Category

Acne Skin

Category

Do you know what is the next “painful” problem you face when you have acne?

It’s dealing with acne scars that take a long time (or never) to go away.

Do you agree?

 

I was trying to manage my hormonal acne which appeared in my mid 30s. To find out more about my journey, you can read it here.

How acne scars are formed

Acne scars form when acne has penetrated the skin deeply, damaging the skin and tissue beneath it. The body repairs the damage by producing collagen. If the body doesn’t produce enough collagen, acne scars form.

How to treat acne scars

Prevention is better than cure. One way to prevent acne scars is to reduce inflammation in the body. Junk food and sugar causes inflammation to the body and should be avoided as much as possible.  

The next way is to treat acne as soon as it forms. We should not squeeze or pop the pimple as it will only further agitate the skin. We should not over cleanse as this will strip the natural oil glands that moisturize our skin.

Here are 3 affordable and effective products I used to treat my acne scars

1. Skinceuticals CE Ferulic 

Our skin repairs itself by producing collagen.Vitamin C serums stimulate the skin in production of collagen. I highly recommend the CE Ferulic serum as it contains 15% pure vitamin C. I use about 4 drops in the morning for my whole face and my skin texture and scars have lighten tremendously.

 

2. Differin, Adapalene Gel 0.1 % Acne Treatment*

Differin contains vitamin A which helps regulate cell growth and the skin to repair itself. It repairs the damaged skin cells that caused the scarring. It is a retinoid that works on both the surface and middle layers of the skin. It has helped to smooth my acne scars, improve my overall skin texture after using it consecutively for 2 weeks.

 

3. Life-flo, Pure Rosehip Seed Oil*

 Rosehip oil is a dry oil that is easily absorbed into the skin and is non comedogenic. It contains linoleic acid that reduce hyperpigmentation in scars. I use this weekly when I give myself a Gua Sha Facial.

Gua Sha is an ancient Chinese technique that involves scrapping the skin at certain meridian points and helps to remove toxins and improve blood circulation. I have been doing Gua Sha for some time now.

Click here to find out more.

 

 * You can use my discount code QJC066 at the check out for additional savings.

  All products are not sponsored

Are you looking for affordable and effective products to treat acne?

Here are 4 products I used that prevented my acne from reoccuring.

 

1.  California Gold Nutrition Vitamin D3 softgels

Acne occurs when bacteria attacks our blocked pores, causing it to be inflamed. Vitamin D has anti- inflammatory properties which can help address the inflammatory symptoms of acne. The recommended dosage is 1 capsule per day, there are 360 capsules in  bottle, so it lasts you for almost a year!

2.  Aveeno, Active Naturals, Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

Personally I prefer a foam cleanser. I find that it doesn’t give you that “artificial squeaky clean” feeling compared to gel or cream cleansers. This cleanser removes excess oil well and does not leave your face feeling dry after washing. A small pump is enough for the whole face, so a little goes a long way, another economically friendly product.

3.  Life-flo, Pure Rosehip Seed Oil

This has always been my go-to skin care whenever I am feeling lazy. A few drops of oil is all you need to keep your skin moisturized.

Oil is important even for acne prone and oily skin as it helps to keep the skin natural oil balanced. Rosehip oil is a good option as it is a ‘dry’ oil and is easily absorbed into the skin. If you are worried it is oily, you can apply a few drops when your face is still a little moist for easier absorption. I use Rosehip oil when I want to give myself a mini gua sha facial massage. To find out the benefits of gua sha, you can read more here.

4.  Differin, Adapalene Gel 0.1 % Acne Treatment

This product is a total life changer for me. Since having acne, my skin had a lot of blackheads.I use this every night for 2 weeks and they were gone. The most significant change is the texture of the skin. Differin contains Adapalene, an active ingredient which can specifically clear acne. Differin is a retinoid (a form of vitamin A) which can reduce inflammation, unclog pores and regulate skin cell growth.

 

If you are looking for products that are result and and cost effective to treat your acne, I highly recommend these 4 afforable and effective anti-acne products.

You can try treating acne internally (by taking supplements) and externally (by facial products).

iHerb.com offers a wide range of supplements and health care products for your selection. I have been purchasing from them for many years and there are always new surprises. They ship worldwide and offer affordable international shipping for overseas customers.

You can use my discount code QJC066 at the check out for additional savings.

*Disclaimer: Affiliate links provided.

Acne re-appeared in my mid-30s,something I totally didn’t expect.

I had my 2nd dose of Covid-19 vaccine at the end of August 2021. Unfortunately, in September 2021, my face started breaking out (particularly at the jawline and neck area).

The pimples were red, inflamed with pus. They were itchy and painful when you touch them. Occasionally, they bleed.

I have not had acne since my teenage days, so it came as a surprise for me. I didn’t think much about it initially and applied some pimple cream.

It worsened as time passed by. I went to see a Chinese doctor for TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) therapy.

2 different TCM doctors with different approaches for the cure. One suggested a prescription to supress the pimples while the other suggested a prescription to let it all out.

Had a month of medication each, which unfortunately did not clear my acne.

26 Jan 2022

I decided to see a dermatologist who introduced me to Nimegen.  

My skin journey with Nimegen

My dermatologist offered me a few options on what we can do to treat this serve acne, including antibiotics, oral contraceptives, or Isotretinoin.

I chose Isotretinoin because it seemed to be a more effective solution compared to the other 2.

Nimegen (Isotretinoin) is a form of oral Vitamin A. It reduces sebum (oil) production by up to 80% and reduce inflammation.

It also comes with its side effects, such as dryness on the skin, increase cholesterol, and liver issues.

It is Not suitable for people who are looking to have a baby as it may cause deformities.

The dosage is dependent on how severe the acne is and the individual’s body weight and lifestyle.

I started with 20mg (2 capules) per day.

After 9 days of Nimegen (on the morning before taking Covid-19 booster):

5 Feb 22

Side effects from Nimegen after 9 days

My lips were so dry that it didn’t feel they were mine. The skin was chapped and you can literally feel the stretch even just pursing your lips.

That was the main side effect for me. I continued to keep my face moisturized so that wasn’t an issue. Thankfully, I didn’t experience any dry eyes or rashes.

It has been about 1.5 months since taking the Covid 19 booster shot in February 2022 and about 2 months into my medication. I recently reduced the dosage to 10mg per day as I felt pain at the sides of my abdomen.

My skin rarely breaks out now (fingers crossed) and now what is left is acne scars.

You can follow my journey on dealing with acne scars here

Disclaimer: This article is solely based on my thoughts and experience. I am not a medical expert. Results may vary for individuals.

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