In my many dealings with acne suffers via this site I get this question a lot. Whilst in some respects I would probably prefer to remain an enigma, I feel that readers should know who I am and my personal experiences - credibility has always been an utmost priority of mine!
So here goes...
I am 19 years old (soon to turn 20) and live in Australia. I have just completed a bachelor degree in medical radiations technology and will be working as a medical imaging technologist for the next little while. (I am told I'm the youngest in my field in the world!) I have plans to complete post graduate medicine in the not too distant future. This probably explains why I have some degree of medical and pathological knowledge, however sketchy it may be in some areas!
People who correspond with me online usually get the impression that I'm much older, but I am probably more naive than most people take me for! But I digress....(I fear this is going to turn into a thesis)...
My acne history is pretty standard. I began with the occasional blemish around 13 or 14 and by the end of high school I had what I'd classify moderate acne. By early university it had progressed to the brink of severe. Already being years younger than most of my cohort at university, having acne was just another social hurdle to deal with. I have always been quite a sociable person, and so I didn't let it get in the way too much, but as you understand it is always something that lingers in the back of your mind. Waking up every morning and noticing the new breakout was not something which I would look forward to.
I do not believe acne to be the most debilitating condition in the world, but I do believe it to have very real physical and most importantly emotional complications. People who seem to be forever acne free have no comprehension of what it's like to deal with this condition. That is why in an anonymous setting such as the internet you can gain most comfort and wisdom from the people who are exactly like you.
Like most people I had tried almost every over the counter treatment; benzoyl peroxide made havoc with my face, (having red hair and sensitive skin didn't help either!) not to mention bleached most of my clothes. I had never been to a dermatologist, as I was too shy to discuss such matters, and so weekly would try something new either that my Mother had supplied me with or something that I'd bought myself. I guess you fall into the trap of transiently treating yourself with "cures" that aren't even given a decent time frame to work.
After finishing school, moving away for university was hard at the age of 16 and still having the hindrance of acne to deal with didn't help. Again, I tried all different kinds of treatments with occasional relapses to the dreaded BP. In second year university I desperately consulted the worldly guide of information for a cure - The internet!
Because you're reading this, I know you have done the same, and I am glad you and I did Typing the words "acne cure" into google.com an array of quick fixes and promotions were spat out at me. However, within all the relative shrewdness of tacky e-commerce I found a messageboard: AbsoluteAcneInfo. This was a tremendous resource to me; there was no one to sell anything, just acne sufferers discussing how to beat acne. To know there were so many people around the world like me was relieving, but the amount of knowledge held by the board's inhabitants was amazing! Through this messageboard I began to read about a water soluble vitamin named b5.
Researching more into b5 proved difficult. A handful of websites provided me with basic info and a few testimonials on its use but I needed some proof. More detective work led to the b5 study by Dr Leung. Finally something that made scientific sense! Of course the cause is that which needs to be treated not the symptom. The theory of how b5 could be used to combat acne seemed fundamental. I had committed myself to at least giving it a go.
Starting b5 treatment is difficult to describe to people; acne is relatively a taboo topic anyway let alone the fact that you are going to take 20 pills a day to try and help it! I had to convince my parents first (I have always had an open line of communication with them) which I did, and my few friends that knew about it were eventually persuaded that I wasn't some junkie.
I started off taking tablets and within 3 weeks I started to see results. I have since switched to powder, became moderator of AbsoluteAcneInfo and created this site.
The rest is indeed history.
It is my sincere hope that this website continues to provide you with objective and honest information; the very same information that I was desperate to find years ago. Do not let acne rob you of what is important...YOU! Use the frustration and anguish you feel to positively affect your person. I know that it CAN be beaten.
May acne make you stronger and may wisdom make you wise.
Regards,
GP
PS In case you're wondering, the first testimonial on the website is me!
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