I just need to vent a bit guys. I don't usually post in this section of the forums, but I'm not sure why since I suffer from an anxiety disorder which is severely exacerbated by my skin issues. Anyways, lately my skin has been breaking out badly and I've started to scar a bit. All my scars right now are very shallow, but I'm having a very "I'm scarred for life, I look ugly, and the world is ending attitude." I have never had to deal with scars before and I feel like my new little ones are pushing my anxiety to the limit. Can you guys please offer me some reassurance or words of wisdom? I don't want to feel like I'm going to be scarred and ugly forever, but right now I can't help but feel that way.
I just need to vent a bit guys. I don't usually post in this section of the forums, but I'm not sure why since I suffer from an anxiety disorder which is severely exacerbated by my skin issues. Anyways, lately my skin has been breaking out badly and I've started to scar a bit. All my scars right now are very shallow, but I'm having a very "I'm scarred for life, I look ugly, and the world is ending attitude." I have never had to deal with scars before and I feel like my new little ones are pushing my anxiety to the limit. Can you guys please offer me some reassurance or words of wisdom? I don't want to feel like I'm going to be scarred and ugly forever, but right now I can't help but feel that way.
hi paigems...sorry you are feeling down. I can totally relate to this, and I have to say that this week my skin freaked out as well after months of relative calmness (I was even getting used to the scarring).
Believe me, most of us here have felt ugly and deformed at some point and still do, but don't lose hope. Just keep doing what you are doing and the acne will subside. Have you been feeling particularly stressed lately??
I just need to vent a bit guys. I don't usually post in this section of the forums, but I'm not sure why since I suffer from an anxiety disorder which is severely exacerbated by my skin issues. Anyways, lately my skin has been breaking out badly and I've started to scar a bit. All my scars right now are very shallow, but I'm having a very "I'm scarred for life, I look ugly, and the world is ending attitude." I have never had to deal with scars before and I feel like my new little ones are pushing my anxiety to the limit. Can you guys please offer me some reassurance or words of wisdom? I don't want to feel like I'm going to be scarred and ugly forever, but right now I can't help but feel that way.
hi paigems...sorry you are feeling down. I can totally relate to this, and I have to say that this week my skin freaked out as well after months of relative calmness (I was even getting used to the scarring).
Believe me, most of us here have felt ugly and deformed at some point and still do, but don't lose hope. Just keep doing what you are doing and the acne will subside. Have you been feeling particularly stressed lately??
Thanks for the reply WishClean. I'm sorry your skin is also acting up; it really isn't fun.
I have been feeling more stressed lately, but almost all of my stress is because of my skin. These last few months have just been really frustrating. It seems like my skin reacts to everything, face washes, makeup, products that are supposed to help acne, moisturizers, you name it. I'm tired of not being able to wear makeup like I used to and I'm tired of feeling like everything breaks me out. My skin is just super clogged no matter what I do 🙁
My skin used to be like that too... what I did was slowly re-balanced my skin's Ph to make it more tolerant to products. I also minimized the things I put on my face, and tried to find sulfate-free products with as few ingredients as possible.
I know it's very hard to do, and I struggle with this too every day, but try to focus on other things besides your skin. I focus on being healthy and finding positivity.
My skin used to be like that too... what I did was slowly re-balanced my skin's Ph to make it more tolerant to products. I also minimized the things I put on my face, and tried to find sulfate-free products with as few ingredients as possible.
I know it's very hard to do, and I struggle with this too every day, but try to focus on other things besides your skin. I focus on being healthy and finding positivity.
Thank you 🙂 I've tried just cleansing with soapnuts, stevia, and oils and my skin still doesn't improve much. I'm back to using a sulfate free cleanser, but my skin still isn't happy. I guess I'll just give it time. I have a derm appointment tomorrow so I'm hopeful about that.
Hey, I know exactly how you feel . I started getting acne around the age of 13 and it got worse until the age of 16. I had severe to moderate acne . From big huge blemishes to cyst on my back, chest , and shoulders. It was horrible & it made me very self conscious about myself . I was emotionally drained because people are simply, cruel....Especially in middle school . Acne completely change me inside out & I wasn't a confident , fun, goofy kid anymore. By high school years I had acne scars and acne . The scars didn't help. My acne was getting better , but my scars are there to stay & remind me of the horrible years I had left behind me. I didn't have many friends because of acne simply bc they would just make fun of me. I was like what's the point ? Okay , high school is over now let's move on to college years . My acne has come a long way & things were getting better except ! Now I had acne scars and hypertrophic scars all over my chest , shoulders ! & a hypertrophic scar bump on the left side of my neck ! I was like faaaaaaack when is this going to end ??!?!? I was so frustrated and annoyed that I was going through this & almost lost all hope , but I didn't ! Somehow in someway I was still happy. Don't get me wrong , I was miserable & scarred , but I was still happy. Do you want to know why ? Because I have hope ! Until this day at 22 years old and a acne suffer for almost 10 years I still manage to find some happiness even though I have all these horrible scars (acne is so much better btw). What I'm trying to say is have hope because I know your a strong beautiful person . I know you are. I know what your going through & trust me everything will get better ! Please don't lose hope & keep going !
Paigems. I know how you feel My anxiety has stemmed from cystic acne. I understand completely how it feels to be ashamed , withdrawn , pick and choose when you want To go out some days. I always felt like I was the ONLY person in the world to be covered in acne and scars as bad as mine got, while all my mates were gorgeous and spot free. I've had acne since about 9(a few chin spots ) then it gradually got worse all through my teens and now @ 24 years old I finally went to the dermatologist a few months ago to be put on accutane.
Having acne changes you're personality( it did to mine for a hell of a long time).
I found myself pushing away the people who care for me.
Anyway, I understand you're feelings and hope you're journey takes a turn for the better like mine is doing for me.. I feel like I can live again lol
have you tried witch hazel, tea tree, and/or calamine lotion? Those are usually what I try on flare ups.
Yes I've tried all 3 of those. My skin has been a bit more calm lately. It's still super congested though :/
Hey, I know exactly how you feel . I started getting acne around the age of 13 and it got worse until the age of 16. I had severe to moderate acne . From big huge blemishes to cyst on my back, chest , and shoulders. It was horrible & it made me very self conscious about myself . I was emotionally drained because people are simply, cruel....Especially in middle school . Acne completely change me inside out & I wasn't a confident , fun, goofy kid anymore. By high school years I had acne scars and acne . The scars didn't help. My acne was getting better , but my scars are there to stay & remind me of the horrible years I had left behind me. I didn't have many friends because of acne simply bc they would just make fun of me. I was like what's the point ? Okay , high school is over now let's move on to college years . My acne has come a long way & things were getting better except ! Now I had acne scars and hypertrophic scars all over my chest , shoulders ! & a hypertrophic scar bump on the left side of my neck ! I was like faaaaaaack when is this going to end ??!?!? I was so frustrated and annoyed that I was going through this & almost lost all hope , but I didn't ! Somehow in someway I was still happy. Don't get me wrong , I was miserable & scarred , but I was still happy. Do you want to know why ? Because I have hope ! Until this day at 22 years old and a acne suffer for almost 10 years I still manage to find some happiness even though I have all these horrible scars (acne is so much better btw). What I'm trying to say is have hope because I know your a strong beautiful person . I know you are. I know what your going through & trust me everything will get better ! Please don't lose hope & keep going !
Thank you for taking the time to write all that out. I can relate to so many of the things you said. I do still have hope, but I guess I'm just going through a rough patch. I just started grad school and the stress from that along with the stress from my skin is just very overwhelming at times. I also tend to get panic attacks which doesn't help anything. I'm really trying to get through this, though. Thanks for believing in me.
Paigems. I know how you feel My anxiety has stemmed from cystic acne. I understand completely how it feels to be ashamed , withdrawn , pick and choose when you want To go out some days. I always felt like I was the ONLY person in the world to be covered in acne and scars as bad as mine got, while all my mates were gorgeous and spot free. I've had acne since about 9(a few chin spots ) then it gradually got worse all thr
Anyway, I understand you're feelings and hope you're journey takes a turn for t
ough my teens and now @ 24 years old I finally went to the dermatologist a few months ago to be put on accutane.
Having acne changes you're personality( it did to mine for a hell of a long time).
I found myself pushing away the people who care for me.
he better like mine is doing for me.. I feel like I can live again lol
Thanks so much. I've been on accutane in the past, but I'm thinking about going on it again. Hopefully it'll work for good this time. I'm glad you're feeling good about your acne lately. I know it's a wonderful feeling.
Congestion is awful...my skin is congested too, but some days worse that others.
The tips I got about congestion are:
- Don't apply too many products on the face
- Always completely remove makeup before bed, and also wash face afterwards
- To open the pores & clean them, use warm water
- To then close the pores so that no more dirt goes in, use something cold. I usually put my witch hazel bottle in the fridge and then I dab some on my face with a cotton pad after I wash with warm water. It seems to be helping a little bit.
- Try to use a gentle scrub 1-2 times a week (or more regularly if your skin can take it)
hope this helps!
I had panic attaks from age 11-16 because of my skin.. or related to it. It made me very emotional. I had body acne as well on my shoulders, arms and back and when I had to change in front of other girls in the locker room during middle school it would trigger a major anxiety attack because I knew I was going toget "comments" and truthfully I was just ashamed of how my skin looked.
Aw man, anxiety and stress and skin issues go hand in hand COMPELTELY.
I actually believe and KNOW that when I breakout, like now, I start to subconsciously obsess which starts my anxiety which then makes me stressed which then makes me unable to sleep because of my bloody pounding heart!
I think what kind of helps me is avoiding mirrors, since I have OCD I take my obsession even further and just stare at my skin constantly looking at older pictures and new ones, checking my face out in every single kind of lighting etc..its mad. But if I don't stop I create it.
I don't believe for one minute you are ugly. No-way. I haven't met one person on here who is..and anyway, what is ugly? Pagems I understand how you are feeling, and a lot of us on here can too, you gotta know that there is always a light and our skin and hormones are constantly fluctuating, we are going to breakout sometimes and I guess its normal..maybe we really are normal after all. I also can tell you that our skin is NEVER as bad as WE think, its like Acne dysmorphia or something.
All you can do is do everything you can, that's all and find encouragement from this site.
We're all the same, stressed-out self-loathing boat!
Is a liver detox something you can do? I also found that these hair skin and nails supplements really do have an effect on scars
*URL Removed, see board rules; http://www.acne.org/board-rules.html Acne.org Moderator Team*
When the product abuse is just frustrating and worsening things, go back to basics. Calendula soap, apple cider vinegar toner, and hyaluronic acid for moisture.
Taking positive action to make myself feel more in control, eliminating diet triggers, not beating myself up for beating yourself up has worked wonders for surviving this summer of awful skin.
You're not alone!
* GABA and St. John's wort for stress- they work, no lie.
Thank you everyone for all the sweet and encouraging comment. I have been in such a difficult place lately with my skin, and just reading all your comments helps me to feel a little bit better.
I have been seeing a psychologist and a new psychiatrist lately, and they have both been very helpful, but I'm still in a bit of a rut. The psychologist said I have anxiety, a panic disorder, and some body dysmorphic disorder too. She gave me some tools to help me, but it's not an overnight thing, and I'm still struggling. I haven't been as active on this site lately because it can sometimes cause me anxiety, but visiting this part of the forums is also very helpful to me.
I'm about to try a new birth control pill called Belara to help with my acne. It's an anti-androgen like yasmin, yaz, and spiro. All those cleared me, but made my hair fall out like crazy. Because of that, I'm very scared to try Belara. My acne is definitely hormonal, though, and so I feel like it is something I need to do since another round of accutane will not be a permanent solution.
I'll be starting the Belara in 1 week, and I guess the point of this post today is to say that I'm really scared. I'm scared of the hair loss and the possibility of the Belara failing because that will be one less treatment that works for me. I could use some encouragement 
When I had bad acne it was basically all I thought about. But I wasn't depressed because I knew one day I would figure out how to get clear. Then I finally did, and acne became just an afterthought. It's not even relevant anymore. Today I woke up and rolled out of bed without showering or washing my face and painted a house for a few hours. Then I went out to get some ice cream with my friends and didn't even consider acne. Also I've been talking to girls a million times more than when I had acne and I actually see myself as a good looking person now. Basically what I'm saying is get clear and with time, all your problems will go away. You've been here for 6 years. You've paid your dues. It's time to get clear skin now.
Don't be scared to take Belara. You've already taken accutane, you'll be fine. You should be excited to take it because it could work, and even if it doesn't you will find something that will because we'll help you. 
When I had bad acne it was basically all I thought about. But I wasn't depressed because I knew one day I would figure out how to get clear. Then I finally did, and acne became just an afterthought. It's not even relevant anymore. Today I woke up and rolled out of bed without showering or washing my face and painted a house for a few hours. Then I went out to get some ice cream with my friends and didn't even consider acne. Also I've been talking to girls a million times more than when I had acne and I actually see myself as a good looking person now. Basically what I'm saying is get clear and with time, all your problems will go away. You've been here for 6 years. You've paid your dues. It's time to get clear skin now.
Don't be scared to take Belara. You've already taken accutane, you'll be fine. You should be excited to take it because it could work, and even if it doesn't you will find something that will because we'll help you.
Thank you Omnivium for the reply 🙂
I wouldn't say I'm depressed about my skin. It's just been making me very anxious, and at times that anxiety turns into a panic attack. That's been happening less lately, though (thankfully!). I would love to not think about my skin all the time. I actually started getting acne when I was 13 which is now 10 years ago! When my skin was clear from accutane it was fantastic, just like you describe. Of course it wore off, and here I am now. I love how hopeful sounding your reply is. Sometimes I feel like I don't have hope because I've exhausted so many options. I've tried all the topicals, antibiotics, hormonal treatments, diet, accutane etc. and I get scared that I will not be able to find that one treatment that works for me long term so that I don't always have to be worrying about my skin. I'm in PA school right now, and honestly, that's enough to be worrying about lol. I really do hope the belara works. If it doesn't then my only other option is really accutane again. Not sure how I feel about that, but I guess I'll think about again if it comes to that.
I love how hopeful sounding your reply is. Sometimes I feel like I don't have hope because I've exhausted so many options. I've tried all the topicals, antibiotics, hormonal treatments, diet, accutane etc. and I get scared that I will not be able to find that one treatment that works for me long term so that I don't always have to be worrying about my skin. I'm in PA school right now, and honestly, that's enough to be worrying about lol. I really do hope the belara works. If it doesn't then my only other option is really accutane again. Not sure how I feel about that, but I guess I'll think about again if it comes to that.
You should be hopeful too. You WILL be clear one day, but it's up to you to figure out how and when. How long were you clear after taking accutane? What's your acne like? Do you have oily skin? Have you tried probiotics?
I love how hopeful sounding your reply is. Sometimes I feel like I don't have hope because I've exhausted so many options. I've tried all the topicals, antibiotics, hormonal treatments, diet, accutane etc. and I get scared that I will not be able to find that one treatment that works for me long term so that I don't always have to be worrying about my skin. I'm in PA school right now, and honestly, that's enough to be worrying about lol. I really do hope the belara works. If it doesn't then my only other option is really accutane again. Not sure how I feel about that, but I guess I'll think about again if it comes to that.
You should be hopeful too. You WILL be clear one day, but it's up to you to figure out how and when. How long were you clear after taking accutane? What's your acne like? Do you have oily skin? Have you tried probiotics?
I was clear for 2 years after taking accutane. My acne is all over my face and also somewhat on my chest and back. I get blackheads, whiteheads, and deeper under the skin bumps. My skin is very oily. I've tried probiotics in the past, but I think they didn't do much or may have made things slightly worse.
I was clear for 2 years after taking accutane. My acne is all over my face and also somewhat on my chest and back. I get blackheads, whiteheads, and deeper under the skin bumps. My skin is very oily. I've tried probiotics in the past, but I think they didn't do much or may have made things slightly worse.
Since my skin is also very oily, the oil and acne came back a few weeks after a normal course of accutane. So I have to take a 5mg a day to keep me clear and to keep the oil at bay. I can do this for years since it will take years to add up to one normal cumulative course of accutane which people already take anyway. It is very easy and works very well. What do you think of trying something like that?
Have you tried vitamin a? For me the difference between vitamin a and accutane is night and day, but it works for fredthebelgian. He only has to take 25,000 i.u. to keep his oil away.
Do you remember how many organisms were in the pills and how many pills you took? Because some only come with like 2 billion organisms but the one I'm taking has 25 billion. I haven't heard this about many other people but for me the probiotics basically cleared my body acne and help a lot with the inflammation on my face. They work really well for me personally.
Sorry to hear about your current skin condition paigems. I have been dealing with acne for five years tried a lot of stuff just to get my clear skin back. My skin was so bad and is all bumpy went to facial for lots of times but those acne keeps coming back. Was guessing I had not used any antibiotics creams or lotions and until this early year I started to notice on using some antibiotics cream. At first I used this cream called epiduo did a good job keeping acne in bay but was wayy to drying. Then I focused on something else called the epsom salt. I heard about how good it can treat acne especially chest or backne. I suggest that you can try to soak in your tub with the salt. As for face care I use antibiotic cream like clindamycin and some acne serum containing silver ions(can kill bacteria). You may try these stuff as well. Hope this helps!>.<
Sorry to hear about the anxiety you're having. I'm in the same boat. I start a new job in a week which is a little stressful but it also means I can start seeing a therapist for help.
I was wondering- did your psychiatrist want to prescribe you anti-depressants or did they think you could work it out without them? I'm curious because I think I have body dysmorhphic disorder but I'd prefer to not take anti-depressants right now. I'm hoping if I see a therapist they won't try to make me feel like I need to take anything to get better.
Hey there I am sorry your feeling so low about your skin. I too have been going through a lot of anxiety with my skin. Over the past 4-5 months I've also developed body acne..which is distressing. Its summer and wouldn't dare go to the beach or wear anything that didnt cover it all. It makes me so sad that acne has taken such a toll on me. My skin is soo oily it causes me so much anxiety. I constantly just feel disgusted. I wish you the best please keep us posted on belara. I would love to hear about your progress!
i've been around acne.org for a while , actually when my acne started getting pretty bad and this website started to get a bit addictive for me so I had to take a break , now I come here every so often. Your post caught my attention bc this is how I've been feeling , actually have been feeling since the beginning of this acne hell lol. It sucks and today I was talking about it to my mom bc I am so sick and tired of dealing with anxiety , depression (practically diagnosed , and I sonde WHY) and just so much . I know this sounds harsh but I'd rather be dead than live with this terrible anxiety , I know there's worse things but it is hard doing little things, like going to the grocery store bc I feel soooo insecure and I start panicking, EVERYTIME anxiety creeps in me , panic attacks follow usually , but anyways I think I really need to go to a therapist or something , I got referred to one by the doctor since they fond out about my depression but I just feel like they're no help, are they going to give me normal looking skin ? no , but I know I need it , maybe you could try seeing one and as for the scars I know there are treatments out there even though they are a bit pricy
Thank you again everyone for the replies, and I am sorry for those of you who have been in a similar situation to me. Having acne and scars is horrible, but when you have anxiety on top of it, it feels like hell. I started taking the Belara, and so far I have no hair loss, but I am being incredibly impatient because I am scarring. Next Monday I have decided to get the blood work done for accutane, and in the month wait period I will see how the Belara works. If anything, the accutane will clear me up and the Belara will keep me clear. I'm really not too worried about my acne. Acne sucks, but it is not permanent. My new shallow scars are the source of almost all my recent anxiety and panic attacks. I feel like I've scarred my face and I'm feeling very hopeless about ever having beautiful skin again. I'm scared no scar treatments will ever work for me.