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does acne ever go away?

I've had acne for 4 years and on going, at times it would be manageable but then at some times i just have massive flare ups whether they are just larger cysts or just smaller bumps. I heard that acne can significantly clear up with just age but is that actually true or do people just say that to give others hope just because they found smt that works with their skin?
During the Easter holidays, the sun and sea took away my acne and now i only have a couple that remain and as a couple weeks have past, my skin is still decent so i thought it was actually getting better but im seeing just spots appearing?
So basically dont sugar coat it, is it just a myth people say bc they feel sorry or not?

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Mine deffo got better over time, you'd need to really stare at my skin to see I'd ever had it. Can't overstate how much of an effect your diet has.
Reply 2
Original post by StriderHort
Mine deffo got better over time, you'd need to really stare at my skin to see I'd ever had it. Can't overstate how much of an effect your diet has.

yeah idk if my diet is good enough, i know i drink alot of water and i love my fruit but thenn i only eat like 3/5 portions of vegetables a day. it sounds mean of me to say this but i hate how diet is either a hit or miss bc my friend always eats chocolate, barely no water and just sugar all day long and her acne cleaned up just fine.
Reply 3
i've had acne since i was 12 or 13 and i'm 20. for me the occasional acne at the beginning has now developed into cystic acne. my parents both had acne when they were younger but theirs cleared up (even though they didn't do anything to manage it properly). me and my siblings now have acne and so i think its genetic. mine has only ever gotten worse so i have booked an appointment with a derm and hopefully they'll get me on prescription. but if your acne is genetic then i dont think stuff like that goes away per se its more being able to manage it such as diet, regular sleep schedule, and maintaining a good skincare routine. do some of your close relatives like parents or siblings have acne too? worth checking if its to do with the environment or just genetic
Original post by Anonymous
yeah idk if my diet is good enough, i know i drink alot of water and i love my fruit but thenn i only eat like 3/5 portions of vegetables a day. it sounds mean of me to say this but i hate how diet is either a hit or miss bc my friend always eats chocolate, barely no water and just sugar all day long and her acne cleaned up just fine.

A lot of it will always be hormone related and there is v little that can be done until that calms down for some people sadly, mine was prob more hormone than diet. Tbh my diet is closer to your friends and mine still cleared, I would need to hit junk, grease and sugar really hard for a few days to trigger a breakout. These diets still always come back to bite you in the end though.
Yes, it can go away. I struggled with it horribly in my teens. Clear skin in my 20s & 30s.
Reply 6
Original post by StriderHort
A lot of it will always be hormone related and there is v little that can be done until that calms down for some people sadly, mine was prob more hormone than diet. Tbh my diet is closer to your friends and mine still cleared, I would need to hit junk, grease and sugar really hard for a few days to trigger a breakout. These diets still always come back to bite you in the end though.


unfortunately my triggers are both of the ones you've mentioned above :frown: hormones and my diet
Once I cut sugary drinks out of my life completely and started drinking water exclusively, only then did my acne go away.
Reply 8
Original post by nebula2324
i've had acne since i was 12 or 13 and i'm 20. for me the occasional acne at the beginning has now developed into cystic acne. my parents both had acne when they were younger but theirs cleared up (even though they didn't do anything to manage it properly). me and my siblings now have acne and so i think its genetic. mine has only ever gotten worse so i have booked an appointment with a derm and hopefully they'll get me on prescription. but if your acne is genetic then i dont think stuff like that goes away per se its more being able to manage it such as diet, regular sleep schedule, and maintaining a good skincare routine. do some of your close relatives like parents or siblings have acne too? worth checking if its to do with the environment or just genetic

my mum and dad did have acne, im unsure when they had it but i think maybe they were in their twenties? maybe 21/22. does that mean i'll be 22 when my acne clears up? or as im getting it early at (13 and now currently 17) it will clear up before i turn 21/22?
Reply 9
Original post by nebula2324
i've had acne since i was 12 or 13 and i'm 20. for me the occasional acne at the beginning has now developed into cystic acne. my parents both had acne when they were younger but theirs cleared up (even though they didn't do anything to manage it properly). me and my siblings now have acne and so i think its genetic. mine has only ever gotten worse so i have booked an appointment with a derm and hopefully they'll get me on prescription. but if your acne is genetic then i dont think stuff like that goes away per se its more being able to manage it such as diet, regular sleep schedule, and maintaining a good skincare routine. do some of your close relatives like parents or siblings have acne too? worth checking if its to do with the environment or just genetic

WHAT MY ACNE WILLL NEVER GO AWAY??? I JUST HAVE TO MANAGE IT? nah how is that fair. i feel like crying why r people born lucky bro, im gonna fill my face with plastic when im older
Reply 10
Original post by Anonymous
my mum and dad did have acne, im unsure when they had it but i think maybe they were in their twenties? maybe 21/22. does that mean i'll be 22 when my acne clears up? or as im getting it early at (13 and now currently 17) it will clear up before i turn 21/22?

just because your parents had it in their 20s doesnt mean yours will clear up in 20s. mine had it in the 16-19 range and theirs cleared but i got it in my early teens so basically it can vary from person to person. but you seem quite worried about clearing it up, you can consider telling your gp to refer you to a derm or just visiting one privately if you want to get on prescription quicker.
There is no significant evidence linking diet to acne, a load of boloni. It is 99% hormones related to testosterone, excess of this drive sebum production that then block pores etc. It is why Isotretinoin exists and works 99% of all patients, get yourself a referral.
Reply 12
Original post by Anonymous
WHAT MY ACNE WILLL NEVER GO AWAY??? I JUST HAVE TO MANAGE IT? nah how is that fair. i feel like crying why r people born lucky bro, im gonna fill my face with plastic when im older

if acne is genetic then this means its in the genes so you cant remove it but you have to make sure you are heavily focused on your lifestyle habits etc.
and yh unfortunately some people wake up wash their faces and have amazing skin, whereas others will be spending half the day with their complex skincare routines and still struggling.
Original post by Anonymous
WHAT MY ACNE WILLL NEVER GO AWAY??? I JUST HAVE TO MANAGE IT? nah how is that fair. i feel like crying why r people born lucky bro, im gonna fill my face with plastic when im older


I'm 38 and within the bottom 1% of the population with a massive hormone imbalance. Dermatology are always shocked when they see me, I'll be on the drug twice a year every year.
(edited 11 months ago)
Reply 14
Original post by nebula2324
just because your parents had it in their 20s doesnt mean yours will clear up in 20s. mine had it in the 16-19 range and theirs cleared but i got it in my early teens so basically it can vary from person to person. but you seem quite worried about clearing it up, you can consider telling your gp to refer you to a derm or just visiting one privately if you want to get on prescription quicker.


i got a cream prescribed a epidou but it just doesnt seem to be working because most of my spots are underground and it seems to be less effective on them. but yeah i am worried abt my acne, im just sick of seeing it on my face, i cant even look in the mirror or touch my face without feeling sick or sad
Reply 15
Original post by random_matt
There is no significant evidence linking diet to acne, a load of boloni. It is 99% hormones related to testosterone, excess of this drive sebum production that then block pores etc. It is why Isotretinoin exists and works 99% of all patients, get yourself a referral.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257617/

this study suggests otherwise, hyperglycemic foods increases sebum production>clogs pores>inflamed acne

also isotret doesn't work for 99% of all patients, theres lots that also relapse after a few months of stopping treatment.

If the hormones are the issue then its worth also visiting a hormone specialist and also getting a consultation from a derm instead of taking medication that wont address the root cause of your acne.
Reply 16
Original post by nebula2324
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257617/

this study suggests otherwise, hyperglycemic foods increases sebum production>clogs pores>inflamed acne

also isotret doesn't work for 99% of all patients, theres lots that also relapse after a few months of stopping treatment.

If the hormones are the issue then its worth also visiting a hormone specialist and also getting a consultation from a derm instead of taking medication that wont address the root cause of your acne.

yeah i think im going to need more future appointments bc at this rate nothing is gonna change thank u
Original post by nebula2324
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257617/

this study suggests otherwise, hyperglycemic foods increases sebum production>clogs pores>inflamed acne

also isotret doesn't work for 99% of all patients, theres lots that also relapse after a few months of stopping treatment.

If the hormones are the issue then its worth also visiting a hormone specialist and also getting a consultation from a derm instead of taking medication that wont address the root cause of your acne.


Do you know the importance of replication? Dude, the research on this topic is few and far between. Massively outweighed by the research in genetics, dermatologists also know what they are talking about.
Original post by nebula2324
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257617/

this study suggests otherwise, hyperglycemic foods increases sebum production>clogs pores>inflamed acne

also isotret doesn't work for 99% of all patients, theres lots that also relapse after a few months of stopping treatment.

If the hormones are the issue then its worth also visiting a hormone specialist and also getting a consultation from a derm instead of taking medication that wont address the root cause of your acne.


Already know the root cause, been explained by a real dermatologist, not the armchair experts of the student room. OP, just see a dermatologist, better than having this conversation on a student website.
(edited 11 months ago)
Reply 19
Original post by random_matt
Do you know the importance of replication? Dude, the research on this topic is few and far between. Massively outweighed by the research in genetics, dermatologists also know what they are talking about.

many derms also say diet is a cause of acne tho. when i booked my first appointment, they asked me to describe it to them. i'll look into more abt what u said tho, i appreciate ur infro

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