I have been dealing with acne forever. I dont suffer from severe acne, but i do suffer from cysts. I can be very clear one week but will develop 1 or 2 cysts, and they just crush me. I often feel so alone even though i have a fantastic life. I rarely see anyone with "bad" skin. Today I went grocery shopping and the checkout girl had "bad" acne. She was so cute, but yet she couldnt look me in the eye, I recognized myself immediately. I wanted so badly to say something, I wanted to tell her i totally understood. I did not want to give her advice on her skin, nothing like that, I just wanted to tell her I understood...I know how stupid that sounds, but I really saw myself...How if i have a bad flare up, I cant look people in the eyes. She just seemed so sad. I just recognized myself instantly, and I got sad because if she had a smile on her face, if she looked me in the eye, I dont think I would have noticed her skin. My boyfriend always tries to tell me that I'm beautiful..that it shines through..that nobody cares about my skin, they care about me..I never feel very much comfort in that because I think all of us acne sufferers just can't..but something about seeing that girl today hit home..if we let acne defeat us, it will..
I have been dealing with acne forever. I dont suffer from severe acne, but i do suffer from cysts. I can be very clear one week but will develop 1 or 2 cysts, and they just crush me. I often feel so alone even though i have a fantastic life. I rarely see anyone with "bad" skin. Today I went grocery shopping and the checkout girl had "bad" acne. She was so cute, but yet she couldnt look me in the eye, I recognized myself immediately. I wanted so badly to say something, I wanted to tell her i totally understood. I did not want to give her advice on her skin, nothing like that, I just wanted to tell her I understood...I know how stupid that sounds, but I really saw myself...How if i have a bad flare up, I cant look people in the eyes. She just seemed so sad. I just recognized myself instantly, and I got sad because if she had a smile on her face, if she looked me in the eye, I dont think I would have noticed her skin. My boyfriend always tries to tell me that I'm beautiful..that it shines through..that nobody cares about my skin, they care about me..I never feel very much comfort in that because I think all of us acne sufferers just can't..but something about seeing that girl today hit home..if we let acne defeat us, it will..
sounds like you have great boyfriend. good for you. 
Guys, if you don't look people in the eyes you will stand out. Just like what you said, if the girl had had a smile on her face, you wouldn't have noticed. I know several people that have severe acne and are still smiling all the time and don't even care. No one else does either and I don't even notice their skin because they are genuinely nice people. By looking down and acting weird, we only draw attention to ourselves. I know it's difficult but I challenge and triple dare myself to look people straight in the eye as if i'm not scared of anything in the world, and it works.
great point godlovesme. i agree 100%
and also one way that helps me is i remember that the acne isn't a part of me. some of you might not agree with this for whatever reason but i think that god gave me the acne. it is not mine. its god's acne. it doesn't make up who i am. its just a limitation thats been thrown at me for no reason because life is unfair. but its not mine. i dont own in and it has nothing to do with me. besides physical parts of us are not who we are. the real us is on the inside and thats how i judge people.
Yes, acne doesn't define our identities, and for a while I used to blame God for my acne, but then I realized that so many factors went into my acne, hormones, genetics, using the wrong products on my face, stressing too much, picking my acne...80% of my acne was caused by things I was doing to myself. So I stopped blaming Him and thinking He cursed me, and started using common sense and taking care of my face and not traumatizing it by picking and constantly changing products. Besides, I think acne is only unattractive when it is not carried with confidence. If a guy or girl has acne but they are still really outgoing, bubbly, and friendly, it doesn't matter at all.
Yes, acne doesn't define our identities, and for a while I used to blame God for my acne, but then I realized that so many factors went into my acne, hormones, genetics, using the wrong products on my face, stressing too much, picking my acne...80% of my acne was caused by things I was doing to myself. So I stopped blaming Him and thinking He cursed me, and started using common sense and taking care of my face and not traumatizing it by picking and constantly changing products. Besides, I think acne is only unattractive when it is not carried with confidence. If a guy or girl has acne but they are still really outgoing, bubbly, and friendly, it doesn't matter at all.
yes this is true. a lot of the problems caused by acne are in our heads. i think that is where the saying "my worst enemy is my mind" comes from. haha
I think all of this is true for mild or moderate acne...in other words, normal acne. But severe acne is a whole different thing. People definitely notice severe acne and are uncomfortable about it, no matter how much you're smiling and looking them in the eye.
What would you called normal acne ?
I wish I could look people in the eye when i have bad flare up, but I can never really muster the courage. I think I get scared that I will catch them staring at my skin, or I'll see disgust in their eyes. I find it easier just not to look. I wish I wasn't like that because I feel people might think I'm not a very nice person, but it's so hard for me to make the eye contact. I'm embarassed of my skin at times, and unfortunately I just think that people judge without meaning to. I'm in my 30s now and I always hoped it would get easier, that as time went on I could handle my feelings about my skin better. Unfortunately it has gotten worse as i grow older. I think its because that most people my age do not suffer acne and I'm just so tired from suffering from it!
I wish I could look people in the eye when i have bad flare up, but I can never really muster the courage. I think I get scared that I will catch them staring at my skin, or I'll see disgust in their eyes. I find it easier just not to look. I wish I wasn't like that because I feel people might think I'm not a very nice person, but it's so hard for me to make the eye contact. I'm embarassed of my skin at times, and unfortunately I just think that people judge without meaning to. I'm in my 30s now and I always hoped it would get easier, that as time went on I could handle my feelings about my skin better. Unfortunately it has gotten worse as i grow older. I think its because that most people my age do not suffer acne and I'm just so tired from suffering from it!
i will pray for you tonight.
and use zinc oxide this stuff really works. look it up, its like a secret remedy to acne.
I wish I could look people in the eye when i have bad flare up, but I can never really muster the courage. I think I get scared that I will catch them staring at my skin, or I'll see disgust in their eyes. I find it easier just not to look. I wish I wasn't like that because I feel people might think I'm not a very nice person, but it's so hard for me to make the eye contact. I'm embarassed of my skin at times, and unfortunately I just think that people judge without meaning to. I'm in my 30s now and I always hoped it would get easier, that as time went on I could handle my feelings about my skin better. Unfortunately it has gotten worse as i grow older. I think its because that most people my age do not suffer acne and I'm just so tired from suffering from it!
and if someone judges you based on your acne then they don't deserve to have you as a friend. look them in the eye. remember when people don't give eye contact it can be seen as a sign of disrespect or weakness even if that is not what it truly is. you need to be strong and look them in the eye and if they do disrespect you then the hell with them. besides like 90% of people in america suffer from acne at one point in their life. if someone is going to disrespect you based on your acne then they have bigger problems than that and you probably shouldn't be around them anyway.
I know this kid that has the worst acne/scars that I've ever seen, he loves life, pretends he has nothing, is always cheerful, and everyone loves him. It all has to do with personality, maybe acne was a way for us to see that. I'd much rather know someone who is sweet and kind and has acne, than someone who has perfect skin but is a rude and immature person. Trust me when I say that everyone thinks this way. At least the people who matter.
I love to think of this verse when I'm down: 1 Samuel 16:7
"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'"
It's from this forum that I learned how rude people are. No one in my school has ever straight out made fun of someone or even looked remotely strange at someone with acne, even if it is severe. I've seen stories on here that are ridiculous.
------
Anyway,
Have any of you tried this?
It's really been helping, along with:
I know this kid that has the worst acne/scars that I've ever seen, he loves life, pretends he has nothing, is always cheerful, and everyone loves him. It all has to do with personality, maybe acne was a way for us to see that. I'd much rather know someone who is sweet and kind and has acne, than someone who has perfect skin but is a rude and immature person. Trust me when I say that everyone thinks this way. At least the people who matter.
I love to think of this verse when I'm down: 1 Samuel 16:7
"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'"
It's from this forum that I learned how rude people are. No one in my school has ever straight out made fun of someone or even looked remotely strange at someone with acne, even if it is severe. I've seen stories on here that are ridiculous.
------
Anyway,
Have any of you tried this?
http://www.amazon.co...eywords=sulphur
It's really been helping, along with:
http://www.amazon.co...eywords=panoxyl
wow that quote is so true and great that i have to steal it for my signature! thats why the way i try to strive to see people everyday