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being interviewed by the news...with sunlight "bathing" your face..oh god,everybody gets to see your acne on TV ;(
OMG i have horrific premonitions of that all the time! even though i'll probably never be on the news, but when I see normal looking people just being interviewed I always think of me on the tv with my acne
Late to the party, but:
-having acne incorporated into your dreams as just a normal thing (despite my skin being clear for months, now... because I had it so long)
-wearing foundation to the beach
-going to the dentist is a singularly torturous event
-wanting to go camping, but worried that people will see your zits (also anything outdoorsy)
-sleeping over at friends houses as a kid
-people with clear skin giving you advice (lolwut?)
I've cleared my skin completely with a combination OCM, BP, glycolic acid peels and (probably most importantly) a completely altered diet which includes zero sugar and zero dairy (and minimal other carbohydrates). What nobody told me to expect was the psychological scarring. My skin looks great, but I'm still ultra-conscious and weird about my face. I am also very superstitious about it, and I feel as if the acne gods will smite me if I step out of line or something... like paranoid acne karma. I still feel that I have acne even though it's been gone for a while. Anyone with me, there?
YES dscully! wearing foundation to the beach... ugh so fun right? my friends used to call me out on it and make it even worse. "Why are you wearing makeup to the beach??" must be nice to have flawless skin.
Yes I totally agree with you that whenever my acne does clear, I always remember and feel like I still have it. I think I'll still feel it when I'm looking someone straight in the eye when I'm 80 years old. The paranoia doesn't really go away.
being interviewed by the news...with sunlight "bathing" your face..oh god,everybody gets to see your acne on TV ;(
OMG i have horrific premonitions of that all the time! even though i'll probably never be on the news, but when I see normal looking people just being interviewed I always think of me on the tv with my acne
>>Late to the party, but:
-having acne incorporated into your dreams as just a normal thing (despite my skin being clear for months, now... because I had it so long)
-wearing foundation to the beach
-going to the dentist is a singularly torturous event
-wanting to go camping, but worried that people will see your zits (also anything outdoorsy)
-sleeping over at friends houses as a kid
-people with clear skin giving you advice (lolwut?)
I've cleared my skin completely with a combination OCM, BP, glycolic acid peels and (probably most importantly) a completely altered diet which includes zero sugar and zero dairy (and minimal other carbohydrates). What nobody told me to expect was the psychological scarring. My skin looks great, but I'm still ultra-conscious and weird about my face. I am also very superstitious about it, and I feel as if the acne gods will smite me if I step out of line or something... like paranoid acne karma. I still feel that I have acne even though it's been gone for a while. Anyone with me, there?
YES dscully! wearing foundation to the beach... ugh so fun right? my friends used to call me out on it and make it even worse. "Why are you wearing makeup to the beach??" must be nice to have flawless skin.
Yes I totally agree with you that whenever my acne does clear, I always remember and feel like I still have it. I think I'll still feel it when I'm looking someone straight in the eye when I'm 80 years old. The paranoia doesn't really go away.
uuuugh people in general calling you out on wearing makeup. The only thing worse than your acne being the elephant in the room is your acne/foundation being talked about. Comments from people about acne or makeup are about as welcome as a root canal. "perfect skin priviledge" is not a thing, but it should be. I've had a person with perfect skin give me advice WHILE they were downing half a pizza, which is something that would ravage my skin with about a 1-week delay. They just seriously don't understand it at all.
Hands down worst comment: "If you stressed about it less it would go away"
bright daylight or sun shining on your face is the worst.
being interviewed by the news...with sunlight "bathing" your face..oh god,everybody gets to see your acne on TV ;(
OMG i have horrific premonitions of that all the time! even though i'll probably never be on the news, but when I see normal looking people just being interviewed I always think of me on the tv with my acne
>>>Late to the party, but:
-having acne incorporated into your dreams as just a normal thing (despite my skin being clear for months, now... because I had it so long)
-wearing foundation to the beach
-going to the dentist is a singularly torturous event
-wanting to go camping, but worried that people will see your zits (also anything outdoorsy)
-sleeping over at friends houses as a kid
-people with clear skin giving you advice (lolwut?)
I've cleared my skin completely with a combination OCM, BP, glycolic acid peels and (probably most importantly) a completely altered diet which includes zero sugar and zero dairy (and minimal other carbohydrates). What nobody told me to expect was the psychological scarring. My skin looks great, but I'm still ultra-conscious and weird about my face. I am also very superstitious about it, and I feel as if the acne gods will smite me if I step out of line or something... like paranoid acne karma. I still feel that I have acne even though it's been gone for a while. Anyone with me, there?
>
YES dscully! wearing foundation to the beach... ugh so fun right? my friends used to call me out on it and make it even worse. "Why are you wearing makeup to the beach??" must be nice to have flawless skin.
Yes I totally agree with you that whenever my acne does clear, I always remember and feel like I still have it. I think I'll still feel it when I'm looking someone straight in the eye when I'm 80 years old. The paranoia doesn't really go away.
uuuugh people in general calling you out on wearing makeup. The only thing worse than your acne being the elephant in the room is your acne/foundation being talked about. Comments from people about acne or makeup are about as welcome as a root canal. "perfect skin priviledge" is not a thing, but it should be. I've had a person with perfect skin give me advice WHILE they were downing half a pizza, which is something that would ravage my skin with about a 1-week delay. They just seriously don't understand it at all.
Hands down worst comment: "If you stressed about it less it would go away"
^^Whenever someone says that to me I want to punch them in the face - hole! Argh! Or "at least it's only cosmetic..." and the bane of an acne sufferer's existence: "at least it's not...[insert terminal illness here]" ROAAAAR
When the spotlights flashing around a nightclub land on your face for a second and everyone around you gets to see your sweaty, caked, bumpy face for a split second, and you thought you could get away with being kind of pretty in the darkness for one night........:'(
But yes this thread is gold! I feel like there's so many acne-sufferers out there....why do I not know anyone who can relate to me in real life?!
You're going to hate me for spilling the beans but to those of us with severe acne scars it just sounds like so much whining. That does not mean we don't understand your frustration. But, seriously, let's not freak out over 1 or 2 zits. On the other hand, if your entire face is caked with acne, then we might have a genuine dialog.
But yes this thread is gold! I feel like there's so many acne-sufferers out there....why do I not know anyone who can relate to me in real life?!
Right?? That's what I want to know! You guys are it for me. I can't find anyone in real life. It's definitely a lonely feeling.
Wow, I can relate lots of the mentioned in this post to my own life!! It's making me happy, haha! 
Peope can have fun even though having acne !!
Patting your oily face with your shirt or a napkin
I always talk to my acne and name them on there shape & size
- Spending an hour (or more) in front of the mirror popping pimples just so you can face the world
- Being paranoid about everything that touches your face
- Avoiding having your picture taken like it's the plague...I swear the camera adds 20 zits!
- Avoiding social interaction when you're having a bad breakout
That feels...
I can relate to all of the above; the family blame and the friends complaining about microscopic spots in the single digits are my pet peeves.
Also:
"Why are you wearing makeup to the beach??"
*Having anticipated this question and having the answer "it's the only things with SPF that doesn't break me out" at the ready. (It's actually true in the case of Bare Minerals.)
*Being asked by a kid: why is your face bleeding?
*Having to throw out t-shirts you love because of stains from back and chest acne (this was pre-accutane)
Patting your oily face with your shirt or a napkin
I always talk to my acne and name them on there shape & size
LOL, what are some of the names?
I may have to start this... I can already think of some... "Screamer" "Third Eye" "Bloody Mary" "Crack Snapple Pop" "Krispy" "Speed bump" "Die Hard (with a vengeance)"
"Why are you wearing makeup to the beach??"
*Having anticipated this question and having the answer "it's the only things with SPF that doesn't break me out" at the ready. (It's actually true in the case of Bare Minerals.)
that actually is true! i don't risk using sunscreen on my face and my mineral makeup has a pretty good spf, so when i go to the beach i pretty much have to wear it!
Just wanted to throw this out there
If we keep thinking that we have to look a certain way or look a certain image to become a somebody or to do something (careers, jobs, schools, get your dream guy/girl, etc.)
Then you never will be that person you want to be. Lets be happy the way we look and work with what we got. Yes!! Acne sucks, go write a book about it then.
Find products that work for your face, discipline yourself. Eating Healthy & Working Out & Staying With Products That Work
Remember, being confident will outweigh almost any skin default you may have. Focus on the things you could change like acne, eating habits, and of course hygiene.
I basically say Whatever to the things I cant change. For example:
-My Height
-My Big Head
-My Third Nipple
&&& ETC.........
But acne will go and it will get better in time
^
^
Lol better in time by Leona Lewis, anyone?
AMEN to that list. I'm living this every day of my life since 10 years now. WHEN IS IT EVER GOING TO STOP !?!?!??!
Okay, this is offically the most relatable thing ever for me, it's just so accurate. A few things I'd love to add though, hopefully I'm not the only one going through these annoying things;;
/ Accidentally swiping your hand against your oily face and then having to wipe your hand across your shirt since its now covered in oil, ahaha.
/ Leaving a particular mirror because the bright lighting makes acne look worse and moving to a mirror with darker lighting.
/ Reapplying concealer every three hours.
/ Making up excuses to go to the bathroom to touch up concealer or check for new acne that you suspect is growing.
/ Carrying around a needle in your handbag, just to be sure that whiteheads aren't going to show up.
/ Guessing wheter acne has grown while you're in public.
/ Trying really hard to get into the habit of sleeping on your back so that your face doesn't touch the pillow.
/ Adding a filter to photos, liking the way it looks then removing the filter just to see if it originally didnt even look that bad then quickly switching back to the filter.
I tried not to mention what was already below. Hopefully someone can relate to at least some of this. Thanks everyone for making me feel like I'm not alone.(:
Okay, this is offically the most relatable thing ever for me, it's just so accurate. A few things I'd love to add though, hopefully I'm not the only one going through these annoying things;;
/ Accidentally swiping your hand against your oily face and then having to wipe your hand across your shirt since its now covered in oil, ahaha.
/ Leaving a particular mirror because the bright lighting makes acne look worse and moving to a mirror with darker lighting.
/ Reapplying concealer every three hours.
/ Making up excuses to go to the bathroom to touch up concealer or check for new acne that you suspect is growing.
/ Carrying around a needle in your handbag, just to be sure that whiteheads aren't going to show up.
/ Guessing wheter acne has grown while you're in public.
/ Trying really hard to get into the habit of sleeping on your back so that your face doesn't touch the pillow.
/ Adding a filter to photos, liking the way it looks then removing the filter just to see if it originally didnt even look that bad then quickly switching back to the filter.
I tried not to mention what was already below. Hopefully someone can relate to at least some of this. Thanks everyone for making me feel like I'm not alone.(:
great list! and don't worry about if we can relate or not, haha- suffering with acne for 10, 15, 20, 25 years in some people's cases, we've all been through it!
-Dashing into a back room when the doorbell rings and letting another family member answer because you have no makeup on or a disgusting looking acne treatment.
-Seeing a couple together in public and then feeling all alone with your acne.
-Getting food on your face when eating in public and then feeling awkward wiping it off because you probably wiped makeup off a pimple.
-How awkward you feel when buying acne products at Walmart when you are horribly broke out and every single cashier has flawless skin.
-Hating to talk to people in brightly lit places because you just know they are staring at every pore.
-Realizing that you spent the time you should have been doing homework obsessing over your acne at a mirror.
-Sitting in the bathroom sink in front of the mirror popping your zits and crying.
-Hearing your family tell you not to pop pimples and thinking, "Im not gunna walk around town with this thing poking 7 inches off my face!"
-Knowing that foundation breaks you out horribly but smathering it on anyway because you would rather die than let a single soul see you without makeup.
-your flawlessly clear skinned friend saying, "Oh i forgot to put powder on I look so trashy!" and your looking at them like, "Can you not see my face?"
On 1/7/2014 at 8:46 AM, AlishaRenee said:Okay, so this is something that I actually talked about on my personal blog, but when I came across this site I knew I had to share it with all of you. I struggled with acne for eight years and during that time I got advice from EVERYONE....even people who had never had a pimple in their life! I mean, what would they know about acne? NOTHING! That's what. Out of my frustration I came up with a list of things that only people with acne can understand and relate to...feel free to add to this list, we're all in this together after all! Oh, and if you're interested in checking out my blog feel free to do so, it's [Edited link out]
- Waking up every morning scared to look in the mirror because you know that new pimples have appeared overnight
- Spending an hour (or more) in front of the mirror popping pimples just so you can face the world
- Being paranoid about everything that touches your face
- Avoiding having your picture taken like it's the plague...I swear the camera adds 20 zits!
- Avoiding social interaction when you're having a bad breakout
- Wanting to punch people in the face when they give you advice on how to get rid of your pimples...especially people who have never had a pimple in their life!
- Spending your entire paycheck on acne products (that NEVER actually work!)
- Going to the dermatologist and STILL having acne after months of treatment
- Being on antibiotics for an unnatural amount of time (that can't be good for your body...seriously!)
- Being told that you'll grow out of it someday (because in the meantime you are just going to have to be completely miserable!)
- Trying to change your diet to get clear skin (vegetarian, fruitarian, gluten free, dairy free...I've tried them all!)
- Getting angry when your family members act like your acne is YOUR fault and that you're doing something wrong to cause it
- Trying what worked for other people only to find that it doesn't work for you
- Acne commercials. LIARS!
- Scrubbing your face in the hopes that you'll scrub off all the pimples
- ALWAYS being paranoid that people are looking at your zits when you're talking to them
- Avoiding eye contact
- Spending hours researching acne, treatments, remedies, and products
- Feeling like you're the only person in the world with acne...I swear I was constantly surrounded by people with clear skin and I always found myself wondering....WHY ME?
- Extremely low self-esteem
- Constant embarrassment
- Spending hours applying cover up and makeup...which doesn't do much help at all!
So there you have it. My list of things that only someone with acne can relate to. I know that all of you have more to add, so by all means share your thoughts! It's nice to feel like you're not in it alone, despite feeling that way all the time.
Yes, totally agree
Oh my gosh guys! I'm so glad that this thread has become a place for everyone to share their acne frustration! I haven't logged in since I posted this and I'm amazed going through all of the replies. I couldn't help but giggle at some of the things you guys have posted because I'm like..."OH YEAH, I do that too!" It's definitely nice to know that I'm not alone, even though it seems like it whenever I leave the house. I was sitting in class yesterday (graduate school, btw) and of course I had a really really bad breakout so the entire time I was paranoid that the flourescent lighting was making my face look absolutely disgusting!
Here are a few more things that came to mind....
-Going to the bathroom during breaks (school, work, etc.) and finding big white zits on your face...then popping them and bleeding for the next hour all while trying to secretly wipe away the blood without being obvious about it. (Yes, you could leave that zit on your face all day but who wants a giant white juicy *gross* zit staring them in the face?)
-Posing for pictures so that your "good side" (aka- less broken out side) is facing the camera.
-Editing ALL pictures before they get to FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc. (and then when people see you in person it's like...what happened to your clear skin...oy!)
Oh, and also my husband had ONE pimple a few weeks ago and he literally acted like it was the end of the world. I mean, if he's that disgusted by ONE pimple, what does he think when he looks at my face? Seriously?!? Not to mention he picked and poked at his face until it swelled up like a balloon...then he proceeded to tell me that he understands why I complain about my acne all the time. One pimple and he thinks he's understands...we all know that's a joke!
*Sigh* this entire thread is like a breath of fresh air...in a weird way...lol!!
Oh my gosh guys! I'm so glad that this thread has become a place for everyone to share their acne frustration! I haven't logged in since I posted this and I'm amazed going through all of the replies. I couldn't help but giggle at some of the things you guys have posted because I'm like..."OH YEAH, I do that too!" It's definitely nice to know that I'm not alone, even though it seems like it whenever I leave the house. I was sitting in class yesterday (graduate school, btw) and of course I had a really really bad breakout so the entire time I was paranoid that the flourescent lighting was making my face look absolutely disgusting!
Here are a few more things that came to mind....
-Going to the bathroom during breaks (school, work, etc.) and finding big white zits on your face...then popping them and bleeding for the next hour all while trying to secretly wipe away the blood without being obvious about it. (Yes, you could leave that zit on your face all day but who wants a giant white juicy *gross* zit staring them in the face?)
-Posing for pictures so that your "good side" (aka- less broken out side) is facing the camera.
-Editing ALL pictures before they get to FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc. (and then when people see you in person it's like...what happened to your clear skin...oy!)
Oh, and also my husband had ONE pimple a few weeks ago and he literally acted like it was the end of the world. I mean, if he's that disgusted by ONE pimple, what does he think when he looks at my face? Seriously?!? Not to mention he picked and poked at his face until it swelled up like a balloon...then he proceeded to tell me that he understands why I complain about my acne all the time. One pimple and he thinks he's understands...we all know that's a joke!
*Sigh* this entire thread is like a breath of fresh air...in a weird way...lol!!
Completely agree with this and I thought I was alone in this.. Do any of you have any tips on what has worked for u? I can't take it any more! Xx
Thank you soo much Alisha rennee for posting this such a relief for me to see it's not just me affected by it and people that understand! Xx