Hello everyone! I'm making this post (hopefully in the right section, since I'm a new member) becauseI wasn't blessed with good skin, and I need help figuring out how to fix the problems its giving me!
I've had really bad acne ever since I was around 11/12, but last year I have got the worst breakouts of my life.
It was horrible, mostly because it felt uncomfortable, at times painful, itchy and I had no idea how to fix it and no treatment really seemed to work well. I'd get cysts and bumps on my cheeks/chin and small pimples all over my forehead.
Now that I am 19 most of it is gone, however I'm now dealing with the scars and the hyperpigmentation that my acne has left on my face...
There has been an improvement, but I still get occasional breakouts and my skin type is so bad and sensitive that I can't seem to be able to stick to a regimen for long...
I have extremely dry skin and it's constantly exfoliating on its own to the point that whenever I get out of the shower in the morning I have a layer of dry skin to remove off my face. Now, I've read somewhere this is normal and actually healthy because it means it's easier to get rid of dead skin cells, but the main problem is that it doesn't come off on its own, it just lingers there. I always need to get it off using cotton pads, thus causing lots of irritation. I tried using moisturizer (I've been mostly loyal to Avene and La Roche Posay for sensitive and dry skin) but it doesn't really last for long anyway and it just makes my face really shiny and makes my scars appear more obvious. Is there a way to fix this? I've read something about AHA/BHA and their exfoliating effects, but I'm not sure how these products work or if this is the proper way to treat the problem. Will I get rid of the dry skin by just rinsing it off with water if I apply an AHA/BHA? Because this seems the only way to extoliate without causing irritation...
The fact I have been getting a few breakouts lately (and my skin currently has a bumpy texture on my cheeks too, which makes me think it's just acne that's going to surface sooner or later) had me thinking I should probably try the acne.org regimen because it seems like it's fixing all these kinds of skin problems, but I'm afraid it would be a little too harsh on my face.. isit worth it? Should I give it a try?
About the scars, how should I go about them? Should I try fixing them with laser treatments, chemical peels, dermarolling...? Or should I just wait until they lose redness and see if they're still as noticeable as now?
Thanks in advance for your help, really!
@rikkkkisIf your face is constantly dry, it means there isn't enough oil to go around. This could be due to a lot of things, including dehydration, but if I had to pick one answer it would be this: lack of fat in your diet. Fat doesn't only keep the sebaceous gland lubricated, it helps the lipid barriers to keep the skin hydrated.
Try consuming a good amount of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, seeds rich in "good" fat like flaxseed, and sprinkle some olive oil on your salad.
Do this for at least 4 weeks and I assure you that your dry skin will be history.
Try not to over exfoliate your skin as that can also have damaging effects, however since you seem to have a lot of dry skin you could opt for a more natural exfoliator so your not irritating your akin as much. Also I agree on having a look at your diet and switching things up, for atleast a month