I still remember the day I spotted the first red bump on my face which was to be followed by years of pus filled, pain filled and confidence stripping eruptions. I was only 13 when pimples started wreaking havoc on my life. A good 20 years later and hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars spent in treatments, I have finally achieved my goal of blemish free skin.
I know what you are going through because I have been there!
My name is Grace Federer and this is the story of my battle with acne and how I finally snatched back the control that pimples had on my facial skin and my life. There were times in this war when the blemishes certainly had an upper hand. I could not bear to look at my face in the mirror on those days. There were also intermittent periods when it seemed that I had finally managed to control the ungainly affliction, but these were far and few between.
The scars were a gut wrenching and ugly reminder of what I was going through!
Unfortunately, even when the zits would take a break for a while, I would still be reminded of their perpetual presence in my life by the pock marks and hyper pigmentation they had left behind. I tried everything imaginable, every product in the market. In fact, each time a new product would be introduced, I would be tempted to buy it immediately.
All those creams and lotions only offered disappointment!
While most topical preparations did not make any difference, some that did would only provide short lived reprieve. There was also a third category; these were products specifically meant for tackling the dark spots and atrophic scars. Although they would barely yield any results against the scars, for some reason, they would lead to more intense acne eruptions.
The more the inflammation and the longer the zits would stay on my face, the greater and deeper would be the scarring after the next round of acne had subsided. In fact, the whole process had turned into a vicious cycle. Some of the more popular preparation did manage to dry out the zits, but they were astonishingly ineffective when it came to the scarring.
Acne took a huge toll on my life!
Through all of this, my confidence level had plunged right down to the floor. My own horror and embarrassment at my predicament was such that I simply could not understand why anybody would want to date me. Even when I would bring myself to consider a romantic relationship, I would make sure that the guy in question would only get to see my face with layers of war paint meant to hide the scars.
I had almost given up when I saw a slight ray of hope!
Not very keen on surgery, I was ready to throw in the towel and live with the acne scars all my life. Just then, I discovered microdermabrasion. I had tried chemical peels before with some success and this treatment promised better results. Although you would have to go to a cosmetologist or a high street salon for the expensive sessions, I was willing to give microdermabrasion a shot.
After the first few rounds, I could not deny that my skin looked better than it ever had, but the procedure was also burning a huge hole in my pocket. There came a point when I was just not sure that my earnings would be able to support my quest for a clear skin.
Very reluctantly, I gave up the regular microdermabrasion sessions, settling for one sitting every 2-3 months. My skin held up well for a while but with every new zit, the scars were slowly and steadily making a comeback. Fortunately for me, this is when I found my very first home microdermabrasion kit.
Technology made my life a whole lot simpler!
In the last few years, I also discovered micro-needling and light therapy along with better microdermabrasion kits. Also, I have to confess that the improved quality of topical creams and serums and my decision to only go with natural products has made a significant difference to the intensity of breakouts and the scarring. Moreover, I have been able to eliminate almost all the older scars without succumbing to the pressure of laser treatments or surgery.
Today, I am leading an acne and scar free life. Now, in my thirties, my skin looks better than it did even in my teens. I have finally devised a way of using the best of technology and nature to help heal my skin, keep pimples at bay and eliminate the blemishes caused by years of breakouts.
I know picking the right product can be a pain!
Internet has undoubtedly made it easier to learn about new products and even buy them. However, on the flip side, the online marketplace is teeming with way too many offerings, so much so that buying one can be utterly harrowing.
So, what I have done here is chosen five products in five categories and I have personally reviewed each one them. This way, you won’t have to go through the trial and error phase. All the 25 products showed remarkable results but some were more effective than the others. I have written in depth reviews for each of these, so you can find the products that are just right for you. I have also written a lot of articles on the natural treatment of cystic acne.
As you traverse the path to clear, blemish free skin, there will be times when you feel that it is all futile. Just remember this – I have been able to beat down my acne into submission along with hundreds of other individuals and so can you!