A life of acne: Finding solutions to clear up acne-ridden skin written by Taylor Frame graphics by Mary Alvarez
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e have all grown up flipping through magazines and scrolling through social media, feeling overwhelmed from the images of supermodels and “instagram models.” Most people would look at these models’ perfect bodies and be filled with envy, but for me, I always grew up focusing on a different aspect—their complexions. Ever since I was 12-years-old, I have battled acne and not just your one little bump you get a month acne. I’m talking about the glowing red mounds covering my cheeks, chin and forehead at all times. I felt that for every one pimple that cleared, five others grew. All of my life, my other friends would complain about their once-a-month bump on their face, while I searched endlessly for answers to mine. For years, I had tried every over-the-counter face wash, mask, oils and pimple creams, but I could not find a cure. I was so tired of feeling like I could never leave my house without makeup because Lord forbid, someone sees my real skin. During my sophomore year of high school, my mom took me to the dermatologist, who did not want to prescribe anything too harsh for my skin or body, so she put me on the acne basics: birth control and Epiduo. Epiduo is a topical cream for spots that is intended to dry out the pimple. For some people this works wonders but for me, it seemed to burn my skin and leave dry patches behind. While the birth control helped clear my face, it was not strong enough. Next my dermatologist introduced me to the greatest blessing to my skin, Accutane. Accutane is a strong prescription retinoid pill for acne, and it does have some severe side effects. The
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medicine has been traced to causing birth defects. While Accutane has shown a significant drop in birth defects caused once off the pill, those who are on the pill are strongly encouraged to avoid pregnancy. Other side effects of Accutane include extreme drying of the skin, nosebleeds, drowsiness, back pain and depression. Not everyone has to experience all of these side effects in any way, but you must take this all into serious consideration when deciding if Accutane is for you. I took a 40-milligram capsule twice a day, every day for six months. My personal experience with the medicine was fairly mild with the only side effects experienced were severe dryness and nose bleeds. Where I would typically get pimples on my face, flakes of dry skin were left behind and my lips were consistently drier than the Sahara Desert. All of these symptoms occurred most severely for the first two months, however because the last three months occurred during the summertime, I had to worry about the sun. We all need sunscreen in order to maintain healthy, clear skin, but when you are on Accutane it becomes 10 times more important. Due to the fact your face is incredibly dry and sensitive, too much exposure to the sun can cause immense pain. A sunburn with dry skin leads to worse peeling and burning, so high SPF is your absolute best friend. As dramatic as it sounds, Accutane changed my life. I finally felt like I didn’t need to trap my skin behind makeup to go outside. It left my skin clear with little to no scarring, but it’s inevitable to still get a break out here and there. Over the years of being off Accutane, I have become curious to the best ways to keep healthy and clear skin and have found some helpful, simple lifestyle tips and solutions.
