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Acne and CSS

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Acne and CSS

On December 20, 2016, Posted by , In Uncategorized, By , , With No Comments

After my disability went from moderate (totally and permanently disabled) to severe (housebound and mostly bedridden), seemingly out of nowhere came a flood of acne. I had a history of mild acne as a teen, and acne is an on and off thing for the women in my family regardless of age, but I didn’t look like I had acne, I looked like I was diseased and possibly contagious.

At any given time I had at least 100 or more scabs or bumps, and this isn’t an exaggeration, I actually counted. The scabbing was so rough I felt like taking sand paper to my face would work wonders (joking), and my face was so dry and scaly washing my face in pure vegetable oil sounded reasonable (also joking).

This went on for months. I was reluctant to leave my home at all. People would stare, move away from me, it was just that bad. I tried using moisturizers and face washes for acne, but this only made it WORSE. I was at a loss and didn’t know what to do.

But guess what? My face is clear and has been for years. So let me share the causes and solutions I learned, and if you have this issue, MAYBE these might work for you.

Cause: My Pillowcase

pillowcase-acneI was only washing my pillow case once a month at best. I was on the third floor of an apartment building and the laundry room was in the basement. It seemed reasonable, it’s not like I really ever got dirty sitting in the house all day.

But, due to mild night sweats, my hair getting more oily quicker due to the night sweats, and my reduction in how often I washed my hair (from once every 2-3 days, to once every 4-5 days), this combination left my face sitting in oil all night long.

On top of it all, I was washing my sheets and pillow cases with cheap detergent and with cold water.

Solutions: Wash and Flip

  • After one week I flip my pillowcase over to the clean side.
  • I washed my pillowcase once every 2 weeks.
  • I bought good detergent.
  • I washed my pillowcases in hot water.
  • I found a way to have the energy to wash my hair every 3-4 days.

Cause: Oils in My Diet & Face-wash

Moisturizer for the dryness, astringent face-wash for the oil – it was an endless circle of dry skin and acne. Also, having greasy and oily foods in my diet definitely was not helping the issue. My pores weren’t just clogged, they were getting infected. My face was always dry, broken out, and my t-zone was always saturated with oils. No matter how much I washed my face, OIL.

Solutions: Coconut Oil and Fruit Extract Cleaner

  • cocont-oil-acneI stopped using a store bought moisturizer and started using organic coconut oil on my face every morning. Just a light swoop of my finger on the oil (it’s a solid) and onto my face. Coconut oil has a waxy texture, so it’s not shiny like the oil in most moisturizers and it doesn’t have the alcohol in it to dry out the skin. Coconut oil is also antibacterial, so the infections stopped as well. After a month, my face was clear, glowing, and beautiful.
  • They don’t make the stuff I used back then anymore, but any gel-based fruit extract facial cleanser will do. Notice I said “gel” not “cream.” This is important. And noticed I said “fruit extract” not “alcohol.” The one I use now I bought in bulk before it was discontinued, and it is a grape seed extract gel cleanser by Garnier. They still have these types of cleansers on the market by other brands, but they discontinue and re-brand them all of the time to it’s hard to keep up with what’s available. Your best bet is to search online and buy online or in store. I use a dime sized amount at night to wash the oils off my face with cold water. That’s it. As simple as that. It’s all about just the right balance of oil and astringent.
  • It’s OK to have a little grease in your diet. A little meat grease, cheese grease, butter grease, just keep it minimal. Rinse your meat after cooking, reduce how much butter or oils you use in cooking, and limit the super greasy foods to once a week at the most. And most importantly, wash your face after eating these foods. Just a wet paper towel may be enough. Just don’t leave that grease on your face. Even if it’s just on your lips, believe me, it will travel.

So there you have it, with all of these things combined I have clear glowing skin and look nearly 15 years younger than I actually am. Also, because of how great my skin looks, I have no need for oily, cakey foundations and powders that also make acne worse. If I do use makeup, I use my own with natural ingredients and a coconut oil base. So if acne is haunting you, give all of this a try. You could be acne-free in no time.

 

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