She tried nine face washes in six months. From foaming cleansers to gel-based purifiers, charcoal masks to neem-based herbal concoctions, each promised glowing skin and freedom from acne. Some even claimed overnight miracles. The bottles kept piling up like trophies of a war lost in the bathroom cabinet. And then one day, she gave up. That was the day her acne started to clear up.
I remember her distinctly. She walked into my clinic with a heavy bag, not of medicines, but emotions. Hope, frustration, and a little guilt. “Doctor,” she said, “I’ve washed my face like a sinner trying to wash away karma.” I couldn’t help but laugh.
She was 24, worked in digital marketing, and had a skin-care regimen more intense than most people’s workout routines. She followed skinfluencers, read reviews religiously, and knew more about salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid than an intern in dermatology. But her face told a different story.
Research indicates that acne is multifactorial, influenced by hormonal imbalances, stress, diet, genetics, and even sleep deprivation. But in India, it’s also your aunt at a wedding pointing at your cheek and asking, “What happened here?”—like your pimple has committed a crime.
In my 25 years of practice, I have seen thousands of faces. Teenage boys, brides-to-be, models, anxious mothers, software engineers working the graveyard shift—all battling their breakouts. I have realised that acne is not just skin deep. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It scratches at your self-worth. A mirror becomes a battleground. And often, the enemy is not the acne. It’s the obsession to fix it.
One college student once told me, “Sir, I have washed my face so many times, I think it’s offended.” He wasn’t wrong. Over-cleansing, over-scrubbing, over-thinking—it all adds up. Your skin, like you, sometimes needs a break.
I have had patients cry because a wedding was around the corner, and a pimple popped up like an uninvited guest. One groom came three days before his marriage with a massive pimple on his nose. “Doctor, I’ll look like Rudolph in all my wedding photos!” We fixed it—primarily through rest, hydration, and Dashanga lepa.
Let’s talk about those DIY face packs everyone loves and Google has turned into gospel.
What I have seen work in my practice is here.
1. Besan + curd + a pinch of turmeric. You can use this once a week, not every day. Let your skin breathe.
2. Fresh aloe vera pulp straight from the leaf. Not the bottled ones with ‘99% pure’ claims. The fresh one has enzymes that soothe inflamed skin.
3. Multani mitti, rose water, and sandalwood powder. Cooling, especially in summer, but don’t let it dry too much on your face—it sucks moisture too.
4. Crushed neem leaves + honey. Antibacterial magic. Very effective in humid climates.
The real secret? Don’t change your face pack every week. Consistency beats novelty.
Then there’s food.
I have found a strong link between acne and diet. One young girl had been suffering from cystic acne for five years. She was a gym freak, drank protein shakes twice a day. When we eliminated that and reduced her dairy intake, her skin cleared up in three months. No cream can compete with clean food.
Here are some dietary shifts that work.
Reduce sugar. That extra sweet chai or dessert you’re treating yourself to might be quietly fueling your acne.
Cut down on dairy. Paneer may be good for the soul, but not always for the skin.
Eat more fibre. Skin is also an organ of elimination. If your gut is sluggish, your skin takes the brunt of it.
Hydrate. Not with energy drinks. Just plain, boring, beautiful water.
Add zinc-rich foods, such as pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and spinach.
But more than anything, stress is the master puppeteer.
I have seen students break out right before exams, brides flare up while planning their big day, and one tech manager erupt like clockwork with every project deadline.
Meditation helps. Deep sleep helps more. I tell my patients that acne often clears when life slows down. There is no cream for inner peace, but a walk in Bangalore Park might be a start.
One little-known fact? Pillowcases and phones. Your phone screen is a petri dish. Wipe it. Your pillowcase collects oil, sweat, and bacteria. Change it twice a week. I have had acne-prone patients see visible improvement just by doing this.
Let’s not forget makeup. One of my patients once told me, “I use a concealer to hide my acne, but I think the concealer is causing it.” She wasn’t wrong. Many off-the-shelf products clog pores. And no, “non-comedogenic” isn’t always truthful. Read the label. Then read between the lines.
A 32-year-old artist walked into my clinic after trying everything from Korean skincare to microdermabrasion. I asked her what her skin wanted. She stared at me, puzzled. “No one’s asked me that before.” I said, “Stop everything. Let it be.”
She came back after a month. No new creams, no face wash, no stress. Just sleep, salads, sun, and laughter. She looked radiant. “I didn’t heal my skin,” she said. “I stopped attacking it.”
That’s the truth. Healing begins not when you do more, but when you stop more.
We’ve become too harsh on our faces—scrubbing them raw, squeezing them, peeling them like oranges. And for what? Instagram-filtered skin? There is beauty in a lived-in face: scars, freckles, and all.
Stop fighting your skin. Listen to it. That pimple might be your body’s way of saying—slow down, breathe, take care.
