My Battle with Acne

Acne has been something I have battled alongside my endometriosis from a young age. Like anyone else, the sudden influx of teenage hormones saw my skin completely change. But, I was 13 and it happens to everyone. It would pass when I became an adult, right?

Sadly, being diagnosed with endometriosis in my 20’s meant that hormonal troubles arose with every corner I turned. My skin would clear, but then I’d be put on another treatment for my endometriosis and my skin would once again suffer.

There came a point where it was second nature to pile on the make up to hide the spots and apply a tonne of astringent cleansing products to remove it at the end of the day.

I felt like a monster

Towards 2014, my medications and treatments began to reduce. We had been trying for a baby for several years and were due to start IVF. My acne was still bad, but with the changes to my medications and hormones when I fell pregnant, everything started to clear a little.

My periods returned only 4 months after having our son and, with that, my endometriosis began to rear its ugly head once again. I was on and off different contraceptive pills, devices, and medications and my skin took a battering.

By 2016, my acne was much worse than it had ever been before. I would cry not only with the way it looked, but the pain of it too. I would wake up in the middle of the night with the pain of my face brushing my pillow. Putting on makeup was like a military operation - layering foundation, different concealers, and powders to mask the bumps and redness. I was so embarrassed with how it looked and I knew something had to change.

By this point, I had just about tried every medicated cream and acne product on the market. They stung my already sore skin and never helped the spots. I watched a video on skincare by a well known makeup artist and she spoke about the need for gentleness. It struck a cord. I wondered if stripping my routine back to basics would help.

It was worth a try

Not using the long list of acne lotions and potions I had become accustomed to was a scary prospect. But, I knew it couldn’t get any worse than it already was. I replaced my entire routine with 2 products: water and coconut oil. It felt so out of sorts, but my skin loved it. For the first time ever, my skin not only felt clean, but there was no soreness from moisture stripping chemicals. It was soft, nourished, and comfortable.

I would like to say this was the end of my acne journey. That at 36, I have finally grown out of my teenage skin. Frustratingly, after 3 or so years of having beautifully clear skin, the HRT I am on (post-hysterectomy) has seen it’s return.

But, I’ve learnt my lesson: no more acne products. All my skin really needs is a little gentleness.