My Acne Story Part III - Making the Dermatologists Richer

Once I realised that my acne is not going to go away by itself, I had to consult a dermatologist. Along the way, I have changed many doctors for one reason on another before I finally found a doctor who had a prescription which worked.

While I was spending my time trying different doctors and trying to see which one of them actually works, I couldn't stop going out or living in general. I have never allowed the way I look affect my opinion about myself (which has always been high, by the way!). I am not saying that acne didn't bother me but it is not a big enough issue to put your entire life on hold. People have come up to me with suggestions like, " Why don't you go to a doctor?" or "You should do something about this!". Well, I felt like screaming,"What else do you think I am doing?" [However, this was usually followed by few adjectives which are very guess-able.] You cannot get rid of such people so, the only choice is to ignore them.

Now, let us continue with the list of things that I have tried-

My Acne Story: Things I've Learnt Along The Way

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!

Health Benefits of Lavender Oil

Via Freefoto.com

I have always loved how lavender smelled.I think they look absolutely gorgeous.Sadly, it also reminds me of those cheap air-fresheners that you get,which give you a headache or in my case they make you sneeze and sneeze....you get the picture,right? But I still stand by my liking for lavender flowers.I read somewhere that you can use lavender oil to get rid of scars and from that moment on, hunting down a bottle of this oil became my one point agenda.I finally noticed a bottle of the oil at The Body Shop at Delhi's T3 and I was so happy that I just kept staring at the 10 ml bottle for quite some time. The SA came and broke my heart by telling me it was meant for diffuser. All I could say was Oh! Okay. I ended up running up to gate number 43 with a bag full of books and no oil to show for it.Afterward, I did some research on the uses and I was surprised to see the list was really long. Here, I am sharing some of the uses of lavender oil that I found were most promising.By the way, I have noticed lavender essential oil on L'Occitane's site and it is definitely not meant for the diffuser!

Two kinds of Lavender oil are available:

• Lavender Flower Oil-It is colourless and insoluble in water.
• Lavender Spike Oil- It is denser than the flower oil and is a distillate of a herb Lavandula Latifolia.

Via Flickr Limbo Poet

Lavender oil can be used for:-

• aching muscles-If you’ve spent time doing hard work, then put few drops of lavender oil into your bath to soothe aches & pains away.
• acne-It not only reduces the onset of new breakouts but also prevents scarring.It inhibits the bacteria that cause the skin infection, helps to rebalance the over-secretion of sebum, which the bacteria thrive on, and reduce scarring.There are various ways in which you can use this oil, either you can mix it with your regular lotion or you can take a Q-tip and dab it on the scars/acne to get rid of them.
• burns-In case of a minor burn,cool the area by immersing it in running cold water for 5 minutes, gently dab  lavender oil. You will find that pain relief is almost immediate, and burn usually heals without scarring.
• coughs & cold- Add 2 drops of lavender oil to steaming water and inhale the steam.It will clear your nasal passage.
• cuts & wounds-Apply lavender oil to sooth pain, prevent bacterial infection and aid scar-free healing. Apply without diluting the oil.
• earache-Warm a bottle of lavender oil in hot water for a minute or two, then gently massage a few drops into the skin around the ears and throat.
• eczema-Stroke diluted lavender oil (a few drops of lavender oil & olive/almond oil) into dry, itchy skin.
• fatigue-Add few drops of lavender oil to a hot foot bath and relax while your feet soak in it. The soles of the feet are particularly porous, so lavender reaches your bloodstream very quickly, exerting its stimulating and soothing effects on various systems of your body.Thus, relaxing you.
• headache-The distilled water of Lavender Mist around your head is refreshing and soothing.
• insomnia-To help to induce sleep, put 3 or 4 drops of lavender oil on your pillow.Although, I have no problems in sleeping but lavender makes me feel very drowsy.
• menstrual cramps-Massage a few drops of lavender oil into your lower abdomen or apply a hot compress onto the area, which a little lavender oil has been sprinkled.
• moths,midges & mosquitos-To prevent bites, splash yourself with lavender hydrosol before you go out at sunset or to bed, put 3-4 drops of oil on your pillow or soak cotton wool ball in the oil and leave it on a saucer in front of the window. Lavender oil is also a terrific remedy for insect bites, soothing itching & inflammation: dab it on to them neat as soon as possible.
• scabies-This infestation by a tiny mite burrowing into your skin causes intense itching. Rub the whole body with neat lavender oil, then following every day until better with a mixture of lavender oil and alcohol. Change and wash bed sheets and clothes and sprinkle lavender oil on the mattress.
• stress -Apply lavender oil neat to your temples or mix few drops of oil with water and keep it in a spray bottle to be used as required.
• sunburn-Mix olive oil  or almond oil with lavender oil and put 3-4 drops of this in some lukewarm water.Soak a piece of cloth or cotton and keep it above the burn.

Aroma Magic offers blended oil with lavender called Flawless for 160 INR( 3 USD approx)
@ Urbantouch : here

Feeling Rich? Buy the L'Occitane Lavender Essential Oil for 1095 INR (20 USD approx)

Brihans Green Leaf Aloe Vera Gel

This is my 'go to..' product for almost everything!I have oily, acne-prone, sensitive skin and this is the product I use when all else fails(which they do, quite frequently!) I use it on my dark circles and it works. I use it on minor skin inflammation or rashes or on cuts or bruises or when there is nothing else handy.You can use it in case of an insect or mosquito bite too! This definitely  removes tanning but you gotta be patient. The best thing? It is suitable for all skin types and as this is a Herbal product, it won't react, Ever.In summers, I use it instead of a lotion.

The gel has a soothing effect which makes it ideal for use after being out in the sun. It doesn't have any heady smell as well.

Con: There is only one problem, use  too much quantity and it sort of seeps into your skin and leaves a bitter taste.
Price: 75 INR for 125gm.

Where can you get it?
At H& G stores and Chemists.I have not seen it in any of the bigger retail chains, sadly.
Buy it online here

Lotus Herbals Tea Tree Anti-Pimple & Acne Gel-Review

I have developed an incurable affinity to buying stuff that reads Tea Tree Oil. This product was bought for the same reason AND because it had been sold out a few days ago and I had a lot of trouble in finding it, I ended up buying 3 bottles.Three? I don't know what was wrong with me?!

Claims:
The gel provides broad spectrum anti-microbial activity (sounds nice, right?) to control pimples, acne and blemishes.This light, easily absorbed gel regulates oil producing glands in acne prone skin, thereby retards the process of formation of Pimples and Acne.

Directions:
Apply over cleansed/washed face. Reapply every 3 hours.

The gel is pale yellow in colour.

My Experience:
I used it very religiously and finished up the first bottle in month and a half. On applying it, it felt like a layer of the gel was formed on my face. Initially, I noticed there was some reduction in the number of pimples but not much. My main problem were the scars and there was absolutely  no change in them!I decided to continue with the ointment my dermatologist had prescribed and used this  as a lotion for my face. In that capacity, the gel worked fine. If you want you can wear it beneath your make up. Now, that winter is here, I have stopped using it completely because I felt there was a very stretchy kind of feeling on my face, whenever I applied it! I still have one full bottle and one half bottle left!

Price: 175 INR for 100 gm

Pros:

• The pump dispenser is very hygienic.
• Will work if you've very mild case of acne.
• One bottle lasts a long time.

Cons:

• No effect on  scars. I feel Lotus Papayablem works much better on scars. 
• Full list of ingredients is not mentioned.
• Cannot be used in winters.

Overall rating:
5.5/10 

Biotique Bio Clove Face Pack

I saw Biotique's Bio Clove Purifying Anti-Blemish Face Pack and decided I should try it.After all , it is only a face pack, what harm could it do.Clove has anti-bacterial properties and it is used in treatment of acne.There are various products in the market which have clove as the key ingredient.

I have been using this pack on a daily basis but you can use it according to your need.When you apply it, you feel a tingling sensation which goes away as the pack dries up. There is some yellow coloured oil-like substance on the top of the pack which I think is clove oil. You should mix it a bit while scooping it and apply a thick and even layer over your face.Keep it for around 20 minutes and then wash it off. When I used it, I was having another breakout because of rainy season and after using the pack, I noticed that the size had reduced.

I have been using this pack for more than a month now and I have been able to finish only 1/3rd of the quantity.

Price: Rs. 199 for 80 gm
           Cosmetix.in price- Rs. 180

Ingredients: CONTAINS: Lavang (Syzygium aromaticum) 1.2%, Pudina (Mentha piperata) 1.1%, Gandhak (Sulphur) 2.8%, Kikar gond (Acacia Arabica) 6.0%, Yashad (yashad bhasma) 2.0%, Geru (Red ochre) 2.5%, Paste base Q.S. 

How to Use:
Apply a thick layer on clean dry face and neck. Avoid eye and mouth areas. Leave on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with water or damp washcloth. Use daily or as needed. 

Verdict:
You can definitely try it once if you suffer from acne. The tingling sensation is definitely something I don't like but I found the pack effective.