The Acne Thread

[SHEXYchiquita]

Broke out when I went away to college after 18 years of perfect skin (with pictures)

My name's Kelly and I'm an 18 year old female. So basically my entire life, I have had literally perfect skin. Whenever I walked into a Sephora, the salewomen would always come up to me and tell me I had beautiful skin. When I would go out, complete strangers sometimes came up to me and tell me that I had a great complexion or ask what makeup/skin products I used.

The funniest part was that a) I never used any face makeup ever, no foundation, powder, nothing. I only wore eye makeup and the occasional blush, and b) my skin care routine consisted of washing with Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizing my face with Banana Boat tanning oil. If I was over at a friend's house or out somewhere and didn't have my tanning oil with me, I would lather anything else on my face (hand cream, cocoa butter, literally anything) and still never get a pimple. During occasions such as prom where I did get my makeup done with a full face of foundation and everything, I could sleep in my makeup and still never break out. That's how clear my skin was. The most I ever got were small bumps on my forehead.

Then when I went away to college for the first time (September 2005), I remember getting my first real pimple on my cheek. I picked on it and I think that spread and pushed the bacteria deeper into my skin. Gradually I began getting more pimples. Me, never having dealt with this and being impatient, picked at everything and anything. I tried to pop them when there was nothing to pop. I'd pick at everything with my fingers and something tweezers becausethat's how frustrated I was. Because of this, I now not only have to deal with pimples but also dark brown and red marks covering my face.

I have gone from not worrying about my skin ever to obessing over it and stressing out about it constantly. I refuse to go out without face makeup and dread the idea of this summer coming up because I used to be able to swim and go to the beach and pool without any makeup and now, I won't even leave my room without face makeup on. The thing was, I never realized how lucky I was before until now, and it sucks.

Here's what my skin looked like summer 2005 right before I went away to college.

And here's what it looks like now:

I'm seeing a dermatologist tomorrow but I was wondering what advice or recommendations any of you can give me, particularly to help fade the marks. Thanks so much.

 

[oulala]

I started using proactive and it works like a charm. I only use the face wash though... the moisturizer dried out my skin, and I sometimes use the face mask. Also, I started putting pure vitamin e oil where I have acne scars and it seems to be helping quite a bit. My skin looks clear the day after I use it.

Wash your face every morning and night and don't overwash it. Be careful you aren't getting hair products on your skin as it can irritate it. Also, don't pick at it!

I grew up with clear skin and went to Japan for a few weeks when I was 16. I live in Canada and am used to dry weather and not humidity. It made my skin break out so bad that it took me years to find out how to get rid of it and now my acne scars are only starting to fade away.

Good luck. Definitely try the proactive, most everyone has good results with it.

 

[candycorn]

The same exact thing happened (is happening) to me too. The summer between my junior and senior year in hs I started breaking out. I am not a freshman in college and it is starting to go away but I use Differin Creme, Benzclin cream and an oral medicatin. It's crazy, it was really depressing when it first happened. I got kinda used to it though. Just remember not to touch it, no matter how much you want to. I picked at it and like tried to pop pimples that just werent ready when it first starting happening because I wanted it to go away so badly, but that just made it worse. So yeah.

 

[eunhe]

make sure that you don't over-dry your skin with salicylic acid/benzoyl peroxide in an effort to dry out pimples. this can make your skin worse - dry skin will react by making more oil, clog pores.

at least that's my experience!

 

[LucindaMay]

Are you eating different foods? Have you started smoking/drinking/taking drugs? All these thing contribute.

 

[lacy99]

I just started university last October, and the same sort of thing happened to me with my skin. I think it's the change in diet and maybe the stress of starting college that caused it.

 

[Katarina]

Anyone got any suggestions for an effective acne-scar removing product? They are plaguing my face and I've finally had enough of lathering on layer after layer of foundation and/or concealer on daily. Would Idealist by Estee Lauder work? I heard that it's for evening out skintone, maybe could something about scars too?

If you have only scars now,and all your acne is cleared,so the perfect treatement would be a chimical peeling,it's very efficace,and he can also help to remove some acne if you still have.

It caosts money,here 200euros for 1-3session,but you will be quiet for a while.

 

[Katarina]

Good luck to you, too Katarina! I'm gonna get more infro about Roaccutane to see if it's for me. My gosh! BLOODWORK? I hate needles! ACK!!

Thanks,and goodluck for you too.

Yes,everybody needs a blood analysis after using the "Roaccutane" because it's a strong medecine,and the reactions differes from a person to an other,the most important,is to control fat and Vitamine A on blood,because the accutane is derived fro the Retine-A,and also the peelings are not recommanded while using the "accutane".

 

[litchickuk]

a tea tree treatment stick is fab. you can find them in most drugstores

 

[Meg]

all the girls suggestions are good and seeing the derm. will really hopefully help determine was is best for your skin type. but you really did have absolutely perfect skin before!

 

[SiennaInLondon]

Could it be late puberty?

 

[SiennaInLondon]

Oh and yes your skin is stunning in those photos.

 

[Golden_butterfly]

I think you're skin will get better later. I'm sure your dermatologist will give you something to work on. But yes, you're skin is perfect in those pictures!

 

[Grill]

I got late on set acne too. Very distressing and depressing. I had amazing flawless skin until A'levels - I was 18 almost 19. I saw a dermatologist straight away and continue to do so now. I am 32 and while I still get the odd spot with all the Retin-A I've been prescribed over the years - my skin looks so much younger and clearer than my contemporaries. So don't worry...

 

[Hye Park Lover]

If you have only scars now,and all your acne is cleared,so the perfect treatement would be a chimical peeling,it's very efficace,and he can also help to remove some acne if you still have.

It caosts money,here 200euros for 1-3session,but you will be quiet for a while.

Yeah that's an idea..... but I still feel that i'm too young to get that done (16) and it might be too drastic and cause pre-mature skin ageing? but thanks for your suggestion

 

[ALaFramboise]

Well, i'm sure if you have a derma and a nice insurance, you can get retin-a (Which is what i did, and this stuff has done DISGUSTINGLY GOOD wonders to my skin) lol, imagine, nice makeup job and clear skin? amazing!

oh man.

LOL By the way, don't just think it's gonna work for you! The best advice i can tell you all to follow right here and now is to stop buying over the counter products (I used to buy like 1 a week, and at an average of 7 dollars at your local drugstore, thats like....336 Dollars! Thats an extra designer item you could have!!!)

Just go to your dermatologist, and try out the things they have to give you....also, make sure you have insurance ( a pretty decent one!!) So you don't have to pay those hefty dermatologist payments!!

 

[ns424]

wow, you're skin's beautiful. i used to have perfect skin, too, until i was about 16. all of sudden it just attcked me full on. i was informed it was due to hormonal changes. whatever you do, treat it right away - it's good you're going to a derm. i kept telling myself it would go away...now i'm 27 yrs old and still suffering from terrible acne. i switched derm's recently (my last one kept me on antibiotics - minocyclin - for 2 yrs. which didn't make a huge difference but he refused to do anything else for me ) and one look at my make-up free face he advised me to consider accutane. i'll be starting accutane in about a week.

i hope i end up w/beautiful skin like yours.

btw, what's your racial background? it doesn't make a difference but i'm asian, too.

best of luck to you!

 

[johnnykenton]

I have really bad cystic acne. My doctor doesn't want to put me on Accutane because he think's I might go into a deep depression. Has anyone been on it? Did u get any mood swings?? I am now on Minocycline pills and Clindamycin (topical).

i was on accutane 4 years ago and also had cystic acne.

i had tried everything. . .
from the topical treatments to the pills, proactiv, etc.

but accutane was my last resort and the final solution.
it worked wonders! my acne cleared up quickly,

i did however experience occassional moodiness and sadness, but never to an extreme.

i mostly recall EXTREMELY dry skin and chapped lips.
chapstick was my best friend [and still is].

if anything, accutane made me feel better about myself, which caused my self esteem influenced sadness to fade away.

 

[prettyjuice]

i got birth control today, so i can start accutane soon
do i need bloodwork to get started on accutane??

 

[johnnykenton]

hm. i don't remember bloodwork beforehand, but i know that once you begin accutane you will have to get your blood drawn to monitor your liver and such.

for women it's a bit different though because accutane could do damage to an unborn child so you may have to go through extra bloodwork/tests.