This letter is for anyone that’s had to struggle with acne or currently does,
I will make this to the point as possible. No extra bullshit!
I was a late bloomer; meaning I hit puberty a little later than my high-school peers. I got my first pimple in Grade 11. Right smack on the forehead. I didn’t think it was a big deal so I just covered it with my hair down. As the year went on… it became a HUGE deal. My forehead kept getting one breakout after another. I never got a single pimple on my cheeks or anywhere on my face besides my forehead. Soon, people start noticing your face and you start noticing what they’re noticing (read that twice). People started giving me all kinds of advice. Some of these were…
Drink more water
Eat healthier (anti-oxidants, berries, fruits etc)
Put lemon in your water, it will “clean your system”
Use a facial cleanser (exfoliate, moisturize etc)
Don’t think about it, the more you do, the more it will get worse
People may have had well intentions but none of that advice was going to work.
My first (failed) attempt at a solution…
After reaching the tolerance limit with my acne, the first thing I did was go to Sephora (big mistake). A good intentioned worker showed me some acne treatment kits that had a bunch of things in there. An exfoliater, a cleansing gel, a moisturizer, a hydration gel and some other random things that are all present in most acne-treatment kits today. I didn’t know any better so I bought the kit and went home thinking that I had found the magical solution.
It didn’t work.
Yes I used the kit properly. IT DID NOT WORK. It actually made things worse.
So I went back to Sephora (another mistake). This time they showed me some cleansing wipes/pads.
They didn’t work either.
They “felt” like they were working but they weren’t. The same goes for the kit. My face felt good for a day or two but the underlying problem wasn’t getting solved.
My second (failed) attempt at a solution…
I didn’t go back to Sephora. This time I went to my doctor (smart decision).
He prescribed me a topical gel/cream which did not work.
He then prescribed me pills (minocycline) which worked for a month BUT the acne started coming back even though I was still using the pills (bummer).
At this point I’m in the last few months of Grade 12. My confidence is at an ALL-TIME LOW. I’m depressed. I’m scared to talk to girls because of my acne. Prom, graduation and commencement events are starting. I’m regularly breaking down in tears by just looking at my face. It might also help to add that I wasn’t a popular kid so my confidence wasn’t high to begin with.
The school year ended with me having the worst few months of my life.
Side Note: I’ll admit, in 2021 it is a different time, people are somewhat more understanding of acne but back in 2015, which isn’t too long ago, there was minimal encouragement or friendliness from others.
My third attempt at a solution…
I went back to my doctor. This time he setup an appointment with a dermatologist.
At this point I had heard of accutane. My doctor had told me about it as-well but we had decided to try less “severe” remedies partly because I had heard so many weird things about accutane (suicidal thoughts, organ damage, skin damage etc).
I went to the dermatologist. He was a very straightforward doctor, to the point. He took a look at my forehead and said accutane will fix this. I asked him about potential side effects and he compared taking accutane to crossing a traffic-light. “Theres a chance you’ll get hit by a car but more likely than not, you’ll get over to the other side.” (okay...)
I said “fuck it, how bad could it really be?”.
He prescribed accutane and he also made sure I got my blood tested every single month (again just to make sure of any side effects) along with regular follow ups to see the progress.
My journey to recovery had begun.
While On Accutane
When I started taking accutane my acne got worse. My dermatologist had told me this was to be expected. I recall having more breakouts for the first 6-8 weeks of the treatment but what followed after that was a miracle.
After 3 months my acne was starting to clear up. I went back for a follow up. The dermatologist prescribed another cycle of pills, just to be on the safe side of any relapse.
By the time I had completed the treatment, my acne was completely gone. This was roughly a year after graduating high school. I’ve never had a single breakout since.
Accutane had worked.
Side Effects
The ONLY side effect I experienced while on accutane was dry lips (very common). I solved this by using vaseline nightly. No other side effects, no mood swings, no mental/physical health problems and my nose shape did not change (that is 100% bs). My blood tests were all normal. My acne permanently went away and nothing else changed.
Some Personal Advice…
If you have any sort of skin issues, go see your doctor. Regardless of how minimal your condition might be, a doctor can guide you, refer you to a dermatologist and help alleviate real concerns.
Don’t make the mistake I did by going to Sephora first. I have nothing against the company but I firmly believe 99.99% of “acne treatment” products aren’t going to get rid of your acne. Save your time and money.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need fancy products to have beautiful skin!
Closing Remark
Accutane helped me ALOT. Considering my mental state when I first started breaking out, I’m not sure what I would have done had I not been referred to a dermatologist. By permanently getting rid of my acne, I was able to build my confidence and be myself again.
If you’re someone that’s suffering from severe acne, or know someone that is, I hope this letter can shed some light via my positive experience. Also, if you see someone that’s dealing with acne issues, try not to be a douche about it. We all have our own insecurities and challenges; some external, some internal.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I’ll get back to you!
Thank You
The views expressed in this letter are for entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this letter is intended to serve as health advice. Please do your own due diligence and consult with a doctor.
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