I have had problems with acne for over a decade now. I went from a kid with painful cystic acne to a young adult with minimal acne troubles and scarring from old traumas. A person who truly suffers from acne will try everything under the sun. If a voodoo man told you to lay out in the sun naked with a dead chicken on your face you'd do it which (to me) doesn't sound as bad or is at least on par with taking round after round of antibiotics for years. I took antibiotics for roughly 5 or 6 years on and off and I wish I never touched them. They did more damage than good. For years I'd hear from doctors, "Oh it's because you're going through puberty, it's normal and will clear up, take this to help it" or "when you're 17 it'll be gone, or 20…or any day now….it'll be gone" Then one doctor told me "it's never going to go away at this age or that, it's not the foods you eat, it's not this or that, it's most likely just bad genetics or hormones." With that I was both disappointed and relieved. I was sad I just had shitty genes or hormone problems but relieved that I could just breathe and not feel like I had to keep taking all these prescription drugs and topical creams that could cause birth defects and all that fun stuff…I decided right there and then that it wasn't worth it and that I was going to figure it out on my own. And from then on I've taken advice with caution. Please read on for my latest experiences with skincare and discover what brands and routines have worked for me. :)
