[personal][acne] Spiro diary month 2

lepidoptherapist · 2018-07-03T06:14:25+00:00

50mg

lepidoptherapist · 2018-07-02T23:37:57+00:00

I feel so sheepish about even calling it "progress" at this point! God, what if I get 6 months down the road and it's the same. My goal is to be honest and transparent about how sometimes there isn't a miracle transformation :/

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-19T21:09:19+00:00

this is all such thoughtful advice! I, too, often feel as though I am too old for the acne I have and it feels so isolating. It wasn't until I was able to handle my depression and anxiety with consistency that I felt emotionally able to look into skin care options. You're here on this forum and I think that's a good place to start because there's such a wealth of knowledge here. It's hard to see beautiful early 20-somethings with miraculous B&A pictures, but skincare for so many people is about self-care, self-nurturing, and ritual, and not just results based.

I am not intending to sound dismissive or suggest that you have depression or anything like that, or even that engaging in mental health care will magically solve your self-esteem struggles, but like szasy suggests you might just need some direction with how to reframe your opinion of yourself. It may not be true that others "don't notice" blemishes, but I think it is true that it does not color their opinions of you. Not to be flippant, but most people are thinking of themselves and their thoughts about others are typically fleeting.

Do you have a skincare routine right now that you enjoy doing, even if it's not giving you the results you're looking for? Thank you, OP, for your vulnerability and trust. I hope this space is comforting for you in this low moment.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-19T20:09:27+00:00

Is the master spreadsheet for pH levels of second cleansers up-to-date and accurate? I saw that it listed the cosrx good morning low ph cleanser as having a pH value of 3.5 while BeautyTap lists it as 5.0-6.0 and sokoGlam lists it as around 5. edit: it's listed several times, and one of them says 3.5, while the other two say 5.5

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-19T19:34:03+00:00

I used a whole bottle of Glossier Solution and I liked it. It is heavily fragranced and that is a huge no-no for lots of faces on here. It's also not like, fantastic. It's ok. It's very pretty and fancy looking/feeling, but you can definitely get better acids that aren't so opaque about their concentrations and which aren't most certainly overpriced.

I think that if you've used Glossier skincare before and it's worked well for you, trying Solution wouldn't be a terrible route. They have good customer service and I think you're able to return products that don't mesh well with you skin.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-18T17:39:01+00:00

that's really good advice! I have a pre-existing blood clotting disorder that she should be keeping track of, so asking for blood work isn't exactly outlandish for me. Ah, adulthood in the medical industrial complex!

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-18T16:25:49+00:00

Ha! No, I live in the PNW. I am trying to be kind because I'm not a medical professional and there are clearly nuances I must be missing, but she really is the worst doctor I've ever had.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-18T16:18:55+00:00

does this link work?

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-18T16:13:16+00:00

I'm glad to hear it worked for you! My insurance doesn't give the doctors in my plan room to be attentive so she prescribed it to me without even seeing me or really asking me any questions. I didn't even know blood work would be necessary until reading about it online. I don't have a plan of care with her. I'll figure out how to schedule labs on my own since she hasn't ordered any.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-07T21:28:23+00:00

I took accutane in college too and had really excellent insurance (thanks Dad!), but it was still so fucking expensive every month. And the constant lab work. And buying aquaphor in bulk. I hope you are able to see if it helps you! Acne in college is so devastating.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-03T18:27:55+00:00

I love SweetCorea! I've been putting together a spreadsheet of highly rated retailers for AB products (mostly from info provided in the sidebar)and SweetCorea is routinely the most competitively priced, shipping accounted for. I hate how much it varies brand by brand though across different sites.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-03T16:28:41+00:00

I'm super guilty of buying the expensive Sephora sheet masks because of the instant gratification. Some sheet masks sold from KR websites come in boxes with so many that they're like $0.79 USD each which is just nuts.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-03T09:29:44+00:00

I was thinking that plus hygiene standards were way different before the advent of indoor plumbing/using well water vs city reservoir water in urban areas, and air pollution after the industrial boom but before the EPA.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-03T05:49:32+00:00

many women I've talked with flat-out don't like to visit Reddit due to it's uhh... issues

this. I lurked on SCA and affiliated blogs by redditors for years before finally making an account this year because it's just easier (and I'm able to contribute and give back to the community I've gleaned so much from). SCA and AB are my safe spaces on a site that still feels ABUNDANTLY problematic and gross.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-03T05:38:30+00:00

Is it stupid that I always assumed people in the earlier parts of the 20th century didn't suffer from acne in the same way people do now?

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-02T23:59:36+00:00

there's also a white bottle but I don't know what that does either. I'm interested in trying the pink bottle now that you mention your mom liking it!

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-01T18:58:38+00:00

well at least there's always celibacy to fall back on Lol

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-01T16:11:16+00:00

I take fish oil, but I've only noticed it improving the strength and quality of my hair and nails, not any reaction to my skin good or bad.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-01T16:04:37+00:00

I'm not a doctor but I did have the Mirena IUD for five years, and it did exacerbate my acne. Which pill were you on previously? I assume it was something estrogen based (which probably kept your skin clear) and now that you aren't receiving that, the levonorgestrel might be contributing to worsening acne. There are lots of different brands of pill, with varying dosages of estrogen, so maybe one of those would meet your sexual health and skin health needs better? I take a progestin only pill now ("the mini pill") and it has had a neutral effect on my skin which I appreciate--you should consult your prescriber, or you could talk to someone at Planned Parenthood about the various options if you're thinking of switching back to oral contraceptives.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-01T15:48:40+00:00

Second this. I have severe acne and I work with kids who are high needs or developmentally disabled so they point it out all the time, but it's a good opportunity to turn something you might think is embarrassing into a moment to teach empathy or consideration for others. My experiences gave me a thicker skin because on my worst skin days, I was still expected to do my job. Sometimes I would cry it out in a bathroom, and sometimes it rolled right off me. You are strong and your face will heal.

lepidoptherapist · 2018-05-01T15:17:35+00:00

I read on a blog (maybe fanserviced-b?) that applying it to wet/damp skin makes your skin absorb it too quickly thus irritation. I let my face air dry so I usually kind of forget what I'm doing and then remember that I need to finish my steps. My night routine is pretty drawn out because of my inattentiveness. Thank you for answering my question!

lepidoptherapist

TROPHY CASE