I had acne up until my sophomore year, and for me, my acne started a lot earlier than other kids my age. Fortunately, nowadays, I just have the few occasional zits; but I still wish I could have perfect porcelain skin all of the time, like my friends and have to face the stigma of acne.

For the most part, acne is not something you can control, and some people are more prone to it than others. I did the everything in my power to relieve myself of it, doing all of the recommended things, like washing my face, not picking it, and using acne cream but still to no avail. Personally, I tried everything I could get my hands on, including all different topical creams and oral antibiotics.

Until the August before my sophomore year, I thought there was no hope. Then I started taking Accutane (isotretinoin), and everything changed, starting with a boost in my confidence. For girls, every month we do blood work and pregnancy tests. So, I did six months of that, but it was worth it even with all the side effects and steps. Even though it wasn’t fun to do the whole time, I would recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity.

Transitioning from bad skin to good skin was a life-changing process. People would notice and comment on it, something that finally made me feel good about myself. No longer did I wake up in the morning and dread going out because I had “pizza face.”

Looking back now, I wish I knew then what I know now: that my skin looks worse to myself than to others. Most people don’t even notice, but as teenagers, we are obsessed with what other people might be saying about us in general.

No matter what though, acne does not make you ugly or less of a person, nor should we be ashamed of it, covering it up with makeup. People should feel that if that is what we want to do, we should do it, not just because society makes it seem like it has to be covered.

It’s ok to be self-conscious sometimes, but don’t let it consume you, and this goes for boys and girls. Eventually, our acne will minimize later in life, and it will just be a distant memory as part of our struggles in high school or college. But in the overall scheme of struggles in life, it is minuscule.