Is Clear Skin Achievable or a Lost Cause?

Acne, Psoriasis, Atopic dermatitis (Eczema), Androgenic alopecia (hairloss), Rosacea, Melasma, Ageing, and many more conditions can be an endless viscous cycle where healing and management can seem an unachievable task. About 50 million people alone suffer from Acne in the USA and 9.4% of the global population suffers from Acne (Bhate & Tan, 2015). According to the National Acne Survey of 1000+ Americans by Face Reality 83% of the people expressed none of the products worked. Now, I am here to convey that while 0.0000016% of the 50 million does not sound very representative, many people whom I have helped manage acne, including myself, have expressed the same at some point in time. 

It is, afterall, backed by multiple studies that skin conditions can impact the self esteem of many people. I remember the feeling of looking at myself in the mirror and feeling hopeless. All I saw were imperfections and flaws, and it felt like nothing could ever change that. The opposing point of views sounded all too cliche. I was to either love myself as I am or that achieving flawless skin was the answer to happiness and contentment. 

Hearing stories of friends and people, whom I have helped achieve health skin, sounded all too familiar. Their cystic acne became so painful that an act of smiling, or laying their face on a cool pillow became a challenge. Moreover, rosacea or an eczema flare welcomed itchy, inflamed skin, ultimately dictating a bad start to their morning. Such experiences make elastic, clear skin sound an unachievable fantasy and the present, bleak situation. 

If you suffer from similar experiences, you know you have experienced the realization that you have spent incredible amount of dollars at some point in your life only to throw away those promising products across the room because nothing worked. You may have felt like giving up. I completely understand how you feel and that you desire to make it go away. I have been there. The inner confidence begins to break away, or shatter into pieces. Although it was always inspirational and admirable to see people around me feel confident in their skin, I found it challenging to feel confident as I was. 

Very few blemishes and scars but overall clear skin

My skin showing bumps that I knew would eventually become cystic nodules.

 Lots of blemishes and scars

So one day, something shifted within me. I realized that I deserved to take care of myself and my skin, and that just maybe, I could achieve the clear, healthy skin I had always dreamed of. So I dove deep into research, scouring the internet for any information that could help me. As a biology enthusiast, I related everything I learned back to the science of the skin. And slowly but surely, I began to see results. My skin started to clear up, and I finally broke away from the belief that clear skin was a scam. But that wasn’t the only thing that came out of my journey. Through taking care of myself, I discovered underlying health conditions that had been affecting me for years. It was a wake-up call, a reminder that our skin is a window into our overall health, and that taking care of it is about so much more than just looking good. Now by clear skin, I mean mostly even skin tone, hydration, little to no pimples, some texture and a healthy skin barrier. Clear, plastic looking skin, I believe, is a fake dream sold to millions of people in the name of their miraculous products.

I know how it feels to be hopeless, and I want to help others break away from that belief. Your skin deserves to be cared for, and you deserve to feel confident and beautiful in your own healthy skin. From my experiences, I have learned that instead of figuring out when one can finally feel happy (pre or post skinconditions), it plausible to seek proper guidance and try to fix some conditions that bring us physical or emotional pain.

My series of articles will guide you throughout why to use what, how, and when. If a condition needs a doctor’s attention, I will tell you. I am here so that the internet does not confuse you, cause fear of a certain ingredient when research proves otherwise, or lure you into a fake promise so you can donate your money to them. My articles, will also teach us collectively about the integumentary system as well as what every ingredient in skincare can do for your skin.

If you need free guidance on a detailed skin care routine under your budget, or want to understand whats happening with your skin, you can always reach me at the following:

www.instagram.com/theskintopic

www.tiktok.com/@theskintopic

Minimal makeup no foundation and good skin care

Sources:

1. American Academy of Dermatology Association 
2. Tan JK, Bhate K. A global perspective on the epidemiology of acne. Br J Dermatol. 2015 Jul;172 Suppl 1:3–12. doi: 10.1111/bjd.13462. PMID: 25597339.
3. Charalambos Costeris, Maria Petridou, Yianna Ioannou, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, Cyprus, Department of Psychology University of Cyprus