Clearer Skies

I previously blogged about my acne breakout woes, and I'm happy to say that after three weeks, with once a week derma visit, my skin is beginning to clear up!

No makeup here, just filters in Instagram hahahaha

My problem area actually is the chin part. The left cheek has a small pimple but it's now flat. It's just red but hopefully this will be gone soon. :)

What did my derma do? My regimen was composed of these:

Every visit:

• Steaming, washing, etc. - the usual facial thing but no pricking. My derma learned it when she tried a few and I told her that I haven't tried that before. Virgin skin daw ako ahahahaha. She then stopped.
• Steroid injections - not sure what this is really called but it flattens the pimples, especially those cysts that are much painful. These injections are a bit uncomfortable but they are tolerable.
• Photodynamic Laser Therapy - according to Mayoclinic.com: "This therapy combines topical medications and light-based therapies. During treatment, a medication, called a photosensitizing agent, is applied to your skin to enhance the effects of light therapy. This is followed by blue, red, pulsed light or another type of light therapy." This is kinda expensive but I think it's worth it.

At home:

• BPO wash (It's a wash with Benzoyl Peroxide, I think) twice a day
• Erythromycin liquid - this kinda dried up my skin and reddened it but now my skin is beginning to adapt to it
• Iso-tretinoin gel - this dried up my skin and reddened it even more but after a week, my skin was getting better. Twice a day too.
• Lightening cream - helps ease the reddening. Twice a day.
• My own moisturizer - to ease the dryness.

Yes, chemicals I know. I am not really comfortable using chemicals but drastic times call for drastic measures. Hahaha.

My skin isn't the same as before, but I really hope that it will get better and would go back to its old self (at least close to it). I never experienced these kinds of stubborn pimples and acne situation, so I know for sure I can't deal with this myself. This was the first time I've experienced prolonged stay of pimples (they used to come and go for just two days, one at a time, you know). It's caused by stress I guess, and natural aging (hahaha). But I think it's about time that I take care of it seriously.

I'm not saying the trip to the derma will be once a week after my skin cleared, but maybe once a month I'd have those facials. Yup, this is me talking. Hahaha. I'm seeing the benefits anyways and loving the feeling after, so I guess this can be added to my list of rituals. :)