Hello,

I am 21 years old girl and suffer from acne since 8th grade. (I come from Germany, please excuse my English). I have a LONG story with acne and am hoping that I am able to take an end of it soon, very soon.

Long story short: lifelong dieting, sports and sometimes binges on huge amounts of sugar, bread etc. Jo-jo dieting. Since 8th grade on antibiotics, treatments that brought results but not permanent.

In 10th grade (or even 9th) I started using foundation and powder and havent stopped till 3 weeks ago.

First year of university my acne became from moderate or even mild to SEVERE. I ate almost only fruits, snickers, cappucino and bread. I study law and stay(stood) 12-16 hours a day studying in the bibliothek. I loved and hated the stress. Loved it because I had success at the uni, hated it because it gave me BAD acne. However, I covered it with foundation which caused more and more and more pimples. But I didnt care because I was so into the studying that everything else wasnt important at that moment.

As I went home for Christmas (2011) my mother was very conserned and took me to the dermatologist. I was prescribed Acutane for 6 months and I was really happy because I knew it will clear p my skin just like that and I shouldnt change anything else in my lifestyle.

So after 6 months I had perfect skin. I had some scars ( 2-3 spots of red marks) and an occaisonal pimple around my period so I didnt stop using foundation (of course oil free, AVENE). At the time I was eating crap. I even did a chocolate diet, drank 4 cups of strong double espresso and ate breads, loats of fruit and dairy. I was KINDA fit, but not really.

And this was the point when I decided to go paleo. I did it overnight, I wanted to be super fit and lose fat. I went to the gym almost every day and after 4 months I already had a killer body, shiny hair and my skin looked good, but was slowly getting oily and I was getting some pimples. I used a moisturizer for 2 Euro and some cheap cosmetics, CHEAP crappy foundation and was overeating on meats, fats, NUTS and fruit. But I had a 4 pack, skinny legs and pumped ass and was getting a lot of attention so I didnt care.

Spring 2013 I had a very bad emotional stress. I developed heartburn and couldnt gt up from bed because of what I experienced emotionally. Some other things contributed to my total destroyment physically and psyhically. So I stopped the paleo, wanted to try some more carbs and started overeating on rice, potatoes, occasionally bread, than I had slip ups with chocolate, nuts (300g a day) and lots of junk. MY ACNE CAME BACK. SEVERE.

I was diagnosed acid reflux, mild gastritis, estrogen deficiency, slightly more testosterone than normal, but nothing "to worry about", as the doctorS said. I also was adviced to start yoga and work towards an anti-stress regimen, to catch a boyfriend and to take it easier.

SO I did it. I went on a diet, lost weight, catched a boyfriend and my hormones normalized. Somewhat my acne.

Over the last 6 months I developed a regimen that took my acne to 70% under controll.

If you are still reading.......

1. I go to a cosmetitian every month

2. 100% paleo, although I had a lot of slip ups

3. BABOR Cosmetic (definitely nothing that is cheap)

4. IPL procedures (4)

5. Topical antibiotics when big pimples

6. every week at-home "facials": steaming, mask, peeling

This did work. But I scrued it up: I had a big exam so I ate 14 days in a row every day chocolate and dairy and shits, because I thought my acne was gone.

And I ended up with 20 pimples after a few days.

Now, after 2 months of slowly healing this mistakes, I am determined to cure my acne forever.

1. I stopped wearing foundation (-50% pimples just after one week of it)

2. I started balancing omega 3-6

3. I am 10000% paleo again and will never eat shit again, so I promised to myself

4. I then cut fruit out of the diet (-30% less pimples, so to this day 80% improvement)

5. I have a very detailed regimen: oil cleansing with babor m+e, moisturizer m+e, tea tree oil undiluted on pimples, 3 times a week clay mask, 2 times a week sauna, 1 time a week green tea steaming

6. I eat fish almost every day and basically just : fish, eggs, meat, veggies, some olive oil

7. SUPPLEMENTS: Cod liver oil, zinc, reduced glutathione, vit. C, vit. D3, soon I will begi with probiotics

Not wearing foundation improved a lot of my condition. But it is emotionally hard to go out with this problem. I know I ruined my face with my lifestyle. Just wanted to share with you my story and maybe become some advise from you on what else could I do besides waiting patiently.

I am really really depressed. This is my 3rd week but I somehow lose hope that I will be 100% clear again