ballerinanurse

Hello everyone. I am brand new here, and this is my first post, so I hope I am in the right forum!!!

My name is Heather, and I have had severe acne since I was 12 (which is when my period started as well). Fast forward, now I'm early 30's and still have acne, but not as severe..and lots and lots of scars. I did accutane twice, did everything. However, I recently underwent a hysterectomy for cancer, so now my hormones are way out of whack (they never were right, ever, so I guess that's okay). My skin is very oily, and even with the radiation I had, my acne stayed. It is horibbly EMBARRASSING to be a 30-something and look like you are in high school with zits everywhere. I was a RN before I got sidelined by this cancer and a back injury, and it is SO humiliating to still battle this. I know the lower end of normal for a girl to start puberty is at 8. But 7? Seems kind of iffy to me..but I know what I saw. My COBRA insurance is about to run out since I've been out of work so long for cancer. From then on I'll have to pay cash for medical visits. The derm I used to go to has moved to bigger and better things and in his place is a doc I don't like. there are not a lot of derms in my area. I was hoping and praying shed wouldn't end up with my skin. Her dad has beautiful, smooth skin. I just don't know what to do. Her skin is VERY sensitive to everything and I am at a loss at what to do. Has anyone had a child go through this so YOUNG??? I know how terribly embarrassing it is to have acne, especially severe acne, and I would do just about anything to prevent my kids from having the same ordeal with acne and horrible doctors who didn't even care!!! When I was going through it, most of them said "Hey, you'll outgrow it!" or "It's what's inside that counts" or something stupid like that. Yes, of course, we all have some beautiful insides, but only if you grew up with severe, cysts all over your face, whitehead and blackheads galore...no one takes the time to care about what you're like on the inside. They're too busy laughting at you!!!

My daughter already is suffering of extreme anxiety, and this is just making things worse!!! And, she keeps picking, which of course I have told her not to, but she doesn't listen. Sigh. I know she will get picked relentlessly.

***I apologize for any typos, it's really late at 4:45 AM!!!****