Acne sucks. If you’ve ever dealt with it, you’d know. Getting acne is definitely not the end of the world, but it can be a major inconvenience. It’s annoying, it hurts and it can absolutely plummet your self-esteem.
I started getting acne almost as soon as I hit puberty in middle school. The problem kept persisting for many years after this. I felt like I tried almost every acne treatment on the market, desperately trying to get rid of it. After trying bottle after bottle of different cleansers and serums, nothing ever seemed to work.
Eventually, my mom decided to take me to a dermatologist to get professional treatment at some point in high school. This worked better for me than any other over-the-counter treatments did, but I still had pretty frequent breakouts and my skin was never completely clear. After some time, I decided to abandon this method and go back to trying different products.
Coming into college, it became especially hard for me to have acne. By the time most students get to college, they have grown out of their breakouts and have much better skin than they had in high school. A lot of the time, acne is associated with teenagers or those going through puberty, and frankly having acne made me feel like I was still a kid and not caught up with everyone else. I became more embarrassed by it as opposed to how I felt in high school, when a lot of other kids around me were struggling with the same thing.
There are a lot of people that get acne at some point throughout their life, whether it’s when they’re a teenager getting hormonal acne, or getting a few breakouts as an adult. Many people struggle with skin issues throughout their life, whether it be breakouts, oiliness or dryness. It’s a completely normal thing that happens, and it’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
What I did not realize, is it is totally normal to still get acne in college. Especially with all of the changes that are occurring and the stress students are put under, it’s no wonder that there are many students that still struggle with their skin. There’s a large number of people that can still struggle with their skin after college and into adulthood.
After my first semester at college, I decided to go to a dermatologist and seek professional treatment once again. Once a few months had passed, my acne cleared up significantly. My skin has remained a lot clearer since then, but there are still times that I get a few breakouts. I am very grateful for where my skin is at today. It may take some time, but if you’re struggling with acne, chances are there will be a time that it eventually clears up. I would highly recommend seeking professional treatment if you have been struggling with consistent acne.
Even after my acne problem has pretty much dissipated, something that I still struggle with is the acne scars that remain on my face. They are very persistent and annoying, but they are there as a reminder to me that I got through this problem that caused so many issues with my self-esteem. Nobody is perfect, and there are a lot of people that have remnants of long-gone acne. There are always options for covering up unwanted spots on the face, like makeup or pimple patches, but don’t feel pressured to always cover up something that is so normal.
Having imperfect skin is part of what makes us human. Perfect skin is a very rare thing to have, and it’s important to remember that if you struggle with your skin, you are in the vast majority and definitely not alone.