I feel the exact same way. It's comforting to know that there are other people out there going through the same thing, since it can feel like everyone around you is living happy lives with perfectly clear skin.

I too used to be extremely social, confident and felt beautiful inside and out. Since having acne I feel horrible withdrawing from friends and social situations because of how insecure I feel about my skin. Just like you, my biggest wish is to have clear skin again! I want to escape acne physically and mentally, and to wake up without needing to put makeup on before even leaving my room. I have just started a new regimen using some pieces of info from this site and other resources and am hopeful to continue seeing improvements.

I just wanted to respond to let you know that my confidence has also suffered immensely from this horrible condition.

I hope for all the best for you, and to remember that acne is frustrating but it does not define you and cannot measure your beauty!

I feel you! And it's quite heartbreaking. Before my acne, I never gave much thought to my looks- I was generally happy with the way I looked and was able to focus on other things. When I broke out, it's all I thought about!!! I couldn't wait to go home and hide my face. My skin is almost completely better now... but not my self esteem. Acne shattered me. I am constantly thinking about how I look and I hate it.

Despite being clear for a long time, I'll always view myself as the pimple-faced girl. Can't help it. To this day, the posts I read daily on here continue to hit home. Much like a cancer survivor, I feel lucky to have survived the experience and am happy to share what I know to help others. The emotional scars from acne IMO run way deeper than the ones we see. It's great to have a community where we can share our struggles with each other and continue to learn and grow from them.

New to these forums, but I can totally relate. I am 21, and have had mild acne up until recently. Even then the mild acne bothered me to the point I felt I needed to seek help. Been on minocycline, doxycycline, and just started trimethoprim about 2 weeks ago. Anyways in high school I was very outgoing, played baseball for the school, plenty of girls considered me handsome, my confidence was through the roof. Once I started college the acne started coming in. Since then, I feel I've gone totally downhill. Especially now I'm really struggling with self esteem and confidence issues. I don't feel like leaving my room ever, not even to see my own family! I totally cut out my social life because I can't bare people seeing me like this. I have a beautiful girlfriend of 3 years who is everything to me and tells me she could care less about the skin. She constantly tries to make me feel better about myself but then I am so embarrassed to see her like this, and she just doesn't understand how it feels. She has the skin of a baby. It's rough. I'm rambling. But It feels good to let out my emotions to those who can relate.

I've developed a huge social anxiety. I have complete spazz outs even with communicating with people over the internet. I literally scream and bite myself. I think it's a great idea to have get togethers.

I feel the exact same way. It's comforting to know that there are other people out there going through the same thing, since it can feel like everyone around you is living happy lives with perfectly clear skin.

I too used to be extremely social, confident and felt beautiful inside and out. Since having acne I feel horrible withdrawing from friends and social situations because of how insecure I feel about my skin. Just like you, my biggest wish is to have clear skin again! I want to escape acne physically and mentally, and to wake up without needing to put makeup on before even leaving my room. I have just started a new regimen using some pieces of info from this site and other resources and am hopeful to continue seeing improvements.

I just wanted to respond to let you know that my confidence has also suffered immensely from this horrible condition.

I hope for all the best for you, and to remember that acne is frustrating but it does not define you and cannot measure your beauty!

Thanks for the understanding Alexandra!

Acne is really a life killer. Because of it I developed other skin conditions. Like seborrheic dermatitis and chronic hives on face because of my extreme anxiety over my skin. I also have facial petechiae around my eyes du to accutane ( this drug was the biggest mistake of my life) now I have to pay it with the rest of my life in wich I was already depressed over my acne. Now I have to endure more with so many problems on my face... It really kills me and it has made me crazy.

I hope your treatment will help you! No one deserves this pain. Thanks :') I wish all hope for ya too.

I feel you! And it's quite heartbreaking. Before my acne, I never gave much thought to my looks- I was generally happy with the way I looked and was able to focus on other things. When I broke out, it's all I thought about!!! I couldn't wait to go home and hide my face. My skin is almost completely better now... but not my self esteem. Acne shattered me. I am constantly thinking about how I look and I hate it.

I'm sorry to hear that Jessica. It looks like even with clear skin our acne as messed up us so much that It completely destroyed our confidence.

I think you will have to built this confidence with time. It's not easy at all but I wish you the best. Don't forget alot of people suffer this pain so you're not alone. Even when you see clear skin skin everywhere :'(

Despite being clear for a long time, I'll always view myself as the pimple-faced girl. Can't help it. To this day, the posts I read daily on here continue to hit home. Much like a cancer survivor, I feel lucky to have survived the experience and am happy to share what I know to help others. The emotional scars from acne IMO run way deeper than the ones we see. It's great to have a community where we can share our struggles with each other and continue to learn and grow from them.

I can understand you, acne is big emotional scar, people have no idea of how much it can destroy us.

Indeed people on this community are the only one who can understand better each other. And its sad and suprising to see that alot of people struggle with acne. But at least we can share our emotions without judgement.

New to these forums, but I can totally relate.

 

I am 21, and have had mild acne up until recently. Even then the mild acne bothered me to the point I felt I needed to seek help. Been on minocycline, doxycycline, and just started trimethoprim about 2 weeks ago. Anyways in high school I was very outgoing, played baseball for the school, plenty of girls considered me handsome, my confidence was through the roof. Once I started college the acne started coming in. Since then, I feel I've gone totally downhill. Especially now I'm really struggling with self esteem and confidence issues. I don't feel like leaving my room ever, not even to see my own family! I totally cut out my social life because I can't bare people seeing me like this. I have a beautiful girlfriend of 3 years who is everything to me and tells me she could care less about the skin. She constantly tries to make me feel better about myself but then I am so embarrassed to see her like this, and she just doesn't understand how it feels. She has the skin of a baby. It's rough. I'm rambling. But It feels good to let out my emotions to those who can relate.

I can so much relate I to what you're enduring I feel sad to hear this.

I'm young too ( 23) so at this time looks are really important. I hope your new treatment will help you! Did you try eliminating food that can trigger acne? Alot of people cured their acne with it (not for me unfourtenaly)

No one who have clear skin can understand us, it's really a personal emotion. But dont forget that even with acne you have a beautiful girlfriend who loves you, a house and a familly. We tend to forget those important things. I wish you the best of luck!!

I've developed a huge social anxiety. I have complete spazz outs even with communicating with people over the internet. I literally scream and bite myself. I think it's a great idea to have get togethers.

I also scream alot, people think I'm crazy wich hurts even more. Life will be great if everyone would suffer from acne so everybody could relate. But no life is so unfair

Acne is evil and I told my husband if I had a genie my first wish would be that pimples did not exist. I have posted all over this board about how acne led to worse problems in my skin. Because I had a few zits, I used AHA+ on my face. From using the AHA, I developed spontaneous scars and broken blood vessels. Apparently my skin couldn't handle it. I am extremely depressed. I don't like to go out in public because I have gone from feeling pretty to feeling ugly. I also get more breakouts lately, I think partly due to the stress of what the AHA did to my skin, and hormones from my 2nd pregnancy. It's a vicious cycle. My pores are huge now from it. I am trying to repair my skin at this point. Got on Yasmin and my acne seems to be calming down, but I still have scarring and discoloration strictly from the AHA. I am sickened by the fact that acne has both directly and indirectly caused me so much pain over how my skin looks. I talked to my husband about it last night, and it helped a lot to get it out. He tells me he doesn't notice anything, and I try to believe that I am the only one who does notice and that helps me get out of the house. Like yeah I look like crap but maybe other people don't notice that. Sigh. Acne has taken way too much from me. I miss being carefree. I miss having clear, even colored skin and small pores and no scars. I have none of those things now. I am heartbroken, and my confidence is shattered. I feel shallow and petty when I cry and complain about something like my skin, but I am just being honest. This is how I feel and I can't help it.

Also want to add it is warming up here where I am and I don't have the confidence to wear my hair pulled back even though I want to. My skin just affects way too many apects of my life. I live my life around my skin. I hate this.

I sometimes don't think about it until some jackass brings it up to me out of nowhere like I don't already know that I have acne. Some people are even worse in the sense that they won't bring it up but they will either not make eye contact with me or I see them looking at my acne while I'm talking to them. At least I have met/know good people who still treat me normally despite the fact that I know that I look terrible.

Some People are cruel. They love to bring down people just to feel better about themself. Theres nothing we can do about them. Dont worry about those people, concentrate in the ones who care about you

Acne is evil and I told my husband if I had a genie my first wish would be that pimples did not exist. I have posted all over this board about how acne led to worse problems in my skin. Because I had a few zits, I used AHA+ on my face. From using the AHA, I developed spontaneous scars and broken blood vessels. Apparently my skin couldn't handle it. I am extremely depressed. I don't like to go out in public because I have gone from feeling pretty to feeling ugly. I also get more breakouts lately, I think partly due to the stress of what the AHA did to my skin, and hormones from my 2nd pregnancy. It's a vicious cycle. My pores are huge now from it. I am trying to repair my skin at this point. Got on Yasmin and my acne seems to be calming down, but I still have scarring and discoloration strictly from the AHA. I am sickened by the fact that acne has both directly and indirectly caused me so much pain over how my skin looks. I talked to my husband about it last night, and it helped a lot to get it out. He tells me he doesn't notice anything, and I try to believe that I am the only one who does notice and that helps me get out of the house. Like yeah I look like crap but maybe other people don't notice that. Sigh. Acne has taken way too much from me. I miss being carefree. I miss having clear, even colored skin and small pores and no scars. I have none of those things now. I am heartbroken, and my confidence is shattered. I feel shallow and petty when I cry and complain about something like my skin, but I am just being honest. This is how I feel and I can't help it.

Also want to add it is warming up here where I am and I don't have the confidence to wear my hair pulled back even though I want to. My skin just affects way too many apects of my life. I live my life around my skin. I hate this.

Omg this is seriosly like the story of my life. So I can really relate to your suffer.

As you said we try to treat your acne but we damage it more with treatment and sometimes the damage its to late you can't do anything about it. So now you have to suffer with acne plus other skin proplems/diseases. In my case I developed urticaria hive face/body, facial and body petechiae and mild seborrheic dermatitis all because of acne treatments and the stress of it.

I also went to think to pretty to ugly. I feel I'm just crap.

Glad to know you have a husband who supports you. People tend to say the same about me that its not a big deal but I dont beleve them. I'm 100% sure if they had as much problematic skin like me they would be depressed as hell. Skin affect us alot!!! It can ruin everything not just a face.

Its been years that I havent feel carrefree. Everyday I feel anxiety cuz I know I will have something new. If not a pimple, its a petechiae, if not it's some hives and etc... Its a never ending battle in wich I'm becoming tired. And when I see happy carefree people with clear skin it just makes me feel like I'm a alien and I wish so much to live the same live as them. I even think of suicide since I'm so lost and no one can help me. This pain is to much.

No please, dont think you are shallow its totally normal to cry about it. I can understand you of much this is heartbreaking to live with.

I'm the same I cant put my hair back cuz we can see more my acne and it's ugly. Acne prives us of alot of things. Everything we do or eat can affect your skin this is so stressful.

 

Acne is evil and I told my husband if I had a genie my first wish would be that pimples did not exist. I have posted all over this board about how acne led to worse problems in my skin. Because I had a few zits, I used AHA+ on my face. From using the AHA, I developed spontaneous scars and broken blood vessels. Apparently my skin couldn't handle it. I am extremely depressed. I don't like to go out in public because I have gone from feeling pretty to feeling ugly. I also get more breakouts lately, I think partly due to the stress of what the AHA did to my skin, and hormones from my 2nd pregnancy. It's a vicious cycle. My pores are huge now from it. I am trying to repair my skin at this point. Got on Yasmin and my acne seems to be calming down, but I still have scarring and discoloration strictly from the AHA. I am sickened by the fact that acne has both directly and indirectly caused me so much pain over how my skin looks. I talked to my husband about it last night, and it helped a lot to get it out. He tells me he doesn't notice anything, and I try to believe that I am the only one who does notice and that helps me get out of the house. Like yeah I look like crap but maybe other people don't notice that. Sigh. Acne has taken way too much from me. I miss being carefree. I miss having clear, even colored skin and small pores and no scars. I have none of those things now. I am heartbroken, and my confidence is shattered. I feel shallow and petty when I cry and complain about something like my skin, but I am just being honest. This is how I feel and I can't help it.

Also want to add it is warming up here where I am and I don't have the confidence to wear my hair pulled back even though I want to. My skin just affects way too many apects of my life. I live my life around my skin. I hate this.

Omg this is seriosly like the story of my life. So I can really relate to your suffer.

As you said we try to treat your acne but we damage it more with treatment and sometimes the damage its to late you can't do anything about it. So now you have to suffer with acne plus other skin proplems/diseases. In my case I developed urticaria hive face/body, facial and body petechiae and mild seborrheic dermatitis all because of acne treatments and the stress of it.

I also went to think to pretty to ugly. I feel I'm just crap.

Glad to know you have a husband who supports you. People tend to say the same about me that its not a big deal but I dont beleve them. I'm 100% sure if they had as much problematic skin like me they would be depressed as hell. Skin affect us alot!!! It can ruin everything not just a face.

Its been years that I havent feel carrefree. Everyday I feel anxiety cuz I know I will have something new. If not a pimple, its a petechiae, if not it's some hives and etc... Its a never ending battle in wich I'm becoming tired. And when I see happy carefree people with clear skin it just makes me feel like I'm a alien and I wish so much to live the same live as them. I even think of suicide since I'm so lost and no one can help me. This pain is to much.

No please, dont think you are shallow its totally normal to cry about it. I can understand you of much this is heartbreaking to live with.

I'm the same I cant put my hair back cuz we can see more my acne and it's ugly. Acne prives us of alot of things. Everything we do or eat can affect your skin this is so stressful.

I am so sorry you are dealing with similar problems as me, because although I have went through some tough times, this is the worst thing I've had to deal with. It's so hard for me to accept that in trying to improve my skin, I actually ruined it.

I get that too, that it isn't a big deal, my skin isn't bad, that they don't even see anything. But it's there. I'm not crazy, and my skin has gone very downhill in a short period of time. It is traumatizing. I agree that the people who say it is no big deal, would be very depressed if it was their own skin deteriorating.

I feel suicidal too at times. I know I would never do it because I have two young children that I love too much, and my mom already lost my older brother and I am her only child now. But sometimes when I want relief, I imagine offing myself and it makes me feel better for a little bit. I hate feeling that way. It still sounds crazy to me that I feel that way because of my skin, but again, just being honest. I feel lost, too, and as if nobody can help me because my problem is so bizarre. My derm never heard of skin spontaneously scarring from glycolic acid. I feel like a freak because hardly anyone has this problem. I've talked to a couple people who have, but apparently it's rare for skin to react like that to such a weak acid. I decided today I am not putting anything on my face. Not even makeup, so now I have no reason to look at my face up close. This is both for my sanity and in hopes that leaving my skin alone will bring some healing. Products ruined it, so maybe using nothing will at least help improve it. I hardly looked at my face today, went out with no makeup, and I feel better already. Mirror avoidance is great when you hate your skin.

And about the diet thing, yeah so many times I tried to cut out dairy, but I gave up. It never seemed to help and I hate restricting foods because I'm paranoid about my skin. I do a low carb, high fat diet and am losing weight which is good, and that kind of diet just sucks without dairy :/ ugh. Fml.

Acne is evil and I told my husband if I had a genie my first wish would be that pimples did not exist.

That's really cool and awesome of you. I would usually wish that I was healed and my acne was gone for ever, but I rarely think to wish acne gone in general. Maybe it's because of what it does for a lot of people. Causes them to be more understanding and loving. And if we all make it through...

 

Acne is evil and I told my husband if I had a genie my first wish would be that pimples did not exist.

 

That's really cool and awesome of you. I would usually wish that I was healed and my acne was gone for ever, but I rarely think to wish acne gone in general. Maybe it's because of what it does for a lot of people. Causes them to be more understanding and loving. And if we all make it through...

aw, thanks. I just hate that people have to suffer just because of their skin. I think so many people would be happy and be able to enjoy life if not for their skin problems. I can see how acne can have some positives in the end for some people, but for me, the anxiety and depression it has caused me negates anything good that may have come from it. I guess I look at it that way and just wish it never existed.

When I was a teenager, acne was a big reason on why I was never very outgoing. On my worst breakout days I preferred to stay at home and not really have anyone see me but my family. Then in my twenties (I am 26 now) I really started to take steps in finding what works to control my acne, I found a regimen that works for me and I do find myself being more sociable. I feel more confident to look people in the eye and not feel like they are looking at a face full of acne.

Though I have to admit I do get nightmares sometimes thinking the clear skin I have now is just phase and I will wake up again with my acne.

 

Acne is evil and I told my husband if I had a genie my first wish would be that pimples did not exist.

 

That's really cool and awesome of you. I would usually wish that I was healed and my acne was gone for ever, but I rarely think to wish acne gone in general. Maybe it's because of what it does for a lot of people. Causes them to be more understanding and loving. And if we all make it through...

Wise words from such a young man. Acne definitely allows us to look past the flaws in others. That thought doesn't always make it easier to deal with though but i believe that everyone has a cross to bear.

This is my first post on this site. It's actually so comforting to know I'm not alone. Getting out of bed each day is incredibly difficult, having to plaster my face with not just make up but with a smile is so hard.

My skin is pretty messy right now, I'm not on any meds and I came off implanon after three and a bit years a few months ago which is causing me to break out more.

I leave the house and envy people who have clear, smooth skin with no makeup on and think how they have no idea how lucky they are. Then there's me who has to slather my face with foundation daily just to get by. Eye contact is hard and intimacy is even harder. I haven't been in a relationship in years now because I'm just too scared. Acne is scarring me emotionally and I wish I could live a normal life and forget about it but I can't. I barely go to social events and if I do they have to have dark lighting. I wish I knew more people in real life who were going through what we are all going through. Some say acne is a first world problem but it fucking hurts. I wish more people would understand. So yeah...that's how I'm feeling today.