Acne. Wow. It is such a small word. But it affects us all so much. Acne usually hits us at the time when looks become the most important to us: our teens.

And that's when it hit me, too. I was 13. And my acne was bad. You know how it is, don't you. You're not a child, not yet an adult. Your hormones are creating havoc. And then you have a face full of red, angry, painful pimples. Not to mention, blackheads! There are some of us who survive their adolescence with perfect skin! No sign of any skin trouble! And then there are people who have severe acne, like I did.

And the others are all too quick to make us aware about the kind of battlefield our face has become. I was told about my acne by way too many people. My friends (I don't know if they can still be called friends), my relatives and even my school teachers! Heck, complete strangers also felt entitled to give me their opinion about my face.

Here are some examples about the things I've been told:

A friend once told me: "I cannot even touch your face, there are so many pimples on it!"

My grandmother: "DO something about your face!"

My 7th grade science teacher, who pointed at my face in front of a class full of girls and boys and said: "THIS is what happens when you don't wash your face."
I mean, you call yourself a science teacher? For God's sake, a science teacher of all the people in the world should know how exactly acne is caused!

Another friend: "I can't even look at your face."

And there have been many, many more such incidents of people making crude, unwanted comments about my acne.
When you face such comments about your looks (on an almost daily basis) during your most formative years, your self esteem is bound to take a hit. A bad hit. I used to cry myself to sleep. I refused to socialize. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror!
I was angry. I was upset. I was depressed. Hell, I even had to take medication to deal with my depression!
And it has taken me a long time to accept myself the way I am. Its been quite a journey. Countless tears, endless days full of anger and frustration and multiple acne treatments later, I'm finally happy. I am realizing that I am more than what goes on on my face!

I want to tell you this: If you are dealing with acne, whether it is mild or severe, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You are a beautiful, strong and amazing person. Don't ever, EVER let anyone tell you otherwise. Your acne is NOT YOUR FAULT. And it's certainly not because you "don't wash your face." Your acne does not define you. Don't let anyone bully you, or hurt you because of it. Distance yourself from negative energy. Don't stress. Acne is just like any other illness. There should be no stigma attached to it.
Wake up every morning with a smile on your face and look at yourself in the mirror and say "I am beautiful." Because you are.