Acne is a skin conditon that affects up to 85% of the population up to the age of 25. In adults it affacts almost 20% of people and in women over fourty years old, it affacts over 25% due ot hormonal shifts in the run up to menopause.
Like many people, Amy, 26, is from County Down, Northern Ireland, got acne in her teens but as she headed into adultood and most of her friends' acne cleared up, hers got progressively worse and more aggressive and she became one of the 20% of people suffering from chronic adult acne.
Amy says:
“I first got acne when I was thirteen and I put it down to the unfortunate consequences of puberty. I cried when I got my first big break outs. I was very self-conscious of my skin! Being a teen and having my first breakout, brought me into a whole new world of self-image, noticing new things about myself and acne products, which meant trying to hide my break outs with concealer and spending all of my pocket money on the newest acne face wash or treatment!
However, unlike everyone else’s acne that disappeared once they reached their late teens my acne struggle got worse and worse and eventually turned into cystic acne. Even in good patches there were always at least one or two cysts on my face, while during a bad breakout my whole face was covered in acne.
I get breaks outs from just about everything, stress, anxiety, too much sugar, not enough sleep.
I was diagnosed by a doctor with severe cystic acne two years ago and as a result I have tried a range of antibiotics, topical creams and have also been to a dermatologist to see if acne medication would be suitable for me.
I found antibiotics worked until I finished the course and then my acne came back with a vengeance! Most of the topical creams I was prescribed would irritate my skin or make my acne worse. Aside from irritating my skin, they made my anxiety levels increase when my acne came back worse after being on antibiotics or creams! Some face washes made for acne from the chemist also irritate my skin and break me out in rashes!
I have also tried natural oil cleansing treatments using cold pressed oil, however it didn’t work. I also tried microdermabrasion a but it didn’t work for me.
At the end of last year I had the worst breakouts I’ve ever had! It was terrible. For three days I developed cysts all over my face and they lasted for about a month, I still have scars on my face from it! I was in a terrible mental health space because of this. I was irritated, angry and upset, I couldn’t even lie my head on my pillow to get a decent night’s sleep due to how painful my face was.
My acne has really destroyed my confidence and self- esteem over the years. I would never go out in public without makeup on. I also hated it when my boyfriend and friends saw me without makeup and I panicked at the thought of anyone I knew seeing me without make up.
My attendance at school and then college wasn’t great either as my anxiety was always triggered by my acne and how I saw myself.
People’s treatment of me because of my skin didn’t help either. I’d get a lot of common insults and remarks which people with acne usually deal with, like ‘Why don’t you wash your face,’ ‘why does your face look like that,’ which really got to me, especially in my teen years, however I learnt to deal with it in a positive way as an adult by creating an Instagram page dedicated to my acne, and supporting other people with acne and the problems they face with it! This has made me aware how just how many people actually deal with acne or other skin problems, and it made me feel so much more confident and better about having a bad skin day, and I’m so thankful for all my friends on my Instagram who’ve supported me too!
Acne was also one reason why I developed body dysmorphia, which I had to got therapy for. I don’t think many people know how much acne affects you both physically and mentally, and it’s something we need to create awareness and be open about!
After my experience with the rebound acne I got after taking cycles of antibiotics I decided this year to try and not to give into the temptation of going on strong anti-acne medication as I know there’s a lot of side effects, including mental helath issues. It can be a very effective acne medication for people, however for me I didn't think it was a good idea.
I discovered Clarol Sebopure six months ago through my Instagram community. When I started using it, I had several large cysts on my face. With my knowledge of the cysts I get, they usually take two weeks or more to start to disappear!
However, within about a week of using Clarol Sebopure, which contains an extract of wild musard leaf and woks by purifying sebum so it passes out throutgh the skin pore without pooling and getting contaminated, I noticed that my cysts were actually receding and my skin felt a lot smoother and less furious that it usually would be. This was the first time I tried something for my acne that was not a medication that had such a positive effect and so quickly. Within the first month of twice dailly use of Sebopure plus adding the Clarol Silver & Birch Exfoliating Wash to my daily routine, most of the larger cysts had receeded. No products I have ever tried in the past have done this.
I was incredibly excited when I began to experience the effects of these products as a massive part of my acne journey has been trying to find products that actually work on my skin without any unpleasant side effects. Unlike anything medicated i have been prescribed for my acne, I am also allowed to keep on using Sebopure daily, there is not time limit like antibiotics so I don’t have to worry about the dreaded rebound acne.
Aside from working, I was so pleased to find that the Sebopure did not hurt my skin or feel uncomfortable when I applied it. Most acne products sting like mad when you use them and you can feel your skin getting irritated.
The amazing thing is that they these products also vegan, they aren’t tested on animals, and they’re more than 90% natural! Yet they actually work. They’re also not that expensive for the amount of product you get, which is another very important thing for me and I'm sure for many people. It's hard to afford the products you need to use on a regularly basis to control your break outs.
For me, the effects of the Clarol products have been virtually miraculous. Anyone with acne will know that what works for one person may not work the same for another, even prescription products, so I am not saying these products will be some kind of magical acne cure for everyone, but they totally worked for me. I’m so stoked to finally have products that actually work for my skin after so many years of suffering. I still have my bad days with my acne, and I know I’ll always have volatile skin, but it’s nowhere near as bad as it used to be and is still improving week by week.”
