil free sunscreen. I prefer all natural products but unfortunantley they are not doing much -_- I do have acne on my back and mild on my chest. I hate not being able to where dresses and strapless shirts i actually only where long sleeves even on hot days because im scared of the sun. Im afraid that my acne will develop into skin cancer.I dont even know if thats possible but ive brain washed myself with that thought.

Yes my skin is very red and sensitive to everything. Its also very, very oily. Its very inflammed to and i have things that feel like balls under my chin. I think they are cysts that havent came out yet. But one keeps getting bigger and it doesnt come out.

thanks for your support

[AbyBar]

You are beautiful inside and out, I can relate to you too as well. Because my acne has damaged me emotionally . I always go out with a hoody on I can't have people looking at my face because i feel that it's gross . But hang I'n there I know it's hard trust me, acne haunts me I'n my dreams too. Trust me your acne will go away and when it does you will look back and laugh
That's what my mom says. You should do things to keep your mind off of your face, what I do is I paint or draw and listen to music.
Right now I stopped using any and all face washes because my skin is very irritated, and I'm starting to believe that nothing will help and that maybe it'll just naturally go away . That's what I think. Always think of positive things.
People who don't have acne don't understand what we have to deal with everyday, to feel the bumps I'n your face, the painful cysts on my face as well . It's depressing yes, but I'm learning to be positive and learn to accept it . It's a part of me and hopefully one day it will fade away.
Please if you ever need to talk, you can talk to me, everyone here on this forum will listen
We are all acne sufferers and your not alone .

[retah]

First off you need to stop blaming yourself.... I see you wrote that you should have 'stuck with a routine', but the terrible thing about persistent acne that many of us face (from mild to severe) is that we will get it no matter what. Maybe it will go away on its on or be controlled with medication, but in the end we are simply more prone to acne.

I would really suggest going on Accutane to give yourself results you will be able to see and is proven to help severe acne. Of course there are side effects but like another user pointed out, Accutane is geared towards acne exactly like yours. Def something to look into.

[Stavs16]

God you guys have 10x the self esteem i do. I get upset whenever i get a single pimple my forehead every once and a while. I had moderate acne in my late teens as well so i can relate to not going out with friends and wanting to stay in at night. I am fully clear now after doing drastic changes to my lifestyle and eating habits. A couple things that come to mind that would probably help. Have you tried a high quality multivitamin before? Do you do supplementation ie. fish oil, antioxidants, immune system boosters etc? Do you Completely avoid processed foods and sugary food (for optimal health it is recommended to cut down your sugar intake to <50 grams a day)?

You should also keep track of what you ate and how your skin reacts to it a day or two later and piece together what you think caused your breakout. For example I notice that whenever I eat alot of berries, i'll develop a couple pimples the next day so I avoid them completely and I'm fine. As well, you should look into drinking lemon water before going to bed, and as soon as you wake up. Lemon juice alkalizes your blood and helps neutralize toxins and sludge that slows down your system. Drinking lemon water in the morning especially kickstarts your liver and gives you a great boost to your mornings. This is attributed to the high potassium content and vitamin C present in lemon water.

Also I COMPLETELY avoid any facial products with chemicals in them which is like almost everything except for organic and natural cosmetics. Our skin is not meant to handle these concoctions especially on troublesome skin. I use a natural toner with natural ingredients that gently cleanses and moisturizes the skin. That is all you need. While I think exfoliating is good, I've noticed that directly after exfoliation, my skin feels smooth for about a couple hours then gets all dry and funky because I disturbed the natural acid mantle on the face. A gentle toner is ultimately sufficient and should be all you need. A light moisturizer is fine as well.

I personally use this, but I'm adventurous and switch to different products alot. I currently like this one and it matches the ph of your face so it wont disrupt the acid mantle http://www.luckyvita...-mist-8-oz.html . I use this in the morning and after my shower at night and my skin is generally pretty smooth for the most part of the day.

I'd be happy to answer any questions. I have been there, and know what works.

[Brown Spots]

Well I 2nd that of everyone that you should probably take accutane. But until then just try to use gentle products that help control your oiliness but don't irritate. Cetaphil or CeraVe have good products that should help and you can find them most pharmacies, namely Walgreens has them. I just bought some witch hazel toner from Walgreens today. It helps with redness, oil control and irritation. I know how you feel right now, I was you a year ago. I barely talked to anyone including my friends and had about zero self-esteem. Don't blame yourself, you have the control to push your self though barriers caused by your skin. So summing this up look for Cetaphil or CeraVe cleansers and moisturizers, witch hazel toner or even Seabreeze might work, and try to not let acne control your life. No matter what you want to look back at your life and see that you pulled though having acne, not being lonely and feeling sorry about it. I wish you best of luck! Many people have felt this way and been in the same situation, just pull thought it!

[priceless]

I'm going to chime in here with everyone else and say stop beating yourself up. It's not your fault you have acne. Using different products in the past would not have made a difference, nor would your mothers advice to stop eating greasy foods. What you have is cystic acne. Those things that you described as feeling like balls underneath your skin are actual cysts. This is not the same as everyday pimples, therefore everyday pimple medications (like over the counter benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid products) won't help since the problem is below the surface. In fact, products like those may just aggravate your skin more, drying it out and making it red and scaly looking. You need to consult your doctor and get on some type of oral medication and give the topical ointments a rest. Use a mild cleanser that's oil free and non-medicated. Don't overwash because that can actually cause your face to produce more oil. You might want to try moisturizing your face with aloe gel. They sell it at all drug stores and it's not just for sunburns. It will hydrate your skin without aggravating it any further and it feels nice and cool on sore skin. I use it myself. One last thing... please don't let your acne problem define who you are. I can see from your avatar that you are a very pretty girl and you should not let this problem stop you from living your life. There is a whole community of people on this board suffering from the same problem so you are certainly not alone! I know how damaging it can be to one's self-esteem... but never let it stop you from doing the things you love and meeting new people.

[amy91]

Have you ever tried BCP's or Spironolactone? Either hormonal teratment, either Accutane. And watch your diet. Good luck!

Edited by amy91, 25 October 2011 - 09:35 PM.

[mr blue]

I'm sorry to hear your acne has affected you so much!
I had similar acne so I think my experience can help you

first off I would suggest you to use Accutane, I never used Accutane because I feared to lose my hair (A side effect that is more common in males)

Here is the list of things I used to clear my face:

Zinc 50mg daily - (extremely important in acne treatment)
Omega 3
Saw Palmetto - (works great for hormonal acne)
Minocycline - did wonders for me, it increases sun sensitivity and it takes a long time to work but it works grate (I stopped using after a year)
Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (It will burn your skin the first days but your skin will develop tolerance)
Oil-free Moisturizer (you will need one since BP will dry your face)


Good Luck!

[starness]

I'm sorry to hear your acne has affected you so much!
I had similar acne so I think my experience can help you

first off I would suggest you to use Accutane, I never used Accutane because I feared to lose my hair (A side effect that is more common in males)

Here is the list of things I used to clear my face:

Zinc 50mg daily - (extremely important in acne treatment)
Omega 3
Saw Palmetto - (works great for hormonal acne)
Minocycline - did wonders for me, it increases sun sensitivity and it takes a long time to work but it works grate (I stopped using after a year)
Benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (It will burn your skin the first days but your skin will develop tolerance)
Oil-free Moisturizer (you will need one since BP will dry your face)


Good Luck!

Thanks:)

I am currently ytakin zinc 50 mg, fish oil, b-25, vitamin D, and garlic supplements. Some of my cysts are going down. (:
And I am washing my face morning and night with cerave hydrating cleanser then i put on bp 5% and it burrns a whole lot and i cry. THat how delicate i am lol and i moisturize 15 min later. Im on day 3 and i see improvment.

Im going to follow this regimen until i go see a derm. Im going to see my doctor today so he can have me reffered

[Luis909]

i know what u mean...its terrible...i also just got out of high school and started goin to the university..and like everyone else there is clear except me...not only do i still got some acne..but i got my face full of acne scars..its terriblee..i only got a couple friends.and i dont hang out with them or anything anymore...i guess all i can do is live with it.....u should try using epiduo...worked somewhat for me after a while

[Natalie5511]

Hi do you have a lot of indentations in your skin to? I had very similar to this it was horrible but i coped used bp for 2 months finally clearing them boom another problem pits !!! Its double the depression... your still young enuf for your skin to have a damm good chance at repairing so dont lose hope....try to include a high strength zinc tablet into your diet, my spots are very much reduced from taking that

[Natalie5511]

Hi do you have a lot of indentations in your skin to? I had very similar to this it was horrible but i coped used bp for 2 months finally clearing them boom another problem pits !!! Its double the depression... your still young enuf for your skin to have a damm good chance at repairing so dont lose hope....try to include a high strength zinc tablet into your diet, my spots are very much reduced from taking that

[starness]

Hi do you have a lot of indentations in your skin to? I had very similar to this it was horrible but i coped used bp for 2 months finally clearing them boom another problem pits !!! Its double the depression... your still young enuf for your skin to have a damm good chance at repairing so dont lose hope....try to include a high strength zinc tablet into your diet, my spots are very much reduced from taking that

I do have indentations. Like crater looking things lol. But i rather have that then cysts and pimples! lol WHEN and IF I ever clear up my moms going to pay laser treatments for me to get that fixed. I hope it works!

i know what u mean...its terrible...i also just got out of high school and started goin to the university..and like everyone else there is clear except me...not only do i still got some acne..but i got my face full of acne scars..its terriblee..i only got a couple friends.and i dont hang out with them or anything anymore...i guess all i can do is live with it.....u should try using epiduo...worked somewhat for me after a while

It sucks! I didn't go to school all this week and I emailed my proffesors and they completely understand me so I had one less stress. They emailed me the HW and thats all. I hate walking out of class when the halls are packed because I feel like every one is looking at my ugliness and I just look down. In high school I had so much confidence even with acne but thats because I grew up with those people and now we went our seperate ways

[Basedgod]

I too also skipped school for the whole week, except I didn't email my professeurs and I missed a quiz and a test. I have my most challenging midterm tomorrow and I missed the review lecture this morning all because of trois huge cysts I feel you, in Highschool my head was held up high especially in my last year, use to walk the halls with my football and or rugby jersey with so much pride. Now in university, I tend to lower my head to every person that walks by me.

[starness]

I too also skipped school for the whole week, except I didn't email my professeurs and I missed a quiz and a test. I have my most challenging midterm tomorrow and I missed the review lecture this morning all because of trois huge cysts I feel you, in Highschool my head was held up high especially in my last year, use to walk the halls with my football and or rugby jersey with so much pride. Now in university, I tend to lower my head to every person that walks by me.

tell me about it! I thought in university things would be different but its just more crowded and everyone basically grew out of acne except for me I seriously feel like crap and giving up all the time because it even burns my skin to be out in the sun. So when I walk to class i just block the sun with my hand which looks even weirder because I'm the only one doing it -_____-