I've Got Spots on the Brain

Given my current shingled condition, I suppose it's only natural that I'd start thinking about spots in general. And that thinking leads me to a more northernly part of my body - my face.

As a teenager, my skin was pretty flawless. I think I can count on one hand the number of blemishes I had before I turned 24. But then came the ravages of adult acne! ::insert appropriate horror movie scream here::

Since I hit my mid-twenties, I've been plagued by cystic acne on my chin and along my jawline, clogged pores in my T-zone, and a TON of whiteheads on my forehead (not to mention the lovely lines popping up around my eyes and the deep furrows I'm noticing above them).

Those OTC treatments haven't seemed to do anything (except maybe exacerbate the condition); I've heard great stories (and HORROR stories) about things like ProActiv so I'm really wary to try them; and the solutions offered by my general practitioner haven't really done anything to clear my visage. So what's a bride (or groom - 42.5% of men between 20 and 29 report experiencing acne) to do to make herself picture perfect on her wedding day, especially given the prevalence of unforgiving HD videography?

With only six months to go until the big day, I've decided that some professional help is in order. I have an appointment with a dermatologist set for Wednesday, and hopefully he'll be able to offer some solutions to get my skin in tip-top shape by March - although anytime before then would be great for me, too. ;)