I'm 18 years old and I have horrible cystic acne on my chin and around my mouth. Some days I just wanna rip my face off it makes me so upset. I can't stand looking in the mirror anymore. I used to like who I was..it's like my outsides changed who I was on the inside. All I see are eyes on my acne when I talk to people. It's constantly on my mind, I'm always thinking about it, how it looks, what lighting I'm in, how bad it might look. For just one day I wanna feel the burden of insecurity and outer hatred be lifted from my shoulders. Even if it's just an hour. I don't wanna feel the physical and emotional pain this disease had caused for me. I want to disappear. And I wish i didn't feel this bitter jealousy towards girls without this problem. It's a degrading an shameful feeling. My confidence is plummeting everyday...I have no way out.

Everyone here can relate, you are not alone.

Focus on getting to the root of the problem instead of feeling bad about yourself. It's not your fault, and anyone who judges you because of acne isn't worth worrying about anyway.

Please go to the derm and get put on birthcontrol and Spiro. You'll be so happy. I wish I did so when my skin erupted when my period went missing for 4 months. I have some wacked out hormones.

I understand how you feel. But if you've never been on birth control, I would avoid it. I'm convinced it is at the root of my acne going from regular teenage pimples to nodular acne. Spiro is a very effective medication with less side effects than birth control. If you can't stand your acne any longer, I would try spiro and perhaps take an antibiotic while you wait for it to start working.

Exactly bren! Don't go on BCP ever... it's going to make things so much worse for you... did you ever have your hormones tested? I would recommend that at first. Acne is horrible, don't give up.

Hi

We can all relate to how you are feeling. I know it won't make your acne go away by saying this but at least you might feel less alone.

I got to such a low point last year that I self harmed and tried to kill myself. Luckily now I'm more positive about acne. It improved a lot thanks to dianette, which is a birth control pill. Have you tried going on birth control? It helps a lot of people with hormonal acne. Let me know. Stay strong you will get through this!

And yes it seems to make acne worse (for some people) after they stop but you can stay on it your whole life if you want to! Unless you want kids but deal with the consequences then! In the meantime (now) I'm sure you'd like a break from acne so try it out!