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I was one of those lucky teenagers who had no real problem with acne. I sailed through adolescence with only two or three pimples – so few I can’t even remember them. I do remember, however, friends for whom those teenage years were a nightmare of agony and humiliation and for whom all the hype about youth and romance and young love seemed like some cruel joke. I felt sorry for them. I looked at the blemishes on their faces and wondered how they found the courage to get up out of bed each day.

Four weeks ago, out of nowhere, a strange boil appeared on my face. I actually don’t look at my face very carefully in the mirror most days. I know where everything is and there are usually no surprises, so I think this little intruder had been there a few days before I even noticed. When I did, it was a shock.

I am 51 years old, long past the age for acne. WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ABOUT? Naturally I assumed it would soon disappear.

It didn’t.

Makeup makes it worse. Keeping my hand over it is hard to maintain. Also, naturally, at least in my mind, it is all anyone can see when they meet me, although no one would dream of mentioning it. It drives me nuts.

It also makes me think about disability.

We talk about early intervention all the time, but it took me four weeks to ask our staff doctor about this thing, and I see him at least twice a week. I was embarrassed, I hoped it would go away, it didn’t seem important . . . in fact, it probably isn’t important, but if I could be so silly over nothing, it’s not difficult to understand why a parent might wait years to seek advice for a child with a real problem.

As it turns out, Dr Sebastian told me it looks like a growth, not a pimple, and that I should have it looked at by a skin specialist.So I have an appointment on Monday . Like all our parents, I am going in there hoping she will have an operation or a magic pill which will make this ugly thing disappear. If she tells me I will just have to learn to live with it, I may be one of the many “lost to follow up”.Like everyone else, I’m not interested in patience or therapy. I want a cure.