Skincare for me has always been an important part of my everyday life. From a young age I was taught the do's and don'ts as to how to keep your skin healthy and glowing. Due to this the thought of acne didn't affect me until the age of 17.
I remember going to school sometimes with little to no makeup on at all, and my skin used to be so soft and smooth. I don't know why or how or even when this all started to change, but it did, and I started to get a little depressed about it. Ok well maybe depressed is a strong word but I was very sad and just not my usual self. I went through tons of normal antibiotic treatments to try and cure it, as not only was it visible on my face but also my back. I was becoming a very self conscious person which I never really used to be. It was around about a year this was all going on for, until I was prescribed a tougher drug called Accutane (or Roaccutane).
Accutane is a antibiotic used for severe cases of acne, and scarring, which comes with lots of serious side effects. They stretched from dry lips and skin, to severe depression or serious pain in the body. I remember sitting in the doctors room when he told me all about the damaging effects this drug could have, and I felt so overwhelmed. So much so that it nearly did put me off from having the treatment, I'm so glad it didn't.
I went back home did some research, and I learned that many young girls who are in the public limelight, for example youtubers Emma Chamberlain and Summer Mckeen, all went through the same process, and they came out fine!! I also learnt that some girls I knew went through the same process when they were my age as well, another encouraging factor, which made me feel less alone.
So not only was the actual medication a massive factor into helping my skin, but also the products I was using on my face was just as important. Before all this I had been trying out all different kinds of facial products from Kiehls, and Glossier (which I love as brands), however their products were just not working for me. So once I went on the medication I know that my skin routine had to become a priority. So with Accutane it basically dries your skin of all the extra oils that you body is producing to dry the spots up, (so scientific) so therefore I needed a face wash and moisturiser which was nice and rich. So who did I turn to, of course Cerave and Cetaphil, the two brands that are taking over the world right now. Now when I say these brands changed my world, I'm not emphasising. The Cerave face wash and the Cetaphil rich night cream really helped my skin feel moisturised and for once smooth.
So my experience with Accutane, luckily, was nothing but positive. The only side effects I suffered from really were the dry skin and lips, which they say everyone does. I can honestly say that without it, I'm not sure how bad my skin would have been now. Although it is not where I want my skin to be as there is still some slight scarring, this is natural and normal for a while (I hope) but it better be gone soon.
After coming off accutane, only a couple of weeks ago, I was stuck on what facial products I should now be using as my skin isn't super dry, and I don't have any actual bumps on my face. Well I did my research and found out that too many products on the skin can cause worse problems and breakouts. Therefore I have just stuck to my regime that I used on the medication but added a less rich moisturiser and some good old 'The Ordinary' serums to help with either scarring or to just make my skin feel good.
So yeah I guess this is my story, nothing major, but I know when I was starting to go through with this that none of my friends had been on it, so I did feel quite alone. But I am really writing this to either maybe, well hopefully, help a girl who is self-conscious over her skin to give her the push she needs that "I turned out ok", or to reassure girls (and boys, boys too of course) that the decision you made was the best and that here are a few tips and tricks to help you cope with it a little better.
(All photos provided by Pinterest)
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