Hello, I have for the last 2 years been undoing the damage I did to my skin as a teen, my skin barrier was absolutely destoryeeed due to misuse in my teens my pores are clogged and my skin is extremely congested.
Through micro-needling, dermatologist and Aestheticians I have slowly healed and am now introducing actives finally.
I can’t use Topicals through my dermatologist we discovered together that my skin was not compatible with topicals we tested so many, retinal even recessed my barrier so tret was out of the question. Since my clogged pores weren’t genetic (as in just from my skin overproducing oil) just off my lackluster skin care he said I could get the results I wanted through microdermabrasion,
a good hydration routine and a good exfoliant and then we’d relook at topicals when I was a little older (I’m 21 for reference)
I have just started Mandelic Acid it’s a concentrated serum 10% mixed with some hylarounic acid. It’s the only thing I use in my routine outside of cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen during the day. I always use my Vanicream Mosturizer on Damp skin and apply two layers it has been a skin saving technique for me. It’s been about 2 weeks and so many whiteheads are coming to the surface and I’m insanely over joyed to have this many whiteheads and congested pores surfacing, my skin doesn’t look the best but honestly what always reassures me is that it has been wayyy worse
I’m yet to see a improvement in the texture but with the amount of clogged pores and damage I did to my skin I know it will for sure take a couple of months, maybe even a year to see huge improvements over rall but it’s still something. I’m just here to say KEEP IT SIMPLE. I promise you, your skin doesn’t need 3 serums a toner, a exfoliant and a topical. Research and Patch testing, patch testing would’ve saved me thousands and my skin. I’m so excited to see what will come the last photo is just to show my still prominent congestion, as I said I have aloooot of clogged pores so it will take a while to clear all of it out.