“There’s something on your face. I think it’s acne?”
No, really? I had no idea.
I cannot tell you the thousands upon thousands of times someone has mentioned I have a bump or red spot on my face. First of all, the fact that someone feels the need to point out another person’s facial flaws absolutely appalls me. Secondly, people with acne definitely recognize they have it all over their face, so there is no need to point that out.
To get one thing straight, let me tell you that there is a huge difference between a pimple and acne. A pimple is a random red bump you get every once and awhile on your face. Acne is constant breakouts all over your face, no matter how much you wash your face or use a prescription cream. Acne never seems to go away. My acne has destroyed my confidence for the past four years. It has given me so many self-esteem issues that I have not known what to do with. It prevented me from looking in the mirror because I knew what hideous creature looked back at me. It prevented me from looking people in the eyes because I knew what they saw. I was always running late to places because I had to spend so much time redoing my makeup over and over again to make sure every insecurity was covered. I dreaded sleepovers because I didn’t want my friends to see me without makeup on. My acne was so bad that there was no way you couldn’t notice it. People made it a point to tell me I would be so much prettier without acne as if I hadn’t thought of that before. People constantly reminded me of the marks on my face, and they gave their little pieces of ‘advice’ to get rid of my acne that made me angry and upset at the same time.
Funny how when you have acne, everyone somehow turns into a dermatologist.
I always felt people never saw me. They just saw my acne.
Over the years, however, I learned that the more I tried to hide my face, whether through using pounds of makeup or acting super self-conscious, the more people noticed my acne. I found that if I just looked people in the eyes, disregarded my insecurities, and just smiled that people would look past my acne.
It’s normal to be a little self-conscious about your face. It’s okay to acknowledge that it sucks, but don’t focus all of your energy on it. You might miss out on some cool memories with friends and family if you stay inside and mope about your acne. Honestly, acne is only temporary. There’s a whole world out there for you to explore. Don’t let your acne hold you back from that.
To the next person who gives you their unwanted advice, just smile and nod. You don’t have to take their advice. Trust me, I definitely didn’t. To the next time you feel the need to cake on the makeup, just ignore that feeling. It’s okay if your makeup doesn’t cover EVERY spot. To the next time you look in the mirror and hate what looks back, just stop attacking yourself for your flaws. Everyone has something they dislike about themselves. Yours just happens to be acne.
My wish for you is to learn to just be comfortable in your own skin – literally. It takes time, but remember to stay positive to avoid negative thoughts about yourself. That bump on your face will eventually go away, just like life will if you waste it on worrying about acne. Accept yourself for who you are, not how you look. Invest in time with people, not in how to make yourself seem more attractive and unflawed to people. Focus on how you make people feel, because that’s what matters in the end. Not how much acne you have, but how much love and kindness you showed to others.
I pray that you stop letting acne control your life. I pray that you find the confidence to look people in the eyes and forget about your insecurities. I pray that you see yourself in God's image and appreciate how He made you, acne or not. I pray that you appreciate your inner beauty. Finally, I pray and hope that your skin finally clears up in the very near future.
