Just a warning that some of this is going to be gross.
I have had quite the time with acne. It all started in 8th grade when I developed cystic acne. I was concerned and so were my parents, so we made an appointment to see a dermatologist. Let’s just say the visit wasn’t pleasant. First, the dermatologist had to inject these spots with steroids so that they would become easier to pop and extract. Second, she told me that my best course of action would be to go on Accutane. Finally, she told me that I would have to have plastic surgery if I ever wanted my forehead to look “normal” again. You can probably imagine what this did to my 8th grade self’s self-esteem.
I was on Accutane for a 5 month regimen (I believe it was this long, but it’s been soo long I can’t remember). I also think in the middle of this I switched to another dermatologist which I got on with a lot better. All the horror stories you hear about this drug actually are true. I developed many of the side effects and pretty much wasn’t the happiest person on the planet on this drug. Not that it affected my moods any, my self-esteem was at its lowest.
I went about my life while on this drug and it did work for awhile. Then came senior year of high school. The cystic acne decided to make it’s return. Mind you, it wasn’t nearly as bad as before (I also at this point was still not taking care of my skin as I should). I had a few spots show up on my forehead and decided that I needed to go back to my dermatologist. She suggested that I go back on Accutane. I wasn’t having any of it. I refused to go back on it. So, I just lived with the acne that my body was developing and eventually my skin balanced out.
It wasn’t until recently that I became obsessed with taking care of my skin the proper way and using the right products for my skin type. Even so, I still have the occasional break out. In fact, earlier this year I went back to see a dermatologist and she told me the breakouts I had been having (and still are) were the normal ones my age group tends to get. She put me on another drug, Spiranolactone, which has helped a lot. It has been a much safer drug for me with no major side effects.
I have learned a lot through this journey of mine. I have learned that even if I did take care of my skin the right way back then, I think I still would have developed the cystic acne. It’s just something my body needed me to go through and something I have accepted. I have also learned that a good skincare regimen is key. Even if you don’t have the same problems I did and still have, go see a dermatologist. They are very helpful and useful tool. It also doesn’t hurt to go see an esthetician. They have a ton of knowledge as well. I have one and she’s great. I have learned soo much from her.
That’s my story and I hope I’ve helped. If you have any questions, need any more tips, or want to hear more of my story, please feel free to either leave them in the comments below or message me on any of my social medias.
Thanks for reading!
Jess xx
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