Dealing with acne can be very detarmential to your health and self confidence. Not just the physical health, but your mental, emotional, and hormonal heath is also at stake when you go through acne. One thing I’ve learned in my long journey towards this supposedly acne free journey in that patience is the key.
In the meantime, here what you can do:
Figure out what type of acne you have
Most treatments just provide a basic topical treatment. You have to understand that acne isn’t an issue but rather a symptom of an underlying issue. These issues can range from food intolerances to hormonal issues. You can have acne for a number of different reasons, hence, the first step would be getting to the root cause.
If you go to a dermatologist, they will prescribe all kinds of medications to you. Or in my case, my physician refused to give me a referral to the dermatologist because he thought he could cure it. I was prescribed Benzol Peroxide, Clyndamicin, and Retin-A and put on this three month plan. After a very big failure and thousands of acne scars later, I went back to the doctor. This time he thought Doxycycline was the answer. I refused to take the antibiotics.
I knew there could be another way. Turns out, my acne soothed down after taking L-lysine. I had hormonal acne. It wasn’t because there were too many bacteria lurking on my face. So yes, there are incidents where you can have topical hygienic issues that cause your acne, but that’s usually not the case with everyone.
Also, acne reasons can change over your lifetime. Just like I mentioned before acne isn’t the issue but just a symptom. Acne could be rooting from: hygiene, gut imbalance, hormonal imbalance, stress, and even food intolerances.
Figure out where your acne stems from. Try a Chinese acne mapping sheet as a guide. Usually, anything on the jawline/lower half is hormonal. Cheeks tend to be gut problems.
Stay with what works for you
Another mistake that we all make (especially me) is that in desperation, we end up looking up different YouTube videos and end up following things that those people are following.
Everyone’s skin and body is different!! The faster you learn that the more happy you will be. Frantically changing up your routine can wreck havoc on your skin. Listen to your body and skin. They know what they are talking about. Seriously.
Your skin needs are different every single day or even throughout the day. Do you eat the same thing over and over again? Or do you change it up according to what your body is needing or “craving”? Same works with skin. Somedays, it’s dehydrated. Other days, it’s been dealing with all your stress. And while we’re on the topic of stress, don’t stress about the expensive products that your favorite YouTuber recommended. It might work for them, but may not work for you.
I religiously use the Clean & Clear products from the drugstore after a $100 product caused me to break out. Price is not the issue. Just because it’s inexpensive doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. Hence, try what works for you and your skin and your budget. Keep the same basic routine but switch up a few key things on your skin needs basis.
For example: I cleanse, tone, and moisturize. That routine should be set. But as far as serums and oils go, I can work with them. Like maybe today, my skin looks extra dehydrated, so let’s add some hylarounic acid before the moisturizer.
Side note: oils don’t work for everyone with acne prone skin. Also, we careful with patch tests. My body is okay with any kind of oil, but my face gets little bumps from Vit E oil or any oil for that matter. Diluted tea tree oil is the only thing it can handle. If that’s you, mix a few drops of tea tree oil in your moisturizer and then apply.
Try Elimination Diet
Another way to find out if food intolerances might be to blame, try an elimination diet. Again, please know that what works for other people might not work for you. And I’ve heard that substances can stay in your body for up to three weeks, so be strong and don’t give up. Usually I’ve heard that dairy is to be blamed for tiny bumps all over your face, but that might not be the case with you.
Every body is different. For me, diary makes no difference. Sometimes the type and time of the day I consume dairy makes a difference. For example, if I have yogurt for dinner, I get a very bad acid reflux. But if I drink regular milk or turmeric milk at night, then I never get an acid reflux. (I mention acid reflux because it interferes with your sleep and sleep deprivation can cause acne).
For me, coffee and peanuts seem to cause acne. Makes sense in a way. Coffee interferes with your sleep thus causing acne. Peanuts affect your androgen levels and increase sebum thus (you guessed it!) causing acne.
Hence, I would say keep a good journal and really focus on what foods (if any) make you break out.
Be nice and kind to yourself
We can be our worst critic. That’s especially true. Being nice and kind doesn’t just mean a pep talk to yourself in the mirror every night. It also means be kind to your body. What are you putting into it? Are you taking care of your body? Are you exercising? Are you eating right? Are you taking care of your mental health?
Make some time for yourself. We have a deadline at work so we rush to get everything done, but life is short. We have a deadline on ourselves too. Did you do everything you wanted to do?
Just be patient and proud of yourself everyday for getting out of bed and making at least one thing happen. And most importantly, don’t let a 5 minutes banter ruin the remaining 23 hours and 55 minutes of your day.
Don’t stress
Guilty as charged. I stress out about the little things in my life. Like literally. I stress out about not finding a hair tie on my way out the door. Easier said than done, but the best advice I can give you is: don’t put yourself in a stressful situation.
Try and steer clear of stressful situations. Especially at night. Don’t think too much. If your brain is anything like mine and loves to engage in self-pity talks right before bed, focus on something good. Fantasize about something.
Just a sneak peek: I fantasize about my goals and future self in a very great limelight. And then I wake up in the morning. Found it better than counting sheep.
Relax and meditate before bed for like 5-10 minutes or simply take a relaxing shower before bed. You’ll be stress and acne free in no time!!
Love,
Jinnie x
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or nutritionist. I’m not a dermatologist either. I’m simply sharing tips that I learned over the course of my acne journey. Please consult a doctor before trying anything that might cause a hazard to your health. This is not medical advice but rather a natural perspective.
Health By Jinnie 