My Skin Story – Part 1

Let’s chat about my own story and health journey, specifically my acne story. As many preteens and teens do, I experienced acne. I tried many different products to treat my acne, but nothing seemed to change much. It wasn’t until college, that I went to a dermatologist for the first time. After sharing with her I was not interested in taking any oral supplements, she put me on a topical antibiotic and retinal cream. This did make a difference in my skin, and for the next few years, I had pretty clean skin. I eventually stopped taking the topical antibiotic and retinol cream and my skin was doing fine…

It wasn’t until after I graduated college and returned to live and work in SE Asia (where I studied abroad two years earlier) that my acne began to flare up again… and this time it was bad. Living in an extremely humid climate, I stopped wearing makeup to try and help, but nothing was working. I didn’t have access to a dermatologist and wasn’t able to fulfill any prescriptions. When I lived there previously, my acne was manageable, but now it seemed out of control. I was at a loss.

The next summer, when I went back to the US for a visit, I went to see a dermatologist, and out of desperation, I agreed to take an oral antibiotic. This worked! My skin was clearer than it had ever been. I was thrilled about the results but terrified to stop taking the antibiotic. My dermatologist told me it should only be taken for a few months, but never stopped my prescription, so I kept refilling…for another year. I rationed what I had left until I got married in 2016. I desperately wanted clear skin on my wedding day…who wouldn’t?! After getting married and stopping the antibiotic, my acne slowly began to come back.

About 9 months after stopping the antibiotic, my acne flared up the worst it ever had. I had deep, cystic acne, and it makes my heartbreak to even think about the depth of insecurity and shame that came with this.