We aren't observant of other people's flaws as much as we are of our own. Seriously. It's true. Those people you're looking at might not be perfect, but you've tricked yourself by falsely idolizing them because you yourself feel so 'screwed'.

FML is a stupid term. There are aspects of life that are entirely unrelated to appearance.

Take now for example. I can't see what you look like, so I can't judge you on that. My first impression of you is based soley on attitude. And I have to say, it's not something I'm attracted too.

I'll let you in on something about the height thing, seeing as I'm pretty much a female giant. I've been out with two short(er) guys in my entire life because, yes, I do pick taller guys in general so I don't look out of proportion. But not always.

The first guy was 5"9, so literally only two inches shorter than me - and it was an issue. Why was it an issue? Because he made it that way. He was quiet, shy, always paranoid about not being good enough and unsure of himself. Whenever he mentioned height he always told me 'I was too tall' and would get angry at tall people in general and try and pick fights with bigger guys than himself to 'prove something'. It wasn't pretty and I noticed him being smaller than me all the more.

The guy I'm currently dating is 5"7. And I'll tell you what, you would have never thought it to look at him. He's energetic, constantly full of life and over brimming with confidence (but not arrogance - there's a difference). If he gets a chance to try something new then he'll do it. He seizes life by both hands and keeps his insecurities private and to himself. He's incredibly attractive and people never seem to notice the height difference when we're out together because he's entirely comfortable with who he is, and that puts me at ease about myself too. He's never called me too tall and I've never called him too short. If it was ever an issue it was over long before it begun.

The same is true of acne. If you don't care about it then most people won't either.

In response to your actual question - I don't like that it makes my face a bit sore sometimes. Lying down at night and wincing when you put your head on the pillow isn't fun.

The biggest thing that aggravates me is doing everything right and still not seeing results. You can follow all of your dermatologists instructions to a T and still not get better.

Another thing that annoys me is how much money I've spent on acne products. I could have invested that money if I knew that I was just gonna basically throw it away.

Lastly, I hate how Accutane, the drug that seems to be the closest thing to a cure for acne is so dangerous. I mean....acne should be a simple fix, its not cancer, so why does the drug have such nasty side effects. It pisses me off.

One of the most annoying is when you get new things pop up throughout the day and you don't notice till later on, like when you've been talking to someone for ages and then realise afterwards and think 'oh god...'

Skin peeling from treatments is a pain too as it can just randomly happen throughout the day too.

The feeling of hopelessness, never knowing how long it's going to be before I have clear skin. It's a horrible thought that 5 years from now, I will still have this problem.

Its really important for me to look good too. I'm a 22 year old male and during my teenage years I was quite insecure with who I was as a person and very vain. Fortunately I have matured a great deal and found a passion in bodybuilding so I now look at my body in the mirror with happiness. Unfortunately I get closer and look at the skin on my face and long for the day I can be free of this.

When you think your finally clearing up and then bomb !!!!!!

Here goes some more pimples.

If you ask me, 2 out of 10 people is a lot, for any illness. What other chronic illness is so common as acne? Almost everyone is affected by it at least once in there lives, everyone has had the occasional whitehead... more and more adults are suffering from acne. So if anything, it's just going to get more common.

Even depression isn't as common as acne.

haha i like your username. im secretly hoping for a zombie apocalypse LOL.

well for photos/internet theres a little something called photoshop.. and most people on TV have their own personal makeup teams and all that fun stuff. and theres people who spend tons of money on fancy schmancy products. guys do wear makeup on-screen, but as for real life, i see tons of guys with acne, i have no idea what youre talking about...

and some guys wear makeup, there was a topic somewhere on here about it. you might not be looking close enough, when you look at your skin in the mirror you get way closer than you would to someone if you were just talking normally, so that does make a difference too

i agree with armadillo, 20% is actually kind of a lot, and im pretty sure thats for adults, for teens its more like 80%, and theres varying degrees so its not like one small group has severe acne and everyone around them is perfectly clear

tell me about it, ive had acne for 6 years.. i just gave up on being embarrassed

Everyone around you has clear skin, enjoying life with other clear skinned people while you try everything in the book to look like a normal human being, man u don't know how much I understand you I had severe acne, im talkin nasty ass huge lumps and under skin cyst all over my fuckin face. It destroyed me, dying ran through my head on a daily basis still occasionally but not as much. Now I just have scars which still fuck with me but regardless I will never be the same, that shit traumatized me.

I hated bein treated like a wounded animal by other people that was annoying, everytime I saw someone with clear skin I would feel extreme hatred toward them and want to disappear into thin air. Chromium,magnesium,zinc, sulfur ointment cleared me. 3 months.

What aggravates me the most is when acne turns me into a hermit for certain periods of time where I have to wait it out until the bad breakouts heal. Like I can never put a timeline on when that's going to happen, it's something that is out of my hands that I can never plan for, and it ruins so many things in my schedule like school, work, dating, hanging out with friends, etc. I'd really love to find a long-term girlfriend and have that type of happiness in my life, but I feel like it will always be out of my grasp not just because of my skin, but because of the walls I put up as a result of my skin...I guess there's a lot of mental damage there and I feel like no girl would want to deal with the psychological baggage that comes with me. So what aggravates me the most is the fact that I always feel held back from seeking out the kind of relationship that I want.

Acne has made me very accustomed to being alone, it's made me like the eternal outsider who is always on the outside looking in and watching other people build relationships and just enjoy life while I'm just kind of lingering in a void.

i disagree with this as i think it depends where you are for real. At my college i would say the precentage is much higher, over 50 percent. Severity ranges but its not uncommon. So i guess all i can say is your not alone. Dont be mad either because when that %1 with clear skin do get 1 pimple they freak.. they have no idea whats its like for the rest of that 99% who deal with more than that. We 99%'rs are stronger people in so many ways because of it.

The lost memories from hiding during outbreaks

definatley how painful it can be. and how it looks in certain lighting acne also takes away so much happiness and confidence..

If you ask me, 2 out of 10 people is a lot, for any illness. What other chronic illness is so common as acne? Almost everyone is affected by it at least once in there lives, everyone has had the occasional whitehead... more and more adults are suffering from acne. So if anything, it's just going to get more common.

Even depression isn't as common as acne.

 

But think about it from the other side - that means 8 out of 10 don't have acne if 2 out of 10 do. That's a lot, the majority.

haha i like your username. im secretly hoping for a zombie apocalypse LOL.

well for photos/internet theres a little something called photoshop.. and most people on TV have their own personal makeup teams and all that fun stuff. and theres people who spend tons of money on fancy schmancy products. guys do wear makeup on-screen, but as for real life, i see tons of guys with acne, i have no idea what youre talking about...

and some guys wear makeup, there was a topic somewhere on here about it. you might not be looking close enough, when you look at your skin in the mirror you get way closer than you would to someone if you were just talking normally, so that does make a difference too

i agree with armadillo, 20% is actually kind of a lot, and im pretty sure thats for adults, for teens its more like 80%, and theres varying degrees so its not like one small group has severe acne and everyone around them is perfectly clear

tell me about it, ive had acne for 6 years.. i just gave up on being embarrassed

 

I'm not just talking about for adults (20 or older; non teenagers), I'm talking about all around; teens and adults. Even pre teens also. From what I can see on TV, on the internet, and most importantly, IN PUBLIC, acne is not very common. I would even say it's rare. Well from what I see. When I was in high school the kids with acne were few and far between for males and females. And I'll never forget when I took my SAT : out of 30 people (TEENAGERS) in the room, I was the only person in that entire room who had acne. It was embarrassing.

Everyone around you has clear skin, enjoying life with other clear skinned people while you try everything in the book to look like a normal human being, man u don't know how much I understand you I had severe acne, im talkin nasty ass huge lumps and under skin cyst all over my fuckin face. It destroyed me, dying ran through my head on a daily basis still occasionally but not as much. Now I just have scars which still fuck with me but regardless I will never be the same, that shit traumatized me.

I hated bein treated like a wounded animal by other people that was annoying, everytime I saw someone with clear skin I would feel extreme hatred toward them and want to disappear into thin air. Chromium,magnesium,zinc, sulfur ointment cleared me. 3 months.

 

Can relate. What acne has done to me emotionally and mentally is probably worse than what it's done to me physically. It's fucked me up as a person.

If you ask me, 2 out of 10 people is a lot, for any illness. What other chronic illness is so common as acne? Almost everyone is affected by it at least once in there lives, everyone has had the occasional whitehead... more and more adults are suffering from acne. So if anything, it's just going to get more common.

Even depression isn't as common as acne.

 

But think about it from the other side - that means 8 out of 10 don't have acne if 2 out of 10 do. That's a lot, the majority.

haha i like your username. im secretly hoping for a zombie apocalypse LOL.

well for photos/internet theres a little something called photoshop.. and most people on TV have their own personal makeup teams and all that fun stuff. and theres people who spend tons of money on fancy schmancy products. guys do wear makeup on-screen, but as for real life, i see tons of guys with acne, i have no idea what youre talking about...

and some guys wear makeup, there was a topic somewhere on here about it. you might not be looking close enough, when you look at your skin in the mirror you get way closer than you would to someone if you were just talking normally, so that does make a difference too

i agree with armadillo, 20% is actually kind of a lot, and im pretty sure thats for adults, for teens its more like 80%, and theres varying degrees so its not like one small group has severe acne and everyone around them is perfectly clear

tell me about it, ive had acne for 6 years.. i just gave up on being embarrassed

 

I'm not just talking about for adults (20 or older; non teenagers), I'm talking about all around; teens and adults. Even pre teens also. From what I can see on TV, on the internet, and most importantly, IN PUBLIC, acne is not very common. I would even say it's rare. Well from what I see. When I was in high school the kids with acne were few and far between for males and females. And I'll never forget when I took my SAT : out of 30 people (TEENAGERS) in the room, I was the only person in that entire room who had acne. It was embarrassing.

Everyone around you has clear skin, enjoying life with other clear skinned people while you try everything in the book to look like a normal human being, man u don't know how much I understand you I had severe acne, im talkin nasty ass huge lumps and under skin cyst all over my fuckin face. It destroyed me, dying ran through my head on a daily basis still occasionally but not as much. Now I just have scars which still fuck with me but regardless I will never be the same, that shit traumatized me.

I hated bein treated like a wounded animal by other people that was annoying, everytime I saw someone with clear skin I would feel extreme hatred toward them and want to disappear into thin air. Chromium,magnesium,zinc, sulfur ointment cleared me. 3 months.

 

Can relate. What acne has done to me emotionally and mentally is probably worse than what it's done to me physically. It's fucked me up as a person.

 

Why you don't see many people with severe acne walking round is because 99% of girls, who do have acne, are covering it with heavy make up. You can't tell it from far away, but when you are up close to someone and have the chance to scrutinize their skin, you will probably see how much foundation is caked on their faces, and you can still see the bumps, because you can cover the redness, etc. but you can never make the surface of your skin even to that extent.

Obviously, boys are a lot less likely to cover their acne with make up,so you will always see more men/boys with acne than girls/women. However, you can see plenty of adults with mild acne. Almost everyone has a few blackheads and some clogged pores. No one has perfect skin in real life.

Speaking of acne being common, what other skin condition is as common? Can you name one? Because, apart from maybe eczema, acne is the most common skin condition today.

Firstly, I agree with the others that acne is a very common skin condition. Walking around my campus at school alone, I see SO many people with acne. Different types, too - mild, moderate, severe. Small bumps, bigger bumps. All kinds. And most of the time, these people look perfectly happy. Sure, they probably are self conscious of their acne, but seeing them appear to be having fun with their friends makes their acne much less noticeable. Acne is such a common skin condition that people are simply so used to seeing it on others. It's not one that garners a ton of attention - unless you bring it to yourself by wallowing over acne.

I've also seen many attractive people w/ acne. And most people say a few pimples doesn't turn them off.

But, in any case, acne does frustrate me too. I guess the worst thing for me is seeing the new pimple forming. It's just this "ugh..." feeling knowing that I need to deal with this pimple for the next few days. Usually though once I've got some makeup, cute outfit on etc. I feel better.

haha i like your username. im secretly hoping for a zombie apocalypse LOL.

well for photos/internet theres a little something called photoshop.. and most people on TV have their own personal makeup teams and all that fun stuff. and theres people who spend tons of money on fancy schmancy products. guys do wear makeup on-screen, but as for real life, i see tons of guys with acne, i have no idea what youre talking about...

and some guys wear makeup, there was a topic somewhere on here about it. you might not be looking close enough, when you look at your skin in the mirror you get way closer than you would to someone if you were just talking normally, so that does make a difference too

i agree with armadillo, 20% is actually kind of a lot, and im pretty sure thats for adults, for teens its more like 80%, and theres varying degrees so its not like one small group has severe acne and everyone around them is perfectly clear

tell me about it, ive had acne for 6 years.. i just gave up on being embarrassed

 

I'm not just talking about for adults (20 or older; non teenagers), I'm talking about all around; teens and adults. Even pre teens also. From what I can see on TV, on the internet, and most importantly, IN PUBLIC, acne is not very common. I would even say it's rare. Well from what I see. When I was in high school the kids with acne were few and far between for males and females. And I'll never forget when I took my SAT : out of 30 people (TEENAGERS) in the room, I was the only person in that entire room who had acne. It was embarrassing.

 

oh come on, it couldnt be that you were the ONLY person in the room with zits. i see tons of people at my school with acne, a lot of them even worse than mine, so maybe its just the area you live in...

and to answer the original question, (lol) its kind of funny but the biggest way acne affects me is on what i wear. guess this is a girly answer hah. anyways, if i wake up to a bad skin day, ill be wearing sweatshirts and jeans, but if my skins better than usual in the morning ill actually try in putting together something. but its not like if my skins bad i get depressed and feel like wearing sweats, its more like if my skins bad im too embarrassed to try being stylish cuz i feel like it attracts attention. lately ive been trying to get over that so i can wear what i want, when i want

Stress aggravates my acne the most! I try not to stress too much.

Why you don't see many people with severe acne walking round is because 99% of girls, who do have acne, are covering it with heavy make up. You can't tell it from far away, but when you are up close to someone and have the chance to scrutinize their skin, you will probably see how much foundation is caked on their faces, and you can still see the bumps, because you can cover the redness, etc. but you can never make the surface of your skin even to that extent.

 

Very true. It's amazing how make up can hide most blemishes on girls....I bet a lot of girls' skin problems are caused primarily by the makeup..

I honestly don't even think I can pick just one. Maybe the biggest thing is that it just WON'T GO AWAY. No matter what products I use, no matter how i apply them, no matter how persistent I am, it's just there. Other things are:

-How much money I spend on acne products, dermatologist visits, makeup products, etc.. Hundreds of dollars, much of which went down the drain. I can't even deal with drugstore makeup anymore because I always end up wasting my money.

-How detrimental it is to my self-confidence. It's made me such a pessimist. I despise meeting new people in general, in fear that they will judge my acne. Never mind meeting guys and getting a boyfriend. Teenagers are the most judgmental people ever, point blank. High school fucking sucks, you're just always compared to others by others and yourself. Most of the time I hate taking pictures (especially in natural light) because my skin looks so bad.

-The physical pain of acne. I hate when I can't even raise my eyebrows because the acne on my forehead hurts too much. Or when I accidentally hit a pimple and it sends shooting pain through my face. Or if I break out around my mouth, I can't even smile. What the hell.

-How even when a pimple goes away, my damn skin gets red marks so easily. Even if all my active pimples go away, I'll be left with dark red marks for at least a year. (Happened with Epiduo, which BTW stopped working in 5 months.)

-As mentioned, I hate the hope that some products give. I was using Epiduo + Clindamycin Phosphate lotion, and my skin cleared up so nice. BUT....5 months later guess who was breaking out again? Me!

I know this is all so pessimistic, and I'm just complaining, but I can't help it. Honestly right now acne isn't even my biggest problem, it's just another brick in the wall. (Heh...anyone catch that?) I love this website because I don't feel so alone when I'm on it. Most of my friends aren't going through acne, and even if they get a pimple here and there it's not full-out like mine.

The most? the fact that I didn't have any choice in the matter.

That feel when people think you're dirty just cause you have acne on your facem asking you to wash your face more often...

That I'm 31 and still have it!!!! And everyone around me, by virtue of age, is perfectly clear. Also, the time consuming nature of applying makeup to cover it. I'm at the point where the skin care regimen doesn't bother me, but the cover up does!

And Lee - I totally get how you feel. No choice at all. It makes for a very helpless feeling when staring at the mirror.....