Did you ever think there could be a fun treatment plan for acne? Read on to think outside of the box. <3
AM: wash face with Glytone. Cover face with Aveeno SPF 30 lotion, then apply Clindamycin to trouble areas.
PM: wash face with Glytone. Mix a pea size amount of Tretinoin cream & Avene Tolerance lotion in your hand then apply evenly across your face.
Lather, rinse, and repeat daily.
What's my acne saga? Well, unfortunately, as soon as my summer glow (tan) began to fade, acne relentlessly swarmed my face and I've been tragically breaking out ever since. So above I described the skin care routine I've been prescribed and living by religiously for the last two months.
I'll never know what quite prompted my bad skin (I guess hormones...), but I feel obligated to mention that I do make a conscious effort to avoid common contributors to acne:
Unhealthy eating: I admit, I consume a lot of sugar and dairy (but I have my whole life and never broke out like this before). Aside from my crippling sweet tooth, my actual meals are VERY healthy. Lots of greens, water, etc.
Leaving make-up on for too long: Surprise, I don't wear makeup. I don't even know how to pick out foundation for myself or I would try to cover it up instead of "rocking" the acne.
Not washing your face after a workout: I wash my face instantly after workouts. If I know I'll be home in 20 min or less I wait to get my dumb, expensive dermo face wash. Otherwise, I keep a pack of face wipes in my center console and use them right after my workout is over.
So I don't do the above bad habits, AND my incredibly tedious skin care routine isn't doing the trick.
What else is there?
Another common (but overlooked) contributor to acne is stress/not feeling happy.
According to Water's Edge Dermatology:
“When your fight-or-flight response is activated, the body releases stress hormones, such as cortisol and androgens,” Dr. Minni explained. “These hormones increase your skin's oil production, which can exacerbate acne.”
So naturally, being happy reduces stress and releases serotonin, endorphins, and most importantly, oxytocin. Happiness can aid in reducing acne.
Just be happy. I know, that's not as easy as it sounds, but we can focus on the below things to get us there:
Practicing mindfulness
Chasing things/feelings that fuel our souls
Prioritizing oneself
What is the ONE thing that can give you an immense, instant wave of happiness?
The new treatment plan you should incorporate into your daily life? It's a taboo topic that's 'supposed' to be off limits: masturbation.
A study found that having orgasms increased individual base levels of oxytocin from 1.4 to 7.3 (source). 7x increase in oxytocin from ONE activity...
Although your friends probably aren't bragging to you about great orgasms before bedtime, it is something that many people indulge in, and this act of self care can do a lot more than just provide pleasure.
My point boils down to my revelation: all of the prescription medication, face washing, and clean eating is great, but to truly clear up your skin (and your soul) you also need to be happy. Purely and unapologetically.
And I believe an orgasm a day may just be the secret.
I read about a girl who completed a 30 day Orgasm Challenge (kinda like reverse lent I guess?) So every day for 30 days she had one orgasm and after her challenge was up she genuinely saw improvements in her skin. Her friends told her she was glowing, and it's no surprise that her stress levels were down that month as well.
Instead of constricting yourself to a better diet, or investing in expensive coverup, take the free route and don't give up anything.
I challenge you to prioritize yourself for 30 days, hell, make it 45 if you're feeling it. Try the Orgasm Challenge.
I'm really curious if people see results from this -- so if you decide to try the Orgasm Challenge, DM me @icuddy and share the good news. Even if it's all a hoax and that girl was making shit up, I wanna hear that too!!
Results or not, I think we can all agree that no one's going to be upset after trying this challenge for a month. ;)
Goodluck
xx