Acne... For people with clear skin to think they know best

[MyNameIsABCDE]

So I've recently been suffering with pretty bad acne. AIBU to think that people with annoyingly perfect skin have a right to tell me how to clear it up?

Fair enough people giving advice if they used to have bad acne that's improved, but when people who have always had perfect skin tell me to make sure I wash my face or eat better food it really irritates me. AIBU?

yanbu
I have exzema.
if I got a penny for every 'have you tried xxx, worked for me when I had a rash...' I would be rich.

YANBU to be annoyed by this!

YANBU

I have good skin, always have, it's luck, nothing else, same for those with bad skin. At the same time, people are trying to be helpful, cut them some slack.

@wearywithteens I actually used E45 once and it brought me out in a rash.

YANBU OP. I have been suffering with bad hormonal acne, worse than when I was a teenager, and suddenly everyone has an opinion on my skin.

I am just about starting to get on top of it and I have finally found what seems to work for me, but still people push their (bad) advice on me

@kenndodd I understand people are just trying to be helpful but I personally don't think I like taking advice from people with no experience

@whotfisalanbrazil can I ask what's working for you at the mo please? Mine's hormonal and still looking for ways to control it

Don’t get me started. Did you see no one replied to my question about whether it had been clinically proven that oil cleansing facials work or whether it’s just more crap made up by beauty bloggers?

Then there is the assumption you eat nothing but greasy foods all day and night

OP don’t waste your money on all the suggestions people will give you such as putting something expensive or non clinically astringent onto your face

Go see your GP and get their advice. There are a lot of different topical treatments on prescription, some contain antibiotics. No one here can tell you what will Work as everyone else’s acne is different. I have cystic acne with very dry skin for instance

Totally agree. I was at the doctors aged 11 with acne. I’m now 47 and still use spot cream. I have heard so much unasked for bullshit advice from people. Grr! I’ll tell you what does work Roaccutane ( but v harsh side effects), Diannette ( high oestrogen pill but made me fat and moody), antibiotics ( but acne came back immediately afterwards), getting pregnant ( drastic). Best thing for me has been benzoyl peroxide cream ( good stuff) and taking 4x 1g fish oils plus two one a day star flower capsules daily. This plus oil free make up has made my skin ok - not beautiful but certainly a million times better than it used to be and no bad side effects.

The only thing that works when my hormonal acne flares is benzoyl peroxide
I cleanse as usual, apply it on spot areas (on dry skin) and then moisturise. Basically the acne.org regime
I get people saying oh but you don't have acne - I do! But it's hormonal so not all month and I'm also v good with makeup

I’ve done roaccutane twice, it isn’t always the cure. And it’s very hard going. I couldn’t take more than 20mg a day so it took me 18 MONTHS on my last course

I totally agree. I have read some replies on here to people with cystic acne asking for specific advice, who have got very slow steps of v sanctimonious advice like

‘Right-follow these instructions to the letter and that will sort you out. Ok-are you listening carefully, you must have super clean hands (I mean really clean) and then get a needle and sterilise it-and then make a teeny tiny hole in the spot and then squeeze till all the yucky stuff comes out’

Brilliant. Because people with bad skin will never have thought of that one.

I used to have benzoyl peroxide when I was a teenager, seemed to work at the time. I've recently had a flare up at 28 and the doc prescribed me duac gel. It's like the benzoyl but it also has an antibiotic in it. You keep it in the fridge and just apply at night. That seems to have calmed mine down x

If it's hormonal consider whether it could be polycystic ovary syndrome. If you have long/irregular menstrual cycles, put on weight around your tummy etc.

If it is, low carb diet is thought to be useful.

My younger sister's used to save the free clearasil facecream samples from magazines for me. They did it to try and genuinely help, but it does make you feel crap.

People with naturally beautiful flawless skin suggesting a simple face cream - when you know using something like that will massively flare it up

Low dose antibiotic v effective for me. I had great skin till after my second child, even as a teenager. Annoying!

It's akin to someone who happens to have a baby who sleeps well giving 'advice' to a parent who's child wakes 400 times a night.

The key is in the word 'happens' to sleep well.
It's nothing they did, so don't try and tell me how to get my child to sleep better!

A lot of people who say ‘had bad skin, used a lotion for a while it went’ have a bacterial issue that cleared up. Deep cyst pockets that form over a long period and never clear cannot be penetrated by a lot of these OTC creams. I have an area under my skin that has stretched into one huge pore and when it used to fill up, a huge section of my face would fill up with clear liquid. Can’t pop it. Cream just dries out the top layer of skin. People don’t really understand what acne is half the time

It's so common isn't it? I do not suffer myself but close friends relatives with rheumatoid arthritis. If I had a pound for every time someone said the Daily Mail has proved that a dollop of cider vinegar every day is the cure. Acne eh? I bet you're still using soap, there's your problem. Deep cleanse every night, that'll cure it. Ah, you're still eating dairy, your own fault then. All those women with genetically glorious hair doing shampoo adverts. Funny old world!

YANBU

I'm early forties and have 'hormonal / my body's endocrine system is fucked' acne.
Just when I think I've found something that makes it a little better, it seems to change type.

It's affected my self esteem to the point where I don't even try to sort it sometimes as I'm convinced people just see me as a dirty minger!

(I have found oil free moisturiser eases it sometimes.)

People can bugger off with their unsolicited advice!

Nothing works! I've had acne all my life - I'm now 52 and I have no sodding hormones because all my bits have been removed because of bastard cancer but I still have the spots. Only just stopped taking strong antibiotics (to give my body a rest) acne is already ruining my life again not only my face but all over my back too - give me a break ffs!! 🙄

Eek. I remember physical pain of cystic acne and was mightighly pissed off by peoples' assumptions of habits / cleansing routines. Not to say I wasn't open to trusted people's suggestions; turmeric poultices anyone?

Only thing that helped me was a VERY invasive facialist - who was happy to lance the spots and kicking Ba%&ard husband out - yup, stress acne does exist!

I suffered for years with cystic acne. So ugly and painful, and random people used to comment on it all the time. Things that worked for me were an antibiotic called doxycycline, and a supplement called chlorella. I was offered roaccutane but was too nervous of the side-effects. I still get period spots now, and right now am a mess because I am full of cold and generally looking and feeling awful. It is so bad for one’s self-esteem.