7 Women Get Real About Living With Acne

June is Acne Awareness Month, and even though adult acne is on the rise, skin conditions tend to be wrongly stigmatized and mistreated.

To mark Acne Awareness Month, we enlisted three influencers to share their struggles with acne, removing their makeup and revealing the emotional ups and downs of their condition.

We also asked Yahoo Beauty readers to share their own struggles. Now that Acne Awareness Month is coming to a close, we’ve rounded up seven of the most moving, inspirational, and relatable stories. Scroll on to read these personal acne narratives.

I don't think people know or understand the severity of the condition tht my skin was in. In 2012 I stopped taking birth control and as result I had a hormonal imbalance that caused cystic hormonal acne on my chin and jawline. In addition, my skin keloids so my skin was never able to heal from the trauma of acne instead to heal itself it kept forming scar tissue and forming keloids. Doctors don't know too much about keloids, and they only wanted to put me back on birth control. I refused to take birth control ever again, and I went on a long 4-5 year journey learning my body and treating myself with hollistic alternatives. Over the years I've learned to love myself so deeply because almost every single person I called a friend switched up on me, I went through evrything by myself. My family are strangers now, i dont have brothers/sisters or support. No one believed me when I said I was depressed, people who havent seen me said, "it's not that bad" basically like I should just get over it. People either stared at me or treated me like I was invisible. I'm so thankful for every lesson I learned because I wouldnt have learned them any other way because im super hard headed. When I could no longer hide my flaws is when I had to grow up and do some major soul searching and work to just believe in myself, to know my worth and to persevere. To trust god, to love God(Yah), to know him. I will not explain myself or situation anymore on here, but I want to share this for anyone else struggling with something that they think wont get better, it takes time, but things get better. | ps-it's a few ppl I hold dearly to my heart because they've always been there making sure I know and see my beauty. Thank you| @Yahoostylebeauty #testimony #acneunfiltered #naturalista #miracleandmesses #selfcare #flawsandall #keloids #hollistic #faith #shareyourstory #empower #inspire #persevere #skincondition #hormonalacne #nevergiveup #trustyourjourney #courage #Grace #life #bodypositive #keloids #loveyourself

A post shared by Quan|YAH|ria (@lovelylavish_) on Jun 12, 2017 at 11:16am PDT

TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY So I never thought in a million years that I would ever have the courage to let any of these photos see the light of day, never mind putting them out for the world to see! But since it's acne awareness month, I can't see a more fitting time to share my experiences. TOP LEFT – I think this image speaks volumes in itself. Any time I washed my face, it bled. I got up 2 hours before I started work to wash my face, wait for it to stop bleeding and then apply a full face of makeup. I felt ugly, disgusting, and totally ashamed of my face. The very thought of being seen without makeup on would have given me heart palpitations. BOTTOM LEFT – One moment captured of the hours upon hours that I have spent crying so hard that it hurt… all over the state of my skin. I think a lot of people don't quite understand how much acne affects you as a person. Your confidence and perception of your value – ROCK BOTTOM. It's not just a few spots that you need to catch yourself on about. TOP RIGHT – Finally happy bare skinned. Something I had previously accepted I would never be. This is an example of the law of attraction in action – think it in your head and you'll hold it in your hand. I know this sounds completely crazy but it just works. BOTTOM RIGHT – I actually have to double take at this image, in disbelief that it is me. Me with a real smile reflecting inner happiness. You don't have to suffer with acne forever. I know all too well how hopeless everything seems at the time…I suffered for over 10 years. But it can be cured ! By no means is my skin perfect now. I still get spots from eating certain foods, stress, not sleeping etc. but I just embrace them now. Your skin does not define you and spots definitely DO NOT make you any less beautiful. My personal opinion is that it's what is in the inside that matters most ❤️

A post shared by Amy Robb. Plantbased&proud (@survivingnowthriving) on Jun 27, 2017 at 10:00am PDT

Only a couple more days left of #acneawarenessmonth I suffered from acne since I was thirteen. The ups and downs I've had can be attributed to several factors including hormones, diet, stress, and make-up. The picture on the left was a year ago after I got a facial treatment that traumatized my skin. My skin was mostly clear before that treatment. The lesson in that for me was to check with a dermatologist before I try anything new. The photo on the right was taken a week ago after I stopped taking a strain of tetracycline. It gave me hyper-pigmentation under my eyes and made me break out on my chest (allergic reaction). I was so against pills and it goes to show my desperation. I stopped taking it and my chest and face are better! I believe dietary changes have helped loads. I eat a high fat, alkaline diet. Acne is an inflammatory issue and alkaline foods are anti-inflammatory I have also stopped wearing make-up and using any facial products to give my skin a break. Not wearing make-up is one of the scariest and most empowering things I've ever done. I've worn make-up almost every day since I was a teenager. It made me feel confident even when I felt extremely insecure about myself. I thank it for that, but it's time now that I let myself be free because I'm honestly so done with hiding. I'm so much more than my acne. I know that now, but it's taken a long time to get here. My mental health plummeted since my acne returned as pictured on the left. What helped me to accept myself was getting advice from others with acne who understand. Talking with them and listening to their stories gave me strength to address my critical voice, one of the underlying causes of my acne. My journey with acne is now less about my skin and more about self-compassion. So now I just have scars. We all have those. But instead of ripping mine open everyday, I choose to heal them with care by gently letting them be as they are without judgment. I hope that my story can inspire others as I've been inspired by the stories of others. Special thank you to @asprinkleofhealthandbeauty for her example. To readers, please know your pain is valid. You aren't alone. We can heal together.

A post shared by SJ (@_clearlightminds_) on Jun 28, 2017 at 1:32am PDT

Read more from Yahoo Beauty + Style:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.