tried everything...

I've had acne for about 10 years now as well. Also went down the route of trying western, then chinese, then back to western - throughout this time I tried everything from different doses of western drugs, acupuncture, to chinese medicine. Nothing seemed to work. I also went on a course of roaccutane for over 6 months. During that time, my skin did clear up (it was PERFECT!!!), but when I stopped, it came back again, albeit not as serious as before.

Then last summer, I spent 3 hrs everday in the gym sweating it out, and eating healthy. I completely agree with you that eventually, it all comes down to a healthy lifestyle. My skin was completely clear, smooth and without a blemish. Exactly like you said, if you want to keep your skin beautiful in the long term, you must make long-term changes. Sadly, this year, during exam time my skin acted up again, and now I've been left with numerous scars on both sides of my face. Since exams are over now, my skin has calmed down, but it's going to take awhile for everything to go away again.

Your story has helped to encourage me to continue try and be healthier. Thanks for sharing!

Yvette's reply: Dealing with difficult acne is definitely a long-term process. Some people are lucky, and they're able to find a solution that works well for them.

However, acne is an external sign that there is an imbalance in the body. Consider yourself fortunate that your body tells you when something needs to be fixed. Working on maintaining a healthy lifestyle will go a long way in disease prevention in later years.

Good luck with changing your lifestyle habits, and have fun with it!