An introduction

I have Rosacea.

You can't tell from pictures, usually. I look to have a light pink complexion, at worst

But it's a lie.

I rarely allow others to photograph me. Certainly not close up. Any photo I take myself ends up heavily edited to remove acne, scars, puffiness, and overall redness from my face.

Unedited vs Edited   

Both of these photos were taken the same night, within seconds of each other. The one on the left is unedited. The one on the right, I've matched the skin tone of my face with that of my neck, and removed acne blemishes.

I've been a sufferer of Rosacea for years. I have always had a very pink face. I remember in elementary school, a girl asked me if I was wearing blush. Growing up, adults would tell me how pretty my rosy cheeks were. As I became a teen, however, I got horrible (and I mean horrible) acne. A relative asked me if I had measles or mumps once because of how awful it was. I went to a dermatologist, but it didn't help. Into my 20s, I kept the very red face and occasional breakout, but I have never been pimple-free.

You can see the pink color and some blemishes. Age 22 or 23. Unedited.

In the last couple of years, however, it's taken a turn for the worse. No matter what I do I always have acne. My face seems redder than ever. And the worst of all is the flaky skin. It seems no matter how much I moisturize, my skin flakes and peels. It's incredibly embarrassing. If I use something to treat the acne, then my skin dries out. If I use something to treat the dryness, then my acne doesn't change. I've even tried doing nothing (I don't suggest it).

Nothing helps. So I recently decided that I'm going to make some changes, and I won't stop trying until something sticks.