What I Wish I Knew Earlier- My Acne Journey
Top Tips..
For some people, bad skin in your teens is a flash in the pan as your body adjusts to hormonal changes, for me, my Acne started at the age of 13 and stuck around for the next 10 years! I am now 23 and for the first time in my life have my dream skin, with no breakouts, inflammation or acne scars in sight! After having these revelations over the last 6 months, It would be rude of me not to share my journey! I wish someone had told me earlier.
- Don’t believe everything you read on the internet
A lot of companies make millions a year by praying on people with acne who are desperate for help, with Instagram being full of influencers that push whatever they’re being paid to promote, and TikTok filled with illegitimate gimmicks, a lot of these products will simply not contain the right ingredients, or a high enough percentage of them to help your skin. Cosmeceuticals are professional-grade products that have been scientifically researched and tested to ensure they actually have an effect on the skin. They are about addressing skin concerns at a deeper level, if you really want to make a difference to your skin, stop trialling cheap different products and invest in a solid skincare regime to use religiously, products full of results-proven ingredients, I couldn’t recommend a better investment.
- Speak to a professional
With so many products that promise you to overnight flawless skin, and blogs that tell you all different things, it's so hard to know what to buy and who to believe, I'm not going to tell you exactly what to use, as what worked for me certainly won’t work for everyone, which is why id definitely recommend talking to the professionals at Dermacare Direct. Cosmeceuticals can be expensive and you should know what's best for your skin before investing! They can tell you what ingredients are best for YOUR skin, not a generalisation of ‘acne’, this was especially helpful for me genetics played a huge role in my acne and I couldn’t compare my skin to someone else whose acne stemmed from a different cause. I started with a consultation and within half an hour a professional had taught me more than id learnt in 10 years of Googling. Expecting what works for someone else to work for you, especially from a social media ad is a sure way to waste money, Talk to a professional instead, or if you want immediate answers take the Dermacare Direct Skin Test.
- Don’t be too harsh on your acne-prone skin.
When trying to clear my skin in a hurry I used all sorts of products so strong they burned, these drying products were far to harsh. If you are making little to no progress with your acne, a gentler routine with a gentle cleanser and a light, the moisturizer was much better for me. After my skin consultation, I was advised to use DermaTx Clarify Salicylic Cleanser and ive never looked back!
- A gentle chemical exfoliant is a must for me
Chemical exfoliants gently exfoliate the surface of the skin to dissolve dead skin cells and oil that clog pores and cause most acne. Many people don’t know enough about chemical exfoliants to try them out and end up sticking to the more readily available physical exfoliant options like microbeads or walnut scrubs, these certainly didn’t work for me irritating my skin and worsening redness.
My personal favourite is salicylic acid, as it not only dissolves surface skin cells but the molecules are small enough to penetrate the pores and help clear them before they clog.
- Patience!
Don’t expect a quick fix. When starting a new routine or adding in a new product, it usually takes at least a month for the skin to fully adjust and for products to take full effect. Any person or product that advertises results in a week or two is highly unrealistic and you will likely be disappointed without the fast results promised. Stick with a routine for at least 1-3 months and then decide if changes need to be made.
- Despite What I Once Thought, The Sun Is Not Your Friend!
Wear sunscreen every single day. This tip applies to everyone, no matter their age. Sun damage can cause cancer and premature ageing, but it is also one of the worst things you can do while trying to cure acne and heal your skin. Without SPF acne and acne scarring can become so much worse. No matter how much time you’ve spent perfecting your skincare routine, if you are not wearing sunscreen daily, all of your progress is wasted. My personal favourite is the Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect SPF 30 This suncream feels less like a heavy cream and more of a moisturiser it feels light and gives me a glow.
Hopefully, these tips will prevent you from making the same mistakes I made on mine.