How I Got My Acne Under Control (With Personal Pictures)

posted in Other on Sept 22, 2015
Hi everyone ! I hope this post will help you with your skin. I have struggled with adult acne for the past few months and it has been a really difficult time for me. I hope you know that there is a solution and to never give up ❤️ Different treatments work for different people but I hope you find some encouragement in this post. Here's my story with some tips + my skin routine !
I started breaking out when I was in grade 9 and my doctor put me on antibiotics + topical gel and my acne cleared up in 6 months. Yay! But that wasn't the end of my skin problems.
Years later, in my second year of university around exam time, I began breaking out like crazy. It was around my mouth and chin. I felt so depressed every time I would look in the mirror. It wasn't the worst acne but going from clear skin to spots everywhere was really hard for me. My doctor put my on retin-a but the purge made my skin worse. This is what happened ...
I know this may not be "severe" but again it was difficult to see my skin changing so quickly in such a short period of time. I started off with 5-6 pimples to about 20 all over my face.
I went back to my doctor in tears. She told me to use La Roshe Posay face wash but I later realized my skin hates salicylic acid. I started taking doxycycline (antibiotics) again as well as clindoxyl gel. I hate using antibiotics but at this point I was desperate.
Things finally started to get better :)
Things finally started to get better :)
And these are before and after pictures ! The bottom pictures are from this morning.
And these are before and after pictures ! The bottom pictures are from this morning.
I have been on doxycycline and clindoxyl for about 1.5 months and I finally see improvement. I do have scars but the bumps are finally starting to go away. When I finish my prescription of antibiotics, I am going to start taking Vitamin C to hopefully keep my skin clear. Next I will tell you my routine plus some tips I follow by!
FACE ROUTINE: Morning: Wash with Cetaphil Dermacontrol Oil Control Foam **This stuff is AMAZING. You have to try this face wash. It's gentle and makes your skin feel so clean. I noticed improvement as soon as I started using this face wash. It gets rid of redness and flattens bumps noticeably** Mid-Day: Wash again with Cetaphil. Night time: Wash with Cetaphil. Use Simple Soothing Facial Toner. Apply Clindoxyl. ** This toner is another great product. It's amazing to see how much dirt it takes off even after you wash your face**
MAKEUP ROUTINE: I only wear makeup when I go out. The less you put on your face when you're breaking out, the better. Let you skin breathe ! However, if you do want to put on makeup, make sure it's non-comedogenic. 1) Moisturizer: Tea Tree skin clearing moisturizer (body shop) 2) BB Cream: Tea Tree bb cream (body shop) 3) Foundation: All in one face base (body shop) ^^ love this foundation. It has AMAZING coverage when you use just a brush 4) Setting Spray: (optional) Elf face mist
My face after applying my makeup :)
My face after applying my makeup :)
Finally some tips ! 1)Pat down with a face cloth when drying skin. Also use a new face cloth everyday. 2) Switch your pillow case every few nights. There's lot of bacteria on your pillow which can cause acne specifically on your cheeks. 3) No scratching or picking! This was super hard for me :( 4) Non comedogenic makeup (love the body shop line!) 5) Keep your hair off your face when possible. Oils from your hair can cause acne. 6) Gentle cleansers (pH balanced like Cetaphil) 7) No sugary drinks. Try to cut out soda. Drink lots of water!
I really hope this post will help anyone who is struggling with acne. It has been a really hard time for me and I hope I can help someone with these tips. They have helped me a lot! I wish you all the best of luck. Please like this tip if it has helped you! Love Soph❤️ Xoxo