My Journey with Hormonal Acne in College

Image Courtesy: Strike Magazine Tallahassee

Multi-step skincare routines were in my life long before the “clean-girl aesthetic” became a trend. I started visiting a dermatologist in middle school, for the typical acne associated with puberty. Despite my hopes of having an epic high school glow-up, though, the acne did not subside as soon as I left middle school. In fact, acne has been a consistent factor in my life since then, even extending to my college years.

The acne I experienced in middle and high school was completely different from the acne I experience in college. Although it was slightly annoying to have a multi-step skincare routine morning and night while my friends barely even washed their faces, it was never bad enough in middle and high school that I felt ashamed of the way I looked. I even got a false sense of hope that I had banished acne forever in my senior year of high school when I suddenly had blemish-free skin during COVID quarantine. But, alas, as soon as I started my freshman year at Florida State University, my old foe acne came back with a major bang.

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For many, freshman year of college can be an extremely difficult time. I was experiencing so many changes – Tallahassee, being far from home, meeting all new people, living in a dorm, doing completely remote classes (it was Fall 2020), and so much more. On top of the sometimes-unsettling newness freshman year brings, the way I felt about myself was also changing.

It was bad enough that I was getting acne again, but the worst part is that it was a different type of acne entirely. In high school, I would get some breakouts around my period and when I was stressed. It was always just a dab of concealer away from being totally invisible, and I usually didn’t even care enough to cover up the tiny red pimples. In college, it was far worse. The acne developing on my chin and jaw was painful, and even my bougie foundation and concealers couldn’t cover it up. There were days in my freshman year when I would completely cake my face just to hang out with friends, yet huge pimples would still peek out beneath layers of coverage. I felt completely unpresentable when I didn’t wear a full face of makeup, and my confidence plummeted.

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Moreover, the acne prescriptions that had been working perfectly throughout high school were no longer doing anything. It was infuriating to follow a skincare routine that used to work religiously, only to see my acne getting worse. It was also very upsetting when I compared myself to my friends, who had beautiful clear skin without any of the pain-staking pharmaceutical drama. They were eating and drinking the same things as I was; they were exercising the same amount as I was; their skincare was much more low maintenance than mine was; so why didn’t my skin look as good as theirs did?

This struggle continued throughout my sophomore year of college as well. Some improvements in diet and exercise, as well as some new prescriptions and at-home remedies, gave me a little sliver of hope. Unfortunately, though, the progress hit a plateau. My acne wasn’t as bad as it had been in freshman year, but I still had bright red inflammation and scarring that just wouldn’t go away. I only felt presentable when I wore a full face of makeup, and even then I was deeply insecure about the acne underneath it.

I was sick of putting so much concentration into an issue I had for so long; wasn’t there anything that would make it just go away?

Thankfully, there is light at the end of the tunnel for my acne journey. At the beginning of this past summer, I started seeing a new dermatologist who agreed my old routine just wasn’t working for me. She put me on medications for hormonal acne and completely confirmed my suspicions that my college acne was caused by hormonal imbalances. (I mean, who doesn’t love weight fluctuations and dramatic mood swings on top of their acne?) Over the past couple of months, I have seen dramatic improvements in my acne.

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Acne is more than pimples, inflammation, and scarring. For me, acne was a huge obstacle to my self-confidence. I believed that my acne made me less attractive than other people, and I felt like I couldn’t fulfill my potential for confidence and power because of this insecurity. Almost everyone struggles with acne at some point in their lives, but not many people talk about the deep insecurities that severe acne can cause.

I am beyond grateful for the medication and the dermatologist that is making clear skin a possibility for me. My journey with hormonal acne in college hasn’t been easy, but seeing improvements has already given me so much of my old confidence back.

Strike Out,

Writer: Cristina Angee

Editor: Addy Crosby

Graphic Designer: Sydney Baksa

Tallahassee