Here's How I ACTUALLY Cleared My Acne. For Good.

After suffering from acne for years, these are the four things I swear by.

Image courtesy, Amilae King

An estimated 95% of people aged 11 to 30 are affected by acne, meaning that I’m not special for saying that I was one of them. As one of four siblings, all female, and at an all-girls school seemingly full of glowing clear skin, I truly hated my skin. So much so that so much as a glance in the mirror, the waterworks were set off.

It frustrated me when every time I googled ‘what causes acne?’ I got the same answer: ‘when sebum and dead skin cells block hair follicles’. After digging deeper and researching tangents it became apparent that specific hormones may be unbalanced, certain foods didn’t agree with me, or that my seemingly acne clearing products were loaded with comedogenic (pore-clogging) or skin stripping ingredients.

So, what did I actually do to get clear skin?

Like everything in life, there is no magic bullet, a balanced and healthy lifestyle does ultimately trump all.

For those who want to know the specifics, these are the top four things that I can safely say helped turn my skin into clear, healthy skin.

1.    Probiotics.

Every. Single. Day. There truly hasn’t been a single day – since I started taking them five years ago – that I have not taken probiotics.

“Studies have shown that the microbiome directly influences skin, specifically in the formation of inflammation and acne,” says dermatologist, Dr Hadley King, “another recent study has shown that skin conditions like rosacea, acne and psoriasis can either be caused or exacerbated by a microbe imbalance.” 

The significance of imbalanced gut flora (healthy to un-healthy bacteria) on skin health lies in the relationship between to two, known as the gut-skin axis. Your gut health regulates your skin homeostasis, which works to maintain skin barrier functioning, this has been shown to prove that an unbalanced gut flora is linked to unbalanced skin homeostasis. “The skin microbiome makes important contributions to the skin barrier; it produces skin nutrients and essential skin lipids,” says Dr King.  

Taking probiotics help support your gut flora, preventing ‘bad’ bacteria from growing, maintaining the skin’s natural homeostasis and optimal skin barrier functioning. Consistent use of probiotics can actually inhibit the production of Propionibacterium acnes (the acne causing bacteria) altogether.

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2.    Hyaluronic acid.

A common misconception is that you need to remove oil to prevent spots. Your skin naturally produces oil to maintain skin moisture, and the second you start removing your skin’s natural oils, it counters this loss and produces more oil. Unfortunately, I have sensitive skin, so can’t get away with slathering on thick, heavy moisturisers. I learnt to keep an eye out for comedogenic ingredients and decided to only use a serum that was closest to the sole hydrating ingredient itself: hyaluronic acid. Endless bulking ingredients and fragrances are not only unnecessary but harmful to our skin. What you need is a good hyaluronic acid serum or moisturiser, whichever works best for you. Why hyaluronic acid in particular? It’s the ultimate humectant given that it can hold up to 1000x its weight in water.

My holy grail? The Revolution hyaluronic acid, plumping and hydrating 2% serum. This is simply because it has the shortest ingredient list, I could find after shopping around, promising to do the one thing it says: hydrate my skin. Also, it doesn’t break the bank.

Pro tip – I also check all skincare products on an ingredient checker – this will tell you what the ingredient actually does and if it will cause any irritation. We don’t all know the entire periodic table, much to our chemistry teacher’s dismay. These ingredient checkers do it for you.

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3.    Mindset.

I use the words ‘self-love’ with caution because I’m well aware as to how wish-washy this sounds. When I hated my skin and repeatedly told myself it was ugly and spotty, it was. I had to really focus on the outcome I so desperately desired – clear skin – to stick this one out. I started out by simply not allowing myself to say anything unkind about myself to myself, as the saying goes, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. The idea of saying ‘I love you’ and ‘you’re beautiful’ to myself in the mirror, however, was not something, I thought that was going to solve my issues and quite frankly, it gave me the ick.

The best way to put it is through ‘the law of attraction’ or ‘self-fulfilling prophecies’. Your beliefs and expectation directly and indirectly influence your behaviours and decisions to bring about the outcome you are constantly thinking about and expecting.

If you still need convincing about number three, may I point out that it is free unlike all those anti-acne product ranges, so you really have nothing to lose in trying it.

Image courtesy, Amilae King

4.    Silk pillowcase & the golden bed rule.

By now I’m sure you know about the bacteria on your phones and how it transfers to your skin. My final swap that I have made good on since the day I swore is silk pillowcases.

“Silk sheets and pillowcases can be helpful for sensitive skin because silk is lightweight, breathable and non-irritating,” confirms, Dr King. They don’t suck the moisture, bacteria, and natural oils out of your skin, and retain it unlike regular cotton pillowcases.

Silk pillowcases along with my golden rule for the bed – no digitals are to make any contact with sheets – help me rest easy. Everything that you touch during the day ends up on your phone screen, no need to go into the details and breach TMI. The important thing to remember is that the transfer of bacteria from your phone screen to your sheets is instant and can remain there for as long as three weeks. I’m not suggesting you become a germophobe that’s afraid to leave their house or touch anything, but maybe implement a little germophobe behaviour to you phone and bed?

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How I keep it under control now:

Consistency is key. I no longer label myself as someone who suffers from acne, I no longer cancel plans to avoid people not seeing my skin, but it also does justice to remember that no one’s skin is perfect at all times.

The steps above are the four things that I have sworn by since the day I made those changes. It's safe to say I have truly stuck by them like a child with their candy. The broader idea lies in not loading your skin with copious amounts of products. Remember that humans didn’t always have a 12-step skincare routine, our skin was perfectly capable of maintaining itself. Of course, this was before pollution, makeup, alcohol and so on, but you get the gist.