By the time I’d reached middle school and throughout the beginning years of high school, my acne seemed to get worse, as this was the peak of puberty and what can only be described as incredibly awkward years.
Unfortunately, at this time, it wasn’t appropriate for a young girl to wear makeup, let alone an excessive amount, to hide blemishes, so I was left constantly feeling self-conscious about the way my face looked and was very sensitive thinking that people may have been laughing at my appearance, or judging me – it was a horrible feeling.
Over the years I’ve tried every form of acne treatment available and nothing ever seemed to work for me. What frustrated me the most, was that if I did on some very rare occasions begin to see a slight improvement, after a while they would stop and the acne would return. Despite trying so hard, I never found a treatment that was consistent and slowly began to give up hope that my skin would ever be clear. I suffered all through high school and college with chronic breakouts and the whole situation exhausted me – I’d had enough!
At 22 years old, I felt that I shouldn’t still have the skin of a 15 year old and was tired of having to suffer with acne day in and day out. When my family and I heard about Envision and the success people had there, I knew I had to book an appointment, as this could be my last option and final hope of finding a routine that would improve my skin and give me the long lasting, consistent results that I’d been dreaming of.
Treatments received: 4 gentle exfoliating enzyme treatments once every 2 weeks
Homecare Products:
Morning: Sensitive Skin Wash, Calming Toner, Hydra Gel,Vitamin B lotion, SPF
Night: Sensitive Skin Wash, Calming Toner, Hydra Gel, Acne Gel 2.5
And here are the questions and answers from our brief interview with Erin…
1.) How long was it before you approached Envision Acne and Skin Center to support your skin care journey and had you received any other form of professional support to help treat to your acne prior to getting in touch with us?
Envision Acne and Skin Center was my last resort. I had tried every product and antibiotic on the market for years and nothing had worked. I’d seen countless Dermatologists, however no one was able to give me an answer as to why the treatments I’d been suggested to try weren’t working. I’ve been with Envision for a couple months now and I am happy to say my skin has never looked better. Other Doctors in the past had not talked to me about changing my diet habits and exercise routine as a way to help combat breakouts. Envision was the first place to look at my overall lifestyle and address a number of issues, instead of just seeking to make the acne go away. As a result I truly believe that a holistic approach to skin care is critical to healthy skin.
2.) Were you able to find a support network and community of individuals either online or in your own personal network of family and friends who you were able to openly talk to about your worries and concerns about how acne was affecting your life and who could help answer your questions, or did you often feel isolated and alone when searching for solutions to address your skincare concerns?
I have a very supportive group of family and friends who have been with me throughout this entire journey. When anyone looked at me they could see immediately that I was trying to cover up my skin. I used very heavy foundation to help conceal my imperfections, which looked nice on the surface, but when I washed my face at the end of the day, revealed a totally different person. I didn’t want to live with that shame anymore. I didn’t want to have to put makeup on in the morning because I was embarrassed for even the people closest to me to see what I looked like.
My dad had skin like me for a long time and the only thing that solved his problems was Accutane. My family and I thought about this option for some time, because we believed that my condition was genetic. I was nervous that the only way to officially get rid of my acne was to go on Accutane, despite knowing the side effects and potential risks that are reported as being associated with it. My parents have always been very supportive when it came to different options for my skin. My mom was always the first to accompany me to the Doctors’ appointments and often came home with many new products for me to try. When something stopped working, she would be the first to start researching the latest treatments and products on the market, right away and I’ll always be grateful for the endless support which she gave me and continues to do so. We heard about Envision through family friends of ours who had wonderful results and my mom knew this was the next step for me.
3.) With so much advice on acne available on the internet and in best-selling health and wellness magazines and books published by leading industry authorities, did you feel confident that the information you were researching was accurate, or did you become overwhelmed by the vast amount of materials available on the market and conflicting opinions that were discussed?
I became so overwhelmed with all the information available about skin care. One of my biggest concerns was if the products that doctors were advising me to take were good products for my skin, or if it was all just a scheme to push what they wanted to promote. I’m sure the standard topical or oral medications do work for some people, but they certainty didn’t work for me and are not a solution for everyone. I needed to find a regime that was specific to my skin problems and addressed the way my skin reacted. With Envision, I was able to have a skin care program created just for me and what a huge difference that made. Products that are heavily advertised, I feel are all about the business and marketing stunts, not about helping clients. When you find a routine and treatment plan that works for you, you begin to start feeling hope again and it’s an amazing feeling.
4.) Tell us about your experience with Envision Acne and Skincare Center and how your skin care journey has personally evolved since you’ve embarked on our customized Acne Free Skin Program?
My time spent with Envision has been so beneficial to my skin and overall health. I was given great advice on diet plans (foods to stay away from) and the importance that exercise has in relation to skin care. The staff at Envision, encouraged and motivated me to stick to my routine no matter what and follow through on healthy living. I was finally able to start to take control over the things in my life that had continually knocked my confidence. The facials are incredible! Not only are they relaxing, but each time I finish my appointment, my skin feels clean, rejuvenated and ready to fight any lingering blemishes head on. I’m proud to say that before Envision, I would never leave my house without layers of makeup on, but now I wear my skin proud and am confident to go makeup free! I purchased the range of mineral makeup at Envision and at first to be honest was skeptical about the powder because I thought that it wouldn’t provide enough coverage, but I was wrong. The foundation and concealer are so light and give me the perfect day-to-day coverage I need. I couldn’t be happier with the products, services and staff at Envision and would recommend them to anyone who’s has had trouble, big or small, with pesky breakouts!
My advice would be to not give up. I was always afraid that this was going to last forever and that I was going to be a bride with craters on my face. After trying so many products, I felt defeated and resigned to accepting that acne was going to be part of who I was. Thankfully that’s no longer the case. Envision has given me the hope of continually clear, smooth, soft skin and now it’s up to me to maintain it. I take great care of my skin, because I finally saw improvements and wanted to keep it that way. Whenever you find what works for you, don’t get lazy. As soon as you think you’re in the clear a breakout will occur and you’ll be mad that you didn’t stick with the routine. It can get better, but you can’t give up! Change your diet, exercise more, and take your vitamins. This is something everyone should be doing for general health, which should only give you more incentive knowing your skin will clear up too!
