Combating Acne — A New Series
Adult acne can be devastating. But there is hope. I know, because I’ve gone through it. [VIEWER DISCRETION — Acne photos]
Acne can be a crippling nightmare to deal with. Worse than that, because it constant occupies your mind the moment you’re awake. Someone could be talking to you, and all you think about is whether they’re looking at the individual breakouts across your face. Do you adopt a minimalist skin routine, or a 7-step Korean night regime?
I know this because that was my experience for a little more than six months. I had just moved to London for my Master’s degree, a period that should have been my most sociable, out with new people and exploring the beating heart of England.
Instead, I spent the first half of the year huddled in my small apartment room, reluctant to even go out to the shared kitchen in fear of seeing my flatmates. If I wasn’t skipping class, I’d go in early, alone, and choose the left side of the auditorium so that the less affected cheek was on show.
Each day, I could feel my confidence sapped away as I moved my fingertips across the bumps and blisters on my face. I would avoid visiting home for as long as possible, and decline to meet friends who once knew a different me. Do I trust my body to naturally repair my skin, or do I buy into all these products advertised to cure my acne? From home remedies to high-end serums, I attacked my face relentlessly.
In the next couple of articles, I want to dedicate my blog to the topic of skincare. Specifically, I want to reach out to all the men who suffer from acne and have found it difficult to find resources and information on how to combat the condition.
From honey-infused face masks to green tea extracts, expensive moisturisers to simple lifestyle changes, my goal is to share my experience with you so that you can hopefully feel the confidence slowly restoring.
I am by no means a dermatologist or an ingredients expert. However, I am someone who had found himself deeply affected by adult acne, and since then, developed a real interest in skin products and routines based around the condition. I want to help another Me, whether that’s by introducing a product that works with their skin, or a small adjustment in their night routine that makes their skin less irritant in the morning.
To the men specifically, who find themselves just entering the world of skincare beyond bar soap and body moisturiser, I hope I can also assist you in understanding the various products that we can also implement in our routine, and to break away from the expectation that men should be disinterested in skincare.
This is a daunting area, dominated and streamlined for the female market. We are often left with highly scented products with little information attached because men are supposed to ‘keep it simple’. But men do not have the same skin. We cannot expect to use a brand’s men’s section and expect it to work right away.
The following articles will help you to better understand your skin, and be more conscious of how your everyday activities, from gym to hot showers, can play a significant factor in how your skin combats acne.
Better skin leads to a more confident you.
Enough of an intro; let’s get started.
