My battle with acne started when I was about 13 years old. I never had to think twice about my skin before then. In my teens, my skin became very oily and I was always dealing with blackheads and new breakouts. I thought that maybe it would go away eventually. But as the acne persisted, it really started to take a toll on my self-esteem.

You Are Not Alone in Your Acne

Having acne affects how you feel about yourself everyday. I hated waking up and looking at my skin in the morning and was always frustrated at the end of the day as I got ready for bed. Sometimes it may seem like you are the only one who has to deal with a frustrating acne problem, but just know that you are not. As I flipped though pictures of models and actresses in magazines and watched them on TV, I wondered, “Why me?” I washed my face everyday and it just seemed like I was the only one who had to deal with such skin problems. But the truth is that millions of teenagers and adults suffer from acne. Many have also found their own solution for acne. Sometimes, it just takes longer for some. My experience ended up costing a lot of money through the years and a lot of tears and heartbreak as well.

I tried almost every drugstore acne product out there. They all promised clearer skin in their ads but they never worked for me. Some products would seem to help a little bit but then after a couple days or so, my skin was breaking out again. I grew so frustrated that I pleaded with my mom to take me to see a doctor about getting prescription acne products for my skin. After many tantrums, my mom agreed. I was renewed with a sense of optimism because I thought a doctor would prescribe me with products that would actually work on my acnce. After weeks and weeks of prescription cleansers, creams, gels, and oral antibiotics, my acne persisted but my renewed hope in totally clear skin was gone.

Finding Confidence While Having Acne

As I was on my quest to find a solution, the only thing that kept me from being depressed every day was participating in activities that made me happy and required a lot of focus. Along with trying to excel in classes, I did activities like going to dance classes and worked hard to join for my middle school’s competitive dance group. My days were busy with classes, homework, practice sessions and competing on the weekends. I made many close friends in the dance group and I developed confidence I thought I would never have.

In high school, I dedicated myself to the theater department where I performed and learned how to produce plays. Without these activities to dedicate my energy to, my acne and misery would have been the main focus in my life. Although I was still so unhappy with my skin, at least I knew I had other goals I was working towards. I didn’t define myself as just someone with acne because I participated in activities that intrigued me. I knew that I had other skills that helped define me.

In my last year in high school, a friend told me she was using Proactiv Solution for her acne. I heard about it before but thought it was another product that would be a waste of money. But I thought I would just give it a shot with no high expectations. Proactiv was actually the acne solution I thought I would never have. My skin started breaking out less and after a few weeks, my skin was finally free of the breakouts I was suffering from before. My skin felt softer, smoother and looked brighter. I am so grateful that I gave it a shot. I still can’t believe that I no longer have to suffer from acne everyday.  But although I found a product that worked for me, it certainly didn’t come overnight. I searched for a solution for years. If you have acne, finding a solution has probably been a painful and frustrating process like the one I had. But my success story not only involved finding a product that worked for me, but also redirecting my positive energy towards confidence-building activities. Practicing patience and gratitude for positive things about yourself while doing things that don’t involve focusing on your acne will help.