Spots, Zits, Call them what you will

When I was younger I believed in all sorts of crazy things.  Unicorns, gold at the end of the rainbow, and the concept of there being a time in my life between the spots going away and the grey hairs starting.  Well, as the grey hairs started when I was 15, and at 37, the spots still haven't left that's clearly never going to come true.  I've tried all sorts of things to settle my skin down, but if the Belisha Beacon that's currently taken up residence between my eyebrows is anything to go by, they've not been all that successful.  Creams, gels, medicated washes, light therapy.  Maybe it's time for a bit of professional help.

I've considered talking to my GP, but in all honesty I spend so much time in there with one ear infection after another, I can't build up the nerve to talk to them about my spots.  I'm sure they'll just tell me to go away & get over it, they're far too busy with people who are actually ill.  But acne has a big knock on effect, it's not just about the uncomfortable & unpleasant looking spots, it affects your confidence, your mood, your job chances - who's going to want to be served their dinner by someone whose face looks too much like the pizza you've just ordered?

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/Freedigitalphotos.net

I recently heard of a company called SK:N clinics who are specialists in dermatology & dealing with awkward skin conditions.  SK:N clinics offer all sorts of non-surgical treatments to help deal with acne prone or problem skin, with skin peels starting from just £105 – I've got creams that cost more than that (which I won, admittedly, but even so!)  It doesn't cost the earth, and when I consider what I've spent over the years in trying to treat my skin problems myself, I'm kicking myself for not having thought about it sooner.

Acne scarring can also cause a problem.  It's not as simple as your mum used to tell you, that if you pick it, it'll scar, if you leave it alone it'll go away.  For one thing, who can really leave it alone when there's a nice juicy spot there, ripe for squeezing? Scarring isn't directly caused by squeezing anyway, it's caused by damage to the tissue beneath the skin, which can build up excess collagen trying to repair the damage caused by the spots, leaving that familiar pock-marked effect.  Even the rich and famous (or snooker players, I'm more familiar with them) can't escape this, though they have better make up than us.

Stephen Hendry still bears the scars of youthful acne

Acne scarring is treatable, using chemical peels, laser treatment, or the one that grabs my attention the most, a dermaroller, which creates thousands of tiny contact points on the skin, promoting skin renewal  using your body's natural healing process. It's a technique that can be carried on at home between consultations, and sounds like a high tech, skin version of the lint rollers that were so popular in the 1980s for removing fluff from jumpers.

I'm actually thinking quite seriously about this now.  Less these days for my face, but I'll be honest with you, acne can strike in other places as well, and I'm quite conscious of my acne in other areas.  You don't need a diagram.  The dermaroller is safe to use on all areas of the body, so this might just be the one for me.

What about you?  Have you ever sought help with problem skin?  What are your experiences?

Disclosure. This is a sponsored post. I was not told what to write & all opinions remain my own. Links are provided for convenience, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive reward for their use.

Lumie Acne Treatment Light Review

This is a long overdue review, so I really must apologise, but it's not the easiest thing to write about.  Once upon a time I believed there would be a time between the spots and the grey hair.  But the grey hairs started to appear when I was 15, and at 37 (yep), the spots are still hanging around.  Not quite as much as in my teens, but they're still there.  So when I heard about Lumie Clear LED light therapy for mild to moderate acne, I thought it might be worth a try.

It's an impressive piece of kit.  The light machine has a pattern of red & blue LEDs, apparently the red soothe inflammation & the blue kills acne bacteria.  The light part itself comes away from the base, so you can use it either freestanding, or directly on a small affected area, and it comes with protective goggles, because the blue LEDs may cause damage to your eyes if you look into them unprotected.  The light therapy treatment is offered as an alternative to creams & drugs and is safe to use during pregnancy.  I wish someone had mentioned this to me then, because my skin was a mess while I was expecting.

The length of time you use the light for depends on how far away from your skin you have the LEDs.  The machine works in blocks of 15 minutes, and automatically turns off at the end of this, but if it's further away you will need to start it again for another block, or however many are required.  I concentrated on my forehead because that tends to be the site of the majority of my breakouts, and I was able to hold the light on or close to my forehead, so I could use the shortest time.  I found the light was really easy to use, I took it off the base unit, and I could read a book or watch tv with one hand while holding the light with the other.  The base unit's useful if you want to treat a large area such as your back or need both hands free.

Lumie reckon you'll see visible results after a month of regular daily use, so I've given it my best shot (which is why this review is so delayed), though I have to admit I haven't always been able to make the time, and there have been days I've missed.  And I haven't taken before & after photos because no-one needs a close up of my spots!  Sorry. If that floats your boat, I'm sure there are other bits of internet out there for you.

Terrifying!

Did it work for me?  That's the question you really want to know, isn't it?  Honestly.  I'm not sure.  It hasn't stopped the breakouts, but then I don't think anything short of a total head transplant will!  But it has reduced the length of time they last, and their severity.  I haven't had any of those horrible painful spots that hang around for a week getting bigger & redder, those that I have had have gone away pretty quickly.  The downside is I felt (and looked) a bit of a prat using it, and it does take a regular time committment.  Laugh away. It's not easy to light your face with one hand & take a selfie with the other while wearing protective glasses.  That said, I think I feel a new facebook userpic coming on.  I'm going to persevere with it, though I can't promise it'll be every day.

My one criticism is that the power cable is a bit too short.  I was quite restricted where I could use the light, as I had to be close enough to a plug socket, a longer cable, or battery power option would make the light a little bit more user-friendly in my opinion.

The Lumie Clear light therapy machine is available direct from Lumie, and also from other retailers including Argos and Amazon, RRP £149.00.  You can also buy a refurbished model for cheaper, which is probably worth the saving.

Disclosure: I was provided with the Lumie Clear light free of charge for the purposes of this review.  I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own. Links are provided for convenience, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive reward for their use.