Dreaming of an Acne-Free Life

At the age of 19 I am finally saying "enough is enough"! I've had acne for so long now it feels like I can no longer remember living without it. Living without feeling constantly self-conscious. Living without hating every person with clear skin (ok, maybe not hate but the line between hate and extreme jealousy can seem incredibly thin sometimes). Many people may read this and say I'm making a fuss about nothing and that acne is nothing to be ashamed of. The majority of these people have clear skin. Acne does take its toll on the majority of its victims and I happen to be one of those people who struggle to rise above it. I now feel as though I'm willing to try absolutely anything to get rid of my spots, the only thing in my way is my lack of money. Therefore, despite various people telling me that treatments prescribed from a GP do not work, I have decided to give them a go.

I showed up to my appointment last Friday begging for my GP's help and she suggested three different products. Initially, I took her suggestions to mean that I would try one at a time but no. I made my way to the pharmacist with three prescription sheets!

Duac Once Daily Gel

First of all, I have this Duac gel, which I am to "apply once daily in the evening". I started using this on Friday night and have found my skin getting very dry and sensitive since. It also now stings to apply this, which I was initially worried about but I decided to do some internet research and I have found that this can be completely normal and can actually mean the Duac gel is working its magic. Nevertheless, there was lots of advice on how to decrease this sensitivity, including applying it 20-30 minutes after cleansing, rather than immediately after, and applying a moisturiser beforehand. I have taken on both of these pieces of advice and have also realised that I may have been applying too much of the gel to begin with so have reduced this amount to a pea-sized quantity. I'm going to have to give it a couple of days before I discover if my new game-plan is working but in the meantime I am planning on investing in a moisturising face wash and intensive moisturiser to replace my current products, which combat the oily skin that I no longer have. Perhaps an advantage of this newfound sensitivity?

Differin/Adapalene Cream

Secondly, I acquired this Differin or Adapalene Cream, which is also to be applied once daily. My GP advised me to apply the Duac before bed and the Differin earlier in the day so I have found myself incorporating it into my morning skincare routine, much like the Duac has integrated itself into my nighttime regime. So far I feel that this cream is treating my skin much nicer than its evil friend and actually leaves my skin feeling smooth throughout the day.

Oxytetracycline Tablets

Finally, we have these antibiotic tablets, which I have the most hope in as my Dad had very bad acne at my age and these were the only things that cleared it up. However, they are the most annoying things to take if you are anything like me. The instructions read "One to be taken twice a day. Avoid milk, iron, zinc or indigestion remedies at same time. Take regularly and complete the course..." and this is the big one: "TAKE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH 1 HOUR BEFORE FOOD OR 2 HOURS AFTER FOOD." Now, I'm one of those people who basically eats constantly since I can get away with it weight-wise and I truly believe I'm nearly ALWAYS hungry. So waiting two hours after eating is killing me at the moment but if I'm being honest, it's probably a good thing that the tablets are forcing me to get into a healthy eating routine.

So there we have it, my new pills and potions that claim they will change my life! The Oxytetracycline tablets have to be taken for a full month to see any results and before I can revisit the GP so I'm sure I will post an update on my skin in a month's time! In the meantime, if anyone has tried any of these remedies before I'd love to hear about your experiences or any advice you may have? Thanks!