damn man.. how do you live like this.
I can live like this because life is more important then scars and acne. I wake up everyday and say this to my acne.."f*** you" and then go about my day. I dont care what people think about my scars or acne, If that is all they care about then they need some help. Its a teenage life problem, so people should understand what were going through when they see us with acne. But sadly a lot dont....mostly stuck up teenagers who think there perfect cause they have clear skin and we dont and pick on us for it. People like that make me sick...But even though they think that i still dont let it bother me cause i care about life and want to live it to the fullest and not care about what people think. And i'd like to thank you for taking the time to read and comment
, God bless.
You're my hero man..
Hello Matt! I'm new here as well and I was worried that I posted in the wrong area as well
I saw you pictures and that does look very severe. I wish I could help more. I don't have it that bad. I if I could upload pics I would but this isn't facebook and I can't control who see's me (Im very cautious). Anyway I am really glad that you don't let your acne get to you and want to give you a pat on the back for doing so. I get cysts from time to time on my face and maybe one random pimple on my chest but thats it really. If I could give ya my skin I would. For something that serious as your skin I could just say get advice from many doctors and dermas. Just know that I am rooting for ya!!
Hi Matt,
Wow, touching story. I can agree with many others and say I should stop crying over my skin and my scars, which are very minor. I'm inspired by your story.
Yes, like someone had said before, you have keloid scars. My mom has a few on her chest from when she picked a pimple. This aways made me terrified of picking my face or skin. Scarring runs in my family as well.
My mom had a couple shots injected by her dermatologist in her scars, and they turned white (were previously angry red/purple) and they flattened considerably as well. Thinking of having a needle injected in a scar like that would make me pass out, but it may be something you want to consider. I'm not sure what it was called.
I'm not sure that accutane would help those scars. I'm proud of you and glad that you continue to live life and venture out in the world. You can let the scars defeat you by hiding, or you can choose not to be a victim but be a victor (which you've done). God bless.
'Ur story brought a tear 2 my eye cuz I can relate so much...ur strength n confidence inspire me. I PRAY u find relief matt. '
'your confidence and positive attitude are amazing matt, seriously. the world should be filled with people like you, as corny as that sounds aha. if people can't handle what they're seeing it's their problem and they're not worth your time. '
I say the same as these two beautiful people
Hi, Everyone
First, I'd like to thank everyone for the kind words and support, It makes me happy .
Second, I see everyone on here is saying i should go for another round of accutane, So i'd like to anwser to everyone about this.
Well i can't really go on accutane anymore for 2 reasons,
1:I started having one of the serious side affects so i had to stop. But...I'm not really sure if it was the accutane's fault, The side effect was headache's. The headaches are gone now, But i'm not sure if it was the accutane or migraines cause i went to the doctor about the headaches and she said they were migraines and gave me pills and they helped a lot, But i still wasent sure though.
2:My family was really worried about me being on accutane and didnt want to worry them anymore and see them sad, I like to see people happy.
So as you can see, Getting back on accutane would be impossible for me so all i can do is try different things and hope for the best.
Anyways i'd like to thank you all again for the nice comments and support they mean a lot to me.
And as long as all you acne sufferers out there keep fighting and looking forward, Then so will i 
!
*HUGS TO ALL*
God bless and talk to ya next time .
God Bless you Matt on your journey. I pray you find continued comfort and healing. Have you considered peels of somesort for the scars? My place does them on the entire body and the results were a blessing to me. I did the Vitalize Peel but there are stronger ones. I understand your family is worried about accutane, mine is too. If you want to try some holistic approaches B5 worked wonders for me and applying honey and bathing in epsom salts helped. In a severe case I'm not sure how helpful these would be but anything in the interim periods can help. Do you still have active acne?
Your spirit is inspiring and I hope you know that.
God Bless you Matt on your journey. I pray you find continued comfort and healing. Have you considered peels of somesort for the scars? My place does them on the entire body and the results were a blessing to me. I did the Vitalize Peel but there are stronger ones. I understand your family is worried about accutane, mine is too. If you want to try some holistic approaches B5 worked wonders for me and applying honey and bathing in epsom salts helped. In a severe case I'm not sure how helpful these would be but anything in the interim periods can help. Do you still have active acne?
Your spirit is inspiring and I hope you know that.
Matt,
It looks like you have acne conglobata which is the most severe acne that you can deal with and which you alluded to in your post. The only way to arrest it is accutane. Headaches may or may not be an attributable side effect. I would be less concerned about what your family thinks because you are going to have to live your life with the ravaging effects of your disease, and a simple fact is that many acne conglobata sufferers never enjoy the level of socioeconomic status that they often deserve. I know that this sounds harsh, but it is true in a society that places appearance above all.
I think that you have an excellent attitude and I commend the way you express yourself. I think that you will go far in life with your attitude, but that you are also going to hit some significant speedbumps as you try to get ahead. Acne is a cruel disease and acne conglobata is the cruelest form of acne. No one really knows the cause, although it might be related to immune system dysfunction and there really is no cure. You can only arrest the disease. In the past surgery was frequently recommended and the foul smelling pus filled cysts would frequently return even after being drained and excised. Unfortunately many of the cysts if left untreated will never heal properly and ulcerate and then you will need surgery. Laser treatments might also help, although their effectiveness seems to vary from person to person.
I would suggest that you do the following: first, go to a derm that you trust and ask him/her what can be done about the scarring. Hopefully the derm will refer you to a plastic surgeon who can give you an honest appraisal of what can be done about the scarring. Since clustered open blackheads are a symptom of this disease, I would suggest that you see an esthetician(esp one affiliated with a derm) about having them removed from all over your chest, face and other body parts. This will make you feel better. and remove these unsightly nuisances.
The main thing is that you must control your condition and the best way to do that is several courses of accutane throughout your life. Antibiotics, topical creams and gels are simply not going to do much for you. It doesn't matter how many times a day you bathe or even what you eat.(although I suspect there may be some dietary triggers, but who really knows?)
The important thing is that you are going to have to work with a dermatologist for a long time, so pick one who is competent and who has some empathy for what you are going through. Many of the types of treatment that well meaning individuals post on this board are simply not going to work for you.
Fortunately your disease is not fatal or life threatening but it is life debilitating. Stay strong and realize the seriousness of your condition. Your family has to realize that this is something that you will not outgrow and accutane, acne surgery, plastic surgery, and perhaps laser treatments are going to be a part of your life more than likely for decades. From my perspective this is the cold hard reality.
Wishing you nothing but the best and with admiration for your courage,
Joe Zit
baby i feel your pain. i would suggest to visit another dermatologist, and see if they can help you with your scars left from the acne. i think you should fight till the end! never give up! i know hard it is, because i have acne also and sometimes i donAt even want to go outside to face the world. but i will face the world! and show all of the rest of the people that people who have acne are not ugly and are human beings like everybody else!.
OP: GET HELP ASAP. The longer you wait with shit like proactive or random BP the worse things get. I understand coming from a financially struggling family that the resources just aren't there for you. Still, do yourself a favor, get help, take accutane or at least a topical + antibiotics. Between the two, something should work. If and when I have kids, the sign or slightest blemish, I will have them seeking a specialist, and at least a topical + antibiotic. This has been the only thing to help me.
damn man.. how do you live like this.
I can live like this because life is more important then scars and acne. I wake up everyday and say this to my acne.."f*** you" and then go about my day. I dont care what people think about my scars or acne, If that is all they care about then they need some help. Its a teenage life problem, so people should understand what were going through when they see us with acne. But sadly a lot dont....mostly stuck up teenagers who think there perfect cause they have clear skin and we dont and pick on us for it. People like that make me sick...But even though they think that i still dont let it bother me cause i care about life and want to live it to the fullest and not care about what people think. And i'd like to thank you for taking the time to read and comment
Wow...that is pretty deep Matt. It's encouraging how you think positive. I should too... I am going through a 'conscious' phase..still. After...wow I don't know for more than 5 years.
I like what you said. It makes me think more positive! 
First of all, sorry about the acne. I saw the pictures. the second one with a lot more redness and bumps look very serious and not ordinary acne. I really recommend you going to a doctor or derm. If it's hard to afford...i'm not sure what the option is but that is REALLY your best shot. It is not something you should wait for it to go away. I have very bad acne myself and tried a lot of things. Yes, accutane helps but that is like birth control. it's only effective when you keep using it! Unfortunately, that is pretty pricey and not worth it. You probably have an internal problem. Not just external (skin problem) perhaps you need to change your diet really drastically.
How about eating patterns. What time do you eat usually? (dinner) b/c I realized that the more late I eat after work and school which is like 11pm. I break out a lot.
But I really feel like this is not a simple problem, sorry to be blunt.
I hope you figured out a solution, let me know what it is!!!
Hugs!!
This from Ordinary Girl: " Yes, accutane helps but that is like birth control. it's only effective when you keep using it! Unfortunately, that is pretty pricey and not worth it."
Given the fact that it will arrest (note I didn't say cure) chronic acne and will save you from further scarring I STRONGLY disagree that it is not worth it. The scars that you get today will be yours until the day you die and people WILL judge you because of those scars. Yes you can overcome physical disfigurement through hard work, a good attitude and a winning personality, but your scarred appearance is just one more hurdle to have to overcome in a society that is increasingly competitive with regard to jobs.
Accutane is usually prescribed in six month doses, and no you do not keep using it. Sometimes repeated courses of accutane are prescribed, but only for a specific time frame. Ordinarygirl you need to get up to speed on accutane and how it is used.
Joe Zit
Update guys i now have pictures. Yup i went to the store today to buy a webcam(all i could afford lol) just to show how BAD mine is. Mostly all you will see is scars that are on my back, neck, arms, chest, face. but there are a few bumps in the pictures(keep note they dont look as bad in person as in the picture cuz of the bad quality)Also keep in mind that i didnt take pictures of all my scars and acne these are just a few parts, i have a LOT more then what your seeing here. Anyway Here's the pictures(WARNING DONT LOOK AT THESE WITH WEAK STOMACH)
if the scars are kelloid....you have a lot of collagen in your skin....
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your post. I've been around a while and have seen different diseases other than acne. A doctor, gp, dermatologist etc. diagnose and prescribe drugs. That's what most do. Really a bunch of drug dispensers. Ok if you have pneumonia but there is no magic pill to cure acne yet (accutane users may disagree). Your body is reacting to the things you eat and/or the stress that you may be putting it in. I would strongly suggest that you look at your diet and eat as healthy as you can. Cut out the unhealthy items like sugar, candy, bread, cereal, potatoes, rice etc. and eat vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and water as a drink. You will at a minimum feel healthier and you will reach an optimum weight and possibly beat acne. Best of luck to you.
UPDATE: 1 June 2011
Also, here are some other nutrients that help your digestive tract recover and increase your antioxidant potency:
- Glutamine (great for food allergies, leaky gut syndrome and intestinal repair after excessive drug usage): start at 1000mg - 4000mg per day for 2 weeks, then about 100mg per day after.
- NAC i.e. N-acetyl cysteine is building block of the most potent antioxidant glutathione which strengthens the immune system, lowers bacteria and viral infections. It also protects the liver. Take 500mg to 1000mg per day for two weeks then return to 100mg per day after that. See http://www.immune-health-solutions-for-you...lutathione.html ;
- Beta Carotene - safer alternative vitamin A; just take a recommended daily dose http://www.immune-health-solutions-for-you...-seborrhea.html ; http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Glutathio...me-t187347.html ; http://www.antioxidant4life.com/2010/05/23...hione-and-acne/ ; http://www.antioxidant4life.com/2010/05/23...giving-protein/ ; http://www.max-glutathione-benefits.com/glutathione-for-acne
Cheers,
AS
Also; another important study & findings about the problems of a western diet
SUMMARY
"In the United States and most Western countries, diet-related chronic diseases represent the single largest cause of morbidity and mortality. These diseases are epidemic in contemporary Westernized populations and typically afflict 50a65% of the adult population, yet they are rare or nonexistent in hunter-gatherers and other less Westernized people. Although both scientists and lay people alike may frequently identify a single dietary element as the cause of chronic disease (eg, saturated fat causes heart disease and salt causes high blood pressure), evidence gleaned over the past 3 decades now indicates that virtually all so-called diseases of civilization have multifactorial dietary elements that underlie their etiology, along with other environmental agents and genetic susceptibility. Coronary heart disease, for instance, does not arise simply from excessive saturated fat in the diet but rather from a complex interaction of multiple nutritional factors directly linked to the excessive consumption of novel Neolithic and Industrial era foods (dairy products, cereals, refined cereals, refined sugars, refined vegetable oils, fatty meats, salt, and combinations of these foods). These foods, in turn, adversely influence proximate nutritional factors, which universally underlie or exacerbate virtually all chronic diseases of civilization: 1) glycemic load, 2) fatty acid composition, 3) macronutrient composition, 4) micronutrient density, 5) acid-base balance, 6) sodium-potassium ratio, and 7) fiber content. However, the ultimate factor underlying diseases of civilization is the collision of our ancient genome with the new conditions of life in affluent nations, including the nutritional qualities of recently introduced foods."
