More evidence life's not fair

Today, I'm going to talk about gross anatomical stuff. So skip it if you don't want to a) read about gross anatomical stuff; or b) listen to me whine.

Though, now that I think about it, if you didn't want to listen to me whine, you wouldn't be reading my blog in the first place, would you?

OK, minor disclaimer out of the way (the major disclaimer is at the bottom), today's topic is:

Zits.

(Pimples, acne, whiteheads, blackheads, whatever.)

I'm growing a new zit today. I can feel it. Right there, high on my left cheek, just under my eye.

Like many people, some of them Asian, I have mild acne. Well, maybe more than mild, but not the really, really bad kind.

We sometimes (at the paper) write about a drug called Accutane, which is some kind of treatment for cystic acne that may or may not cause people taking it to commit suicide. I never took it (I don't have cystic acne, just the regular icky kind), but I did once take another acne treatment, back when I was about 14.

That one was called Retin-A, and nowadays, I think it's a wrinkle-fighter. It's probably a wrinkle fighter because it dried my skin out so much it would literally flake off into my lap if I rubbed my face.

Anyway, while the doctor was trying to figure out what might fix my acne, he told me it would probably go away by the time I turned 18 or so.

I'm 30. Getting toward 31.

And I still get zits. On my face, on my body, wherever. And it still sucks.

And yes, I still hate that doctor for giving me false hope.

My complexion is already ruined, between the zits and the chicken pox I got when I was 10. So at least I get to pop the ugly little bastards now without much fear of doing myself any noticeable damage. That's actually kind of fun sometimes. A small measure of revenge.

I know some people who just sort of let them go, looking worse and worse, because they won't ruin their skin. To each his (or her) own. Some of them, it's probably the right choice. Others, it probably doesn't matter. Me, I just don't care.

It's not like my hygiene's particularly bad. I mean, I don't know that it's the best in the world (I'm not a girl with all those bath products and stuff), but I shower regularly, wash my hair and face and behind the ears and all that crap, so I think it must just be bad genes or bad luck or something.

I have really oily skin (and hair). That probably doesn't help.

Some places, zits are just more inconvenient than others. The other week I had one right where the top of my lip meets my skin. That hurt like hell and looked really bad.

(Because some zits go away in a day or so, others last for weeks, getting bigger and uglier. A lot depends on whether or not they have a head.)

My Dad asked me the other day where the word "zit" comes from. I have no idea. I guessed maybe it's the sound they make when they pop and spray stuff all over the bathroom mirror.

But perhaps I've said too much.

Links:
• Acne, which has its own Web site
• Propper popping technique, from the same site
• Asian skin care
• Accutane (take at your own risk?)
• Retin-A and its variants
• "Lancing a boil," which just sounds cool
• "Zits," the comic strip
• And a zit-popping game, if you want to play along

Well, I'm off to finish my application letter for head coach of the Raiders. Look for a news release by the Super Bowl!