*mod edit* moved to emotional and psychological effects of acne forum

I'll try and sum up my acne background, and trust me, I'm leaving out a whole bunch for the sake of your time (I'm a guy if that changes anything):

 

Since I was 10, I started to develop mild acne on my forehead. I didn't do anything about it because my parents assumed it was natural and would go away in a few months. It literally has lasted me 6 years (I'm 16) and my parents continue to say the exact same thing, "it's just hormones, it will go away soon." In those 6 years, my acne has not disappeared even once, and because I was naive and wasn't taught any better, I would pick, pop, and literally rip off pieces of acne, pimples, and dried up/dead skin, respectively, turning into a very nasty habit. This has led to the most severe acne of my life. I have it all over my cheeks, around my nose, my neck, and on my temple; it's also on my chest and back; my forehead is fairly clean, even though that's where the acne started out. It's honestly worse than 90% of people that I've seen on this website. I still, despite trying my absolute hardest, find it difficult to stop myself from picking at my skin. I've never followed any sort of skin care regimen, again, because I was naive and my parents could care less about how I looked, as long as I kept my grades up. About a month ago, I started using some tea tree cleanser/gel, with a toner that I apply with my hands because we don't have cotton balls (sad life), and a dry skin moisturiser to get rid off the dryness and flaky patches around my acne that are left after I take a hot shower; no results at all, and sometimes I even feel like my skin has gotten a bit worse, but I'm not sure. So basically my self-esteem and social life are entirely fucked as a result of all this, and I go straight home from school everyday to avoid more stares. I mean not entirely, I guess, since I hold just enough respect not to get bombarded with comments about my skin, but I can tell people are disgusted, and this ruins my self-esteem more and more everyday... I mean, it's been 6 years for fucks sake. I literally look like a monster, all because of this acne.

 

So what's bothering the most right now: My cousin that I haven't seen in the longest time is coming back to visit tonight, but I dread the moment he sees me and comments on my skin - I know he will. Everyone in my family, including relatives, have perfect skin, while I'm stuck here looking like a complete alien. I know for a fact that they are going to want to take family photos, and I honestly want to hide myself in my closet like a fucking 5 year old. My parents don't want to spend money on a dermatologist and all sorts of medications and treatments, so that's not an option for me. I really don't know much about the science behind acne and its causes (except the basic stuff), so I really don't want to start experimenting with home remedies and treatments because I'm worried it will get even worse and irritate my skin even more. I'm so tempted to steal some of my sister's make-up and research how to apply foundation/cover up/whatever it's called lmfao, that's how desperate I am at this point. I honestly don't know what to do. If hormones are really the root cause, it isn't getting any better after 6 years, it's only getting worse. I'm trying to avoid dairy and sugary snacks, but something tells me nothing's going to change. I'm also trying to increase my water intake, but again, there's this hopeless feeling that nothing is going to change. What's worse is most people on this website have either a high level of acne and a low level of scarring, or vice versa, while I'm sitting here with a high level of both, and it hurts me so much knowing that I have it worse than 90% of the people on an acne-dedicated forum. My life has literally went downhill these past 6 years, all because of this acne.

 

So this started out as a question thread about what I should do to make the acne (scars) stand out less for when my cousin and family members visit, but I guess I've turned it into more of a straight vent thread. I suppose reply if you feel you could provide some advice. And if you really read all of this, I truly thank you, even if it was probably a huge waste of your time. But then again, like I said, I probably left a WHOLE lot of stuff out anyway :/.

 

PS: Reading this back to myself, I feel like it doesn't really express how internally and emotionally sad I am. I'm literally at the lowest point in my life, haha. Guess I was trying not to sound like someone begging for sympathy. That's just the type of person I am, I guess.

dude i felt the same way at 16, but looking back I really didn't have it as bad as I thought. There were times when I would eat lunch in the bathroom if my skin was looking bad because I was embarrassed of what my friends would say. I'm 20 now and I have went through pretty much the last 3 years with not a lot of problems. I sure as hell wasn't wasting my time inside alone on these forums. But the past month my forehead has been breaking out and here I am back on these forums venting with the rest of us sufferers haha. It'll most likely get better when you're 18-19. But like I said, I had some clear stages but if you're acne prone you will have break outs from time to time. But in my experience 15-16 was honestly the worst years for me acne wise. 17-20 I have done way more dating and fun things than I ever did in high school. just trying to leave some encouraging words.

I'll try and sum up my acne background, and trust me, I'm leaving out a whole bunch for the sake of your time (I'm a guy if that changes anything):

 

Since I was 10, I started to develop mild acne on my forehead. I didn't do anything about it because my parents assumed it was natural and would go away in a few months. It literally has lasted me 6 years (I'm 16) and my parents continue to say the exact same thing, "it's just hormones, it will go away soon." In those 6 years, my acne has not disappeared even once, and because I was naive and wasn't taught any better, I would pick, pop, and literally rip off pieces of acne, pimples, and dried up/dead skin, respectively, turning into a very nasty habit. This has led to the most severe acne of my life. I have it all over my cheeks, around my nose, my neck, and on my temple; it's also on my chest and back; my forehead is fairly clean, even though that's where the acne started out. It's honestly worse than 90% of people that I've seen on this website. I still, despite trying my absolute hardest, find it difficult to stop myself from picking at my skin. I've never followed any sort of skin care regimen, again, because I was naive and my parents could care less about how I looked, as long as I kept my grades up. About a month ago, I started using some tea tree cleanser/gel, with a toner that I apply with my hands because we don't have cotton balls (sad life), and a dry skin moisturiser to get rid off the dryness and flaky patches around my acne that are left after I take a hot shower; no results at all, and sometimes I even feel like my skin has gotten a bit worse, but I'm not sure. So basically my self-esteem and social life are entirely fucked as a result of all this, and I go straight home from school everyday to avoid more stares. I mean not entirely, I guess, since I hold just enough respect not to get bombarded with comments about my skin, but I can tell people are disgusted, and this ruins my self-esteem more and more everyday... I mean, it's been 6 years for fucks sake. I literally look like a monster, all because of this acne.

 

So what's bothering the most right now: My cousin that I haven't seen in the longest time is coming back to visit tonight, but I dread the moment he sees me and comments on my skin - I know he will. Everyone in my family, including relatives, have perfect skin, while I'm stuck here looking like a complete alien. I know for a fact that they are going to want to take family photos, and I honestly want to hide myself in my closet like a fucking 5 year old. My parents don't want to spend money on a dermatologist and all sorts of medications and treatments, so that's not an option for me. I really don't know much about the science behind acne and its causes (except the basic stuff), so I really don't want to start experimenting with home remedies and treatments because I'm worried it will get even worse and irritate my skin even more. I'm so tempted to steal some of my sister's make-up and research how to apply foundation/cover up/whatever it's called lmfao, that's how desperate I am at this point. I honestly don't know what to do. If hormones are really the root cause, it isn't getting any better after 6 years, it's only getting worse. I'm trying to avoid dairy and sugary snacks, but something tells me nothing's going to change. I'm also trying to increase my water intake, but again, there's this hopeless feeling that nothing is going to change. What's worse is most people on this website have either a high level of acne and a low level of scarring, or vice versa, while I'm sitting here with a high level of both, and it hurts me so much knowing that I have it worse than 90% of the people on an acne-dedicated forum. My life has literally went downhill these past 6 years, all because of this acne.

 

So this started out as a question thread about what I should do to make the acne (scars) stand out less for when my cousin and family members visit, but I guess I've turned it into more of a straight vent thread. I suppose reply if you feel you could provide some advice. And if you really read all of this, I truly thank you, even if it was probably a huge waste of your time. But then again, like I said, I probably left a WHOLE lot of stuff out anyway :/.

 

PS: Reading this back to myself, I feel like it doesn't really express how internally and emotionally sad I am. I'm literally at the lowest point in my life, haha. Guess I was trying not to sound like someone begging for sympathy. That's just the type of person I am, I guess.

 

dude i felt the same way at 16, but looking back I really didn't have it as bad as I thought. There were times when I would eat lunch in the bathroom if my skin was looking bad because I was embarrassed of what my friends would say. I'm 20 now and I have went through pretty much the last 3 years with not a lot of problems. I sure as hell wasn't wasting my time inside alone on these forums. But the past month my forehead has been breaking out and here I am back on these forums venting with the rest of us sufferers haha. It'll most likely get better when you're 18-19. But like I said, I had some clear stages but if you're acne prone you will have break outs from time to time. But in my experience 15-16 was honestly the worst years for me acne wise. 17-20 I have done way more dating and fun things than I ever did in high school. just trying to leave some encouraging words.

Hey I appreciate the words, man. It's refreshing, knowing that you've had it the roughest during my years. Hopefully it does get better in a year or so, just like it has for you.

I'll try and sum up my acne background, and trust me, I'm leaving out a whole bunch for the sake of your time (I'm a guy if that changes anything):

Since I was 10, I started to develop mild acne on my forehead. I didn't do anything about it because my parents assumed it was natural and would go away in a few months. It literally has lasted me 6 years (I'm 16) and my parents continue to say the exact same thing, "it's just hormones, it will go away soon." In those 6 years, my acne has not disappeared even once, and because I was naive and wasn't taught any better, I would pick, pop, and literally rip off pieces of acne, pimples, and dried up/dead skin, respectively, turning into a very nasty habit. This has led to the most severe acne of my life. I have it all over my cheeks, around my nose, my neck, and on my temple; it's also on my chest and back; my forehead is fairly clean, even though that's where the acne started out. It's honestly worse than 90% of people that I've seen on this website. I still, despite trying my absolute hardest, find it difficult to stop myself from picking at my skin. I've never followed any sort of skin care regimen, again, because I was naive and my parents could care less about how I looked, as long as I kept my grades up. About a month ago, I started using some tea tree cleanser/gel, with a toner that I apply with my hands because we don't have cotton balls (sad life), and a dry skin moisturiser to get rid off the dryness and flaky patches around my acne that are left after I take a hot shower; no results at all, and sometimes I even feel like my skin has gotten a bit worse, but I'm not sure. So basically my self-esteem and social life are entirely fucked as a result of all this, and I go straight home from school everyday to avoid more stares. I mean not entirely, I guess, since I hold just enough respect not to get bombarded with comments about my skin, but I can tell people are disgusted, and this ruins my self-esteem more and more everyday... I mean, it's been 6 years for fucks sake. I literally look like a monster, all because of this acne.

So what's bothering the most right now: My cousin that I haven't seen in the longest time is coming back to visit tonight, but I dread the moment he sees me and comments on my skin - I know he will. Everyone in my family, including relatives, have perfect skin, while I'm stuck here looking like a complete alien. I know for a fact that they are going to want to take family photos, and I honestly want to hide myself in my closet like a fucking 5 year old. My parents don't want to spend money on a dermatologist and all sorts of medications and treatments, so that's not an option for me. I really don't know much about the science behind acne and its causes (except the basic stuff), so I really don't want to start experimenting with home remedies and treatments because I'm worried it will get even worse and irritate my skin even more. I'm so tempted to steal some of my sister's make-up and research how to apply foundation/cover up/whatever it's called lmfao, that's how desperate I am at this point. I honestly don't know what to do. If hormones are really the root cause, it isn't getting any better after 6 years, it's only getting worse. I'm trying to avoid dairy and sugary snacks, but something tells me nothing's going to change. I'm also trying to increase my water intake, but again, there's this hopeless feeling that nothing is going to change. What's worse is most people on this website have either a high level of acne and a low level of scarring, or vice versa, while I'm sitting here with a high level of both, and it hurts me so much knowing that I have it worse than 90% of the people on an acne-dedicated forum. My life has literally went downhill these past 6 years, all because of this acne.

So this started out as a question thread about what I should do to make the acne (scars) stand out less for when my cousin and family members visit, but I guess I've turned it into more of a straight vent thread. I suppose reply if you feel you could provide some advice. And if you really read all of this, I truly thank you, even if it was probably a huge waste of your time. But then again, like I said, I probably left a WHOLE lot of stuff out anyway :/.

PS: Reading this back to myself, I feel like it doesn't really express how internally and emotionally sad I am. I'm literally at the lowest point in my life, haha. Guess I was trying not to sound like someone begging for sympathy. That's just the type of person I am, I guess.

Hello pundrew. I feel for you. My hormones screwed my teenage years as well. I had acne since I was 12. I only cleared up when I was 19 but now, after a year, they came back. With vengeance. It really is a tough journey and I just want you to know that you are not alone. Even if you think your face is worse than 90% in this site, I think acne pretty much hurt us the same psychologically and emotionally.

Now, I believe your concern is your scarring. Personally, I didn't have much success with products for scars. I have tried lots of products and trust me, there's nothing that would work like magic. There was one, though, its a sunflower oil that I got from Human Nature. However, it still took time to work. Since your cousin is coming soon, I don't think you have time. If you really want to hide it, the only solution I can think of is foundation/concealer. It would be obvious though, and you probably dont want your cousin to think you're wearing make up. My suggestion is, be brave and strong to accept whatever your cousin would say and try to act like it doesn't affect you. Act confident (even if its killing you) that way, his attention will be on something else not on your acne.

And I suggest that you try acne-fighting products. It could help take your acne under control. Good luck!

I agree with what Yukinoshita is saying about being confident when you see your family. Even when you are freaking out inside, being brave and act like everything is normal is the best way to be. I feel like if they say something about it I would probably be the better person and say, "Thanks for pointing out my faults but I would rather talk about something more important than superficial things that I can't control." He probably wouldn't know what to say and he wouldn't mention it again.

But I can definitely relate. My cousin is getting married in July and if it wasn't for me not being able to go because of work, I probably wouldn't go because of my acne. My whole family as well has clear skin and here I am looking oily and gross. It's been really hard for me because I'm a perfectionist and a control freak with a tendency for obsessing about things. So yes, acne mentally sucks for me and I constantly feel like people are looking at my skin and not "me." I notice acne on other people but that's because I'm always comparing my skin with other peoples. I feel like people that aren't thinking about acne don't even notice.

I just started Accutane ~6 days ago and let me tell you that all the over the counter washes/creams, prescription topicals and antibiotics only helped me minimally. I just hope Accutane cures or at least drastically minimizes my acne. I mean I'm 27 years old over here still with acne. I would really honestly advise you to go see a dermatologist if you can. Let your parents know exactly how bad it's bothering you.

We need to be strong for not only other people we care about but most importantly ourselves. Even when all of us acne sufferers are at all kinds of stages in this battle, we all understand, empathize and encourage one another - no matter how bad your acne is.

Keep your head up!