I’ve recently been plagued (yet again) by the acne monster. I saw my first pimple back when I was 13 years old and my mom actually took a picture of the momentous occasion. I still remember what I was wearing – a ridiculous midriff tee that had a stick figure, muttering “Whatever” on it. Little did I know that acne would turn out to be quite a nuisance throughout my young adult life and beyond, and my non-chalant attitude would turn into a longing for my 13-year-old face. And here I am, 11 years later, facing far worse issues than my newly-pubescent body.

Why, oh why, does acne plague us so? I’ve done countless things to try and zap those zits. From Proactiv (my face eventually became immune) to dermatological visits (I disliked that baby’s-bottom-faced evil lady) to many other over-the-counter products (the long-ish routine makes you restless after a while), I have yet to find the perfect solution.

My latest trial has been facials. And while I enjoyed them ever so much, I am now a poor student once again, who is a few hundred miles from home and her beloved esthetician. So what’s a girl to do?

I certainly can’t let new people that I meet see my horrifying face. Sure, I probably imagine it to be worse than it actually is, but my main issue is this: why, when I work so hard to keep my face acne-free, do I still have worse acne than my friends who don’t have such a regimented routine?! I refuse to have a night out and proceed straight to bed once I walk in the door. No matter how late it is, I must wash my face, tone, and moisturize.

I suppose I have to look to my parents for the answer to this question. It’s all in our genes. My parents both had horrible acne – you can still see the remnants of it on my dad’s face. But my mom swears that by the age of 24 (and she was married by this point), she did not have acne the way I do now.

I sit here and write to you, my SpaBeauties, flustered, flabbergasted, and filled with anxiety. Will I always have this issue? I know I’m not the only one. And while I do love makeup and foundation, a girl likes to be all natural once in a while. What am I to do? This question is one for my estheticians out there, professional and student, alike. Wouldn’t you like to help someone like me?? Where’s the solution?

-Amanda Fornecker