When I was growing up, my biggest insecurity was my skin. There were certain times when I was so embarrassed that I contemplated even going to school or not. In the middle school days, I could barely handle it. Yes, we all go through that intensely awkward middle school phase and if you haven't then I would consider if you are a real human being or not. But my skin made these awkward years ten times worse, and I wondered if I would have to live with this for the rest of my life.

If some of you are reading this and it floods back horrible memories, please know that you are not alone. I think there is a rare minority in the world that doesn't go through skin issues (and God bless them for that). For those of us who have all ridden this struggle bus, we can remember awful times of when we felt like everyone was looking at our face on a particularly awful acne day. You remember caking on the makeup just to make sure no one could tell what you were struggling with underneath. But because it is on your face, you find it all the more noticeable.

My skin struggles made me who I am today. But really, I wouldn't be where I am without my dermatologist. She changed everything for me, and the gratitude I have for her is rooted deep in my heart.

In middle school, the day came where my acne was so hard to live with that I knew I needed to get help. When my mom scheduled me an appointment with a place called Timeless Skin Solutions, I was desperate for a change. I had tried so many other medications and prescriptions and nothing had been successful. At this point, I was desperate.

I walked into a lovely office with caramel filled chocolates on the table in the lobby. I waited, eating probably more of them than I should have, when I saw this blonde with vibrant skin and a welcoming smile walk down the stairs. Her name was Emilia and she was ready for me to come in to her office.

Emilia was beyond sweet to me. She didn't care that I had acne, she cared about how I felt about it. She wanted me to feel comfortable in my own skin. She never looked at me oddly, but always with a warm smile like she knew my struggle and was ready to tackle this with me. I could tell immediately that we were in this together.

I left her office with several face washes and lotions and a paper full of what my nightly and morning routine had to be. Slowly but surely, with days using the treatments, my skin was clearing up. It was remarkable. I believe it had only been a week.

With that, I was confident going to school. I was excited to not wear makeup. Frankly, I felt like I was ready to conquer the world. This acne was not holding me back anymore, all thanks to my dermatologist's genius abilities and compassion to use her gifts to change my life.

I know what you might be thinking. No, this is not an advertisement for Timeless Skin Solutions. However, this is an advertisement for the amazing work dermatologists do for others. I am so grateful for what mine did for my life. Truth be told if I were good at science, I would hands down go into the field so I could make a difference in girls' lives like this woman did for me.

But instead, because I am not good in science, I am going to promote how amazing it is to have a dermatologist who cares about my well being. If you are in a place right now where you are insecure because of your skin, I highly recommend reaching out to a dermatologist. They are worth it and they are willing to help.

My dermatologist is part of my story of how I grew confident in my own skin. And I can say even five years later of stepping into her office for the first time, that her impact in my life will last forever.