In case you need to be reminded, having acne is totally normal—not even celebrities and influencers, who seem to have flawless skin, are exempted from it. In fact, many of them have stepped up to share their personal experiences with their breakouts online.
Check out these Pinays who got real about their acne struggles:
(Ed's note: When it comes to treating acne, it's always best to trust a dermatologist)
Bianca Gonzalez
Like many of us, Bianca Gonzalez suffered from acne breakouts during the quarantine. On Instagram, the TV host shared a bare-faced selfie and opened up about how getting acne has affected her self-esteem. "No filter. Obviously," she wrote. "I know this might raise eyebrows or make some people say 'yuck,' but I shared a picture of my skin breakout a few days ago on [Instagram] Stories and got overwhelming messages from so many of you. What I posted was, 'I know there are much bigger problems in the world right now, but to anyone suffering from acne, know that you are not alone.' I guess I wanted to share this [with] those in the same situation who might be reading this. Again, yes, napakaraming mas malaking problema, but I feel you na nakakababa talaga ng self-esteem kapag nag-breakout, lalo at madalas sa WFH, mukha talaga natin ang nakikita ng iba."
According to Bianca, she began breaking out after trying out a new skincare product. "This whole quarantine I have not gone to the derma. I have just stuck to my personal no-fail few skincare steps. Kaso nung nag-try ako ng bago, ayun, nalagot. I tried a retinol cream at yun pala, hindi ako hiyang."
She continued: "To anyone suffering from acne, don't feel bad because 'you're not supposed to feel bad' about such a 'small' problem. Your feelings are valid! Consult a derma if you can sa Telemedicine apps. And know na hindi ka nag-iisa."
Kyline Alcantara
In October 2019, Kyline spoke up about her struggles with acne. "It started with one zit, and then it became two until I can't count them anymore," she shared in a lengthy Instagram post, which contains photos from when her acne was at its worst. "There were times before na habang nag-aayos ako for [a] showbiz commitment na bigla na lang ako naiiyak because at the back of my head, [I thought], 'How am I gonna face them?'"
According to Kyline, she heavily relied on makeup to cover her blemishes. She also tried out different skincare products in the hopes of treating her acne. Unfortunately, "wala, 'di din nag-effect," she said. After consulting a dermatologist, the singer-actress found out that she has sensitive skin, which is why the specialist advised her to simplify her routine.
Her advice? "Don’t stress yourself over something to be perfect because it will not come. Accept your uniqueness and use it to your advantage."
Janina Vela
In a Twitter post, content creator Janina Vela opened up about her skin problems, especially as someone who grew up having acne-prone skin. "My skin has always been an insecurity for me,” she confessed. "Being on-screen almost every day as a teenager wasn't easy for someone so acne-prone as I was. My skin has gotten better, but stress (and stress eating!) definitely brings bad days.”
She ended her post with an uplifting note: “Here's a little PSA for someone who might need to hear it: Pores are NORMAL. Whiteheads and blackheads are NORMAL. Discoloration is NORMAL. Acne is NORMAL.”
Laureen Uy
Laureen got emotional when she talked about her worst acne experience on YouTube.
During the pandemic, the influencer found out that the moisturizing cream that she had been using for years contained steroids. "Usually, they only tell you to use steroids cream for a maximum of two weeks and I've been using it for almost five years," she said. So since she had to stop using the product, Laureen suffered from major breakouts and other skin issues.
The other effects of steroid withdrawal include "burning sensation, itchiness on the face, bumps, and spidery rashes," Laureen shared.
Learning from this experience, the content creator advised, "[you need] to know the ingredients you put on your face. Be careful." When treating acne, it’s also important to be patient with your skin. "Hindi naman [after] one week or two weeks, makikita mo na yung difference. It really does take a while."
Watch the video below to know more about Laureen's acne journey: