Hello Beautiful People!
I'm in a contemplative and somewhat disappointed mood right now.
Two reasons:
1. I had to cancel a photo shoot because I was freaking out about my recent breakout
2. I'm not very happy with my aesthetician. I need a new one actually, I think. Maybe?
My History:
I've had adult cystic and non cystic acne for the last six years now. I got the disease, I like to call it, when I turned 20. Before then I was so clear, I had no idea what a white head or anything of that nature even looked like. I try to think in my mind what was the change at that time, which were birth control and a very poor diet but I'm not sure if that is a direct issue. I don't know.
I do know that I have a low tolerance to anything except veggies and fruit, anymore. As a teenager I used to be able to eat anything. Now in my twenties, I can't eat too much meat, dairy, breads, pasta's etc ... because too much of those kinds of food make me ill and constipated for days and/or weeks.
Moving on. About the time I got my disease, I stopped taking Depo Provera. And I reallty HATE depo. Hate it. I had been on it, off and on at that time for three years. By 20 I had enough of a lack of sex drive and deep mood swings and so I cut the depo entirely. Everything went to heck in a hand basket after that, in one month. Literally. In May 2000 I quit Depo Provera. By mid June 2000 I had gained 30 pounds, began growing chin hairs, and the cystic bacne suddenly began to appeard.
So at the time I developed my condition, two things stick out in my mind:
1. I was starting to not be able to eat everything/anything I wanted to because my body was not tolerating it and ...
2. I went from 110 to 150 pounds on a depo related hormone rollercoaster, causing stretch marks and the whole nine-yards.
FFWD --> to Now:
I spent two years working out and thank you Atkins, I am back to my normal weight. I have also spent some time going to an aesthetician for laser hair removal, for my chin. That will be gone soon too. The last thing to rid myself of is acne.
Earlier I said my aesthetician could be totally lame. In the last four months I've aggressively sought relief from my acne. I've read acne.org that long too, etc...
In that time I had less breakouts and can/have modeled. When I'm clear that is, which was more often than not. Now, there's an aesthetician I have been seeing for the last three months, who has been taking care of my chin hairs and ...
... I'm not really mad at her because I don't think I've made myself entirely clear, but I am mad at her because she should know better, right? She should see there's trouble and offer better solutions ... maybe?
My frustration stems from this:
While in laser process one day I asked her about lactic acid as well as glycolic peels. I didn't outright say, I have acne issues. I think I just said I wanted a better complexion. She suggested micro-derm and as it turns out, I love them. The first micro-derm treatment was the best because she used a calming mud mask with a steaming afterwards. I love steaming.
The thing that gets my goose is during my last two treatments, she's put this chemical peel on my face right after, and it's wreaking havoc on my face.
Last month it caused THE WORST cyst on my forehead. It was awful and lasted three weeks. It only went away when one of my make-up artists, who also happens to be an aesthetician, sat down and talked to me about the products I really ought to be using.
So, finally, a clear face appeared again. So I went back for another laser treatment and microderm recently. This time I told the lady, "the stuff, the chemical you put on my face made me breakout horribly and peel. i don't think i like it."
She told me it was supposed to make me peel and I go, "ohhh ok."
I think I should have said, 'well i don't think i need it anymore, please don't use it on me.' (which is what i intend to do on my next appointment.)
Because I got another dose of it last Friday. June 23rd or whatever.
So here I am, about a week and some after that last chem treatment and dealing with healing from peeling and more acne.
Beyond the treatment that keeps ruining my hard work, I do have a regime that seems to work that I wanted to share.
Thus I will post Le' Regime development below:
+ At first it began with Burts Tomato Face Soap and the Tomato Toner along with DDF 5% BP w/ tea tree oil. I loved how the Burt's smelled but ...
- The regime was useless. 100%.
Then I started reading about eastern and western natural medicine ...
+ ... and found a good combination of
1. vitamin a, e, b,
2. zinc,
3. lemon juice and water,
4. Chinese detox tea,
5. Chinese tea pills (which dry up some of the "damp heat" in my blood stream),
6. Chinese herbs called 'oldenlanda,' and 'scutellaria.'
For a couple months, in combination with lots of water and exercise, I noticed a nice change in my complexion. Less of the cysts, if any and more clarity. And I felt great about myself.
- Then some stuff ran out and ... I still need to replace it. But Chinese herbs are hard to come by. The pills exact ingredients have changed and I need a better source of 'oldenlanda' and 'scutellaria.
No matter though. I've been clear for the most part. Until the chems.
Most - most recently I have been advised by the make-up artist/aesthetician to stop using store level product, like Burt's, and get professional stuff. She recommended hyurlonic acid for moisture, salicylic for cysts and glycolic for general use. She also told me to chill out on sugar for a bit and see if that helps.
+ I went right out and bought:
1. 'Neutrogena 8 Hour Salicylic Rapid Spot Treatment'
and away the three week forehead cyst went. I also bought a regime consisting of those ingredients from Sephora As well as this regime I use a mud product with fine little particle that exfoliate and buff my face once a week. All noted in my sig.
I was sitting pretty until last Friday - So, I plan to write about my regime and my relationship with my current aesthetician. Even after talking to her about acne she seemed kinda of clueless but I'll try her once more. I don't know how often I'll post but I will keep it up.
My plan right now, is to keep on my current regime, use emu oil to heel wounds (although I'm wondering about Neosporin), and stop the chem peels.
My duties are to heal a face with small cystic breakouts on my forehead and scrape like looking marks on my left cheek left behind by the chem peel.
Lastly, I'm not sure if no sugar works because I have had a recent cystic bacne cycle. (My bacne comes and goes. It will be gone for like, a month and then out of the blue it returns for a spell. )
That's it for now. Thanks everyone!!!!
Edited by girl-WITHOUT-acne, 23 June 2012 - 05:42 PM.






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