It seems like everyoneIRL and onscreenwhos seen as pretty has a smooth, glowing, blemish-free face.
Meanwhile, my complexion is dotted with little bumps, large pores, and lingering dark spots.
What I experience is actually very common.
Courtesy of Afia K/Carmine R
I started struggling with acne the moment I hit puberty.
Showing myselfmakeup-freein a space where its so easy to be judged was difficult at first.
More than a year ago, I started experiencing severe breakouts.
Society made me scared to show my true face without makeup, and I felt ugly and disgusting.
I lost so much of myself.
One day, I decided to change my mindset, so that I could live a happy life.
I stopped letting mean voices consume me and began reminding myself that I was still beautiful.
I mustered the courage to postmakeup- and filter-less selfieson my publicInstagram pagesomething I never imagined doing.
Recently, my skin has been doing better and Ive gained some of my confidence back.
Through this experience, I saw that so many people are going through the same thing as I am.
After dealing with bumps andacne scarsfor more than six years, Im finally embracing them.
I still havebad skin dayssometimes, but they happen way less often.
Shifting to an acne-neutrality mindset has been one of the best things Ive done for my well-being.
If I were truly happy with my breakouts, I wouldnt be trying to get rid of them.
Ive come to a place where I accept my acne and dont let it ruin my day.
To achieve this mindset, I had to understand that I am not my mean thoughts.
In 2018, my skin was the worst its ever been.
I still break out sometimes but, mentally, Im in such a better place.
I can walk with my head held high after finally embracing my appearance.
Acne might seem like a superficial issue but its so much more than just spots.
I discovered this as I admired people around me.
I would think, Woah!
Theyre gorgeous…andthey have acne!
Their skin was always the last thing I noticed (and it didnt negate my awe).
You have to remember that acne is not permanent and will heal eventually.
After years of self-hating, I finally accepted myself.
I realized there is no such thing as perfect skin and no singular definition of beautyits all subjective.
Its difficult not to let acne control you because it can take over every area of your life.
It made me lose my confidence and develop self-hatred.
My mental health began to suffer, and I knew something had to change.
Thats when I decided to post my first-ever filter-free photo.
To my surprise, I was met with so much support.
As I continued toshare my own journey, my confidence grew so much.
Slowly but surely, I began to accept my skin in all its states.
I have hyperpigmentation andhormonal acnethat flares up around that time of the month.
So Ive realized that these blemishes are often unpredictableand theres little I can do to stop them.
Once I understood this reality, my relationship with my skin improved so much.
I also became more conscious about not comparing myself to people I saw on the internet.
