So we all think we know what acne it, or at least we know it's the bane of our existence. Really it is sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria that's built up and plugged the hair follicle. That's it. Those three little things ignite the most fierce and desperate problem solving skills in all of us. Acne, to me, seems to be my number one self-esteem killer. It's a huge bummer and for the past four months its been really out of hand. I thought I'd share my story with y'all so that when you read it you'll know you aren't alone in that boat of yours. So here is the story of my skin struggle.
I personally think I have always had a little acne. Growing up I bought the over the counter cleansers for acne prone or oily skin. It wasn't ever anything serious. Nothing to warrant dermatologist visits or even self-esteem issues. It was just my skin, and by about the age of 23 I felt like I had it managed.
In the past three years I have become increasingly interested in skincare and esthetics, so I thought I'd try to make a career out of it. It's not like I'm using my History degree. So anyway, I'm currently enrolled in esthetics courses at The Salon Professional Academy. That's the other reason I'm sharing: hopefully this battle will make me a better, more knowledgable, and relatable esthetician. So back to the story.
In 2012 I was prepared to invest in Jane Iredale make-up, a professional mineral make-up line, but I wasn't ready to spend the money on professional skincare. If you've ever looked into professional skincare lines you how expensive they can be. Because I wasn't buying professional skincare, my esthetician recommended Cetaphil. Of course I bought the Oil Control line for acne prone skin. The line consists of one foam cleanser and one moisturizer with SPF 30 which I loved. The combination of Jane Iredale Purepressed Powder and Cetaphil was doing pretty good things for my skin. My breakouts were down to a minimum and I wasn't having to blot the oil from my T-zone anymore. I was pretty happy with my skin, but I had (and still have) flesh toned bumps on my forehead. In my esthetics courses I have learned that the technical term for these "bumps" is papules. They didn't usually come to a head (unless I tried, and failed, to extract them) but just hung out up there, ruining the texture of my otherwise considerably smooth skin.
So in February 2014 I took the plunge. The medicated acne line of a well-known and highly respected skincare line was recommended for me to clear up any lingering papules and pustules and to prevent any new ones from popping up. The first month was pretty predictable. I felt like my skin as purging. I had expected that. But after about a month I began to get very large, very red, very inflamed papules all over my face, even my cheeks! I had never had serious acne before so I didn't know what to think. I did know that what I was experiencing couldn't be normal. But I had spent so much money! I thought maybe I needed to add to my regimen to control these new breakouts. I bought a gentle exfoliant and then a spot treatment. Nothing improved and the condition of my skin continued to worsen. It was terrible. My confidence had plummeted.
At the end of May I was getting desperate. I changed up my medication but to no avail. Around June 22nd I finally went off the professional skincare and right back to the Cetaphil Oil Control line. The Cetaphil calmed my acne down but wasn't healing it. I wasn't getting the nasty, red, painful papules and pustules anymore, but my acne wasn't really going away.
So on July 11th I was ready to try professional skincare again. I was fearful but I was tired of waiting. I needed to get proactive about my skincare again. I chose Clinal Care Skin Solutions because it came highly recommended. CCSS is also the professional line we use at school, and since I will be using CCSS products on and selling them to actual clients in two weeks I thought it would be a good idea to try them out myself.
After using the CCSS Conquer(Zit) line for about three days my skin began to dry out. If I'm being honest, my skin was a little too dry. I have gotten a few little pimples but I expected nothing less. On July 13th I added CCSS Later Alligator Vitamin C Moisturizer to my nightly routine to help replenish the moisture the harsher ingredients in the cleanser is taking out of my skin and hopefully even out my skin tone. Its been about a week since I started using the CCSS product line, and all is well so far.
I'll keep you updated on the progress of my skin, and if it ever clears up I'll post before and after pictures.
If you've had a similar experience I'd love to hear about it! I like to feel like I'm not the only one, you know?
