So I’ll just cut to the chase. For the past 3 weeks, my skin has broken out…badly. It all started when towards the end of the semester I tried using this African black soap to get rid of the hyper-pigmentation on my face. I think I also broke out when I stupidly decided to use an old foundation I had in my dresser (huge mistake). I haven’t had acne this bad since I was 14 years old in middle school (I’m a 21 year old female), so I’m really freaking out and I’m this close to scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist (who I haven’t seen since I was eight lol).
Anyway, I’ve been really insecure about my skin lately. I’ve just been doing everything possible to either cover it up or get rid of it (concealers, foundations, over-the-counter products, etc.). I wouldn’t say I’m depressed, because there are people I’ve seen with REALLY BAD acne that mine is nothing in comparison, but I’m still frustrated because my skin is still close to the severe end of the spectrum of acne breakouts. So on occasion, when my mother and I are the only ones in a room, my mother will touch my face and rudely ask me things like “What’s wrong with your face?” “You’re breaking out again. You’re becoming 14 again.” “Are you stressed out? Do something about your face!! Fix your face!”. As if I can just wave a magic wand and my skin will be clear as day the next minute. She keeps assuming that I have acne because of the food I eat (my diet has been basically the same for most of my life, and I’ve been eating fried foods and junk food for the past few years and my skin has been perfectly clear). She’s not taking into account that my skin may be breaking out due to hormonal reasons, and I did tell her that my skin broke out because of the soap and old makeup I used, and I’m trying to get my skin to recover through my skincare products, eating healthy, sleeping, exercising, etc. It has to take time for my skin to get better, but my mom just doesn’t get that. It just goes in one ear and out the other.
So earlier tonight, she, my two sisters and I, were sitting on a couch watching TV and out of nowhere, she says “Let me look at your face”, and she touches my face and aloud, in front of my sisters, she says once again “What’s going on with your face? You’re becoming 14 again”. At least my older sister was understanding and said quietly, in my defense, “Well it’ll go down soon”, and then my mom went back to watching TV. Later we were discussing our cousin’s wedding (whose family she is on bad terms with), and she then went on to make snarky comments about how I don’t have any classy clothes to wear to the wedding (when I have plenty of nice, classy dresses in my closet). My mother will do this sometimes–just randomly say things that are so off-the-cuff and disrespectful. I know those are my sisters and not total strangers, but I was still embarrassed that she would blatantly point out something that I am really insecure about and tried so hard to not discuss with anyone. Having bad skin is not exactly something I want to be in people’s faces (literally and figuratively). I mainly just wanted to rant, but do you guys think I’m overreacting? And while you’re at it, do you guys have any skin tips? lolol Thanks guys.