Hello, I'm James; a newbie to this site!
Since around January 2015, I've had acne in on and off spells and, in all honesty, it's really got me down - I've lashed out at my mum before, insisting I didn't want to leave the house. Although my skin's not at it's worse it's ever been, it's not great at the moment. Although I've virtually had to suffer in silence for a year, I'm so over that and, with my prom in a couple of months, I know how devastated I'd be if I looked full of acne in the photos.
At present, I cleanse every day as well as moisturize. On the days I don't moisturize, I use Tamanu Oil. My diet has been rather sugar-filled previously, but I'm eating much more heathily (I always have realtively eaten well, I eat so much more fruit and veg now!)
However, I™m not sure entirely how much diet contributes to acne; there™s so much on the internet. Similarly, I drink way less caffeine, with perhaps one cup of coffee every other day “ I drink green tea twice a day (sometimes I put honey in it), as it™s said to have excellent medicinal values for acne.
My skin is definitely combination, with a pretty oily forehead and t-zone but dry on my cheeks. Ironically, my cheeks are where I break out the most (see the photos; which, by the way, have been taken more or less as soon as I left the shower, so they make be gross).
I™d just really love to know what I™m doing wrong and, whether it can be rectified! Although it™s said that acne boils down to genetics (my dad had acne) and hormones, I™m not going to just settle acne; I really want it gone! If you™ve got any advice on treatments for my skin type, please let me know.
Thanks so much!
I can't answer all of your questions sorry, but I can give you my opinion on some of them! 
Firstly, don't stress over prom, coming from an 18 yo girl, I think you're pretty attractive. You could even try some light powder for prom if you want to look better in photos. I'm not saying cake your face but some powder no one will notice and you will be more confident.
Secondly, I could sit here and tell you to "try this!" and "ask your derm for this!" but to be honest what works for any other person is not guaranteed to work for you.
If you haven't started anywhere yet in terms of treating it, the go to is usually benzoyl peroxide creams or salicylic acid (easily bought otc).
As for the tamanu oil, it has a comedogenic rating of 2/5, which isn't bad per say, but if you don't need to use it, don't.
Keep up with the good diet and change your pillow case etc etc.
If you've tried all of the otc things, next step would be to the derms or docs office for some prescriptions.
Hi,
i actually made an account just to respond to this. It reminds me of a few years ago when I was almost 18 and thinking about prom. During that year I broke out SO bad with cystic acne. I think it could have been my sensitive skin. Anyway, it was hard and I was so devastated. I know it's just skin but I was so self conscious.
That your cheeks are dry are important. Are you sure you're skin is pH balanced. The only thing that helped me is apple cider vinegar and you need the kind with the "mother". It should be diluted as well. It smells so bad but it helped a lot. I still apply benzoyl peroxide but just a little to dry skin and before moisturizer. I only recently started doing this and it's way more effective if I ever get hormonal acne. And maybe you should just use cetaphil wash (the gentle kind never the regular one) since you probably don't wear makeup and have that issue. Let me know how it goes. Good luck