by David Willis

Created on: January 06, 2011

When my acne was at its worst I pursued a lot of treatments that ended up being bad for the situation.  For example, I thought that if I sat under the sun I would be able to tan my acne away.  I would spend hour baking myself under the sun in hopes that somehow it would have the effect of giving me clear skin.  I noticed better results but that was only because my skin was getting darker and therefore my acne was covered underneath.  But what was really happening was my skin got worse and dryer at the same time.  So while I was able to temporarily hide my acne, it was still there the whole time.  When my tan eventually faded my acne was worse than ever before and the redness and peeling really showed.  I realize that did not have the intended effects and I should get educated on the topic.

Figuring out how to get rid of acne has not been easy and it has taken a lot of patience.  It also costs a considerable amount of money to stick with a comprehensive method of acne treatment that involves antibiotics or topical cream.  Sometimes I have had to budget more carefully to allow for the fact that I will be spending several hundred dollars on acne medication a month.  There are also plenty of free things I can do such as making sure that I drink plenty of water, limit my sun exposure, and try to reduce my stress levels as well.  I always find that if I get a good amount of sleep at night then I wake up the next morning with fresher skin.  Overall it is take in an overhaul in my approach so that I do more good than harm, and I find that visiting my dermatologist on a regular basis helps a lot. I find knowing the facts really helps to narrow in on the factors that matter the most.

I also make sure not to obsess over the problem as much. It’s easier now that I’m not in high school and facing the constant pressure of fitting in. And since my acne has improved I am able to enjoy life a lot more. I highly recommend getting help or talking to someone who has gone through the problem before. Figuring out how to get rid of acne doesn’t have to be impossible, and it’s easier when you have help.

Learn more about this author, David Willis.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.