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Acne sucks. At any age.
There’s nothing that can rip out your self-confidence and kick it to the ground, like staring in the mirror and seeing pimples staring back at you.
You want to hide. Climb under your covers and stay there until your skin is clear. But you can’t. You have to go to school or go to work. And it feels like everyone, everywhere is staring at your zits. You’re embarrassed and humiliated.
You might even wish you were dead.
Acne is a bully that usually hits when you’re most vulnerable… as a teenager. But even when you’re in your twenties or thirties, acne can destroy your confidence and basically ruin your life.
I’ve been fighting it for 26 years. Here’s my story…
I know I was luckier than many and my acne could have been much worse. But I want to share my story to help others. I sincerely wish I’d had Proactiv when I was a teenager and especially during my early twenties when my acne was at its worst.
I want to encourage parents to talk to their teenagers and get them help.
I think sometimes people are so embarrassed by their acne, that it’s hard to ask for help or try something new. But there are ways to fight back and improve acne.
You may need to talk to a doctor or dermatologist if the acne is severe, but otherwise, start simple and try Proactiv.
Your teenagers might be too embarrassed to even talk to you about their acne, but it’s so important to keep communication open with them and help them understand what acne is and what it isn’t. They need to learn how to care for their skin and they need to learn to separate their self worth from their skin.
Remember acne is something that’s happening to your skin. It’s not who you are.
Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom.
Disclosure: I am participating in a compensated ambassadorship program. But my opinions are all mine.
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jennybayle says
I appreciate you for the conscious thinking. I hope it will encourage me to get enthusiastic. Waiting for another good one. Keep it up bro. Thanks for the unique sharing. 🙂
Jessica says
I’ve been using an Acne Clarifying Treatment from Apothederm http://apothederm.com/shop-products/brightening-acne/acne-clarifying-treatment/ and it has been working wonders on my adult acne!
Jayme says
My skin is a mess and it keeps getting worse as I get older. I tried ProActiv before, when it first came out and it was so rough on my sensitive skin. Do you know if they have a more sensitive formula now? I would love to talk to someone about it. My acne is not severe, but I look around at all of my friends and they have clear skin and I am just so embarrassed. I have tried so many things and nothing really works.
Susie Marks says
Hi Jayme,
If the ProActiv formula is causing problems for your skin, you might want to try Salcura, their Antiac formula was featured on Embarrassing Bodies in Britain and got good reviews, its fine for sensitive skin….worth a try!