The Reality of Adult Acne

Monday, November 19, 2012

After reading this blog post by The Framed Lady I wanted to let you all know about my struggle with adult acne. 

In middle school and high school I had the occasional pimple or hormonal break out but it really wasn't anything too bad.

Last winter I was hit hard by some pretty terrible acne. It took me months and months and months to get it under control. I cried and cried and couldn't figure out what was wrong with my skin. To make matters worse I was right in the middle of esthetician school. How are people going to want to come get facials from me when I can't even keep my own skin under control? 

All my teachers tried everything on me. I had numerous chemical peels, microdermabrasions, facials, had high frequency done on my face, tried every product in the world, drank tons of wheatgrass shots, changed my laundry detergent, you name it, I tried it. 

It's interesting just how much acne can consume your life. I never wanted to go out, I was constantly worried that people were just staring at my face. I was beyond insecure.

I wish I could tell you what fixed my problem. In all honesty, I have no idea. The salicylic acid chemical peels seemed to help the most. I think that I just had to wait it out. Sometimes our body's go through hormonal fluctuations and unfortunately they manifest themselves through our skin a lot of the time.  

Here are a couple of photos from when I had my breakout. I wanted to have photos so that I could share it with my clients and friends to show that there is hope. Now these photos are super embarrassing and I can't believe I'm posting them for the internet to see. 




It took about 6-8 months for my acne to start clearing up. Over a year later I have a little bit of scarring on my neck where you can see that dark patch. Other than that you probably would never know. 

Tips to Prevent Acne
Avoid touching your face 
keep hair out of face
Eat a well balanced diet
Change pillowcase regularly
Use products recommended for your skin type 
Drink plenty of water
Take time to relax during the day Stress is one of the leading factors in adult acne!
Get a facial if your budget allows so that your skin can get a deep cleanse


^^ I am so glad it finally cleared up. Nothing puts a damper on your confidence like bad skin.^^









46 comments:

  1. I think it is so cool that you posted this! (and you don't even look bad at ALL) I would have never even thought you had acne issues after meeting you...your skin was flawless!

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    1. Awh, thanks Kallee! It took some serious hard work to get it to go away but thankfully I haven't had any issues for a while. :)

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  2. You are beautiful. I love that you are sharing this. I think so many people deal with acne and don't know where to turn. You are a great inspiration!

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    1. Just trying to be half as great as you are! I love you! Can't wait to see you in a couple days!!

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  3. My cousin had a bad episode of acne due to drinking whey for body building. He was allergic to it. With the help of a dermatologist, his face is now spotless.

    Would you like us to follow each other?

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    1. It's crazy to think acne and skin issues could be the result of one thing that we've changed in our diet!

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  4. Really inspirational! I have to deal with breakouts occasionally and I have some scarring.ive heard microdermabrasion can be good for that, any thoughts?

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    1. Yes! NEVER do microdermabrasion if you are in the middle of a breakout though because it will spread the bacteria. Microdermabrasion speeds up your cell turnover rate which will slough off the dead skin and bring new skin cells to the surface. You're right, so great to help with scarring!

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  5. oh kelsey. you're just beautiful. and i honestly would have never known that you had any acne issues ever. my acne is so unique (or at least i've never met anyone with skin like mine) i just have a constant breakout. not always a horrible one. not all encompassing (well, sometimes it is). but i honestly don't remember the last time i didn't have some amount of acne. and oooh the cystic acne that i rock about once every two months. adult acne is a real treat. ad it's extra awesome that i scar super, super easily. fortunately, i'm pretty handy with a makeup brush and i can cover up all of the scarring. if not, i'm pretty sure i wouldn't have any friends.

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    1. Whaaaat? I would have never guessed! Cystic acne is the absolute worst. Who knew a little bump could hurt so bad?!
      Thanks for sharing that with me, Kate. I just think you are so fantastic!

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  6. I'm having the same problem, it's like I never hit puberty when I was in High School and now it has decided to make an appearance. What has worked best for me thus far is washing my face with vitamin E oil before my regular face wash. Random I know :( Thanks for showing me there is hope!

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    1. Vitamin E is so awesome! The funny thing with acne is something that works wonders for one person could be catastrophic for another. It's just so darn hard to figure out.

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  7. this is great that you posted this, I think so many people probably have issues as well!

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  8. These are awesome tips! I wish we lived closer so I could get a facial from you.

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    1. That would be awesome! I would LOVE to give you a facial! I wish all my blog friends all lived in the same town. Boohoo.

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  9. first of all, i don't know if i already told you this or not but you and your husband are just super adorable.
    and second, i never had huge problems with acne but there were times when i broke out horribly. i wanted to cover my face in layers and layers of foundation but that only made it worse.
    thanks for sharing this! <3

    happyleeliving.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you so much, Marsa! You are so sweet. I, too have found that foundation just makes it worse 10x worse!

      Thanks for leaving your URL, I'll have to go check out your blog! :)

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  10. I've struggled with acne my whole life. It's one of those shitty things that I've learned to realize I'll just have to deal with. I've tried everything, proactiv worked for awhile but eventually my skin became immune. Then I came across neutrogena and it works for me and my skin has never been clearer. I mean in. It seems like the harder we try to get rid of acne the stronger it comes back. :( anyways.. you are gorgeous! and I'm excited to be a new follower! xo

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    1. That is great that you found a product that works for you! Everyone's skin type is totally different and responds to things in a completely different way. My husband has to use the Acne Free cleanser, toner, and moisturizer otherwise he breaks out pretty bad. We are all different!

      Anyways, thanks for following along! I'm so glad to have you!

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  11. I feel ya sister! Husband has been struggling real bad with adult acne, and mine has been worse as an adult, as well. Thanks for the tips! I'll be sure to pass them along to the mister too. :)

    ♥Nicole @ Me + the Moon

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  12. aw, kelsey!! I'm so sorry, that's horrible!! Weirdly enough I had the worst breakout of my life during esthetic school as well. So did a bunch of other girls. Weird, right?

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    1. Maybe we just used too many products, haha!
      All things in moderation. A facial every week for 10 months is bound to freak your skin out a little.

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  13. Kelsey, I know you would probably never believe this, but I was looking at your pictures, thinking 'she still looks gorgeous!' It's so true that skin just goes through fluctuations. Mine was bad in high school and then good during pregnancy- now it kinda fluctuates. I love your tips. The pillowcase one makes the biggest difference for me! So glad yo uput that one, because a lot of people might not think about it! I need to work on the water-drinking!

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    1. Whaaat?? You have to be crazy, Ali.

      It really is super interesting how it fluctuates. A lot of women get a ton of hyper-pigmentation around their jaw line throughout pregnancy, so you are one lucky duck!

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  14. Great advice & thanks for sharing your personal struggle!! Happy to be a new follower!

    http://aclosetintellectual.blogspot.com/

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  15. I applaud your bravery. And as someone that suffers from adult acne, I appreciate the tips.

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    1. You're welcome! It's definitely not a fun thing to deal with. I feel your pain!

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  16. Thanks for the tips... I still get acne, and I've always had problems with it. You're not alone!
    Thanks for dropping by my blog a couple days back. Returning the follow!

    Ashley
    Of Thoughts and Things

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  17. Love that you posted that, I've struggled with acne in the past as well. I'm sure SO MANY people can relate to this... But I don't think I would ever be brave enough to take a non makeup pic, you are definitely beautiful regardless girl! Love the tips, glad I stumbled upon your blog, your newest follower.

    Lots of bloggy love from Ashton:
    Over at, http://lovelifeandtruthtells.blogspot.com

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  18. Oh my goodness, you are simply amazing for writing this post. Very brave of you to post those pictures. I have always struggled with acne. It was so awful at some points where I didn't want to leave the house. At the time I thought I was being so dramatic and self-centered but now I see I am not alone. After meeting and becoming a patient of an amazing dermatologist it is under control, but still a daily effort. Thanks for this post!

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    1. I'm so glad you were able to find a good Dermatologist to help you!

      I always said I dont care if my hair is crappy and I have old yucky clothes as long as I have nice skin, haha!

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  19. you look beautiful. i actually read that noxzema is great in clearing and lightening blemishes ... i use it as a mask and sleep with it. im not dedicated enough to do it every night .... but when i did it for 3 weeks straight i ABSOLUTELY saw a huge difference. i have also read a bunch of things about oil cleansing which people have had great results with. thanks for sharing your story. new follower :) www.heartandthrift.co

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  21. I honestly have done a lot of research, and I believe that there is actually a huge relationship between the foods that I've eaten and the pimple in ear that I had for so long. After going on a good diet and cutting out excess fat, I have been acne free for a year now.

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  22. Acne is a common cosmetic condition where the skin develops areas with red color, blackheads, pimples and zits.I am affected acne. I am try to solve my acne problem in your post. Your post very helpful for me. Thanks

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  23. At the age of 15, my daughter developed acne problems until now she is 19 years old. We have consulted beauty centers but they have not been effective. Until today, I am still worried whether the pimples will disappear. Even though she excels
    in her studies, she is so stressed when she look into the mirror. how2 getrid of pimplesfast

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  24. This is so brave of you to share, thank you!

    xx
    Kelly
    Sparkles and Shoes

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  25. Great post -Thanks for share your personal thoughts about that adult acne

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  26. Basically, acne (pimples) is the result of clogged pores. The pores become clogged when increased oil production traps dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells in the pores. The pores become clogged as a result. healthcareguru here

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  27. peels seemed to help the most. I think that I just had to wait it out. Sometimes our body's go through hormonal fluctuations and unfortunately they manifest themselves through our skin a lot of the time.

    Acne

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  28. It can also reduce skin inflammation and remove dirt from skin pores. Common OTC products that contain Benzoyl Peroxide are Benzaderm Gel, Proactiv, and Glytone. Acne products

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  29. Out of nowhere, I started to develop adult acne. I mainly break out twice a month. So whenever the redness and marks would start to go away, new acne would pop up. So I always had new pimples and old marks. I was so frustrated. I used the top acne lines out there and they almost seemed to make it worse. So I tried Dermalmd blemish serum. I would cleanse my face, apply this to the effected areas and then use a moisturizer. This has worked better for me than the well-known acne treatments. And the best part is that it's inexpensive.

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