Hey guys. So I've been struggling with acne since I was 13 years old, and it's always been pretty bad for me. I'm a sophomore in college now and I think I'm really starting to deal with a lot of emotional garbage relating to it. It's mostly stemming from a lot of my friends getting into relationships, and I've never been in a serious relationship myself. That doesn't bother me necessarily, but what does bother me is that I feel like I won't be able to make a guy happy with my acne on my face and back/arms. It's worse on my face than it is on my back or arms, but it's still there. I know that I have a good personality that people like (not being conceited), but I'm afraid that a guy will regret being with me once we start to get intimate, and that scares me. So.. am I alone here or has anyone else dealt with this/conquered it? I'm just really afraid of getting into a relationship and disappointing them, and don't really know what to do about it.

I think a lot of people with acne struggle with relationships. I'm similar to you in the sense that I'm in college and have also never had a relationship, but a lot of my friends currently do. It's definitely hard seeing all the happy couples together when your struggling to find someone yourself, but there are still lots of other people our age who have also yet to have a proper relationship. It doesn't make us abnormal or weird and it also doesn't mean we won't eventually find someone.

From personal experience, low self esteem often makes you feel unattractive or that you would be a disappointment to the opposite sex, but we are way harder on ourselves than other people are. Chances are there has been someone who's liked you but you haven't noticed or were too scared to do anything about it. Don't let your low self esteem make you afraid of disappointing someone, because if someone was that shallow they aren't worth your time. Speaking as a guy, I don't find girls with acne unattractive at all, and would actually prefer someone with acne as I wouldn't feel so self conscious about my skin around them.

This sounds like I've written this post

You're not alone - I'm in the same situation too. And have had / still have the thoughts / worries you have listed.

I think we're both thinking too far ahead... worrying that a guy won't want to be intimate and focusing on those sorts of worries then 'scares' us and so we aren't open to relationships (I feel like that's what it's like for me anyway). And it's a silly thing to worry about (even though I completely understand where you're coming from) because you could meet a guy that really doesn't care about your skin and, as cliche as it sounds, if a guy, or anyone, treats you differently or doesn't want to be with you because of your skin, then they're not really worth your time are they?

I think that working on confidence will help. A little confidence goes a long way! It's hard for me to just 'be confident' - it's something that will take work and effort on my part, and a change in how I view / think about myself.

So I think trying not to worry so much about things that are further down the road and also working on confidence will be helpful.

You know what.. I know how you feel. I used to have girlfriends, well I'm 17 now, and it's been a year since I had a girlfriend. Note in mind that that was when my acne started. A year ago. I guess females aren't very attracted to males with acne. Right now I'm just trying to endure while I'm taking accutane, just constantly telling myself it can wait, it can wait. But your a little older than me so I don't know exactly how you feel but just know in mind that acne is not permanent, and your single status isn't either. Never lose hope, or let acne effect how you act in society, because if you let it take over, and be down and depressed all the time.. That's not going to help you get a girlfriend.. y'know what i mean?