Skincare/Acne Journey
I started getting acne very young, but it usually was small pimples. I never dealt with acne anywhere else expect my face. When it comes to your face it's never easy to deal with and being a woman of color it's more common to get scarring. So, of course I went through a bunch of trying to treat it and unfortunately I would have things that would work or didn't. But, even though it was a huge insecurity for me due to the scarring I got to know my skin (acne can be hormonal, so you really want to examine your skin). Which I think is super important before you do any major treatments.
Know your skin type! You'll find products won't work as well on you opposed to some else. Certain foundations creams, liquids or powders will look different on everyone because of your skin type. I have combination skin, so my t-zone area will get oily throughout the day and my cheeks will stay dry for the most part. Another tip especially for makeup wearers make sure you wash your brushes, throw out old products, remove old makeup and oil build up throughout the day use oil blotting tissues.
After doing tons of at home remedies such as witch hazel. I found a dermatologist which I talked about last year. (Which you can find more out about on Determining The Right Dermatologist) Here's some very old pictures of what my skin used to look like.
I think at this time I was trying topical creams, which was mainly Tazorac.
Then I got into chemical peels for my scarring, which I actually loved getting chemical peels. I stopped getting them done because even though I wasn't breaking out as much I still had acne. I would just be producing more scarring. So I finally decided on Accutane after being on the fence about it for so long. It's very intense and you can't just be put on accutane. If you deal with depression you have to get approved before you start taking it. Blood work every month, dermatologist visits and you can't get pregnant. Its one of the best things I've done for my skin and I couldn't be happier with the progress.
It's not for everyone, but its been working for me so far. My pores are smaller and even the way different products apply on my face. It does dry out your skin (I think its better to start it in the winter) you're going to be taking it for a couple of months. I don't have much of a skincare routine right now. For the dryness Cerave Cream and I wanted to try bio oil. My dermatologist recommends to use it on a damp face, so I do that and apply Cerave over it. For lips aquaphor or carmex.
I really hope this helps others even just one person. I know how difficult this can be, but through my progress maybe you can take some tips for yourself.