I am diagnosed with OCD, body dysmorphia and anorexia because I am obsessed with acne. As a teenage girl with cystic acne & scars in a world that glamorizes perfection through the media I needed to have clear skin!! I needed to have clear skin like other girls my age. Acne ruined my physiological well being. I became obsessed with preventing my acne by washing hands, cleaning anything that touches my face & restricting my diet to be as clean as possible. I did fasting, cleansing & over excersing to NOT HAVE ACNE. My skin cleared up but I was under wieght, depressed & my life was consumed by OCD & rituals. I tried everything from going vegan, carb free, more probiotics & omega 3s, dairy free & yes it helped but I developed an eating disorder of binging and purging because I was malnourished. I went on antibiotics which are a temporary fix... but I have to accept its my genetics. Yes im on all the fancy topicals prescribed by my dermatologist but that is not enough for getting clear skin. Im trying to eat a balanced diet with everything in moderation for the sake of my health but I still get acne. Yes restricting will clear my skin but that sets myself up for an eating disorder. So what do I do? ... well I went to therapy which introduced me to meditation, and to stop checking mirrors and ingredients in food. And I guess I have to accept my non-flawless skin that looks monsterous compared to my peers.