How To Feel Like You Again After Acne

Hi, I'm Tabi a qualified Skin Specialist from the UK. I am the C.E.O of Cosmic Beauty, a luxury relaxing skin clinic in Middlesbrough, and C.E.O of The Skin Health Subscription, an online membership to transform your skin concerns from home. 

I struggled with severe acne as a teenager and had to jump through a lot of hoops before I felt confident enough about putting myself out there, even online. I noticed when I had acne how much it trickled into every part of your life: how you walked, how you talked, how you felt and how you looked. It's like every part of your being changed within a matter of what felt like hours. 

I've noticed a lot of people online, and professionals are quick to talk about acne, and how to clear your acne, and what things you should be doing to help your skin, but not a lot of people talk about the mental health implications that acne brings. 

I think it's an extremely important topic to discuss, and is the reason that my Skin Health Subscription literally has a whole module dedicated just to this because of how important it is. 

It took my years after having clear skin to be able to push myself to do certain things, even leaving the house had became such an impossible task, as I was so worried about other people and what they would think of me, that I had hidden myself away for so long. Even after acne when I had no acne but was left with scarring, the thought of someone seeing my skin this way was unthinkable to me. Even my boyfriend (who I have since been with seven years) when we first started dating, it must have been about six months before he saw my skin without heaps of makeup on, as I just felt so self conscious. It felt as though my skin defined me, and I'm sure if you have ever had acne, you know somewhat of the feeling I am talking about. 

This feeling leaves a lasting imprint on your subconscious. As if the high standards of beauty for women in society weren't enough, but now you have to deal with the blade in your chest left by having acne and feeling so low about yourself,feeling so small and significant.

I have learnt quite a lot about improving your self esteem over the last seven years, and how you can feel like you again after acne. I hope these things help you too, because you deserve to feel beautiful and you deserve to be kind to yourself. 

1) Work on your mindset

Your mindset really does control your everyday life. When you master how you talk to yourself and you become self aware about that nagging subconscious voice, you can have a positive happier life. For me the "You're ugly", and "no one will love you" because of your skin, type comments were daily, and they do still come up when I'm particularly feeling low in myself, or I've had a bad day. Whatever subconscious beliefs you are wired to believe, you have to work hard to shift them. Find proof the opposite of these statements are true, because right now these statements are based on a false reality you have created for yourself, and you deserve better than that. 

2) Push yourself out of your comfort zone

The more you put yourself in situations that make you feel uncomfortable, the more that you will grow. This will present you with the truth of your reality, and help you to believe the statements and awful things you might think of yourself aren't true. Find evidence against your false beliefs and you will become a confident version of yourself! 

3) Affirmations are everything

The key to happiness lies in what you are telling yourself. The more you tell yourself positive attributes about yourself, the more likely you are to believe them. Tell yourself "I am beautiful.I am strong. I am more than my skin. My skin does not define me" everyday. I do my affirmations on an evening before I go to sleep, so it's the last thing I'm thinking about before I sleep. It will feel like you are lying to yourself to begin with, but over time you will learn to accept and even believe the amazing things you are telling yourself. 

4) Self care 

Whether you are going to regular monthly facial appointments or you are having self care in some other form, having self care really affirms for yourself that you deserve nice things, and that you are enough. Some of my favourite forms of self care are: having a spa night at home with a face mask, using an LED face mask device like the Current Body one here, watching tv, curling up with a good book or even having a nap. Whatever it is, make time for yourself each day to focus on you.

5) Take actionable steps towards improved skin

Learn about your skin, educate yourself on the right things to be doing which will help to improve your skin, and you will feel more assured that your skin will get better and that you are doing everything that you can to help yourself. Having a solid skincare routine made up of medical grade professional skin care products will be beneficial for you to start off with, you can access a prescribed routine like this for you easily here. 

This is also what my Skin Health Subscription can help you with, as I give you step by step processes you can follow to improve your skin from home. You can read more about this here, I would love to help you with your skin. 

If you are to follow each of the steps listed above, there is no reason why you can not become the best version of you. Having a happier life is up to you, and it's time that you stopped standing in your own way, and make it happen. It can be extremely daunting and you are going to have to be incredibly brave, but I know that once you take that first step that you will feel better for it.