The End of an Era (Hopefully)

I've had bad skin for about 30 years now. Not really bad skin. Not bad enough that if you sat next to me on the bus, you'd say, "Oh, that poor thing." If my skin was that bad I would have done something done about it long ago.

Instead my skin is just bad enough to sap a lot of my time, energy, money and self-esteem. I've got a little of it all: monthly hormonal break outs, a few acne scars, uneven color, stray facial hairs. Every morning I spend an enormous amount of time tending to it. Then I can go out without scaring children, or horrifying you if you so happen to sit beside me on the bus.

I went to a new dermatologist today. It was rough to go out of the house without foundation. But I did it. And since he's a dermatologist, he's seen worse and wasn't the least bit horrified. He pretty much contradicted everything my former doctor told me. Yes, I can use a topical cream on my monthly break-outs. Yes, I am a candidate for laser hair removal. Yes, he can help me even out my skin color/tone.

I wish I wasn't so shallow. I wish this didn't fill me with relief. I wish I didn't care so much.

But I do.