Acne: The Good, the Bad & the Blotchy; Plus 5 Acne Clearing Tips!
I have struggled with acne and blemishes ever since I was in the 5th grade. My first zit, I thought was a beauty mark, and I strutted around bragging about it, feeling like Madonna. To my dismay, the “beauty mark” disappeared when my mom finally got to it, leaving me with a red mark that took forever to go away. Over the years, I have seen the Good, the Bad, and the Blotchy sides of acne and I have come to realize that acne is both a blessing and a curse in a very blotchy disguise.
The Good
Yes, acne sucks. Everyone agrees, but acne does have a benefit. It’s not any type of health benefit, but a benefit to your personality and your skin in the long run. Growing up, I envied all the girls who had clear, beautiful skin. I tried everything in my power to clear my skin. I washed my face constantly, I went to the dermatologist, I bought Proactiv, and I went on birth control, all in hopes to clear my skin. Nothing really worked. It would clear up then come back with a vengeance. So, instead of wearing make up, which would just make it worse, I wore hoodies, with my hair up and jeans every day, not wanting to really look my best, since my face would never look it’s best. But during that time though, when I decided not to care about myself, I cared about others. I looked at life through humble eyes, seeing that even though I was dealt a face full of acne, others had bigger problems, life changing problems, that were out of their control, that they had to deal with. I started to be nicer to people, trying to make them see I was more than just a face full of acne and that in turn made me out to be a nicer, more humble person in my adult years. In addition, applying lotions constantly and using facials all the time at such a young age, I know my skin is going to look fabulous in my later years and I will age beautifully.
The Bad
Even though there is a silver lining to having acne, the Bad has most definitely outweighed the Good. Throughout my life, I have felt second class in some sort of way. I felt as though the only thing people saw was my acne. I tried to cover my acne up in my adult years, but then I felt even more self-conscious, thinking they were laughing at me with my pitiful attempt to cover up my acne with make-up. When I have a horrible acne outbreak, I cancel plans, move business meetings and stay in horribly lit places, like the movies or dark bars. I dare not go to the club when I have a horrible outbreak, thinking I will be shunned to the outside wall by all the beautiful people surrounding me. These were only my self-conscious fears…but those fears have reared its ugly head before, in the form of name calling, snickering and pointing. With all of these things weighing in my mind and face, it made my self-esteem literally nonexistent. I still deal with self-esteem issues on a daily basis, still feeling vulnerable and less of an individual. Just because of a blotchy complexion. But the war can be won, with some inner peace and some potent acne clearing tips.
The Blotchy
So, you have acne. Always blotchy…always breaking out. Many people, young and old, deal with acne on a daily basis and try everything to get rid of it. I have done everything and anything to get rid of my zits and I am going to share some things I have learned through out my years as an acne prone person.
1. Wash your face with salt water. It will naturally dry up any excess oil you may have on your face and smooth out your skin.
2. Stay away from harsh astringents. Use natural products like witch hazel or lemon juice. Will clean deep into the pores without over drying with harsh chemicals.
3. Get a Zeno Hotspot.It is an awesome little zit zapper that uses heat to kill the acne bacteria underneath the skin. This little gadget even helps with those painful cyst zits.
4. Use Green and Citrus Teas on your face.Take the tea bag out of a freshly brewed cup of tea, strain it and let it cool. Then take the bag of tea and let it sit on your cheeks, jaw and nose to help break up bacteria and oil, while delivering antioxidants and nutrients right to the skin.
5. Grab some Persa-gel 10. Made by Clean & Clear, Persa-gel 10 has the maximum amount of benzoyl peroxide allowed in a topical treatment. It helps to minimize the size of pimples while also helping to bleach out some of the acne scars you have left over from past breakouts.
Acne has its benefits, like fabulous skin as you age, and giving you a perspective on life, but it can also be a curse that you have to live with, along with the low self-esteem and name calling. But with these 5 skin clearing tips and some love for the beauty you hold within, you won’t have to worry about your uneven skin.
The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These people have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen. ~ Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Image courtesy of “Beauty” by africa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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