The other day I rediscovered my old diaries online, my acne diaries to be precise. And it made me think back to the time when I was the most unhappy I have ever been, and how different my life has become since being cured of Acne. This is my acne story.
During my teenage years I had suffered from moderate acne, but it wasn’t until the end of 2008 that it started to take over my world. I had known people who had suffered from acne before I had, and although I felt sympathetic towards them, I didn’t understand the impact that it could have on someone’s life, and how easily it can destroy your happiness.
I was studying Make-up Artistry at college and was surrounded by a classroom full of girls, having to remove our make-up on a daily basis. When my acne worsened, the thought of removing my makeup in front of anyone was too horrific to even think about, so I took a break from my studies. Luckily my tutor had a relative that was also suffering from acne, so she understood my need to take a break and I was fortunate to be allowed the time I needed to focus on feeling better.
After many visits to my doctor, and after many failed treatments of acne creams, I was sent to my local hospital to meet with a dermatologist. After assessing the seriousness of my skin problems, the doctor prescribed me with an 8 week supply of Accutane to see how I went on. If any of you have used Accutane you will know too, that it is quite difficult to deal with at first. For those of you that aren’t familar, certain side effects of the treatment include; extremely dry skin, chapped lips, joint pain, nosebleeds and depression (although I personally believe the latter is worsened by the effect caused by having acne in the first place.) Also, your acne nearly always gets a lot worse before it starts getting better when being treated with Accutane.
Eventually, my skin started to feel and look better that it had in a long time. It wasn’t a fast or easy process, but slowly my skin started to clear and my confidence was slowly on the rise again. I was taking Accutane for approximately 5 months before my doctor gave me the all-clear to come off the treatment.
I was extremely lucky that my acne didn’t return after stopping treatment, I know many people who haven’t been as fortunate as myself.
Now, I am acne-free! I do get the odd pimple, but they aren’t a big deal to me at all now. I fell in love, and felt confident enough to let someone love me back. I have got my life back, I feel like the real me again.
My main reason for revisiting my acne diaries is to give hope to anybody that is currently in the position I was nearly 4 years ago. It seems like your world has been rocked and although you have support from your loved ones, they never truly understand what you are going through. But I do.
And I can honestly say that it does get better, and it WILL get better. Don’t stop believing that one day you will be happy again and your confidence will soar.
From a past acne sufferer to a present acne sufferer, it does get better.
Love Rachel xxx
Tags: Acne, Inspiration, Roaccutane
Such a motivating story! Hope I can follow your footsteps when I finish my course of roaccutane. What dosages was you on ?
- Nammy on January 13, 2013 at 7:23 pm
Thank you. It spurs me on in the depths of 4 month of taking this medication!! Hopefully it works as good for us all.
- Georgina on January 14, 2013 at 12:40 am
Lovely to hear your success story Rachel
I’ve almost finished a 6 months course and would be very interested to hear how you dealt with “life after “R”
xxx
Were you completely spot free after your treatment ended or did your skin continue to heal after your last tablet ? & did you have the red marks & moderate scarring left to deal with afterwards ? My derm and friends on this wonderful forum continue to reassure me that these red marks do fade in the months after completing the course & time does heal the skin.
Lots of questions I know but it really is nice to hear your story
My skin has been transformed with only 1 or 2 pimples left & hopefully I will not be in the 10% who need a top up of “R” months down the line
Thanks for taking the time to post . . we did need to hear more success stories after completing the course . . . Here’s to a spot free future
- gigi on January 14, 2013 at 6:00 pm
This is fantastic! I can’t wait to get started now, it’s been so long that I’ve dealt with it.
xx
- Danielle on March 5, 2013 at 3:10 pm