Acne can be painful, and the judging faces and comments make it even worse. Constanza’s journey with fighting Acne started at a young age. It was when she was just a 7-year-old girl, unaware of how things would get so tough for her. The pimples that were mild at the beginning became worse over time, and by the time Constanza turned 10, she was diagnosed with a skin condition called Acne conglobata.
The pimples turned into large cysts, covering her face and entire body, including her chest, back, and legs. Everyone who saw her was shocked as she was too young to be going through so much pain.
At 11, doctors suggested that she start using Isotretinoin, also called Accutane. It was a compelling treatment for such baby skin, but it didn’t seem like there was another way to overcome that condition.
The side effects that the treatment had on her, not just physically but emotionally, were too extreme to handle, as it was not just the Acne now, but her skin was dry, her beautiful hair started thinning out, and her eyesight got adversely affected too. Every time she walked past the mirror, tears welled up in her eyes.
Going to school became a challenge as often her classmates questioned her about whether she had burnt her face or if anyone had ever kissed her due to her skin condition. The emotional toll was real. Sometimes the cysts were so big that they would burst during class, leaving stains all over her clothes and work.
Moreover, she could not even sleep peacefully. Due to the extreme pain, Constanza opted to sleep on her back so the cysts wouldn’t rupture. Time passed, but things did not seem to get better. Although she had accepted to live with the condition, observing how everyone around was partying and living their best lives did hurt her. Constanza spent most of her life isolated.
She was the only girl in the class who did not have healthy skin at a young age, and no one seemed to understand how she felt, either.
She often had to rush to the bathroom during class to clean her face and avoid getting laughed at. One time, a girl asked her what was wrong. Upon being asked, Constanza told her about the condition she had been diagnosed with. To her surprise, no one around knew much about acne. The girl said that all this time, she thought it was only stress and bad hygiene that resulted in acne.
Years passed, and Constanza opted for various treatments. While some showed positive results, others did not work at all. From cortisone injections to hundreds of chemical peels, everything was tried out. For four years, she used Acutane, but the results were temporary as the Acne returned, which was rare and unusual.
Now, Constanza is 17, and what she has learned through her journey fighting with Acne is much more valuable than what people know their entire lives. She does not wait for people to choose or praise her anymore and has accepted that Acne shapes her and doesn’t ruin her.
She is enough just the way she is!
