Acne Issues

I've been more reserved all my life, especially after I started middle school. However, by the time I walked into my old high on the first day of freshman year, my face and upper body were already evenly covered with deep cystic acne- that's what really made me shut up.

I was too embarrassed to look directly at anyone, and I couldn't bring myself to speak aloud unless I had to mumble out an answer to a teacher. I did get a dermatologist who started me on a long trial and error process of topical gels and antibiotics, and the acne improved just a little each year. Still, throughout all of high school, I never had a single friend. I was so humiliated by the stares of other students that I ditched whenever I could, and hid in the library at lunch with my neck aching from holding my head at an angle where fewer people would see my face.

My shut-in phase started at the tail end of childhood, so I never really learned what it's like to have adult friends or even how to communicate with people face to face. The acne's still bad, still causing me embarrassment. Whenever a co-worker asks me a question that requires more than a yes or no, I still can't look them in the eye, and I get so nervous that I stammer and end up looking like even more of a loser.

Other than these instances, I stay alone at home, but pretty soon I'll run out of college courses that I can take online, and I'm going to have to start sitting in lecture halls with normal students, and I know that it's going to be hell reliving the experience of sitting alone, counting the minutes until I can leave, while everyone else passes the time with their friends.

Welcome to the forum, Sapros. I'm sorry to hear about your problem. :\
Acne is always such a *****... I went through a phase of it but a short one fortunately. I think it was cos my diet was pretty bad then.
Good luck with your dermatologist. Hope it works.

I am sure you will make plenty of friends on here. Give us a try ok? We can keep you company in class - someone is always on *shrug* Welcome to the forum. And good luck

Welcome, Sapros.

I've never really understood what is so bad about acne.
Like why it seems to be a socially frowned upon quality.

Personally, I've never been bothered by it. In fact, I've seen some females I thought were very attractive, but yet they had acne. And I've seen males with acne that I thought looked pretty cool. I guess as long as its not to an overly extreme degree, what is the big deal?
Just in my opinion, there are many other traits that are much more of a turn off than this.

Acne doesn't change who you are inside, what kind of person you are. I have had bad acne before, but that's just ''outside'' of me, if you know what I mean? Looks never change your heart, mind or soul. That's what I think about looks. So don't worry, real friends don't leave you because of your acne! I'm sure you will get some friends from there.

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about your acne, it can completely kill your confidence, especially if you're young. So I see your treatment works a little, I'm not sure where you're from, but here in the UK you can get laser treatment (Which is supposed to be one of the most effective) on the NHS, maybe this is an option for you?

Try this link for some information.

PS; welcome to the forum.

I had bad acne during my teenage years (and still get the occasional outbreak now at 37). Others are right, acne doesn't change who you are inside. I was remorselessly bullied about it, yet there were kids in high school (mostly boys) how had acne far, far worse than I did, who didn't get bullied about it and pretty much all of them had girlfriends. I never understood why things were so different for them. I just used to hope that someone would be able to see me beyond the pimples .... huh, still waiting I guess.

I know how it feels. I still have bad acne, even in my twenties, but I use a cleansing system twice a day, for many years, and it's barely noticeable. You just have to be persistent. If one system doesn't work, keep trying them all until you do find something.

Acne may cause low self-esteem. Once you have insecurities you tend to be apprehensive toward communicating with others that's why there is a feeling that you wont be able to make friends. You need to have good support group who will guide you and help you with your struggles. Acne can be treated, so don't worry about it.

Something that only extremely advanced dermatologists tell you: half of the acne is due by the sufferer touching his/her face all the time, so doing cleansing with non-drying products twice a day, using antibiotic creams such as erytromycin (it depends from what kind of acne that is), and making a conscious effort to avoid touching the face during the day can solve the situation. Also diet and hormons is something that can be modified. Some food intolerances are sometimes the cause behind it, if everything else fails (hope not) you can also check out that.
Anyway, sorry about your trouble, acne can really affect one's social life and esteem, don't let it, fight it.