MY ACNE STORY
My name is Alyssa and this is my acne story—
Being able to share my story, and inspire others by giving hope that it is possible to clear acne is the reason I do what I do every single day.
60 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE ACTIVE ACNE.
Can you believe that - 60 million people just in America are experiencing acne breakouts just like YOU.
What is acne?
Acne is a common skin disease characterized by pimples on the face, chest, and back. It occurs when the pores of the skin become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria.
MY ACNE STORY LASTED 4 LONG YEARS…
As a young adult with severe cystic acne, my self esteem dipped to a low point that I never thought was possible. I felt judged, ashamed, embarrased, unworthy, depressed, and anxious. At that point in my life I should have been out meeting new people, creating new relationships and having fun with life's adventures. Instead I hid away, always finding an excuse not to go out with friends because I dreaded the process of trying to hide my cystic acne.
Applying makeup, no matter what kind, physically hurt my skin due to the cystic nature of my acne. After spending over an hour applying makeup, I would just end up crying and washing it off in frustration. Regardless of how the makeup was applied, I always felt that my severe acne was extremely visible.
Over the course of those years I've learned that when imperfections on our skin or body are so outwardly visible we tend to loathe our appearance and think that its the only trait that others observe. In hindsight, I was quite harsh and self-critical of myself at a time when I should have been loving myself for who I am.
In 2017, I created Healing Skin From Within to help as many people as possible who suffer with acne. My ultimate goal is to help someone look into the mirror and love the skin they're in!
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES, MY ACNE WAS VERY SEVERE.
Throughout my journey to clear skin, I tried everything from expensive creams, lotions and potions that promised the world. I tried every diet known, desperate to find a solution but with little success.
Does this sound familiar?
At 18 years old I had little to no knowledge of skincare or how to treat acne. I would sit in my room and watch endless hours of YouTube videos that would all reiterate the same information I already knew or heard OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I would try DIY face masks that would end up breaking me out, herbal supplements that were just a waste of money, and other outlandish supposed remedies. I was at a point where I became desperate to find a solution.
Naturally, I turned to the dermatologist. “The true acne specialists.” That’s what I had thought at least for the majority of my teenage years. Doctors were the “experts” who had all the answers. Right?
I became very discouraged after visiting multiple dermatologists who all told me the only way I would ever see clear skin was through Accutane. When it wasn’t one recommending me Accutane; the other was prescribing a cream that would dry out my skin or cause more irritation to my existing acne.
WHAT IS ACCUTANE?
This medication is used to treat severe cystic acne that has not responded to other treatments. It belongs to a class of drugs known as retinoids which work by decreasing facial oil (sebum) production. High amounts of sebum can lead to severe acne.
I was not ready to commit to Accutane knowing of the drugs potential severe side effects could be detrimental to my body.
…
I was 19 years old when my journey as an esthetician began. With a face still full of severe acne. It was thriving at its fullest during this time. Self-conscious was not even the word I could use to describe the feelings I felt.
I was in a class full of young women in their 20s and early 30s to learn about skincare, all of whom had beautiful skin. We would practice facials on each other, remove our makeup and walk around with bare skin. I got the looks and stares as expected and a few laughs in the process. One day we were talking about how to interact with clients once we graduate and find a full time job in the field when my teacher looked me in the eyes and said:
“How are you supposed to tell others how to clear their skin with your skin looking the way it does.”
Looking back now at that moment it’s really appalling to me that a teacher would talk to one of her students like that. I was honestly so embarrassed from that moment on that I decided to move to the night-time skincare program. This would ensure that I would be placed with a different teacher.
I’ll call my new teacher “Mrs. M”.
Before I even stepped foot in the new skin care program, natural medicine remedies were never a priority of mine. I generally put my health on the back burner mainly because I didn’t understand it.
Mrs. M is a breast cancer survivor. She opened my eyes to the possibility of living a holistic and natural lifestyle. Mrs. M. pursued chemo as the main treatment for her breast cancer however, with the help of naturopathic doctors she took a different path by incorporating Chinese medicine in addition to the chemo. Her story goes in such depth that she became a true inspiration and is still influential to me to this day. She helped me learn about the acne/gut realationship and how treating acne is more than just putting products on your skin.
From the moment I was introduced to this new way of living, I wanted to heal my body and my acne naturally and safely. I dedicated the next 5 years of my life to studying all aspects of natural medicine and its correlation to acne.
I studied nutrition, natural skincare products, how gut health relates to acne, how to reduce inflammation naturally, autoimmune diseases, supplements and superfoods, hormones and how to reduce androgens in the body, etc.
The list goes on and on...
I tell myself daily that everything happens for a reason.
I can honestly say that if i didn’t switch programs at school and come into contact with Mrs. M, I’m not sure if I would be sitting here today telling my story or helping people all over the world overcome their acne.
Since age 18, I have prayed and pondered about this moment. I envisioned what this moment would feel like...to be able to write this blog post, I envisioned what it would be like to help thousands of people suffering from acne, I envisioned feeling so blessed to be able to say I overcame this obstacle.
Going through acne is painful. Going through acne can be very draining both physically, emotionally, and mentally. It takes a toll on the mind, but it's so important to remember that acne does not define you. Despite the fact that acne is physically and emotionally painful there is one silver lining... you don't have to go through it alone.
I am now here to help you with your journey. I am here to help you overcome this obstacle in your life, and I am here to put an end to acne once and for all! When I was 18 years old, I wish I had someone to help guide me each step of the way to achieve clear skin.
I was done hearing about fad skincare routines, or “clear skin diets.” I just wanted the truth, and that is what I am here to give you.
The truth in its entirety.
At Healing Skin From Within we strive to meet you where you are at with your current skin concerns, and come up with a customized routine just for you! Experienced in all skin types and skin conditions, we love to help spread awareness that it IS possible to get the results you desire with the right help, dedication, and time. We provide in person professional treatments as well as virtual sessions for those who are located in other states and countries. Click here to book your appointment! Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, see you in the next post!
