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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

Neutrogena Grapefruit, Clearasil Toner Pads, Panoxyl Benzoyl Peroxide Wash, CeraVe, Bioderma, Adapalene gel, Dapsone cream. The list only goes on, and believe me, I have tried them all… 

Struggling with acne for what feels like forever can be exhausting – both physically and emotionally. For years, I tried every cream, cleanser and D.I.Y. remedy under the sun, hoping for a miracle. But instead of waking up to clear skin, I found myself in a cycle of frustration and disappointment, with breakouts resurfacing just when I thought I had finally won the battle.

Living with acne is more than just dealing with blemishes; it can chip away at your confidence, making you feel like you are constantly at war with your own skin. If you have been on this journey too, you know the toll it can take, and how hard it is to keep hope alive. 

I was born with naturally oily skin, and while it might have its perks, like the promise of fewer wrinkles later in life, it has been a major contributor to my drawn-out battle with acne. From my teenage years to now, my skin has always seemed to produce more oil than it knows what to do with. No matter how much I washed my face or tried oil-free products, that greasy sheen would always come back, bringing clogged pores and breakouts with it. 

At first, I did not really understand the connection between oily skin and acne. I thought I just was not cleaning my face enough or that I was using the wrong products. But over time, I learned that my skin’s natural oil production was one of the main culprits behind my acne. The excess oil combined with dead skin cells and bacteria led to clogged pores, and once that happened, the breakouts were inevitable. 

It became a vicious cycle—my skin would get oily, I would break out, try to dry out my skin with harsh cleansers, and then it would overcompensate by producing even more oil. It has been a tricky balance to find products that help manage my skin without stripping it of its natural moisture, but understanding that my oily skin is just a part of who I am has helped me approach my acne with more patience. 

Dealing with acne has always been more than just a skin issue for me—it has been a huge confidence struggle. The more frustrated I got with my skin, the harder it became to feel good about myself. Every time a new breakout appeared, it was like a reminder that I could not control something so visible and personal. It is one thing to have a bad hair day or an outfit that does not quite work, but acne feels impossible to hide, and it always seemed to show up at the worst moments. 

Throughout high school, I would often obsess over my reflection, feeling like the blemishes were all anyone could see. I tried to wear layers of makeup as a shield, hoping it would distract from the redness and bumps. But the frustration with my skin just made things worse—my constant attempts to fix it only added to my stress, which in turn triggered more breakouts. It became a vicious cycle of worry, frustration and insecurity. 

What I did not realize until later was how much power I had given acne over my self-worth. I started to see myself as “someone with bad skin.” That self-inflicted label began to weigh on me. The more frustrated I became, the more my confidence took a hit. It is hard to show up as your best self when you are constantly thinking about how your skin looks. 

Learning to live with acne has been a long journey, but over time, I have realized that my self-worth is not tied to the clarity of my skin. For years, I thought that having breakouts automatically made me less attractive, and I spent so much time wishing for clear skin that I forgot to see the beauty I already had. It was not easy, but I eventually learned that I could still feel pretty, even with blemishes on my face. 

The turning point came when I stopped letting my acne define how I viewed myself. I started to see my face as a whole rather than just focusing on the imperfections. Yes, I had breakouts, but I also had features I liked—my smile, my eyes, my hair. I realized that being pretty is not about having perfect skin; it is about embracing the things that make me unique and confident. 

I never thought I would say this, but since I started stressing less about my acne, my skin has cleared up. It is almost ironic—after years of obsessing over every blemish, trying every product and constantly worrying about how my skin looked, it turns out that the thing that helped the most was simply letting go of the stress. 

Once I started accepting my skin for what it was and stopped picking at every little flaw, I began to see improvements. I focused on taking care of my skin without overloading it, using gentle products that made me feel good rather than frantically searching for the next miracle cure. The less I stressed, the more my skin responded, and over time, the breakouts became fewer and less severe.

It turns out that not putting so much pressure on myself—and my skin—was the key to finally seeing progress. Now, when I do get a mild breakout, it does not bother me as much, because I know stressing about it only makes things worse. 

There are still days when a breakout can make me feel self-conscious, but I have learned to be kinder to myself. Acne is just a small part of who I am, and it does not take away from my beauty. I have learned to show up as myself, whether my skin is acting up or not, and I have stopped hiding behind makeup or avoiding mirrors on bad skin days. Instead, I remind myself that I am more than my breakouts, and I choose to focus on the things that make me feel good about myself. 

Grace Hodara is a sophomore Journalism major from Salamanca, New York. Outside of her studies, she is involved with Study Sorrento SBU, Jandoli Women in Communication, and SBU Women’s Club Lacrosse. You can find Grace playing some kind of sport (usually lacrosse or soccer), watching Bills games, listening to music (her music taste is perfectly summed up by that picture of Taylor Swift and 21 Savage at the 2024 Grammys), or traveling (being home for more than 2 weeks at a time is not exactly her strong-suit). She is an avid reader and writer, and is excited to continue working with Her Campus SBU!