I hate my face!!!

I first noticed the burning eyes that trailed me as I walked down the school corridor when I was 10. It was my first year of high school. I had moved to a new city and I was nervous about my new school.

Without notice, I suddenly had unwelcomed guests living with me. Everyday, as my hands unconsciously found its way to my skin, I found them, stubborn,rough and bumpy cysts that embellished the surface of my skin, making me to attract an uncomfortable level of attention.

Slowly, I began to withdraw from non-essential social events, the image I saw looking into the mirror was horrifying, the unsolicited advice from random strangers became burdensome and ultimately it ebbed on my self esteem. I knew what people thought when they saw me and I suddenly became increasingly self conscious and insecure.

It was no surprise I became a self taught dermatologist, experimenting with all sorts of concoctions but instead my breskouts worsened.

There was just one solution left. I decided to learn Makeup to hide the visible scarring and hyperpigmentation that now defined my once flawless skin.But even then, I knew I couldn’t hide forever.

I heard so many things like, “ your blood is contaminated and you need to flush it out”, “you don’t drink enough water, you eat way too many greasy foods…

While these factors might havr contributed to my Acne flare ups, I realised through research and digging that this was a hereditary condition which had affected others like me in my blood line.

With my new found knowledge, I started learning ore about Acne reading blogs, watching YouTube videos etc because I couldn’t afford a dermatologist.I soon found a skin care practices that worked for me overtime and helped to drastically heal my face and keep fresh breakouts at bay.

A few general recommendations from someone who has battled with Acne for over 15 years:

- Change your sheets frequently

-Avoid cleaning your face with a towel after washing

- Do not use rough/abrasive sponges on your face

-Increase your water intake

- Wash your face at least twice a day

-Minimize touching your face when you have a fresh breakout

-Increase fruits and vegetable intake

- Figure out if nuts( peanuts) put you at risk of a breakout

- Avoid skincare products that are highly fragrant

- When purchasing skincare products invest more in ingredients lists rather than popular brands.Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Azelaic Acid etc are some product ingredients you should be on the look out for . When found in the right concentrations would be really helpful in treating Acne Concerns.

- Avoid products that claim to improve the appearance of your skin in days.

- Breathe, Extend yourself grace, and realise that Acne can only exercise the power you have given it.

Have you or anyone you know had their self image altered by Acne?

Studies have shown that Acne can be linked to low self esteem, bouts of anxiety, losx of identity, and affect relationships with the opposite sex. It becomes increasingly difficult to have a healthy sense of self when you battle with Acne as a teenager especially in a world where there’s so much focus on flawless skin and perfection.

However, if you have struggled or are still struggling with Acne and other related skin care concerns like me,I would like to suggest that you don’t let Acne redefine your story rather face it head on, invest in skin ingredients that nourish your skin, shut out unsolicited advice, and embrace life fully without letting Acne dictate what you can do or can’t do.

It takes extra effort to look past the battleground on your face and enjoy your life regardless but trust me if you do this, then you are well on your way to winning the battle over Acne.

Disclaimer: I am not a certified dermatologist. All references are based on my personal lived experience, so kindly research and seek appropriate counsel where necessary before applying the recommendations.

p.s: I look forward to reading your stories and comments .

Love and Light❤️