Searching for a natural cure and my current face routine

In the previous post, I have described a routine which I used and it cleared my acne. Scars are still there, but I must admitt skin looks much better. Every year I gain more and more experience, and I know-deep down that I will never have a clear face. Simple as that. My dad used to have acne-genetics, I had (now drinking pills, so I don't have these problems anymore) serious pains while having period and my skin is oily-hormones. I have very bad eating habits, and I know it is a huge problem. But somehow I believe that there is a 'cure' for everything. It doesn't have to be in form of pills but we should look for it in nature. I researched so much, googled, looked up on instagram and other social networks and I really found some people who I admire very much. I learnt some things from them, and kind of made my own routine.

Face routine should have 4 important steps.
1.Cleansing (face wash with gel, and oil cleansing)
2. Toning (Apple Cider Vinegar, reduces skin pH)
3. Moisturizing (Effeclar Duo plus)
4. Putting spot treatments if you still have acne, or creams for reducing scars, like me (Skinoren, and you can use Zineryt for spot treatment)

Of course, you can change this and useother products, but it's important to do these 4 steps.

1. Cleansing- When my face cleared up from Acnefug oxid wash and my skin got used on Zineryt (it didn't have effect anymore) I decided to try something new. I thought a lot. My skin is oily and, as you may notice, acne products are always made to dry out skin, and reduce sebum. I found some interesting post where it wrote that answer for oily skin can be oil. When we dry out our face, skin 'thinks' that it should produce more of the protecting layer-oil. Interesting. I have decided to try it. It's called oil cleansing. I used olive oil at first. What I did? Before sleeping ,I cleaned my skin with La Roche posay Effeclar foaming gel, and then put a bit of olive oil on my face and massaged it in my skin. I massaged it for at least fifteen minutes, because I have heard that it's possible to break scar tissue underneath. If I was in hurry I would just jump in the shower and wash it off. If not, I would take my towel, and put it under hot water and then steamed my face with it until oil soaks up. If there is anything oil left I would rinse it off. Recently I have bought Grapeseed oil, and I find it better than Olive oil. Olive oil is kind of heavy for my skin.Sometimes I just leave oil on my skin until the morning. My skin feels moisturized and fresh, Grapeseed oil is good for wrinkles. But be careful, some oils can break you up, so if you are ready to risk, you can experiment. It did help me.

2. Toning-There are a lot of toners on the market. I found out that Apple Cider Vinegar reduces skin pH. pH is As you might remember from science class, pH is the measurement of acidity. But what does that mean in the context of your skin?
Your skin needs a certain amount of oil to stay waterproof and resist infections. Too little can lead to dry skin and the premature development of wrinkles; too much can lead to oily skin and acne. The oil in your skin is called sebum and it’s produced by the sebaceous glands, tiny ducts that lie next to the hair follicles. You can find more information about it on this page, I copied this pH information from it. http://www.health24.com/Medical/Skin/Caring-for-your-skin/What-is-skin-pH-20120721

I have bought a bottle of Apple cider vinegar and I dilluted it with water. I use half water, half vinegar but people recommend to mix 3 parts (3/4 cup) distilled water with 1 part (1/4 cup) Apple Cider Vinegar. I put it on my face after oil cleansing and I gently dry off my face with a smooth towel. Just put a bit of it on a cotton pad and wipe your face off. Don't use it under eyes, and extra tip, be careful if you have waxed your upper lips. Don't use it there.


3.Moisturizing-Next step is moisturizing. Since I have good experience with La Roche Posay I decided to buy Effeclar Duo plus. I often use it as a primer, under makeup. It is supposed to unclog pores and whiten your acne marks. It works nice for me, but if you have cheapest soloution for a moisturizer then buy another product, but it is important to moisturize your skin.


Try to find Apple Cider Vinegar with 'mother'. It is important to be organic, as well as your oil.
My grapeseed oil is Italian, but vinegar is European.

4. Spot or Scar treatment-And for the end of my routine I use Skinoren for scars, but just on my cheeks. Be careful that you always wait a bit in between this steps, so that every product have a chance to soak in. I am not sure if this routine is good for me and you, but now it works well. If anyone has some preposition or advice, I would like to hear. I also make a lot of homemade masks which I will write in the next post.

What causes acne?

Okay, so let's talk about things that causes acne. Again , I will mention that I am not a doctor or specialist, evrything I write here is my assumption.

Top 5 causes of Acne

1. Food. 

From what I have learnt until now, there are a few types of foods which can be allergens.

1.Sugar. Sugar raises insulin level, and insulin and androgene hormones make our body to produce acne. That's my theory, and theory of many more people, but very shortly explained.
2. Gluten- Gluten is everywhere. Every day new candies and new junk food appear, food is more and more filled up with additives, and what we eat has 0 nutritients, and 0 vitamins. That's the reality. You can find gluten everywhere: ketchup, milk, chocolate, pastas, bread..
3. Milk and dairy products-Full of hormones. Dairy boost male sex hormones (androgens) and insulin level, just like a sugar.
4. Junk, processed food- I think there is no need to comment this category. This food is part of most people's life. We act like addicts, consuming more and more of it, forgetting vitamins in fruit and vegetables.

Crucial steps for changing diet:
1.First, I would go and do a food intolerance test. That way you can be sure what you can and what you can't eat. That is crucial.

2. Drink a lot of water- I know, you have heard many people telling you this. But it is important for your body. There is no particular amount of water you should drink, just listen to your body. Though, not less than 8 cups per a day. What I do sometimes (I wish I can add it to my daily routine) is drinking warm water with a bit of lemon on empty stomach. It helps with waking up your body.

3. If you can, start a day with eating fruits. What I do is take any fruit I have in the fridge and also, I have bought linseed.(don't know if I translated it right) Linseed is full with omega 6. I mix it up with yougurt. 2-3 hours later, if you are hungry, you can eat something with more calories. But first do food intolerance test.
4. Detoxification- Google and find a way which suits you, so you can relase your body of toxins.

2.Hormones.

Hormones make a mess in our body. You can check your hormone levels. Before I am on my period, my face gets really bad, and then when I am finally on my period (sorry if I used wrong word, and yes, I have said 'finally') my body calms down, acne start to go away. Tough time. What you can do about this is avoid caffeine and sugar, drink light teas and make sure your body gets vitamins. 

Vitamins we need (I will tell you some of them)

1. Vitamin A-carrots

2.Vitamin B-potato, bananas, beans,yeast,molasses, lentils

3.Vitamin C-oranges, kiwi, green and red pepper, strawberries

4.Vitamin D- make sure you spend 15 minutes on sun, egges, fish, mushrooms

5. Vitamin E-tomato, nuts, seeds

6. Vitamin K- spinach, kale..

7. Calcium- also in green vegetables (I would avoid dairy)

8. Iron-spinach, beans, liver

9.Zinc- spinach, seafood, dark chocolate

10. Chromium- fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts..

3.Stress

I know it's easy to say "don't stress". But stress affects our brain, our immune system, we get weak and tired (like me). Stressing about your skin problem is not a solution either. Avoid mirrors and evil people. You shouldn't care about what other people think, and you should know that everything can be fixed. Nothing is worth your stressing.

4. Makeup

Yes, makeup. When you buy it, you should always read if it's non comedogenic, and always be ready that powders and foundations can break you out. Try avoid wearing makeup, or at least don't wear heavy one. Never, never fall asleep with makeup on.Your skin needs to breathe. I have been using Essence concealer for two years, and it haven't broke me out, so you can try. Also, I  currently use Maybelline Affinitone Mineral powder and Rimmel's pressed powder And recently, I have bought Balea's concealer which contains salicylic acid.

5.Poor hygiene and some other factors

Like I have said, you just can't allow yourself to sleep with a makeup on. Always take it off.

Change your pillowcase at least twice a week, because of oils and dirt on it, wash your hair every 2-3 days, and try to keep it up in a bun or pony tail. That is really important. Try to have your own towel, and change it often. Don't use wet towel, because probably there are bacterias. Don't touch your face with hands except when you wash it, especially not with dirty hands and don't over wash it. Two or three times per a day is just enough. If you put make up on, make sure your hands are always clean and wash your makeup brushes and sponges frequently. Try to buy natural hair products, also natural showering gels because it's ingredients can cause acne too.

Don't pick, don't squeeze your acne! Ever! I know it hurts to have cysts, I have been there, done that. Whenever I touch a pimple, and squeeze it, tomorrow I can see new ones around it. Why? Because I am spreading an infection. Since you are not a professional, you can't squeeze it properly, and part of it goes underneath your skin, where bacteria attacks it (you have made an open wound) and then it can spread with blood and acne appears on the other place. Just don't ever do it.

Once again, I will just say that all of this are just my theories which I gained with experience.

Take care of your skin :)

My anti-acne regimen (medical)

Here, I am going to write an (un)succesfull way to get rid of acne, a treatment prescribed by my doctor in November 2013. Like I have said, it helped me so much, I still have scarring and a few pimples but it can't compare to the skin I used to have. I think that problem of acne is inside, related to hormones, bad, junk food, filled up with poisons for our body. Toxins.. But if you are desperate to get rid of acne on the easiest (definitely not the best way) here is my doctor's prescription, which helped me.

My diagnose was Acne vulgaris.
Prescription:
Aknefug oxid wash (Dr Wolf) in the evening.
After one week use Aknefug 2 x times per a day, morning and evening.

Zineryt solution (combination of the antibiotic erythromycin and zinc), dab on the pipmles 2 x per a day.

I start using this cobination on 27.11.2013. and in 20 days I start to notice huge difference on my face.

On the 16th December I started with Diane35, contracteption pills.

22.01.2013. I went on a control (a bit late) and my skin was pretty good, and now she gave me Skinoren cream for my scars.

Also, I have used Effeclar foaming gel, to take off my makeup and clean my skin before doing all this steps.

I sticked to this routine for a very long time, and yes it helped. Did it heal my skin? It did, but I am afraid that effects won't last too long and I am trying new, healthier things.

Aknefug oxid wash- What I can say about this products is that they are very good, but be careful, Aknefug can be harsh for gentle skin. Don't overdo it. Follow the instructions. What Aknefug does is fight against bacteria and dries out oily skin. I used 4 % benzyl peroxide and it was pretty strong.

Zineryt solution- Dries acne over nighht, not much expensive, easy to use. But thing about antibiotics (and many other acne products) is that they stop working after some time.

 La Roche posay Effeclar foaming gel- I really like their products, but they are very expensive. This definitely calmed down my skin after the first time I have started using it. It cleans all makeup, this bottle lasts long 6-9 months for me, but after some time of use I noticed that it really dries out my skin, so I needed moisturizer.

And finally Diane35- I own to these pills a lot, they control my crazy skin. But I am depressed, I got cellulite, I gained a bit of weight, my mood switches so fast and sometimes I wish I can just quit them. But I can't. That's the problem and that's way I will show you some another ways for getting rid of acne.

This regimen can help you if you are desperate and I still don't know if I would recommend it 100 %. It did help me. Also, I must say that I never really used Skinoren cream, so I can't tell you does it really help with scarring, you have to use it at least 6 months to see some results.

I hope this post can help you, and I wish you good luck :)

My acne story

When I was 13 years old, puberty hit me very hard. My hair and skin got more oily, and that's when I met with pimples.
It didn't bother me that much. I don't remember products I have used in that period of my life ,but I know ,for sure, that I picked on them. I got little scars (box scars) on my forehead and small hyperpigmentation (red marks).

I went to a private clinic. They checked my face, and they have forbidden me to touch my face. They have found bacteria on my face,and  as well on my back. I got some antibiotic, handmade creams and they popped my acne. They did it with an needle, gloves, it was hygienic. It hurt as hell, and it costed much money. I needed one more treatment for teh end, but couldn't do it, because it hurt so bad. Still, my face got better. I had only tiny scars left.

Of course, pimples continued to appeared here and there and  my skin got a bit worse in my first year of high school. Stress, hormones, bad eating .Please notice the difference between small pimples and serious acne problems. Don't make your face worse if there is not a problem. It's normal to have a few pimples if you are a teen (male or female),or having your period.

In second year of my school, I went to the seaside and asked my mom's friend doctor how can I skip my menstruation cycle. I wanted to swim and not lie in pains. (I had problems with my period.) He gave me Dianette35- contraception pills. I drank them for ten days and stopped. I disturbed my natural cycle. I am not a doctor or specialist but I saw that I started a huge mess. Since then, cysts started to form and I created a bad, bad circle. I popped pimples, infection spreaded, I popped them again. I couldn't control myself. I thought it was better to pop a whitehead (for example) than go and get asked: "What is that thing on your face?" or "Pop it, it's disgusting".. My cheeks were awful. Scars, hyperpigmentation. It was worse than ever before.

Then I went to the serious military clinic and my doctor(she was extremely rude) prescribed me Roacutanne ( Acutanne or Retin A. As you may now, it's a very serious medicine, strong, you mustn't get pregnant because fetus will die or will be born with serious medical problems. Retin A controls oily skin, dries it out, sebum gets fixed, you get acne breakout at the beginning-initial breakout, it gets worse before it gets better. I had huge cysts along my jaw, cracked lips and back pains. I had to stop doing sport. I got depressed. Still not sure if it's directly from the medicine or from seeing my awful skin. I hided my skin, put my hair on my cheeks, always had a concealer on my face. It was a struggle, but it got better. I controlled my blood every 2 months and my liver enzymes were too high.(whcich is 'normal' when you use this medicine) My mother got scared and made me stop drinking the medicine. Doctor was shocked and told me that now is over and I can't continue now with this medicine and that I have to wait a year. I went home disappointed once again.

 I met with a woman who studied medicine in China and she made her own teas, she cured my urinal infection which turned into a big mess when I was little, She told me that I should eat no sugar, gave me teas for liver, stomach etc etc. This was when I realised..Problem is in the inside, not outside. My face got better, and again I had only scars. But these teas were expensive, once I stopped with them, acne returned.

 I went to other private clinic, and got Zineryt, Benzyl peroxide face wash and Skinoren for scars. She told me to take Dianette35, too. So.. it did cleared me up, but be aware that I still get a bit of pimples.  I have scars, but it's muuuch better. What I want to say for  the end of this summary is.. I am so depressed, pills make me tired and I got cellulite. It's a low price to pay for a nice skin, but I am afraid when I come off the pill, that everything will get back. So if you ask me , I would recommend pills only to the very desperate ones.

Diet is crucial for acne, and I wish I can quit sugar. I am such a weak person and I think a sugar addict. If you can, get rid of sugar, now. I hope I will find strenght for it soon, so I can leave pills and win this battle.

 Things which I am going to write here, are not 100 % cure, I am not a doctor or skin care specialist and I don't claim it will work for you. You should always be careful when you hear advices from the other people. If something helped me or someone else it doesn't mean it will help you. Listen to your body and skin.
But if I were you, I would read this, because  I wish someone told me these things when I was younger.