One of the things I’ve learned in my long struggle with acne (and you know about my subsequent treatment at the esthetician who has fixed my skin so well) is that a lot of times acne is from washing too much, especially with soap; I definitely know what it’s like to have acne and have the additional shame of being labeled an “unclean” person because of it. Most people with perfect skin will tell you they just wash their faces with water, or just once a day with cleanser. During my worst breakouts I was definitely washing way too often and with soaps that were much too harsh.

Also, the urine advice: it actually “works,” but it’s mostly an acidic/skin softening remedy. If you find a moisturizer with “uric acid” in it, that’s basically the same thing.

And ALSO, before this comment gets ridiculously long I thought you might find this helpful incase you haven’t come across it before:
http://www.zerozits.com/Articles/acnedetect.htm
They advise avoiding ingredients that have a 4 or 5 (or big red frowning face) in comedogenicity or irritancy. I realized that my non-irritating sunscreen and moisturizer had some stealthy pore clogging ingredients that I never realized until looking them up on that list.

Lastly, it’s really hard to keep your head up when people are being so judgmental about your appearance. Whether it’s your skin, weight, clothes whatever. Just remember their judgment is about THEM and not you!

Man, you guys have no idea how happy I am to hear that so many of you are going through similar things or have gone through them.

And that you love Cheetos.

So Portland babe now huh?! Don’t forget to email me your new addy! If not I will HUNT YOU DOWN!!!

I love what you said about acne-first impressions. My skin was perfectly fine all through high school until last year, when I broke out none stop for half a year! My family members kept asking me what happened to my face and I felt like a monster. Applying makeup just worsened the situation so I just stopped going out. However the twist is that I have angoraphobia (fear of public spaces, mine was caused by my deppression), so you could imagine that the last thing I needed was an excuse to NOT go out. I literally locked myself at home for months!

I’m still battling my acne but it has since gotten a lot better. I found that narrowing down the source of acne (and there could be a few!) helps a lot when coupled with medicine/treatments.

But anyhoots enuf of my blabbing, I wish you a happy 2010 and happy unpacking!!

CHEETOS, OMG! i loooove Cheetos. i would eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I could. i’m sure they must have radioactive properties looking at the color and how long they can last, but they’re so yummy

good luck w/ the move! big changes like these are catalysts for better things to come

My acne was worse in JHS also. Thinking back on it, I can’t even believe how I showed my face in school. My cheeks, my nose, my forehead, my temples, my chin (so basically my entire face except for my lips and eyelids) were covered in pimples. I’m glad it’s not that bad anymore and now I get them always on my cheeks and some on my forehead and chin. When I was in JHS and college, I always looked forward to getting older and finally grow out of this “phase”. But here I am at 24, and still have to be on antibiotics in order to have my breakouts be any worse. Guess some of us never grow out of his phase huh.

BTW, I love cheetos too. I can’t imagine having a combination of dry skin and acne. I think I’ve been pretty fortunate to not get too much acne and I’ve got the dryness under control, especially now that in the winter. I hate static in the wintertime. I felt like I was going through shock therapy when I took off my fleece in the office and proceeded to walk to the bathroom from my desk. On my way, each doorknob gave me a shock. Keep in mind, I had to go through multiple doors. Anyway, enough with my rambling in this little comment box.

I love you alienman!! (in a not creepy stalker way).