‘Just as everyone’s spots were clearing up, mine became worse’: Woman, 28, who had perfect skin throughout her teenage years is left with a permanently scarred face after developing severe acne in her TWENTIES
- Emilie Love first developed minor breaks outs when she was 16 years old
- Years later, her blemishes turned into cystic acne – nodules deep in the skin
- Ms Love’s confidence took a battering as she was left feeling ‘ugly’
- Cruel strangers stared in shock and even asked if her acne was painful
- Ms Love has scars due to her refusing to accept, and therefore treat, her acne
A woman has been left with a permanently scarred face after developing severe acne in her 20s.
Emilie Love, now 28, from Hampshire, first suffered minor break outs at 16, however, it was not until her early 20s that her blemishes turned into cystic acne – painful nodules deep in the skin.
Ms Love’s confidence plummeted due to her battling acne at the same that all her friends’ pubescent break outs started to clear up.
‘I felt so insecure and ugly, like I wasn’t attractive anymore,’ she said.
‘The reactions I got from other people were shocked faces and they would ask me whether or not it hurt.’
A family friend even told Ms Love to wear make-up to find her blemishes.
Due to her refusing to accept or treat her condition for many years, Ms Love has been left with severe scars and is encouraging others to be more proactive about treatment.
Emilie Love has been left with a permanently scarred face (seen on her cheek) after developing severe acne in her 20s. A family friend told Ms Love she should cover up with make-up
Ms Love first suffered minor break outs at 16, however, it was not until her early 20s that her blemishes turned into cystic acne (pictured) – painful nodules deep in the skin.
‘I noticed my first proper big spot on my forehead when I was 16 years old, and I remember at the time I had a fringe and so I put it down to that,’ Ms Love said.
‘In more recent years it became cystic and that left me with acne scars.
‘I had clear skin up until my mid-teens, and as I went into my early 20s my skin became worse, just as everyone else’s was clearing up from their teenage years.
‘I felt so insecure and ugly, like I wasn’t attractive anymore.
She added: ‘The reactions I got from other people were shocked faces and they would ask me whether or not it hurt.
‘I remember a family friend said that I looked better when wearing makeup.’
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Although she has learnt to accept her condition and her lasting scars, Ms Love still has moments where she feels insecure.
‘I have good days and I have bad days, I am only human after all,’ she said.
‘If I develop new spots it can drag me down.
‘When I’m having a good day, I can go out shopping without any makeup on because I just think to myself, ‘why should I cover it up?’
‘I can’t help the fact that I have acne and so why should it be something to be ashamed of? Especially when so many other people suffer with the same condition.’
Ms Love’s confidence plummeted in her early 20s when she developed acne while all of her friends’ pubescent break outs started to clear up. ‘I felt so insecure and ugly,’ she said
Ms Love did not treat her acne for years, hoping it would just pass. She blames this for the scarring she has been left with and is encouraging others sufferers to be more proactive
To manage her acne, Ms Love takes the antibiotic trimethoprim 300mg twice a day, as well as a topical ointment that was prescribed by a dermatologist.
She has also adapted her lifestyle to prevent break outs.
‘Stress can cause my skin to flare up, as well as too much sugar,’ Ms Love said.
‘If I spend too much time outside in the sun, my acne and the scarring tend to go much redder in colour.’
Ms Love is looking into laser treatment to reduce the appearance of the scars on her face.
Cruel strangers would stare at her skin in shock and even ask if her break outs were painful
To manage her condition, Ms Love tries not to get stressed, and is pictured wearing a mud mask to try and improve her skin’s appearance. She also avoids sugar and being out in the sun
Ms Love began documenting her journey with acne on her Instagram page @myskinjournal in 2017 after other sufferers who shared their stories helped raise her confidence.
After years of not treating her acne and passing it off as nothing, Ms Love has been left with permanent scars.
She therefore wants to encourage other acne sufferers to be proactive about their treatment and look after their skin.
‘I would urge anyone suffering with skin issues to seek advice from their GP straight away and if necessary get referred to the dermatologist if you can,’ Ms Love said.
‘I just accepted my acne for so many years and I left it as it was.
‘I really wish I hadn’t done that because I don’t think I’d have the scarring I do today if I had done something sooner.
‘Don’t be hard on yourself, it’s not your fault that you have acne. It’s normal and nearly everyone will experience it in their lifetime.’
Since learning how to minimise her break outs and scarring, Ms Love is back to feeling confident in her own skin again but still has days when her complexion drags her down
She sometimes goes out with make-up, claiming she should not have to hide her scars when so many people suffer from acne. She is considering laser therapy to minimise their appearance
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