I’ve had skin issues too

Being a skin therapist doesn’t make me immune from skin issues. I’ve had my own battles with acne and acne scarring, and at times, I still get hormonal breakout now. In all honestly, my experience is part of what gave me the spark to get to where I am today and now help thousands of other people with their skin.

My story

I was plagued with nodular cystic acne and oily skin and I hated it. It was very painful, a hideous site, and I was bullied terribly because of it. I would cake myself in makeup, stopped swimming due to my lack of confidence and fear of showing my back which was also covered in deeply inflamed acne, and I went from pillar to post with diets, medications, and skincare products; all of which aggravated my acne, inflammation, and ruined my hut health and quality of skin.

I don’t have many (if at all any) pictures of my life throughout this time because I refused to have any photos taken!

There were times throughout my life and my own personal journey to skin health that I too wanted to give up and believe that there was no healing or ‘good’ skin for me.

So what did I do?

After countless skin treatments, medication, and diet trials, I saw a highly regarded dermatologist and he spoke to me straight; I had severe acne (a medical skin condition) and a hormone imbalance, and it wasn’t going away on its own. I needed ‘a combined therapy approach’, not one magic thing, and he offered me the chance to have skin health. Well, with both hands I grabbed onto that idea of hope for clearer skin and held tightly.

I took Roaccutane – which despite its harsh side effects – it literally saved me from further distress, and it completely transformed my skin. I’m a big advocate for this medication where it is genuinely needed and not given like lollies.

In addition to this, I saw a naturopath and focused on my gut health, worked with my GP, and I promised to learn to love myself again – skin and all. Post Roaccutane, and when my skin barrier was stronger, I had regular aesthetic skin treatments with a skin health therapist, a prescribed skincare regime I followed religiously, a commitment to love myself, and a renewed confidence. After what felt like forever but nonetheless an important journey, I achieved skin health.

There is no denying my skin affected my mental health and my ability to see my true beauty. But people can feel just as upset as I was for skin issues other than acne too; hyperpigmentation, a mole, birthmark, rosacea, or dull lacklustre skin, to name a few.

My hope by sharing my story is that for anyone reading this and feeling their own insecurities with their skin or like there is no hope, please know there is, and I feel you. You’re right, it is a hard struggle battling with acne, chronic psoriasis or eczema, pigmentation, rosacea, or whatever it may be, and it can be exhausting trying different things.

For some skin conditions, we also need to learn acceptance of ourselves and to embrace our skin.

The industry of beauty and aesthetics as we know it though, has come extraordinarily far and there is a lot of science, clinical data, options, and help.

Medical professionals predominantly treat and diagnose disease in the skin and work to resolve the acute stage. Skin health specialists, along with other specialities like naturopaths and nutritionists, offer long-term health and preventative treatment.

Sometimes we need the combination of all, and that’s where seeing a qualified and knowledgeable skin therapist can help. They can assist you with referrals to the right specialists and support you to your journey of skin health and assist you maintain it. But that’s the key: have hope, commitment, and be consistent. If you have that, you’re already halfway there!

Don’t keep mindlessly shopping in Farmers or Chemist Warehouse and ending up with a pharmacy in your bathroom cabinet that isn’t doing anything for you.

Give up that negative talk to yourself in the mirror and instead embrace your natural beauty. Your skin might reflect your physical and mental health and it’s giving you a sign to look after yourself.

Avoid being that person who stops using anything at all, or just applies a moisturiser and calls it a day, or the opposite who throws everything at their skin, and instead just make a first small step for you, that’s free. Inquire and see a therapist for a thorough consultation and understand the health of your skin and what it needs.

If you’d like to see what the process to skin health looks like for you, feel free to book in for a skin consultation with me. I do offer virtual skin consultations too for those that can’t make it to Parnell, Auckland.

You aren’t alone and optimal skin health is a true thing. Believe.

With love,
Michelle x