I've always been self conscious about my skin. Sometimes it's just a few spots around my chin but around the last two years it's turned to being about 10 or 20 deep painful spots on my face and horrible acne on my chest, shoulders and back. I tried everything. The treatment most people recommended was ProActive. It obviously works for a lot of people. But for some reason it just went worse. I tried it for the full 12 weeks and it damaged my skin so much that it left scars around my neck and chin. I tried the Simple Acne range, Nivea and Clearasil. But nothing worked.
At some points I wouldn't be able to look in the mirror to put make-up on because the look of my skin would make me cry. I realise it sounds silly to get emotional about your skin. But your face is something everyone notices. The spots on my back and chest would bother me too because I couldn't wear what I wanted to wear. I'd feel like everyone was looking at me and think I'm hideous. I'd feel so stupid for wearing make-up all the time, even to leave my room in Uni to go to the kitchen. I didn't want anyone to see how horrific I looked without foundation. I was so frustrated that it was happening when I was 20-21, I thought that it would be over by now. I thought that it was something you only went through whilst going through puberty.
After coming home from San Francisco last summer, I'd had enough. The sun there, or the atmosphere must have made it worse. I spoke to my friend who had the same problem. He told me to go to the doctors and demand to see a dermatologist once and for all. Because everything that the doctors gave me as well never worked. So, I did. The waiting list was huge. About 6 months to a year. My mother had seen how much it effected my confidence and decided to go private. We saw the same doctor that would have been the NHS doctor but we got to see him early after paying £120 for an early consultation. It was the best £120 I've ever spent, and I'm so grateful to my mother for suggesting it and taking me! After the consultation he prescribed a number of different options. We didn't have to pay anything else after that, the prescriptions were free. If you're sick of waiting, I'd definitely recommend doing this because its not exactly private, the first consultation is but the medication and the rest of the appointments are free. Unfortunately, these first few prescriptions didn't work. He finally prescribed me Isotretinoin, the strongest acne medication there is.
As it's a strong drug, there are a lot of side effects and a lot of precautions you have to take. I had to undertake a pregnancy test, because you can't get pregnant whilst on the medication because it can harm the baby. I had to have a blood test to check my iron levels. Whilst on it for 16 weeks it made my skin very dry and my lips dry. My acne did get worse in the first week or so but cleared up nearly immediately after that. I've finished my course now and IT'S WORKED. I have a few little scars and few spots pop up here and there but that's nothing to what I used to have. I strongly recommend it and am so happy with the results. I've never been so happy looking in the mirror and can walk around the house, even to lectures make up free. I'll always be self conscious about my skin I think, but having no spots is one less thing to worry about. I didn't use moisturiser whilst I was on it because it could effect your treatment, which is frustrating because your skin is so dry. Now that I've finished I use Nivea Soft and E45 cream to get my skin back to normal. Once you've completed your treatment it should stop the dryness anyway.
I haven't got a before picture, but here is my skin now. My skin isn't perfect, it's still a little red but for me to take a picture without make-up and actually post it, is a pretty big deal.
If anyone ever reads this who suffers from acne, Isotertinoin works. One course and hopefully you won't have to think of the word spots ever again!
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