Frantically pulling your hair over your forehead or deliberately turning your face to the right during a photo is just some of the things that come with being cursed with acne. I don't know what's worse – emptying my wallet for anti-acne creams or having to tolerate the weird remarks and "remedies" that are thrown at me thanks to my less than perfect skin. 

Nature Heals All

Over the years, Good Samaritans have suggested some promising acne remedies, such as neem leaves. I've even been asked, or ordered, to apply ginger, tomatoes, daal, honey, eggs and every other  food item known to man ON my face. I love food as much as the next person, but I will think twice if someone asks me to smear my lunch on my face. If herbal/natural remedies were so simple and treated everything right away, pharmaceuticals wouldn't have to spend millions on research to determine what effects a natural ingredient may have on their medicines. P.S. I am not willing to sacrifice French fries to apply raw potato slices on my skin. 

Toothpaste

Applying some toothpaste on a pimple causes it to disappear overnight – not only is this a common belief among people, but also something you'll come across on TV. Newsflash: this is NOT an effective remedy and I learned that the hard way. White toothpaste may make a pimple go away in some cases, but it will leave a dark mark/scar on your face, bringing you back to square one. 

Don't You Wash Your Face? You Should.

This is common among aunties at dawats. I'm here minding my own business a.k.a devouring kacchi and I see this dear lady making her way towards me. Once she is content with commenting about my weight, she beckons me closer and suggests a secret remedy guaranteed to work for every teenager - "Make sure you wash your face every day." Wash my face, why didn't I think of that? All this time I've only been washing my face once a month and trying to wish each pimple away. You're saying this doesn't work?

It'll Just Go Away on its Own

"Acne is common for teenagers and will disappear once you become an adult," they've been telling me from the day I turned 13. So I'll only have to deal with this for 5 short years? That's reassuring. 

Drink water

Granted, being hydrated is likely to mean healthier skin, but if you have a serious acne problem like I do, simply chugging gallons of water is unlikely to solve it. 

Porte Bosho!

Being worried about my skin and trying to make it look better is a normal thing to do? Apparently not. What I really should be worrying about of course, are my grades. The age old remedy to any problem including heartbreak, depression and acne is, as always, "Porte bosho!"

If you're wondering what really started working for me in the end, it was something no one bothered to suggest – visiting a dermatologist.