I Hate Acne.

I hate acne - you’ve probably heard that phrase a lot in your time during high school and now in college. I know I have, and I know I probably say that every time I see a breakout on my face.

In high school, the majority of my acne used to appear on my forehead, but my cheeks were clear. It was weird because I felt like as soon as I got to college and had a little more free time, it would get better. That was when I thought acne was just caused by stress, oily skin, and eating badly.

However, as soon as I got to college my forehead cleared up and my cheeks became the problem. I always had new spots pop up each week, and it wasn’t just because I was starting my period the next week. After going through multiple cleansers, creams, and wipes, my dermatologist told me that my acne was hormonal. I had no idea you could get acne under your skin that was caused by your hormones. It was cystic acne. Apparently, a lot of people have this issue, and I was just then being informed about it.

She told me each person is put on a certain medication that helps with whatever hormone levels aren’t balanced in your body. Every person is different so not everyone takes the same medication.

However, not everyone can get birth control or medication that will help their acne. They have to rely on cleansers and creams first.

Here are a few tips to help with the severity of your acne. 

Always change your pillowcase after a week. If you have oily skin, it is unwise to keep that same pillow case on for the duration of many weeks to come. It makes your face oilier and you are basically sleeping on a dirty pillowcase for your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Drink water over sugary drinks. I know people are a little hesitant when they hear this one, but drinking water is better for you anyway. It helps you stay refreshed and it is better for your health and skin instead of the sugar from the sugary drinks.

When you are in class or at work, don’t lean on your face. Try to avoid touching your face at all throughout the day, and that goes for your hair as well. Your hands have been everywhere, and you don’t want that going onto your face. Excessive touching may cause more breakouts and cause your skin to get even oilier. Instead, lean on the part under your chin with the back of your hand, or do something else with your hands to take your mind off of wanting to lean on your hand against your face.

When you get back to your dorm or your house, make sure to wipe your face down with face wipes. If you are going into the shower, use your cleanser to wash everything from the environment off of your face, or use face wipes when you change into your pajamas. Then, pin your hair back and avoid touching your face as your face wipes and cleanser work their magic. Additionally, if you wear glasses, be sure to wipe down the frame and the parts that sit on your ears because those can get oily over time and affect your skin as well.

Darker skin allows for more scarring if you pick at it. The best thing to do is to put vitamin C cream over the dark spots or scarring every night, or use an anti-blemish serum. Believe me, I have picked at many acne spots and I still have scars to show it. It frustrates me each time as I scar so much easier than people with lighter skin. However, it keeps my hands off my face, so it has its perks sometimes.

All of these little things help calm down the acne on your face slowly. With time, the medicine will eventually work, even if you have to go through five different pills, but you have to be patient. Your skin won’t change overnight, and I think a lot of people struggle with that concept. Everything has a healing process, including your skin, and it takes more time than you can imagine.