Over the years ive had so many people say such dumb things to me and that can be pretty frustrating and annoying! Just thought Id make a topic where can can all vent when people without acne try to give us advice.
My top ones have to be..
"Dont you think the more products you use the worse it gets?" NO definitely I dont it takes a number of products to combat my acne duh.
"When I get a pimple I just use Clearasil (or some other generic brand.) Damn dont you think I have tried literally EVERY generic drugstore wash/treatment for acne?
This has to be the worst...people who say "you'll grow out of it" all i have to say is bitch, my grandma had acne up until she was mid 50's so I cant see me growing out of it anytime soon!
"You know, I drink lemon with warm water every morning and it really helps digestion and it removes all of the toxins from your body.....It also clears up your skin! Especially if you use lemon juice to spot treat!" (without even asking her for advice)
"Um..you have to do something about your skin" (at a job interview)
"You're a hypochondriac" (when I share about my diet and doctor visits)
Staring at your pimples (all the time)
"What is this on your face?" (Someone who hasn't known you for too long and is not aware of the craziness you have to deal with)
"Have you tried Proactiv?" (I hate that one a lot...I've not only used Proactiv, but also Murad and Obagi)
"Have you checked if you have an allergy?" (Dude, I eat organic and I cook all the time)
"What's your diet like?" (No comment)
"You should just use a facial scrub and scrub for like 60 seconds" (Um, scrubbing makes things worse, idiot)
What's your diet like?
Oh my GAWD I want to throat punch people who say this. Because no matter what you say, it's wrong. You could say "well, I survive on morning dew drops collected by tibeten sherpas directly from the mountains, spring lettuce, fruit, lentils and love", and someone would say..."uh...I hear that too much love causes inflammation, you should reduce the amount of love in your diet".
A close second is "Don't stress about it. Stressing about is can make it worse!"
Megtree, the worst is when a so-called professional starts to develop theories on "hormonal" acne to a woman who doesn't break out before her period but has it on the jawline and the chin. Another bad one is when a dermatologist tells you the nice way that acne is something you'll have to just learn to deal with, because it won't go away. He had perfect skin and was probably biased against stronger medication for acne, because he said that antibiotics are only for "special occasions" and that I should not rely on them. He gave me a prescription for doxy or mono I think, but really did a great job in scaring me about the long-term use of antibiotics... So I didn't get on them (that was last year). I had another dermatologist about 5 years ago telling me that I should just "not care because those who love me/are worth it won't care either"....
And by the way, I have been surviving on dew drops (filtered water), beans/lentil, fruits, but mostly vegetables ONLY for the past 2 months to no avail. No love though, you can't have love and acne at the same time.
You'll have to change that when you start accutane! You need fat for accutane to absorb properly. But yeah, I had to go through 3 dermatologists before I finally settled with the one I have now (even he's not stellar). Dermatologists seem to be particularly prone to asshat-edness. But when you find a good one, ooooh boy you better hope they never retire. :\
"You should wash your face everyday" - my personal favourite. Pimples are most definitely clumps of dirt on my face
"You should drink water"
"Why don't you just use proactive" this is especially annoying if followed by "all the celebrities do"
I loath proactiv adds
"You are what you eat" this is especially hurtful
"Use toothpaste!" No.
"Just wash your face everyday!" Really? Because I hadn't thought of basic hygiene before.
"I use xyz and I never get spots!" Because you don't have acne you f*cking imbecile. It'd be like me saying to someone with cancer "I drink tea everyday and I never get cancer!"
"You'll grow out of it in a few years!" I hope so, but it doesn't make me feel any less sh!tty right now. I'm 22, I don't want to look 16. I appreciate the sentiment of this one though.
"Eurgh! I've got a huge spot, I look gross!" I try so hard to be sympathetic, but it's hard with this one.
"She must be having her period."
Being female, I have never noticed a relationship between my cycle and my skin. I've had bad acne while experiencing amenorrhea (no period at all). I've had acne when I was pregnant. I've had acne on the birth control pill. I've had acne on the IUD. I've had acne on spirolactone. I've had acne on NO birth control. Regardless, the excuse makes no sense when one notices how many men have acne.
"You wear too much makeup." I think to myself, screw off. Those of us who've had really bad skin in high school know that covering that stuff is a necessary art form if one wants to be treated like a human.
"You drink too much coffee." Die already.... ! As with aforementioned period, I never noticed a difference between my diet and my skin.
"Wash your face more often" - I have oily skin so washing my face too much is going to make my skin even oilier
"You should use ______ product" - Most people that tell me this only have 1-2 pimple occasionally. I used to have severe acne and I've used almost every single product. Currently I'm on accutane so I'm hoping that will cure my acne
"Acne is not a big deal or if I had acne I wouldn't care" - Says people who've never had acne especially severe acne. People generally say that out of ignorance or privilege. People who've never had acne would generally never understand what it's like for someone to have acne. The psychological damage is there from social stigmatization, bullying or rejection. A person saying "Acne is not a big deal" to a acne prone person is like saying money is not a big deal to people living in poverty
'Why do you have to wear so much make-up? It'll only make it worse.'
'Why don't you go to the doctors?'
'OH MY GOD I'VE GOT A SPOT! I look so disgusting! ' (when they have one spot on their otherwise perfectly clear face)
'Do you wash your face everyday?'
'I bet you pick at your face'
'Why are you wearing make-up to the beach/gym?'
'Why aren't you taking your make-up off?' (when staying over at a friend's and I'm WAY too embarrassed to let them see my bare face)
'Why does it take you so long to get ready?'
"I would never date anyone with acne" (My bestfriend said this). It would be like me telling her I don't date overweight people. But you know, that would be insensitive.
"You should try my Origins cleanser."
"Maybe you should try not wearing makeup." Nope, I'd really rather not. Thanks. My makeup DOES NOT cause my acne, TYVM.
Anything anyone says that tries to blame me for my acne. It's not my fault I have acne. I eat healthier than most people, I take better care of my skin than most people. My acne is not really due to any fault of my own, thanks.
Maybe you have acne because you have a lot of dirty thoughts (saying it out of the blue after a joke that I made which was nothing out of the ordinary), which leads to increased testosterone and therefore causes acne.
"Are you serious," I replied surprised because that person has become close to me and on that particular day I had spend more than the usual amount of time telling her about my acne history and how it runs in the family... In fact I'm quite lucky I don't have the scarring my father has...
"Well, yeah, it must be the cause of at least 10% of your acne."
"And on what scientific evidence are you basing these claims?" (Ps that person doesn't even know what cystic acne is and doesn't wear makeup)
"I read it in an article."
"Well, for your information I have tested my hormone levels and my testosterone is fine."
I've heard all these and more. Crazy, what people believe.
A friend of mine has been urging me to do a daily Niacin "flush." Oh for God's sake. Not only is that Old School (been there, done that, back in the late 80sdid nothing), current research says it's dangerous.
Also, avoid GMOs. They're being blamed for everything, don't cha know.