Having suffered with acne myself, I understand the impact it can have on body image and self-esteem.
Despite this, many people spend years before getting the treatment they need. Acne is a complex condition and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Access to the right advice and support, early on, can be life changing for the person on the receiving end.
If you’ve suffered with persistent acne, you’ll recognise the feeling that your face never feels clean. Some of the things I hear time and again are that no matter how much time or money you spend on grooming and skincare products, you can still end up feeling like a spotty mess. You long to be one of those carefree people who wakes up 5 minutes before they need to leave the house in the morning. Instead, you have to put aside a full 30 minutes to try and painstakingly conceal each and every spot and you definitely need to get to the bathroom first if you have a new partner for fear that they might reject you if they knew what you really looked like.
Yes, some people can manage the occasional pimple at home with appropriate store-bought products or advice from a GP. Many others are fed up by a lack of improvement and are understandably worried about developing dark marks or permanent scarring if their symptoms are left unchecked. Emotional scarring should not be downplayed either as acne erodes self-esteem, causing sufferers to feel embarrassed and isolated. It doesn’t have to be like this. There are effective treatments for persistent acne or scarring and prescriptions that really work.
