By: Alessia Cocozzoli
One of the most challenging periods in life is adolescence. During this time, everyone fixates on their appearance while navigating the changes in their growing bodies. Whether it’s fluctuations in clothing sizes, body hair, growth spurts in height, or, traditionally, acne – which most commonly affects adolescents between the ages of 14 to 17 for girls and 16 to 19 for boys.
Luckily I was spared from having to deal with acne until the age of 22. During this time, I was undergoing a lot of stress. I had dropped out of a nursing program to pursue a master’s in marketing. I constantly worried about the drastic change in fields, stressing about the probability of securing a fulfilling yet stable career and the opinions of others around me.
Ultimately, because of this, I developed hormonal acne. I remember trying to cover my face with makeup so that the redness was not visible. After removing the makeup, my face would be irritated, causing me to break out even more. It got to a point where this acne was affecting me not only physically but also emotionally. I lacked confidence and was constantly upset.
I explored various approaches to address my facial concerns, such as consulting a dermatologist (a process that took up to three months to secure an appointment), experimenting with cleansers that unfortunately dried my face, testing natural supplements that required several months to show results, attempting retinol which caused peeling, and ultimately finding success with benzoyl peroxide (an over-the-counter topical medication that works by decreasing inflammation and killing or preventing the growth of bacteria on your skin.)
After trying various avenues, I found that benzoyl peroxide was the most effective for me. Benzoyl peroxide showed the desired results in just four weeks—reducing acne-causing bacteria and minimizing breakouts. Not only did it deliver the results I was looking for, but it also proved gentle on my skin and complemented my Cerave moisturizer seamlessly. Adding it to my nightly skincare routine became a simple and effective step.
Long story short – whatever you are feeling about your skincare journey is valid and must be a priority for you to feel like the best version of yourself. Book an appointment today with a practitioner at GetSkinHelp to avoid prolonged waiting and get the right assistance for your skin concern.
