Much to my dismay, I’ve suffered from oily, acne-prone skin since my early teens. If I’d been given a dollar for every piece of annoying acne advice I’ve ever gotten, I’d be a very rich and very happy woman. But instead, here I am, well into my 20s and still dealing with breakouts. From doctors to friends, family and even strangers on the street, I’ve heard it all, and if you’re reading this, I’m sure you have too. So here is a compilation of all the things we’re totally sick of hearing.

#1 “You really shouldn’t squeeze that pimple.”

This isn’t my first rodeo, love, I’m aware of that. But when I said I needed to accessorise for my date tonight, a whitehead the size of Tasmania smack bang in the middle of my forehead is not really what I was after.

bh tip: If you can avoid squeezing the pimple, you should. Instead, apply Extract It to the culprit.

#2 “Do you sleep with your make-up on?”

Not only have I removed every last shred of make-up, but I’ve also cleansed my skin (twice), toned it and followed this with a spot treatment.

bh recommends: Avène Cleanance Micellar Water, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, Pelactiv Essential Clarifying Toner, Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Spot Treatment

#3 “Maybe it’s your diet.”

If I have to give up gluten, dairy AND sugar, what else is left to enjoy at meal times?

#4 “Have you tried cutting out chocolate?”

Have you read this article?

#5 “Your skin looks fine to me!”

I appreciate that you’re trying to make me feel better, but you, I and everybody else in a 10-metre radius can see the ginormous spot on my face.

#6 “Ugh, I’m breaking out too.”

If you complain about one tiny, that-time-of-the-month pimple to me, when my face is full of the pesky buggers no matter the time, I may end our friendship on the spot. Pun intended.

#7 “It’s just hormones, you’ll grow out of it.”

I may have believed you when I was 14, but 10 years later, I’m not so sure.

#8 “Have you tried [insert popular brand here]? It worked for me/my neighbour/her second cousin’s sister.”

What works for you will not necessarily work for me too, but thanks for the recommendation. I’ll add it to the list.

#9 “Just pop on some foundation and forget about it.”

Easy for you to say, Miss Porcelain Skin. Meanwhile I’m over here looking like Miss Rocky Road.

#10 “You shouldn’t wear make-up every day.”

Maybe you’re right, but maybe I like to pretend I have good skin during work hours.

bh tip: Aim for at least one ‘make-up-free day’ a week. It allows your skin to breathe, and your complexion will thank you for it.

#11 “Does that hurt?”

Large, inflamed cystic acne is not just unsightly, but painful too. I’m a lucky girl, I know.

#12 “It doesn’t look like the type of acne that will scar, so at least you’ve got that.”

My future self is thankful, but my current self is still focusing on the mounds on my face and how to get rid of/cover/forget about them forever.

#13 “You look so different without make-up!”

Somehow I don’t think that was a compliment, but I'll take it anyway.

Do you suffer from acne? What other advice are you sick of hearing?

105 Member Comments

EvyG 10 Sep 2016 10:35 AM

Doesn't wear makeup

"Are you sick?" "No, this is just my face" -.-

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Yohanna 14 Oct 2016 5:23 PM

hahahahha...yes! My sis has paler skin and blonde hair, brows, lashes so people do ask her same =D

Lindsay888 2 Sep 2016 4:16 PM

I read online that nappy rash cream like Bepanthan cream works wonders on acne. I've got some on now actually, but I've just started trying it out. Google it, a lot of people are raving about it!

Kryszia 31 Aug 2016 5:53 PM

29 and still dealing with this! Does it ever end?!

Ellisha Leen 28 Aug 2016 2:55 AM

The struggle is real. Always nice to know that others share my annoying post team trauma lol

Karen326 5 Aug 2016 8:29 PM

The nerve on some people hey? I kinda feel that any comment on my acne is insensitive, unless I brought up the topic myself. I’ve always broken out more than the average person. I wouldn’t wish these experiences on anyone, but it is a comfort to read this article & comments and know that I’m not alone :)

Beautybabe140194 2 Aug 2016 11:08 PM

I hate the you look so different without makeup, it is a total confidence killer.

sakura783 2 Aug 2016 10:41 PM

7 “It’s just hormones, you’ll grow out of it.” is such a classic. I've hearing it all my life ;-/

MoonlightSak16 2 Aug 2016 4:55 PM

Yes the thing I dislike the most is people giving me advice like home remedies and what not and assuming that I dont take care of my skin. Or when I go to a salon to get my hair done or my eyebrows the beautician goes on about how bad my skin looks and I should be visiting their salon often for facials,microdermabrasion and what not to get better skin. I know its a sales pitch but I just hate it , I know I have bad skin , I dont need people to point it out to me.

Marza 2 Aug 2016 12:54 PM

I will not give up chocolate

fortune favours the beautiful 2 Aug 2016 9:56 AM

I have had worse acne as an adult than I ever did as a teenager. Thing that helped most was fixing my liver. Once liver is better, hormones naturally balance and pesky acne goes away. Had to stop drinking though

Sam91 2 Aug 2016 7:37 AM

This would be hard to deal with on a regular basis.

misfortune8 2 Aug 2016 6:39 AM

49 years old, in perimenopause, currently sporting a layer of Clearasil from the new tube I bought a few weeks ago. I've ALWAYS got a tube of Clearasil on the go. I like to jokingly refer to it as my "youthful" complexion.

Jlgaddes 1 Aug 2016 11:24 PM

Good article, I don't suffer from acne but can imagine how upsetting it would be people telling you how to try and clear up your skin.

Elsje 1 Aug 2016 11:11 PM

THIS IS MY LIFE. Oh my gosh. I've had to put up with this talk for so many years and still going. Acne is hard work.

Jannz 1 Aug 2016 7:12 PM

Haha, these are brilliant. I remember being extremely self conscious of acne/pimples when I was a teen, but luckily since my late teens I haven't really suffered from them.

Gilded 1 Aug 2016 2:59 PM

My aunt told me to exfoliate my face with a scrub and scrub really hard. Umm no that would make things worse. Just the general assumption that I didn't cleanse my skin was annoying as if I enjoyed getting acne. Also ppl suggesting makeup was making me breakout. Umm no I started wearing makeup after I started breaking out.

Jessica712 1 Aug 2016 1:49 PM

Yes! I know people mean well but sometimes I get frustrated with hearing some of their (well-meaning) helpful advice. When you are doing everything right and still get pimples anyway.

Simonja 1 Aug 2016 1:41 PM

Yep, this is the advice that all girls and boys, old or young, have heard over and over for decades. I hate my odd pimple too but I don't think it comes from eating too much chocolate or wearing make up.

cosmoslyn 1 Aug 2016 1:22 PM

someone should come up with an article: retorts for these rude comments ... it will be fun!

MelissaFay89 1 Aug 2016 11:11 AM

This is so relatable! Mine isn't acne just constant pimples and dermatitis its like nothing ever works :(

PandaBear18 1 Aug 2016 9:54 AM

it was funny at 10, at 24 it's just damn rude

Meedee 1 Aug 2016 7:44 AM

I dont any more but when I was a young teen I had a lot of pimples. I remember one morning on my walk to school I called in at a friends house to walk with her the rest of the way. As we were leaving her Mum came out and said to her "Did you wash your face?" ...she responded that she had and then her Mum looked at me and said "Good...because if you dont you will end up with horrible pimples" ...I didnt say anything of course. Some people are so rude.

skincare junkie 1 Aug 2016 7:38 AM

P.s. I dont think the link in the chocolate section is working. I am really interested to read that article!

skincare junkie 1 Aug 2016 7:37 AM

I am very lucky I never have to battle serious acne. Occasional or hormonal breakout yes, breakout to products yes, but at least they are manageable. Thanks for this article I'll be more conscious of what I say.

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The most annoying acne advice we’re sick of hearing