Acne affecting bids?
 

Hi, I'm about to be a freshman at University of Wisconsin - Madison. (I'm also new to GreekChat, so-hello!) I'm really interested in going through recruitment and joining a sorority. However, I'm kind of worried about how physical appearance will affect my bids. I have moderate/severe acne. It's completely genetic, I'm really the cleanest person you will ever meet. With makeup, it's not awful as without but it's still kind of prominent. There's nothing else I think would affect rush, but I guess it makes me a little nervous about trying. In everyday life, I don't let it affect me, I don't carry myself as if I'm ashamed of it (although in college without knowing anyone I admit it will be tough) and I have been able to have a pretty normal life. I'm just wondering because this seems to be a really appearance-based kind of thing, and I was wondering how badly it might hurt my chances at UW-Madison. I have good grades, extracurriculars, good stories to tell - I think otherwise I'm a really good candidate.

Thank you so much for reading :)

I can't comment on your particular school. But don't predetermine that recruitment is an "Appearance-based kind of thing" Go in with an open mind and just enjoy recruitment.

First off everyone has acne. I'm 31 and I still get acne when I am stressed out. It's life. Second, would you want to be in a chapter that couldn't see past the acne? The answer is probably no. You need to go in and be yourself and let your personality shine though and stop worrying about your acne. If that is your "focus", the chapters will notice it, and it will be the personality (or lack there of) that gets you dropped not your acne.

I agree with this. If it is really on your mind, it will show and you won't appear as confident or secure in yourself as you might normally.

I will share a secret with you - Proactiv.

It's about $20 a month (for the basic package) and it works. If you start now, chances are, your acne can be greatly improved by the time school starts.

There's actually a commercial for Proactiv that shows a girl who "moved into a sorority and realized that the secret behind their beautiful skin is Proactiv." When you think about the things you spend money on, $20 a month isn't all that much. If you find it too strong (and they have a money-back guarantee), use a little less.

Some people find relief in competitors to Proactiv (similar 3-step systems) but it can't really hurt to try it out.

And I am not saying this bc a sorority will drop you simply because you have acne, but because we all want fresh, clear skin. I'd love to hear if you try it out.

Proactiv works for a lot of people, but be aware that it can stain your clothes (mainly at the collars).

Sometimes Proactiv isn't enough. You can always consult a dermatologist. After years of struggling and trying pretty much every commercial treatment out there, I finally went to a dermatologist to get my skin under control, and the prescriptions I've received have made a massive difference overall.


Other than that, work on presenting yourself in the best way possible overall. Be confident in your resume, in your appearance and in your qualities. Buying and learning to use makeup that hides your acne and accentuates your other features can help, but letting your personality shine through is most important.

Also be aware that it's nearly impossible to stop using Proactiv. Once you stop using it, the acne always comes back, and a great deal of the time, comes back worse than before. Like the other posters have said, check with a doctor!

You seem pretty confident otherwise; focus on those aspects and have a great recruitment! Good luck:)

If you haven't seen a dermatologist, I recommend that you do. Moderate to severe acne left untreated can lead to severe scarring of the skin. A dermatologist can really improve your skin and help preserve your skin texture. You don't have to live with such severe acne.

1. Proactiv's not really a secret - most people have heard of it...thank-you Kelly Clarkson and Jessica Simpson.

2.10 to 1 odds the OP has tried it.

Personally, it works well for me when I have an occasional breakout. YMMV.

The above posters have given you good information about self confidence. To add my two cents: go see a dermatologist. Acne can be a bacterial infection and there are medicines to clear it up that are not otc. (This is in addition to Proactiv which really does work on some people.)

obviously all schools are different and every case varies, but i have a little success story about this:

this past year i rushed (fairly competitive, but small school) with a bunch of my suitemates, ones of which had pretty moderate/severe acne. She was always so self conscious about it like late at night, when we were washing up for bed, but you would never be able to tell any other time because she was so sweet/funny and pretty much perfect lol. Anyway, skip to pref: she had 2 of the most desired sororities on campus (i KNOW this is frowned upon, but she ended up in the TOP sorority). No doubt it was because she was beautiful inside & out despite her acne.

You can guess what im trying to say :). Good luck with your rush and if any treatments don't work, really don't worry about it!

As long as you act like it isn't there, it probably won't effect how sororities see you. I still get spots occasionally at 23 and mine's genetic too, so I'm sure that it'll pop up whenever I'm stressed...forever. Make up helps, but pretending it's not there helps more. People aren't as likely to notice if you act like you've got the best skin in the world. It took me forever to realize that, but it's true.

You've probably seen a dermatologist before, but you might want to make an appointment about two months before recruitment to see if they have any suggestions for new/different medication that might help. For those of us that have it in our genes, it probably won't go away completely, but treating it is still important. Also be sure to ask your doctor for make up suggestions. Some brands and formulas can make acne worse. (And if you don't want to splurge on department store make up, ask for brands that are sold in drug stores. Nuetrogena is almost always a safe bet.) Also be sure you're washing your face twice a day, and especially at night to remove all the oil and make up from the day. You can also try a Zeno HotSpot...they're $40 and you get about 80 uses from them. They won't help with cystic acne, but they do help regular pimples, especially when you catch them early. The most important thing is to keep your skin healthy and get it under control so that you can avoid cysts and scars (and they all tell you not to touch it-really, don't. I have one scar on my chin because I didn't listen to that warning when I was 18.)

Also-if you do get acne cysts and are able to get to your dermatologist for a cortisone shot, do it. Those things hurt and the shot will dissolve it in about a day.

Aren't there cortizone treatments that can lessen the redness (at least temporarily)? That might be an option for recruitment at least.

I thought those were just for individual pimples, not your whole face.

Acnefree=Proactive's less expensive and (IMO) equally effective cousin. And this is coming from someone who dealt with SEVERE acne in HS.

And I second those recommending a dermatologist. Not only will they be able to recommend what would be best for you, they will also rule out any underlying issues, whether it be infection, hormones, etc.

I'll agree with everyone on the dermatologist. I only had a pimple here and there, until midway through this past semester. Probably due to a whole host of factors, I had a really severe breakout on both of my cheeks that lasted for several weeks. After a trip to the dermatologist, my acne started getting better within days. Two months later, I only get a pimple here and there. It was so worth it!

Please see a dermatologist. I once had horrific acne in college and all kinds of dry flaky redness. Turns out it was from using too much product and I needed to simplify things. He also gave me antibiotics and that helped a lot in the healing process.

Though it can be a touch costly, if you can see someone who does makeup, maybe in Nordstroms, a big Macys or Sephora you can learn some tips for coverage and get a quality product. At department stores there are always some free gift or special going on, and having someone show you how to use a product and getting free samples is always a plus.

I agree with everyone else about going to a dermatologist, but I also wanted to add that you may want to see if your derm or anyone you know can recommend a medspa with sulfur facials, microdermabrasion, or red & blue light therapy. The sulfur facials and microderm worked for me even after Accutane didn't work.

As a now-adult with random flare-ups, I've found that the Clarisonic brush helps keep my pores clean and keeps break-outs away.

But the bottom line is that you need to display confidence. If you hide behind your acne, no one will get to know you. Don't cake on your make-up. Do it nicely and naturally and be yourself.

I have used Retin-A for over twenty years. I started using it my twenties for acne, and now, I use it for wrinkles! It works beautifully for both, but it can be irritating at first. Retin-A is available in different strengths, and is available from a physician. My son is 14, and has/had moderate acne, but he recently started using Retin-A, and his skin is already starting to improve. Ask your doctor about it-

Proactiv didn't work for me. At 28, I finally saw a dermatologist and went on accutane. I don't care what kind of risks are involved with accutane, the crappy side effects I suffered during was the absolute best decision I ever made. I have had clear skin since January, and I cant even describe the relief...

I hope the original poster is taking comfort in the fact that so many sorority members and alums are outing themselves as fellow acne sufferers. It happens to the best of us, even sorority girls!

Bacteria happens.

Ok this is going to sound bizarre but I've tried dozens of over the counter and prescription products and nothing works. BUT....I finally found something that does...Apple cider vinegar! It is cheap and easily available. Just put it in a spray bottle and spray it on the area after you wash it. Yes the smell is not pleasant but it goes right away after it dries. If it burns/irritates your skin too bad, try diluting it with water. But seriously, it's the only thing that has worked for me.

I had mild acne when I pledge and used a benzoyl peroxide cream prescribed by a dermatologist that bleached everything. Very annoying! Later, another MD prescribed an antibiotic mixed in an alcohol based solution that you applied to your skin after washing. It was so awesome! I had the best skin with that product. I used that until I started taking the pill. I have had no acne since I started taking a low dose pill. Many people notice a vast improvement in their acne on birth control, though some pills actually make it worse.

You can be successful with acne, as these ladies have pointed out.

However, if you have whiteheads at recruitment time, I would really suggest popping them (correctly, of course, so that it doesn't lead to scarring). I personally find mega whiteheads distracting when I'm talking to someone and can't stop staring, no matter how much I tell myself to stop. You really don't want anything distracting girls from getting to know you!

Wow I'm not the only one! It is so much easier to cover up a red spot with make up then a whitehead. But I'm the same way, I find them distracting when I am talking to someone who has one. I keep thinking "I want to pop that thing and put make up over the red spot".

Thank you for all the advice :)

I suppose I did forget to mention that I have tried basically everything possible short of Accutane (which I can't take because I've been depressed before) and no luck. Dermatologists have basically told me that it's genetic and not a lot is going to work. I've done Proactiv for years, Murad, every other face wash product on the market, a variety of antibiotics, Retin-A...I'm unfortunately going to have to just wait it out, it seems like. I get very few scars, so that's good.

And, I personally am not very self-conscious about it, I don't let it bother me and I don't think it makes me an ugly person but I know that some people don't agree and therefore I thought it might affect recruitment. I'm going to go through recruitment though, and see what happens :)

have you tried birth control pills? i have known of several girls who felt that they had severe acne, had tried a myriad of products and prescriptions to no avail, and then tried birth control pills at the suggestion of their doctor and had dramatic results.

This might be a long shot, but have you had your hormone levels checked? Hormone imbalance can cause acne. I know of at least a few women who take the Pill for ongoing female issues such as PCOS, and their acne improved. Not saying this is your problem, but it's something to think about.

Sounds like you've done all you can do. At this point, just go in with a confident smile on your face. Sorority women aren't perfect, and we don't expect other women to be perfect. If you get released from a chapter just because you have acne, those are not the type of women that you need around you or the kind of women who will be true sisters! Good luck!

Good point. My hormones were so out of wack during my teenage years that I was put on the pill and one bonus was the clear skin that came out of it. Even now if I go off of it I break out like crazy.

All I can say is that I went to dermatologists and had "some" success, but I only really found success with acne when I found myself this Russian esthetician who is AMAZING and she does extractions, etc.

It's hard to say about bids, but if some people are "repulsed" by acne, then it could affect your chances. I feel that it's best not to sugar coat it.

I'm not sure if you've heard of Dermablend (and you probably would not want to wear it every day), but it gives phenomenal coverage to acne, port wine stains (i.e. what Gorbachev had) and can even cover tattoos (like the website shows). I have some scars on my legs and it does a great job of coverage.
http://www.dermablend.com/

Have you considered going in wearing a full-body parka and telling all of the girls that you were raised by Eskimos?

It's also a great conversation starter.

You could also try going through recruitment in a wheel-chair. No one will notice the acne, they will just call you "Wheel-Chair Girl".

Then on Pref night you can jump up from the wheel-chair, and you can tell them that the power of love that emitted from their sisterhood granted you the ability to walk again. You would be GUARANTEED a bid at that point.

LOVE this stuff. The day before my senior prom, I got this horrible v-neck sunburn and, of course, had a strapless dress. It was uncomfortable, but hey, it covered the burn perfectly!

LMAO!

Love....power.... it's the greatest power of them all...hey hey hey!

I didn't know about this stuff...I have scars on my legs, too and it would be nice to be able to help make them more subtle for big events. Thanks for posting it!

My favorite Luther song. :D

When we walk down the street
We don't care who we see or who we meet
Don't need to run don't need to hide
'cause we've got somethin' burnin inside
Yeaaaah...we got looooooooove....

Hey!

I'm a recent UW-Madison grad and I agree with what is said here. Know how to minimize your acne, but do not let it affect your personality. Be comfortable with yourself. Don't keep checking your appearance every ten seconds. Instead, just relax and be happy! Girls with acne have gotten bids before, but girls who seem miserable will have a much harder time.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Go Big Red!