Five things people say to make you feel better about acne, but don’t

It can sometimes be difficult to feel good about yourself if you suffer from acne and occasionally people, normally those close to you, will say things that are meant to make you feel happier. But although they mean good, sometimes they do not think about the words that come out of their mouth. Do their tips actually work? Probably not.

1. “You’re only young. You’ll grow out of it soon.”

I’m in my mid twenties. I’ve come across people who suffer from acne and they’re well into their thirties and forties. Acne is not just a teenage skin problem, confined only to 13 and 14 year olds and their raging hormones. If I didn’t grow out of it when I hit adulthood, when am I going to grow out of it?

2. “Try this lotion/cream/cleanser/insert-product-here. I’ve heard it really helps.”

Oh, so you’re a dermatologist now? I’ve had acne for many years and have tried hundreds of face creams, washes, toners, moisturisers… the list goes on. What makes you think that this will work any better than the dozens of other products that are supposed to do the same thing?

3. “Acne? What acne? I can’t see any spots.”

Thank you for pretending not to notice, it’s very kind, but we both know I have an army of red blobs invading my chin at this very moment. How can you not notice them? They’re HUGE. And even if you haven’t noticed, I am fully aware that they’re there and that’s enough to make me feel irritated by them.

4. “If you wear make up, you can’t see your spots at all.”

See above answer. Sure, I can try to hide them all I like but they’re still there and they bother me. And do I really want to cake layers of foundation on top of my spots, which could be making them worse?

5. “It’s probably just because it’s your time of the month.”

Yes, because being a woman is the sole reason for my skin condition. Yeah sure, it may play a part occasionally, but men get acne too. Is it their time of the month as well? You can blame periods for a lot of things, but not always that.

*note: this post was meant to be a bit of fun. Maybe don’t actually respond to people in this way if they say things like this- they’re probably only trying to help!