Several months ago, I ushered in a very unwelcome visitor. Usually, I like guests. This one, however, was not friendly at all.
Acne.
Sweat-induced, gross, tiny little pimples all over my face. Forehead, chin, cheeks, temples. Sometimes, even in my eyebrows and eyelids. It wasn’t pretty at all.
One day, My Gazelle came home from work and told me that I looked like a monster. He wasn’t being mean–he thought it was pretty cool actually. You know, how one woman can go from clear, pristine, beautiful skin one day, to fire-breathing dragon skin lady the next. To him, it was sort of super-hero-transformation-ish. To me, it was agony.
After I stopped crying, I called the doctor.
I asked my general practitioner to refer me to a dermatologist, because surely this type of horrible condition requires a specialist. Right?
This is how the converation went:
Me: I have this terrible acne thing. I’ve never had acne. Even as a teenager, I had clear skin. I’m really upset about it, I want to lock myself in a room from Monday-Wednesday every week after my long run and be invisible to the world. I most assuredly need a referral to a dermatologist, because I just cannot live my life this way. It’s embarrassing and I hate it…(insert further long-winded ranting here).
Dr: Do you want me to treat it?
Me: Can YOU?
Dr. What do I look like, a potted plant?
Me: Uh…err…uh…mehhhh…ummmmm….
Because really, how do you answer that question? I’ve never had anyone ask me if they looked like a potted plant before. I wanted to tell him that he looked more like a topiary, but I just didn’t think that would go over very well.
Dr: The summer will be over by the time you get in to see a dermatologist.
Me: (that was all I needed to hear) YES, please, treat it!
So, Dr. Topiary proceeded to tell me that what I have is commonly referred to as Rosacea, which encompasses a whole slew of symptoms surrounding skin irritation, itching, puffiness, redness, pimple-like formations, and grossness. I was experiencing all of the above.
He gave me a prescription for metronidazole cream, to be applied morning and night after washing my face. I’m not too keen on drugs to treat conditions, but this time I was making an exception.
I’ve been using the cream now for about 6 weeks, and the stuff has worked like a charm. Not only has it cleared up all traces of the ‘pimples’ that were appearing after I worked out, but it also seems to have cleared up my historically dry skin (which is also another symptom of Rosacea).
I couldn’t be happier to be back to my old, clear-skinned self.
Just kidding.
Such a kidder.
