My Cystic Acne Journey
If you’ve been following me you know I’ve struggled with cystic acne since 2016. I mean, I always get your monthly “hormonal breakouts” when it gets close to that time, but never cystic acne. I also never had acne growing up and suddenly in my mid 20’s the skin gods felt the need to unleash a wrath of giant zits on my face. I know I’m being super dramatic, but if you’ve dealt with acne you understand. Not to mention, I feel like getting acne as an adult is way worse than when you’re a teenager. I mean it’s expected then right? It was so bad that I skipped events because of it. I would stay home because I was so embarrassed of people seeing my face.
So, let me start by saying that I’ve literally tried EVERYTHING - from sulphur cleansers to prescribed antibiotics with the exception of accutane. I’ve tried over the counter, homeopathic methods, facials, IV therapy and even went to a dermatologist for over a year. It all seemed to help some, but nothing every got rid of my acne completely. I felt like my last resort was going to be accutane and I was doing my research and figuring out the pros and cons. I almost just bit the bullet and tried accutane. However, luckily I found something just in time that worked.
The biggest lesson I have learned during my skin care journey is what works for one persons skin, may not necessarily work for yours. So, you definitely have to keep that in mind when trying new products. It’s not that a product doesn’t work, it could be that the product just doesn’t work well with your skin. Another important thing to consider is being consistent with your new skin care routine, before calling it “quits”. It’s like going to the gym, you can expect to see results if you only go for a few days. Ya know?
Below I’ve attached a skin care guide that I found online. It will help you understand how quickly you should see results with each specific product.
I’m also going to bare all and show you my before and after photos , so you can see my results. BRACE YOURSELF! My before pictures are so bad and honesty I can’t believe I’m showing you. But, the reason I’ve chosen to share my journey with you is to tell you there is hope and you’re not alone. So don’t give up! You can regain your confidence and take back your skin.
BEFORE
August 2019
AFTER
December 2019
6 things that helped clear up my Cystic acne
Hydration/IV Therapy
1. Medicated Acne Skin Care Cleanser - The single most important product in clearing up my cystic acne has been a product called La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Cleanser. I seriously found it by accident when I was in Ulta picking up my “regulars”. It was one of those trips where you know what you need and you want to get in and get out. But of course, I’m easily distracted and if I see something that catches my eye, I’m like squirrel. I guess I should be thankful for this squirrel moment though huh? So, La Roche-Posay products are on the drug store side. It is not considered a “prestige” brand. They sell an actual acne medicated skin care system which is what I initially purchased but I have found that the cleanser is what helps my skin the most. It contains 2% salicylic acid and a considered medicated cleanser. Salicylic acid is good for acne because it helps clean and rid your face of any bacteria and any dead skin cells. This cleaner isn't too harsh on your face and it won’t dry you out. I also love the refreshing clean feeling you get once you wash your face with it. I allow the cleanser to sit on my face about 30 secs before washing it off. It feels like my every pore on my face is open and able to breath!
2. Acne Treatment Face Oil - Another critical part of my regimen has been the Sunday Riley’s UFO Acne Treatment Face Oil. It’s soooo amazing! I seriously can’t rave enough about this product! One of my gal pals told me about this product and I’m so glad she did because it has saved my life! It contains 1.5% salicylic acid and ladies and gents it WORKS! I use this product twice a day (morning and night). I use it right after I wash my face with the La Roche-Posay cleanser. If I have a blemish, it clears it up within 24 hours and this is another product that doesn't dry your face out.
3. Retinol Serum - Retinol cream/serum is vital when dealing with acne. It’s like liquid GOLD! I’ve recently discovered Sunday Riley’s Retinoid A+ serum and it has done wonders for me! The Retinoid A+ has 6.5% of retinol blends. Retinol is good for keeping your face clean, helping with texture, skin discoloration and skin cell turnover. I tend to lean towards serums because I feel like creams tend to dry me out more. If you’ve never used a retinol or retinoid before you should only use it once a week for the first week starting out to make sure your skin can handle it. This will help get your skin used to it and insure you don’t have any reactions or your skin doesn’t dry out. Then you can start using it two times a week and so on until your skin has built up a tolerance for it. I personally use it two to three times a week at night, but that’s because my skin is super thick and my skin is used to it. It is important to use this product BEFORE applying any other product to get the full benefits. You can apply more products on top of the retinol, but in my experience best results are when you apply first. I do apply a moisturizer on after I’m completely done with my routine to make sure my moisture barrier isn’t compromised from the retinol.
4. Exfoliation - In addition to using these amazing products it’s a MUST that you exfoliate. Exfoliation helps get rid of all the dry-dead skin cells and allows for new skin that the products are helping regenerate. I use the Clarisonic and pair with with a Glycolic Acid Face Wash Cleanser. A fellow blogger told me about it and it’s amazing! It's from Amazon and super affordable. I usually just exfoliate on the weekends to give my skin a chance to breath from all the salicylic acid.
5. Hydration- Hydration is so so so important if you wanting to achieve beautiful skin. If you don’t drink enough water, I highly recommend getting IV therapy or using an alternative called Liquid IV. I don’t drink enough water and I’m a total wino. I make sure to compensate by getting IV therapy every two weeks. Most IV therapy med spas offer IV’s that are specifically designed for hydration and skin care. They usually also have “beauty” shots that contain collagen and biotin, which are amazing for the skin. I usually get that in addition to the hydration IV. If you’re from the Tulsa area I would go to IV Nutrition. That is where I go and I always get the “Bountiful Beauty” IV bag.
Use Code: RUNNINGINSTILETTOSBLOG for 25% off your Liquid IV order plus free shipping.
6. Vitamins - Vitamins are another vital part when it comes to skin because if your gut health is off, it will show in your skin. I currently use HUM Skin Heros + Pre Probiotics. I also purchased a Vitamin A capsule from Amazon. When I was doing extensive research on accutane and thinking that was the path I was going to have to take to get rid of my acne, I noticed that it was a derivative of Vitamin A. I figured what the heck I could at least try Vitamin A, before I take the risk and try accutane. It was super inexpensive. I bought like a 3-month supply for like $9. I’ve been taking one every day since paired with the Hum.
Extras:
Micro-Needling - This step isn’t an absolute must, but I have found it has helped my skin with acne scarring and texture. It helps your skin absorb the product better and really get down into your pores. My acne scaring has cleared up so much since adding micro-needing to my routine. I recommend micro-needling after your cleanser/face wash and before you put on any oils or serums.
Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum - I use this product primarily on the weekends to hydrate my skin. Vitamin C is super important when it comes to the face. It can help with fine lines and wrinkles. It has also helps with discoloration.
C.E.O. Vitamin C Glow Serum - This is another Vitamin C serum I use back to back with the Mad Hippie. I use it to just intensify that moisture barrier and also to help with texture and discoloration. The C.E.O. serum has a rapid brightening agent that allows the skin to absorb the product quickly. So it’s not totally necessary to micro-needle.
High Frequency Skin Wand - Another thing that I’ve LOVED for those stubborn pimples on that day that you have an event is a high frequency skin wand. It helps eliminate any swelling. It also helps clean and gets rid of any bacteria. This tool is something that an esthetician will use if you go in for an “acne facial”. Most people don’t know that you can purchase this and use this on your own at home. I purchased mine from Amazon for less than $50.
Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment - I love this product because it helps with discoloration and again with my acne scarring it has helped my skin tremendously. It also helps with texture, fine lines/wrinkles and keeps your skin super hydrated. I use it on the weekends and give my skin a break from all the salicylic acid. It plumps up my face almost immediately and makes me look super refreshed.
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask - So this is technically a mask, but I love how light weight it is and I use it as my moisturizer. It’s seriously my favorite. I love ALL Laneige products and the best part is that it doesn’t break my skin out and it lasts forever!
So I’ve listed all the amazing products that have helped my skin. Now, I will dive a little deeper and break down my morning and night time skin care routines.
Morning Skin Care Routine:
Weekday
Weekend
Night-time Skin Care Routine:
Weekday
La Roche-Posay Medicated Cleanser
2. Sunday Riley’s. A+ Retinoid Serum.
3. High Frequency Skin Wand (twice a week or when need for inflamation)
Weekend
So, these routines aren’t “set in stone” per say. I will tweak my routines depending on if I have a current break out or if my skin is more dry than normal. In addition to my acne skin care routines and products listed, I use anti-aging products and get facials pretty regularly. My favorite facial to get is the hydra-facial. It cleans my skin so well and gets all the gunk out. My pores always look so clean when leaving my appointment. I highly recommend adding facials into your skin care routine. It’s like an added layer of protection.
Also - a huge contributing factor to my routine and clear skin has been wearing less makeup. I used to wear Estee Lauder Doublewear daily and now I only use it when I’m going out or want extra coverage. I use concealer and CC cream now and that’s what I’m wearing in my first photo which is not edited so that you can see my texture. It’s super important to work on your skin first instead of trying to cover up your acne. I know it’s hard and it’s going to be a transition but - I promise it’s worth it. If you work on your skin first, you won’t have to wear as much makeup. Your skin needs to breath and although Double-Wear foundation is bomb and full coverage, it’s known to clogs up your pores. If that foundation is a must for you just make sure you really clean it all OFF each night or you will continue to have skin problems. This honestly goes for any foundation though.
If you have any questions for me, please feel free to reach out to me. I would like to help in any way possible.
Skincare Products YOU SHOULD NOT MIX:
I found this article on Beautybay.com and thought his would be a helpful guide for those that have sensitive skin or are not aware of mixing certain skincare products!
VITAMIN C + AHAS/BHAS
Vitamin C is effectively an acid, so layering it with AHAs and BHAs like glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids is a big no-no. It’s also really unstable so any acids you layer it with will destabilise the pH balance and render it completely useless before it even has chance to work its magic.
RETINOL + AHAS/BHAS
Retinol doesn’t exfoliate like AHAs and BHAs do, but it is a peeling agent so it does stimulate cell turnover to get rid of old and damaged skin cells. Mixing it with acids can cause dryness and irritation and damage the skin’s moisture barrier. Cry face. Personally my skin is thick and used to it, so I use the two in combo two to three times a week.
RETINOL + VITAMIN C
Using retinol and Vitamin C together is yet another recipe for irritation, peeling, and redness. Together they’ll also increase skin’s sensitivity to the sun, meaning you’re at a much higher risk of burning and UV damage. Best practice is to use retinol at night and vitamin C by day.
GLYCOLIC ACID + SALICYLIC ACID
Both ingredients work by removing dead skin cells from the outer layer of your skin, but more is not always better! Both are great ingredients used separately, but mixing the two will cause a major reaction and strip your skin. One word: ouch.
xoxo
