Acne caves you in from the outside world. I never thought this could happen to me but it changed everything. My life. My mission. This is the story of my journey....
I was a lucky individual who never had pimples, let alone acne during my teen years. I would never date a girl with pimples. I had pride. I had flawless skin. I was the Prince of the ball and I chose who I desire to dance with.
Fast forward to a few years later and it came to pass, the beginning of a nightmare that I could never wake up from. No matter how hard I try, I was caught in the Sandman's twisted little web.
"Retribution..." I whispered to myself on that faithful night as I cried myself to eternal slumber, never to wake up again.
"I am beautiful, no matter what they say..." These words pierce you like a wooden stake through the heart. Sure, it was a song that captivated an audience into loving themselves for who they are and encouraged them to look past their insecurities. It was a song that won Christina Aguilera her fourth Grammy but it was the very same song that was silently killing me every sleepless night.
I tried everything to wake myself up from this horrible nightmare. Anything and everything I could get my hands on from the drugstore. Instead of getting better, it became worse and I suffered the worst outbreak ever that still haunts me to this very day. I saw myself fading away, quicker by the day but no cared and no one dared. That faithful evening when I pulled myself infront of the mirror, and gazed involuntarily at a familiar reflection, I asked myself...
"Who is this beast that I see standing infront of me?" And I wept. It was me. I could hardly even recognise myself.
The mirror shattered into a thousand a pieces. I shut myself off completely from this cruel, cruel world. The Phantom of the Opera resides in me and now, I'm forced to wear a mask. I hid myself from the little imps. We played a deadly game of Hide and Seek but I was never meant to be found. And I planned to stay that way - hidden from a bird's eye view. Hidden from civilization.
I spinned into a cocoon and hanged myself on the last of the garden's stringbean love. That was the last morning I ever saw Light and thereafter, Loneliness soon became my best friend.
Funny how a four letter word can really transform a person no different from a victim of rape.
Silly boy! I can not be in this state forever! Inevitably and eventually, a winged creature will emerge from its dark imprisonment. That is one of the laws of Nature that can never be broken by a mere mortal such as I. But the question is: Will I emerge from my cocoon as a butterfly or moth?
And so, this marks my journey...
Day One -
A Brand New Day
--------------------
My New Regimen
. A teaspoon of Manuka Honey applied topically on my whole face right before bed.
. Honey is left on till the next morning and rinsed off with cold water. I read that this seals the moisture and the nutrients from the honey in your skin. Utilise the honey on your face as a cleanser by adding just a little bit of cold water. Work it into a lather and rinse off. As simple as that.
. No cleanser, toner or moisturizer were needed. I change my face towel regularly and ensure I gently tap my face dry with my towel instead of rubbing it vigorously like I used to do.
. A teaspoon of Manuka Honey taken orally twice a day. One taken in the morning on an empty stomach and another right before bed. I read that a plastic teaspoon should be used instead of a metal one. Take your honey without water as it is absorbed by the body faster this way. Water can be taken 30 minutes after consumption. Having said that, water should essentially still be taken throughout the day and I try to drink as much as 12 glasses a day.
. When I'm not at home, I use Aloe Vera Gel straight from the plant, instead. But whenever I'm home, I religiously ensure that honey is always fully maximized, in terms of duration, on my face.
. I also take supplements twice a day. The key vitamins being Zinc, Vitamins A (in the form of Beta-Carotene), Bs and C.
Day Two
--------------------
Wow! I am actually quite amazed what Manuka Honey can really do! Not only did the nasty pus like stuff stopped oozing out of my skin, I could also physically feel the positive texture of my skin!
BP severely damaged my skin. It was dry, chapped, full of blistering wounds and bright red all over. Hence, the decision to use God's natural work on my skin rather than those man made chemical stuff.
I am actually quite pleased with the results seen in just one day. My skin has stopped "oozing" and most of the bumps kinda resided overnight! Utterly surprising! Though the damn redness is still there, I am positive that I've finally found a cure...
Will keep you guys updated!
P.S: Though honey's perceived as sticky and uncomfortable when applied topically, I could hardly felt its sticky presence on my skin! It felt light and comfy so much that I almost forgot to wash it off before leaving home! I didn't have put on a moisturizer cos after the honey was washed off my face with cold water, I could immediately feel the soft and supple texture of my skin! It almost felt like new skin! Damn! I'm sounding like a over zealous teenage girl now! Haha!
I hope I'm not overdoing it cos I don't leave the honey on like a mask (15 - 20 mins). Instead, I put it on as long as possible when I'm back home and right before bed till the next morning. (Approximately a third of the day). I don't think there's any side effects for overusing Manuka Honey but we'll see...
Day Three
--------------------
My redmarks are noticably getting better and there are only a few active spots around my forehead and cheeks. The swellings have drastically reduced in size and I think they should be flattened out by the end of this week. So far so good, extremely thrilled about it...
Other than difficulty in sleeping (I had to ensure I didn't accidentally smash my sticky face on the pillows and whatnot), I think this is all worthwhile. I know I am being greedy now but I really hope my redmarks heal within a month. Oh well.
At least I've found something that really works...
So gotta be patient, I guess.
