even though this is not from an acne scar sufferer, reading this really helped me to gain hope for my acne scars, and also to learn a thing or two. this guy did a lot of work to improve his scarring from an attack.
Great link and exellent information NUBY3. Many thanks for sharing!!
You are welcome! This is the blog/article that sent me on my journey to fix my scars about 7 months ago. I figured if this guy could repair his face after an attack like that, then surely I could work in similar ways to improve my acne scars. I have been working diligently over the course of the last 6 months, and I must admit I have made a great deal of progress. Although my scars are not gone, they have diminished greatly. I believe that it can be done if you take all of the necessary steps (attack from the inside and out, what you eat is CRUCIAL) and be persistent. I believe that there is not an overnight miracle for scar removal, but over the course of time- if you can keep from getting frustrated and doing something stupid- you CAN improve your scars to the point that they no longer bother you. It is hard work though.
You're absolutely right NUBY3!! And glad to hear on your progress too!!! Yes, it takes time but skin can regenerate and heal. The article is truly inspiring and shows what can be achieved in the case of deepest skin tissue scarring/ damage (it certainly gives hope to all no matter how deep and extensive their scarring). In fact, I was so inspired by the article that I've searched the key ingredients he mentioned for his nutrient rich skin moisturizer. I found some of them here at www.newdirections.com.au but not all of them. So, I might try some of his recommendations. I also like the fact he urged others to be gentle yet effective with their skin treatment and to take it slowly. I know I've made mistakes with my skin by being too aggressive with some of my glycolic skin peels (which resulted in new scarring which I had to correct). Lesson learned!
You're absolutely right NUBY3!! And glad to hear on your progress too!!!
Yes, it takes time but skin can regenerate and heal. The article is truly inspiring and shows what can be achieved in the case of deepest skin tissue scarring/ damage (it certainly gives hope to all no matter how deep and extensive their scarring). In fact, I was so inspired by the article that I've searched the key ingredients he mentioned for his nutrient rich skin moisturizer. I found some of them here at www.newdirection.com.au but not all of them. So, I might try some of his recommendations. I also like the fact he urged others to be gentle yet effective with their skin treatment and to take it slowly. I know I've made mistakes with my skin by being too aggressive with some of my glycolic skin peels (which resulted in new scarring which I had to correct). Lesson learned!
I'm so glad I was able to help anyone with anything. 
This forum has been such a godsend to me. I don't know that I would be doing as well as I am without it. I joined hoping that I could give back in some way. I have been trying to focus now on how far I have come with my scars rather than how bad they still look to me. Just like a year and a half ago I had ZERO scars that bothered me in any way. I had one bad series of breakouts, and blammo. scarred for life. It's been really hard dealing with it. when I look at pictures of myself and see my clear face, and the pictures are fairly recent, it destroys me. I was so happy and always smiling and I have become such a different person now. Although I AM doing much better now, the last year has been really awful. I had a pretty rough childhood. I was teased at school and not treated well at home either, and as a result I am EXTREMELY shy. and this has really not been good for me. now my shyness has turned into finding corners to hide in all day. I know about making mistakes also. I got too close to a healing ingrown hair with some tca and made myself a new scar a couple of weeks ago. right in the middle of the worst spot it could have possibly been in. why I was unlucky enough to get that ingrown hair, I just don't get. I feel like I have been through enough already. It's still trying to heal. thanks for the posts, I enjoy communicating and it helps to be able to openly talk about this to people. All of my friends have great skin and nobody understands. best of luck to you. if I can be of any more help just let me know.
Hey, I hear you NUBY3. It is frustrating trying to correct skin damage. If it's any consolation, my skin starting breaking out at age 11 !!! (My skin problems were directly related to diet, I think I had/ have leaky gut syndrome and a highly efficient detoxification system - indeed, most people with acne have an efficient detoxification system as the skin is one of the first places where the body releases built-up toxins... that's why people with "good skin" can end up will other diseases/ illnesses as their bodies may not be great at eliminating toxins).
As for your scars, it sounds like you got them almost overnight. In that case, I think your scars will be very treatable, so stay positive!! You probably had a severe allergic reaction to something. It would be a good idea to keep eating healthy/ exercise and find out what caused it so you avoid it in future. Re my scars, they are due to the many years of abusing "big pharma" acne treatments which left me with damaged skin DNA / scarring - that's why I now advocate natural healing and therapies i.e. stay away from BP etc !!
And yes, it all gets too much sometimes , I CERTAINLY agree. That's when lots of deep sleep is in order and movie therapy
/ reading therapy/ dancing. Also, IMHO getting active with a good cause is really beneficial to helping you look outside your own problems. It basically stops you from getting too self-absorbed and self-defeating. Helping others also gets you moving forward and also gives you mental breathing space to stop obsessing over your own perceived "flaws". Your skin needs ample time to heal itself. If you keep looking at it non-stop and "correcting it", you can make things far worse (been there done that!
). So, as I see it, it's important to keep living life, knowing that things WILL get better If you just give your skin time to regenerate. Both you and your skin deserve the "Rolls Royce" treatment of being kind and self-nourishing/ nurturing.
And as for what you went through growing-up, that's absolutely awful when you don't have a support network at home or at school to give you the encouragement or "safe place to fall" that you need. Like you said, this forum is a great place to build your support network . And keep building your "tribe" here and elsewhere ...many people don't have a great time getting along with their family members and also have a rough time at school. I certainly know a few people (i.e.
)that are "toxic" to me in my immediate surroudings. All you can do is say a blessing for them and then create a sacred space around you where only TRUE family/ friends and supportive people can get near you . That's been the only effective way I have dealt with "toxic people/ relationships" i.e. loving them from afar. Afterall, your mental health is the most important thing you need to properly navigate through life with resilience and joy, (so it's vital to protect it
). So, if people don't treat you with dignity, kindness and compassion NUBY3, then it's best you stay away from them
. Even family members, unless they mend their ways or you can deal with seeing them every blue moon.
Anyway, whatever you're going through, no matter what, it WILL help build a stronger, wiser, more spiritual and more self-assured you . You'll also realize the most important way to find true happiness is not through external places/ people but by being happy doing your own thing. And in time, all those unhappy childhood memories will fade away and won't hurt you anymore . Because even if your beginnings were difficult, you now have the power to create the life YOU love, choose what people will be in your life and give yourself the love you need. But I'm sure you already know that!!!
Hope you have a great weekend NUBY3, sending healing vibes & positivity to you *HUGS*
PS If memory serves me well, I read somewhere that people with "shyness" are highly moral. In that case, you sound like a lovely person!!
thank you for your help. I am trying hard, I have already been involved in good causes, even before my scarring. I am training to run across the state of Texas next winter to raise money for the Boston Marathon victims, we hadn't decided what we were running for yet until that happened. I think we are going to try to raise money for that. But I already had that in my life, and it's not really helping me to feel good about myself, to be honest. I wish it was. I understand that there are people with worse problems and all that, but I still can't make my anxiety go away. I miss feeling happy and being excited about my future, which is how I felt 2 years ago. Now I am afraid I will be grunting my way through life from now on. I have had so much to deal with in my life, I was hoping for one day it to come to an end, and as I was working hard to become happy, I have been made miserable again. I'm so afraid of more acne breakouts and more scarring, that's impacting my life as well. The first thing I do in the morning is start worrying about my face. I just want to be normal again, and have fun and laugh and smile and not be afraid to be seen by my friends and girls and stuff. I don't know what I am going to do. depression is taking over my life and I know if I give in to it too much, it's only going to perpetuate it and make it worse, but it's sooo hard. I had a marijuana problem in the past, and I'm trying everything I can to avoid turning back to that sort of thing because I know it will not lead me to true happiness, only a way to cope with sadness, and I don't want to do that. thanks again. you took a lot of time to write all of that and try to help me and I appreciate it a great deal.
NUBY3, sounds like you are doing some great things!!! Perhaps, you should also look at drinking fresh superfood juices daily (i.e. carrot/ beetroot/ apple etc); add super greens to your juices or take supplements of chlorella, spirulina, barley grass, wheat grass...these detoxify your body and gives it lots of key nutrients. Also, google the hibernation diet (i.e. eating a tablespoon of raw honey - preferably manuka - 1 hour before sleep and in the morning/ afternoon...this helps ease anxiety....it also helps restore your glycogen levels to improve your liver function and brain function. When used in conjuction with good sleep, raw honey can help you burn energy more efficiently i.e. burn fat not muscle as you sleep).
Lastly, I know that once I started eating a nutritious, completely balanced, non-GMO, mostly raw organic vegan diet (NB just make sure you get good food sources or supplements of Vitamin D, Iodine, B12, Omega-3 with ALA/ DHA/ EPA, calcium etc ) and exercised, my skin cleared of acne. The best topical I found was 100% pure organic Tea tree essential oil (great to place all over the face to prevent breakouts, just start out slow to make sure you're not allergic to it) and 100% pure organic essential lavender oil for individual pustules only (too drying for the entire face) - these 2 treatments help clear acne fast. Natural sea salt or himalayan salt is also great to wash the face with to rid the skin of any infection....but it's best to use just filtered water after the infection clears and only sea salt water wash once a blue moon if required. Have a look at my personal log for more tips. You might find the info there useful. Of course, you can try cutting out all dairy, all eggs and only eating Tuna or salmon on rare occassions to see how this works for you. Meat/ dairy/ eggs and all processed foods/ non-organic foods are laden with toxic pesticides, hormones, vaccines, chemicals, heavy metals etc. So steer clear of them and make every mouthful nutritious (including your drinks which should be natural spring/ filtered water or fresh vegetable/ fruit juices).
In the meanwhile, just concentrate on yourself, your health, your life, your goals, your happiness and being independant. There is plenty of time for 'girls'. And anyhow, most girls are more concerned with a male's character and how the guy treats them (i.e. makes them feel special). A girl that is worth knowing will care more about your soul than your looks i.e. Look at Heidi Klum and Seal (he is famous for his facial scars and married Heidi a supermodel!). Honestly, keep living life and concentrating on attaining your goals in life. The right girl will appear at the right time. Really, you don't want to waste your time on superficial people, why give them your heart to trample on??? No, save your time and love for that special one. Until then, go out, be social and have fun with your friends. And do things that enhance your health and life (not detract from it). Also, treat yourself with a monthly back or facial massage with an aromatherapist or beauty therapist. This is so healing physically, spiritually and emotionally. All humans need physical contact and nurturing. Massage therapy is a great way to boost your immunity too. Look into it & give it a whirl, you'll be amazed how good you'll feel.
~ Be Brave ~ Peace
I already do all of those things. I already do wheat grass, spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, kelp, and such. and I do a spoonfull of raw organic honey before bed. and I have used tea tree oil but it is a bit harsh for me so I stopped except for spot treatments. and I cut out dairy for the most part. every once in a while I may eat it. and I do only spring and filtered water already. and I avoid processed foods already. as much as I can. I exercise a ton. obviously. I eat mostly sushi. (tuna and salmon) I eat healthy and exercise a ton. I'm really struggling right now. I mean like really bad. I am really depressed and always stressed to the max and anxiety stricken and nothing I'm doing is helping. I'm not sure what to do. I think I need help but I'm not sure where to get it from.
Hey NUBY3,
Sounds like you are on the road to recovery as you're doing all the right things...it takes time...stay positive ....btw, I bought beta glucan from NewDirections.com.au along with hyaluronic acid as a topical...I've used both for a few days now and it's made a major difference to my skin. I acquired a few new scars because I was VERY silly recently...my skin texture had been looking really good lately, mainly from Retin- A/ Steiva A (but my forehead still has evidence of DNA damage/ skin cell atrophy)...so I tried to amp-up my skin treatments i.e. I used Retin A, then skin rolled with a derma roller, and then applied glycolic acid 35%...BAD MISTAKE!!! My skin blistered/ burned and I got lots of scabs...really bad!!! I have been on damage control for 3 weeks, applying one or a combination of the following: copper peptides, skin needling (using a single very small needle on new crevices) with vitamin e, and a little tea tree oil (good for burns). However, what really helped my skin these past few weeks was a thin film of manuka honey (UMF active factor 10+) with pure extra virgin olive oil. This mixture is filled with nutrients that the skin loves...it helped my skin go from a catastrophe to managable skin damage. But it's taken 3 weeks of hardly washing and constant skin applications to get me looking "human" again!!! (Please take heed anyone reading this....go SLOOOOOWWWWWW, be patient and gentle with your skin).
I've now added hyaluronic acid with beta glucan (a tiny bit of Retin A on the new scars) and it has really helped the redness/ new scars. I'm now not freaking out like I did a few weeks ago. So, let me say, if my skin can recover greatly from that major skin disaster, then everyone's skin is capable of healing!!! However, I have been taking extra vitamins/ minerals, supergreens (chlorella/ spirulina/ barley grass/ wheat grass) and eating healthy meals/ lots of salads which have helped too.
NUBY3, you might find this info helpful too: I have read elsewhere that hyaluronic acid supplements are useful for skin damage/ scars and so too Beta- 1 Glucan D. I think I'll try them too. I really don't want to use laser, I've read too many negative things about them. However, I don't have acne to reckon with anymore. I "cured" my acne with (a mostly raw, organic, non-GMO, fully nutritious) vegan diet. It's the damage from years of using toxic acne products (including BP) that I'm addressing now. My face has healed, but my forehead is still work in progress...but I've improved my forehead 80% from what it had been...and believe me it was severe mottled/ damaged skin.
So, please, take heart, if I can heal my skin, YOU WILL TOO. Be patient. I know it sucks, I know it's heartbreaking at times. And the days when you feel really down, go to sleep early. And try something new or research more methods the next day.
Lastly, I came across these websites that might offer you helpful advice re active ingredients and products:
http://www.beta13dglucan.org/betaglucantestimonials.html
http://www.dnaegfrenewal.com/dnaegf-dna-scar-therapy.html
http://www.hans.org/magazine/900/Beta-Glucans-and-the-Beauty
http://www.skinperfectionbymichelle.com/products.html
http://www.cureskincare.com/assets/skin_types.html
http://www.hyalogic.com/main/hyaluronic_acid_periodical_news
http://www.scars1.com/News/mainstory.cfm/16
http://www.althealth.co.uk/help-and-advice/supplements/hyaluronic-acid/
http://www.skincentral.com/en/news-updates/airgent.html
http://www.pureskinjunkie.com/id5.html
http://www.clearskincare.com.au/
http://www.newdirections.com.au
If you're still still feeling down, maybe you should speak to a counseller (just don't take any toxic pharmaceuticals). They should be helpful and give you emotional support and coping tools. Also, you might want to read "The Road Less Travelled" by Dr Scott Peck. Affirmations are good too. Basically, you need to flood your brain with positive, empowering thoughts or calmness. Have you tried sound or white noise therapy like the sound of waves along beaches or rainforest birds etc?? I enjoy listening to these natural sounds when I feel overwhelmed or negative. It balances me and improves my mood. Yoga is also helpful for the body, mind and soul. You can also see www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au for more inspiration on living healthy.
Take care, Peace
Ps Here are three more useful links:
http://www.pureskinjunkie.com/
http://www.clearskincare.com.au/
http://www.newdirections.com.au
Hope you find these helpful,
Peace...
Hey NUBY3,
Sounds like you are on the road to recovery as you're doing all the right things...it takes time...stay positive ....btw, I bought beta glucan from NewDirections.com.au along with hyaluronic acid as a topical...I've used both for a few days now and it's made a major difference to my skin. I acquired a few new scars because I was VERY silly recently...my skin texture had been looking really good lately, mainly from Retin- A/ Steiva A (but my forehead still has evidence of DNA damage/ skin cell atrophy)...so I tried to amp-up my skin treatments i.e. I used Retin A, then skin rolled with a derma roller, and then applied glycolic acid 35%...BAD MISTAKE!!! My skin blistered/ burned and I got lots of scabs...really bad!!! I have been on damage control for 3 weeks, applying one or a combination of the following: copper peptides, skin needling (using a single very small needle on new crevices) with vitamin e, and a little tea tree oil (good for burns). However, what really helped my skin these past few weeks was a thin film of manuka honey (UMF active factor 10+) with pure extra virgin olive oil. This mixture is filled with nutrients that the skin loves...it helped my skin go from a catastrophe to managable skin damage. But it's taken 3 weeks of hardly washing and constant skin applications to get me looking "human" again!!! (Please take heed anyone reading this....go SLOOOOOWWWWWW, be patient and gentle with your skin).
I've now added hyaluronic acid with beta glucan (a tiny bit of Retin A on the new scars) and it has really helped the redness/ new scars. I'm now not freaking out like I did a few weeks ago. So, let me say, if my skin can recover greatly from that major skin disaster, then everyone's skin is capable of healing!!! However, I have been taking extra vitamins/ minerals, supergreens (chlorella/ spirulina/ barley grass/ wheat grass) and eating healthy meals/ lots of salads which have helped too.
NUBY3, you might find this info helpful too: I have read elsewhere that hyaluronic acid supplements are useful for skin damage/ scars and so too Beta- 1 Glucan D. I think I'll try them too. I really don't want to use laser, I've read too many negative things about them. However, I don't have acne to reckon with anymore. I "cured" my acne with (a mostly raw, organic, non-GMO, fully nutritious) vegan diet. It's the damage from years of using toxic acne products (including BP) that I'm addressing now. My face has healed, but my forehead is still work in progress...but I've improved my forehead 80% from what it had been...and believe me it was severe mottled/ damaged skin.
So, please, take heart, if I can heal my skin, YOU WILL TOO. Be patient. I know it sucks, I know it's heartbreaking at times. And the days when you feel really down, go to sleep early. And try something new or research more methods the next day.
Lastly, I came across these websites that might offer you helpful advice re active ingredients and products:
http://www.beta13dglucan.org/betaglucantestimonials.html
http://www.dnaegfrenewal.com/dnaegf-dna-scar-therapy.html
http://www.hans.org/magazine/900/Beta-Glucans-and-the-Beauty
http://www.skinperfectionbymichelle.com/products.html
http://www.cureskincare.com/assets/skin_types.html
http://www.hyalogic.com/main/hyaluronic_acid_periodical_news
http://www.scars1.com/News/mainstory.cfm/16
http://www.althealth.co.uk/help-and-advice/supplements/hyaluronic-acid/
http://www.skincentral.com/en/news-updates/airgent.html
http://www.pureskinjunkie.com/id5.html
http://www.clearskincare.com.au/
http://www.newdirections.com.au
If you're still still feeling down, maybe you should speak to a counseller (just don't take any toxic pharmaceuticals). They should be helpful and give you emotional support and coping tools. Also, you might want to read "The Road Less Travelled" by Dr Scott Peck. Affirmations are good too. Basically, you need to flood your brain with positive, empowering thoughts or calmness. Have you tried sound or white noise therapy like the sound of waves along beaches or rainforest birds etc?? I enjoy listening to these natural sounds when I feel overwhelmed or negative. It balances me and improves my mood. Yoga is also helpful for the body, mind and soul. You can also see www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au for more inspiration on living healthy.
Take care, Peace
YES. I AM DOING BETTER. Thank you. I have not changed anything. I'm already taking hyaluronic acid spplements and I went to see a plastic surgeon and aesthetician on April 30th. the PS did some subcision and put in some fillers and I'm waiting for it to heal right now, but so far it looks good. The subcision really helped release the pitting in my cheek, and the fillers helped a lot too, from what I can tell. (still a bit swollen/bruised) I go back on the 14th. I was really afraid I had just wasted my money right after I did it, but now I'm really glad I went. They gave me tretinoin cream and I'm gonna start on it tonight. She said every 3rd night to start off, I'm gonna be cautious with it. I do all the things you said. I eat LOADS of fresh raw fruits and veggies, (2-4 bananas and 2-4 oranges a day and I eat a lot of strawberries and blackberries and blueberries) lots of spinach and lettuce, I do a spoonfull or two of raw organic honey jarred straight out of the hive, which is supposed to be really good for you, and I'm doing all of the supplements. Hyaluronic acid, lots of vitamin c, zinc, alpha lipoic acid, proline, acai extract, vtamin a, vitamin d3, vitamin e, serrapeptase, lysine, digestive enzymes (with beta glucanase), msm, saw palmetto, I do a shot of organic wheatgrass/barleygrass/chlorella/kelp/spirulina every day. I am committed to making my skin better. I am working awfully hard on it. It's not just the scars. I have problem skin in my opinion. I always am getting lots of blackheads on my forehead and nose and certain parts of my cheeks, and lots of whiteheads. and I am always getting pimples, although not large breakouts, but just a few here and there but not cystic ones. But I'm sick of it. I'm 32. And my skin has a really rough, bumpy texture. and I'm sick of it. I have little tiny scars all over. I only have a couple of scars that are large, and even those are pretty shallow, but I have enlarged pores and scarred pores and tiny little scars and ice picks all over and it drives me nuts. I'm hoping I can smooth things out. I'm hoping they can help me get rid of my acne. Diet is not doing it for me. I am an athlete, which doesn't help things at all, but seriously. I train with guys that have clear skin so I don't see why I shouldn't. Thank you for your help. I feel like I am starting to do better about the anxiety and stuff. It's not gone but I can feel it's grip loosening finally. THANK YOU SO MUCH and I am glad to hear your skin is doing okay after your mistake. BE CAREFUL. GOOD LUCK!!! take care of yourself. we will win our battles. we just have to hang in there and stay faithful.
I found that site ages ago. Julie Robbins was one of the biggest chemical peel sellers on Ebay, and I don't believe in cooper peptides at all. No before pictures, and no high res images of the guys face now- That Screams "Scam" to me. Although peels can help scars. I do aspirin ones all the time (Simple virigin olive oil and aspirin tablets mixed into a paste and left on the scar for 2-6 hours sometimes even longer. Coconut or Castor oil applied to that area after the skins been washed- oil applied daily to that site until the redness and flaking is gone)
The things I found that work are virgin press castor oil, and coconut oil. It takes forever 8-9 months of daily wear under occlusion. It's too long and messy for my needs.
Hopefully sometime in the next few months I hope to see what egg oil can do. I've read results are better if you keep applying the egg oil to the wound every hour. I cant wait to prove it works- since it's already doubted by so many here.
I'll be tossing most of my funds into my new pc for the next few months, so it will have to wait until that's done. Besides who wants to do this in the summer when it hot. Right now a new pc is more important to me and my career than a solution to make 15 plus year scars go away.
I plan on buying an oil expeller to make my own oil from the boiled egg yolks. Then I will cut out a scar on my finger, and will paint new layers of egg oil on that wound every hour until it heals. I will be doing this and I will post the results. Even if it fails.
NUBY3, that's AWESOME news!!!!!!! The subscicion plus Vitamin A will do WONDERS for your skin!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And your diet plan looks fantastic too...your skin should clear-up in a few weeks...however, if you need a little extra help, try taking out ALL dairy from your diet. And if you're still breaking-out, experiment with eliminating ALL meat/ fish and eggs from your diet too. The fact is, meat is rotting flesh and is really grey by the time it reaches you (i.e. they place cancer causing pink/ red dyes and toxic gases/ chemicals/ sulfites into meats/ fish to make them look fresh) and they also contain pesticides, vaccines, GMO, hormones, heavy metals etc (and this goes for eggs and well as dairy). Superfood juicing (vegetables and fruit) should be beneficial too.
It's easy to go healthy (and yummy) vegan (NB but please do your own research thoroughly to make sure you know how to go vegan properly): i.e. for breakfast, have a slice of gluten free bread with unhulled tahini/ hummus/ tomato/ lemon juice/ salt + pepper as well as a bowl of gluten free muesli with LSA/ almond milk plus fruit/ nuts/ seeds ; for lunch, baked potato with lentils and salad (raw kale finely chopped with 1/2 red onion, hummus, cucumber, thyme, flat parsley & avocado, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt + pepper); and for dinner, steamed brown rice/ coconut milk/ tumeric/ cayenne pepper/ ginger/ steamed thai vegetables (frozen), mushrooms/ steamed bok choy, sesame seeds, peanuts (or homemade vegan peanut sauce), with tempeh or vegan chicken or vegan sausages. You can also drink chocolate vegan protein shakes for a snack or 85% cacao dark chocolate, dried figs/ fruit (without sulfite)/ air popped pop corn with fresh lemon juice and sea salt for treats. (Just ensure you take B12 2000 -3000 micrograms per week, an excellent multivitamin/ mineral with iodine, flaxseed oil 2 tablespoons daily and your superjuice i.e. chlorella/ wheatgrass/ barley grass/ spirulina). And stay away from coffee/ teas/ sodas and all processed junk foods/ sauces.
Once you have your skin under control, you can try reintroducing foods back into your diet (if you so choose), but if you find that you're breaking out again, you'll know then you have an allergy to that reintroduced food (and then can choose to have that food every blue moon or never again).
Lastly, it might be a good idea to ask your PS about Hyaluronic Acid topical and Beta Glucan topical. These topicals have been helping my skin in a major way. i.e. the hyaluronic acid topical helped heal my large pores/ asphyxiated skin/ damaged skin cell DNA and rolling scars (howevever, the vitamin A seemed to help my bumpy skin texture which sounds similar to yours). And now, that I've introduced Beta Glucan (Thanks to YOU NUBY3!!!), it's helped heal my new red skin marks/ crevices/ burned skin from my over zealous skin "treatment". Hopefully, my forehead will benefit greatly too from the Beta Glucan (and it seems the Beta Glucan is already helping it to plump-up and look hydrated).
All the best with your treatments NUBY3, I've no doubt that you're skin will start clearing & healing beautifully !!!!!
Peace ...
thank you. I am full of doubt at the moment. I want my old face back. I fear my life has been ruined. my quality of life is such that it feels not worth living at the moment. I'm trying so hard to help my situation but so far it has only gotten worse. i have no social life, i have no friends, i have no caring family, i have nothing.
NUBY3, you are going through a real testing time. Stay strong. That's what life is about. A Test. Our greatest obstacles and challenges make us grow stronger. Believe me, I have gone through many adversities too. I don't mean to sound preachy, but there's one thing that got me through my dark times. My trust and belief in God. I know that being a Christian has greatly helped me and comforted me in my many times of abject sorrow. Even if you are not a Christian, it might be a good idea to speak to a Pastor/ Counsellor etc. Find one that is encouraging, truthworthy and supportive. You can also find a honest Christian community or other supportive community group near you that will help rehabilitate your faith in yourself, life, humanity and God. As they say, when you're at your wits end, that's where you'll find God.
Also, I fully recommend you get a copy of Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield of the Mind". Also, listen to her podcasts daily if you can. They will give you light in the darkest times of your life. And remember, it's easy to "shine" when the sun's out, but to glow in the darkness takes mastery. DON'T LET THIS OBSTACLE IMPEDE YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH. SHINE BRIGHT!!! BE STRONG!!!! YOU WILL OVERCOME THIS DIFFICULT TIME IN YOUR LIFE...AND YOU WILL GET STRONGER....REMEMBER, FALL DOWN 7 TIMES GET-UP 8!!!!!!!!! USE THIS CHARACTER BUILDING TIME AS A STEPPING STONE ONTO YOUR PATH TO WHOLENESS AND WELLNESS>>>>> CREATE THE LIFE YOU LOVE...JUST BE PATIENT....AND TRUST GOD'S NEVER-ENDING LOVE FOR YOU. BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE GOD, YOU HAVE ALL YOU REALLY NEED.
I will keep you in my prayers NUBY3. ~ Peace + Warm Hugs ~
********************************************************************************************
FOR YOU NUBY3
http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=how_to_overcome_negative_thinking
How to Overcome Negative Thinking and Live with Hope
by Joyce Meyer
Do you have hope for your future? Or do you generally expect negative or disappointing things to happen?
I was taught to be negative when I was growing up. I lived in an abusive atmosphere with negative people, alcoholism, fear, ranting and raving¦ As a result, I developed an attitude that it was better to expect nothing good than to expect it and be disappointed when it didn™t happen.
I often wondered, What™s going to go wrong next?
It wasn™t until I was an adult that I realized I was living with evil forebodings, which created a vague feeling around me all the time that something bad was going to happen.
Then one day, God spoke to my heart about this. He showed me that I was dreading that something bad was going to happen, but He wanted me to expect good things to happen. Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP) tells us that God™s thoughts and plans for us are œfor welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
God wanted me to say, œSomething good is going to happen!
The truth is, God doesn™t work in us through negative attitudes full of self-pity, laziness, passivity or an œeverybody owes me perspective. God works through faith! But before we can have faith, we have to have hope.
I Became a Prisoner of Hope!
Hope is favorable and confident expectation; it™s an expectant attitude that something good is going to happen and things will work out, no matter what situation we™re facing.
Zechariah 9:12 (AMP) says, œReturn to the stronghold [of security and prosperity], you prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will restore double your former prosperity to you.
I like the phrase œprisoners of hope. Think about it¦ If you™re a prisoner, you have no choice about it “ you can™t be negative. And when times are tough or you™re dealing with disappointment, hope will cause you to rise up in faith and say, œGod, I praise You and I believe You™re working on this situation and working in me. My faith, trust and hope are in You!
Hope is determined and doesn™t give up. God wants us to be locked up in hope, trusting that He can change what needs to be changed, that we can do what He wants us to do, and that all things are possible with God. If we will be steadfast in our hope, we can™t lose “ we have to be winners in life.
When God called me to ministry, it didn™t happen overnight. There were many years of preparation and building up what is now a worldwide ministry. During those years, I wanted to quit many times. But my testimony is, I™m still here! And if you won™t give up, you™ll have victory too.
Human nature is impatient, selfish and wants things quickly. Why is it that although it takes us years to get into our messes, we expect God to get us out of them in a few days?
In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that we are going to have tribulation, trials, distress and frustration in this world, but in spite of that, we can be of good cheer and take heart. Why? Because He has overcome the world. And when we live in Him, we become overcomers too!
That™s why Jesus died for us. He came to save us from sin and death and to give us abundant life “ now. And I™m determined to have everything Jesus died to give me.
Make a decision to have everything Jesus died to give you. You have to do it on purpose. Be determined to do what God wants you to do and refuse to live with negative expectations. Ask God to help you live in hope and declare by faith, œSomething good is going to happen to me!
Here another good article NUBY3 ~ Peace + Hope + Serenity ~
From http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=how_to_defeat_your_doubts
How to Defeat Your Doubts and Feed Your Faith by Joyce Meyer
I have developed a œlife attitude that makes me more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus: œI™m going to finish my course, enjoy the journey, fulfill my destiny and have everything Jesus died for me to have!
Before I learned to live with this attitude, I struggled with two things the devil often threw at me: doubt and unbelief.
Doubt and unbelief are big problems for Christians. They are negative and discouraging. They cause us to make poor choices, which make life difficult. They cause us to say things like, œI wish I could lose weight, or œI wish my kids would behave, or œI wish I could keep my house clean, or œI wish I had better relationships.
We need to stop wishing for things and make up our minds that God will help us have wisdom, make good choices, and overcome our trials and tribulations if we will put our faith in Him.
And doubt and unbelief interrupt faith.
Fight Back
Another way we struggle with doubt and unbelief is by thinking God won™t help us because we haven™t done everything right. Or believing that God is willing to help other people but not me.
But God doesn™t expect perfection from us. God works in our lives through faith. He wants us to trust Him, believe in Him, have faith in Him, and have a hopeful, positive attitude. He wants us to expect Him to do good things in our lives.
Every day you need to say, œSomething good is going to happen to me today. I can hardly wait to see what God is going to do in my life today!
And you especially need to speak this when the devil is trying to flood your mind with doubts. The way you fight the devil is by opening your mouth and saying what God says. Don™t just let the devil use your mind as a garbage dump.
Doubt Your Doubts
You may be thinking, I just can™t help it¦I wish I could believe and not doubt. But the truth is, you can! God wouldn™t tell us to believe in Him if it wasn™t possible for us to do it. We can defeat doubt and unbelief if we know how to do it.
So how do we do it? How do we believe God and live by faith? Romans 10:17 (NKJV) tells us how: œFaith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The key here is the Word of God. We need to love the Word of God and go after it like we go after food when we™re really hungry. When we™re hungry, we™ll usually do what we need to do to get food.
God™s Word is medicine for our soul and the food we need to keep our spirit strong. It has inherent power to change our lives when it is mixed with faith. As you study and speak the Word, be sure to also talk about the good things God has done and not the problems. Decide to doubt your doubts!
In Luke 4, when Jesus was in the wilderness, the devil came to tempt Him. When the devil spoke to Him, Jesus responded, œIt is written¦ and quoted the Word of God. He used the Word as a weapon to overcome the lies of the enemy.
Feed Your Faith
We can do the same thing. We can respond to the thoughts the devil brings to our mind with the truth of God™s Word. We can feed our faith with the Word, rather than feeding doubt with the devil™s lies. And when you spend time with people who feed your faith, it will encourage your faith in God.
Refuse to be a lazy Christian and resist a passive, apathetic attitude. Be determined to do your part to build your faith. Never give up. And you will defeat doubt and unbelief!
I'm really really battling. I am at what I consider to be the worst low point in my entire life. I am feeling like there is "no way out". I am feeling like it will "never get any better". I am feeling really, really awful. thank you for your help. I need a lot of it. I don't know which way to go. I'm so depressed I have no desire to do anything, and I have a lot of work to do. I'm stuck.
(edit later on today) what is interesting is that right now I feel fine, while this morning I felt downright suicidal. I have daily ups and downs. I tend to feel the worst in the mornings and better in the evenings. Strange times I am living in. These last few years have been the strangest of the strange for me. I worked as hard as I could for nearly 4 years to make my life into what I always wanted it to be and in the end I ended up with acne scars and feeling ruined and depressed. wasted the last few young years of my life working hard to get myself depressed. strange. Having to make some decisions now on the direction of my life. I have a good job. Have to figure out how to work off of it and make my life better, even though it will never be the best. perhaps it can still be enjoyed to some degree. I have decided to try. thank you
This is why I wrote to you in your other thread telling you it's not that bad and don't let it ruin your life. You seem so depressed and honestly you do not have disfiguring scarring, or anything close. Have you been around your friends? I bet they don't notice or treat you any different. And you're a guy. Rugged guys are considered more handsome by many! Try distracting yourself - it will be ok!
Thank you for your help. I know it doesn't look bad in photos. I also think I look pretty good in photos, but in the mirror I look like garbage. It's awful. I will also add, it's not just the scars that have me so depressed, they are just the tip of the iceberg. I have other issues that I'd rather not get into that are the true source of the depression. but these scars are just over the top. Actually, the true sources of the depression are also the sources of the stress that I believe lead to my scarring outbreak in the first place. which compounded my stress levels. which are highly toxic right now.
Michi31 is right, your skin is not bad at all, it's quite good NUBY3!!! Your skin WILL heal 100% if you take it slow and gently with the Vitamin A...you could also try the hylauronic acid topical and beta glucan topical daily ...and ask your PS about copper peptides and skin rolling too. Just skin roll rarely, like once every month or two. And ensure your skin has a break from the other products before skin rolling for two weeks or more (please consult your PS before doing this to ensure your skin isn't too thinned from the Vitamin A).
And as for getting really depressed, this is a natural part of life. We've all been there, done that...not much fun...but a necessary requirement of life to help us grow stronger...just like the vine needs difficult, rocky, harsh terrain and a harsh climate to grow the best grapes. So, of course, it's totally okay, natural and normal to feel sad, lost and utterly depressed at times. Life is an E P I C experience. And we all need to be heroes in our lives. So ride the good days and bad days as best you can. Cultivate resilience and learn to 'bend' with stressful times so that you are not broken when life becomes overwhelming. For life is full of risks. Everyone has heartache and things that go wrong. It sounds like you are in a critical time of life when the spiritual you is yearning to break free from the superficial you. i.e. It seems between late adolescence and the early 30s, most people have superficial preoccupations. However, by their mid-to-late 30s, this is shed away gradually and is replaced with a truer, more spiritual, and more wiser you. (Indeed, many people find they are more comfortable and more resilient in their 40s and 50s etc in comparison to their teens, 20s, 30s). I think psychologists term it as a time of "disintegration"....basically, it's a time when the old you falls away to reveal a deeper and more truer you.
Embrace your inner strength and wisdom, and when you are overwhelmed, 'let go and Let GOD'. Continue to strive for wellness and balance in life, and let those unfamiliar feelings your grappling with at the moment be your teacher and a tool towards self-discovery and recovery...it is afterall, a natural part of your development and earthly experience. Work with it. Be kind to yourself.
Besides, at the end of the day, whatever happens, it is only between you and God. And don't sweat the small stuff as they say. Try to embrace your heartache/ anger/ sorrow/ anxiety etc - feel it, express it, wallow in it, cry for hours, channel it into motion and go to sleep early. You should feel better the next day or two. Pent-up stress hormones are released during crying episodes and can help heal you emotionally. And you need to express all your emotions so you don't get a "toxic brain" (which affects mental/ emotional/ physical wellness) which is caused by unexpressed emotions such as deep hurt/ rage/ sorrow.
~ Sending healing light + saying prayers for you NUBY3 ~
Hope you're feeling better soon...stay strong!
Peace + Hugs
Thank you guys so much. you guys are helping me a lot. I have been rolling for 6 months now, and I was rolling too often at first, but I have learned to wait and be patient with it. I am doing hyaluronic acid and vitamin c serums and the doctor gave me tretinoin cream but I have only used it twice so far. I am supposed to do it every 3 days at first. I have been using fruit stem cells from andalou naturals to moisturize and I really like it. The thing that is killing me inside is knowing that I could have avoided all of this if I had just learned to take better care of myself sooner instead of later. I'm so afraid that the damage has already been done and it's killing me. I am determined to give it everything I have though, I have no other choice. I want to save myself now. I do have some problems with chronic skin picking but I'm doing better about it, much better than I have done in the past. I never realized how much damage I was doing. I never really scarred at all from it until recently and then all of a sudden I am covered in tiny little scars. Do you think my skin can be made smooth again? I am a mess.
Hey NUBY3, hope you're well!!
Happy to hear you're doing so much better, keep that fighting spirit going strong !!!!!!!
And yes, your skin will heal 100%. It just takes time.
Also, you might want to test the following as it's helped my skin enormously (you can aso try it on wrinkles too, it helps, but please do this when you're planning to stay home over the weekend)...take the smallest safey pin you can get (like syringe size) and test on ONE of your scars ONLY (somewhere not obvious on your skin), and prick it gently, leaving space between the pricks so that some skin is left in tact and not pricked (do this every 5 days or so). If little drops of blood form, even better. Just be gentle and prick say 3 or 5 times gently. Then place a generous amount of beta glucan on it 3 times per day, daily. Check after a week that the scar is reduced significantly or filled in completely within a week or two. Keep doing this until scar completely heals. I have got to say the beta glucan is doing miraculous things for my skin and I'm not kidding!!!
If you find that the scar fills-in then try another one or two and keep going, one by one. Just start slow and keep testing one after another so you don't make things worse. Also, don't use Vitamin A on the scar your pricking and treating with beta glucan as it will make the skin too thin and delicate.
Here's some info on beta glucan I posted elsewhere you might find interesting:
Beta Glucan from www.newdirections.com.au is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It heals the skin from damage and rapidly strengthens the epidermis. (It also helps to heal redness/ rosacea and hospitals use it on burns patients for 1st and 2nd degree burns to heal the skin and regrow it.
Lastly, here's a blurb from a Doctor from this rosacea support group website re the efficacy of beta glucan topical:
____________
"Hi Group,
I have put a lot of time trying to figure out what products used for burn victims might have medical applications for rosacea. So far, at the top of the list is the prescriptin strenght growth factor creams clinically test on rosacea sufferers. Excellent results. Top notch.
I have been visiting the Emergency Room at some of our sister hospitals (Clarian Health). They are using Beta-Glucan on first and second degree burns (not third). This is used for several reason:
1. An extremely potent anti-inflammatory
2. Very potent soothing qualities and abolishes burning sensations
3. Cell renewal and epidermal thickner (just as good as the 20 growth factors).
No studies on rosacea sufferers yet. But it is available. I would wait because rosacea trials by independent laboratories are on the way as they see a huge market with our disorder. I really like this product. Facial plastic surgeons have the most experience with this product and can actually show you how it immediately calms down skin redness post resurfacing procedures by placing it on one half of the face for just a few days. This will be a part of rosacea recovery in the future. Below is a short blurb.
Today, Combining history and science, oat beta-glucan renewal cell complex is available for use in both medical and cosmetic applications. Originally formulated for use in intensive burn therapy, oat beta-glucan isused worldwide to aid in the burn recovery process. From burn therapy to cosmetic surgery, oat beta-glucan is used by plastic surgeons and dermatologists to ease discomfort and assist healing of facial resurfacing procedures such as laser resurfacing, chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Today, the anti-aging oat beta-glucan renewal cell complex is a direct extension of the medical benefits derived from this proven technology."
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You can also take it in capsule form. It helps cure everything from acne to cancer!!! See Beta13DGlucan.org: A Reliable Source of Information on Beta Glucan.
Have a go...and also, if you can, try this green superfood (or equivalent) supplement for juices...it's a great health booster: https://www.synergynatural.com/product-information/super-greens.html
Have a lovely, weekend NUBY3, Healing Light + Hugs