I don't remember 'when' acne started but I do remember how it just wouldn't go away. Initially, there just zits on my forehead then those just shifted to various locations on my face. It has been about a decade, I think and I have finally found something which works!
Since, this has been a very long journey, I will try to cover everything I remember but it is not going to be very organized.Also, I am no doctor but an engineer who liked biology and who has done extensive research on why her acne won't go away!
Some of the Suggestions I got : (Some were really stupid and to make the matters worse, I couldn't say it to their face.)
- Try using Talcum/Prickly Heat Powders: This would have still made sense if they would have suggested using it on my back or neck; but no, they thought it would work on my face. If it just made sense to you, please don't do it to yourself. Apart from the fact that skin on your face is pretty sensitive, powder will only clog your pores and make you look ghost-white.
- You should stop eating junk: For every person who eats junk and has bad/ acne-prone skin, I can show you 10 people who eat a lot more of junk and their skin is absolutely fine. I am not advocating unhealthy eating, I am just saying you cannot go around blaming the food for acne. I am a vegetarian who would rather eat spinach in salad than cooked and I still have been living with acne for a decade. In fact, I eat food outside a lot more than ever before but the acne has reduced. Eating healthy would definitely help your skin but if you think your acne is only related to your food habit, you are mistaken.
- Your digestion is not good/proper: Once, I swallowed a lot of very hot tea and it scalded the insides of my mouth. I kept on insisting that it must have been the tea but I was told it has to be the digestion causing problem. Before this incident, I did feel maybe there is something wrong with the digestion but afterwards, I just couldn't get the faith back. Although, if you do have some problem related to the digestive system then do something about it but you're the best judge of that and not people around you. BTW, I do know a girl who has some problems, but the stomach troubles usually cause ulcers in her mouth than acne/pimple on her face.
Some Home Remedies:
- Nutmeg: You just have to make a smooth paste of nutmeg and water and apply it on the affected areas. Leave it for 15-20 minutes and wash it off. This will improve your complexion and reduce pimples. So, did it work? Not for me but I have heard quite a few success stories so, if you are trying to avoid doctors;try this.
- Baking Soda: Just mix a bit of baking soda with water and apply it on the zit, leave it overnight. Depending on the size of the pimple, this mixture will reduce the size or zap it altogether. Did it work? It did but this is not a permanent cure. This is something for people who get an occasional pimple/zit/boil.
- Orange Peel: Grind dried orange peel and mix with water and a bit of lemon. Leave it until the paste is dry and wash it off with water. Did it work? This did improve the overall condition of my skin. I started getting lesser zits but it is a very slow process. Again, I know people who swear by this remedy.Lemon will make it sting a bit so, don't add too much of it, okay?
I have tried more home remedies, ointments and my various visits to different doctors has increased my knowledge of ointments/gels/creams. I will write about some of those in next instalment.
Read Read Acne Story Part II, Acne Story Part III
* What worked for me might work for you or might not. There are some home-remedies that I have mentioned, please feel free to try those but as far as medicines and ointments are concerned (when they are not the Over the Counter kind), it is always better to consult a doctor.
