She once wished she could put on a paper bag over her head when she went out.

'People would look at me and wonder why I had so many pimples on my face,' said Ms Siti Radiah Mohamed Shariff, 23.

'Sometimes I felt like leaving the house with a bag covering my face,' said the aesthetic assistant at Raffles Hospital.

Ms Siti has had acne since she was 12 years old. When she started secondary school, spots showed up on her face. The few pimples soon turned into many.

To make matters worse, she tried squeezing the red bumps with her fingers, further irritating the oil glands in her skin.

Adding to her angst was the fact that her parents and brother had very good complexions.

Her mother eventually took her to a dermatologist, who prescribed a series of topical and oral medication.

By the time she was 16 years old, MsSiti's acne problem had cleared - or so she thought.

When she started her first job a year later in an auxilliary police force, she had to be out in the sun.

She said: 'There was also a lot of smoke, dust and sweat with the job and I often didn't get enough sleep.

'My acne came back and friends said I should go for facials.'

But Ms Siti was not keen on facials. She stayed another two years on the job.

Then she joined Raffles Hospital. Her new position required her to use make-up and she was worried it would worsen her acne.

Her colleagues helpfully suggested that she consult one of the dermatologists in the hospital.

She did, and saw Assistant Professor Wong Soon Tee, a consultant dermatologist and physician there.

He prescribed a range of antibiotic creams and facial products, which she has been using for the last two years.

Ms Siti has also avoided eating chocolates and peanuts as she found that she suffered a pimple outbreak every time she ate either food.

She said with a sad smile: 'I love Ferrero Rocher chocolates but I don't eat them now. Even if I take just one bite, I'd surely see a pimple later.'

She also worked hard on improving her beauty routine. She now makes sure that she removes her make-up at the end of each day and gets plenty of water and sleep.

Her perseverance has paid off - her skin is now smoother and less scarred.

She said: 'My friends were surprised. I used to take only group photos as I didn't want people to see my skin so clearly.'

She added with a laugh: 'Now I can go out and my skin has improved just in time for my wedding.'

Ms Siti got married last Saturday.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on Aug 6, 2008.