It’s been 10 weeks since my very first consultation with Shamban, and I can’t believe how far I’ve come. Not just with my skin (which looks amazing), but also with my own confidence level. When I used to look in the mirror, my acne would be the first thing I noticed. But now, my skin isn’t something I think about all the time. It also makes it so much easier to open up to people, because I don’t assume they’re just staring at my face.

Although, it turns out, they are (in a good way). This morning I notice Ben staring at my face, and out of the blue he says, “Claire, your skin is SO clear,” and he touches my cheek. I almost start to cry. Thinking back to my first date with Ben last year, when I was so self-conscious of my skin, this is a huge deal for me.

To keep my skin clear, and reduce the few remaining scars I have, Shamban tells me to continue my at-home program of topical creams, oral medication, and birth control pills. This isn’t an easy decision, because I remember how much I despised taking pills, and I’m definitely not planning to be on medication forever. But it’s working, so I think I’ll stick with this regimen and not give up as easily as I did before. And even though I still question why this is something that I have to deal with and other people don’t, I finally feel a little bit of hope after seeing how much better my skin looks.

Next: See how much each treatment cost and get at-home alternatives