Loving Myself with Acne

By Caroline Patafio

Before I start, I want to preface that I am in no way a dermatologist or skin care professional. These are simply just a few things I have discovered in my own journey struggling with acne. 

Throughout high school and now in college, I have struggled with frequent breakouts. I have been on three different acne medications and none of them ever seem to work. The past few years have been incredibly frustrating because I just want one day when I don't have a new pimple. I have had to remind myself countless times that I am not the only person with acne, and it does not reflect on who I am at all. I will admit having constant acne has definitely taken a toll on my self-confidence and it has taken me a very long time to feel comfortable with my skin. Some days are definitely worse than others, but I have really tried to keep my head up and focus on self-care.

Besides trying different medications and topical ointments, some ways I have worked to improve my skin care routine include:

• Braiding my hair before bed to keep my hair out of my face

• Washing my pillow case once a week 

• Wearing disposable masks or washing my reusable ones frequently

• Washing my face before bed no matter how tired I am 

• Drinking a lot of water

• Cleaning my phone screen with alcohol wipes 

• Making sure all of the shampoo/conditioner is out of my hair before I get out of the shower

• Trying my absolute hardest to not touch my face throughout the day

• Showering right after I workout or at least rinsing my face if I don’t have time 

Many of these things were small changes that I tried to incorporate into my day. My skin is definitely not perfect but it is slowly improving. I want to remind whoever is reading this that acne is natural and it happens to everyone. You are beautiful regardless of how many breakouts you have. Keep your head up—you are not alone. ♡