the "Zit" Factor
According to my research (which was not very extensive), we spend up to $55 billion a year on beauty products and cosmetics. Doesn't that seem like a butt load of money, yet we still have to suffer through the time it takes for a blemish to heal.
Most importantly, you should know that this is a very difficult thing for me to write about--I hate all words dealing with blemishes, I can't ever talk about them with friends and I will never understand how aestheticians do what they do. My friend Kaitlin came up with a special code when speaking of such monstrosities with me: facial eruptions. Let me tell you, it helps. It's odd because I can watch open heart surgery or a limb being cut off, but I cannot say the word "zit" or "pimple" without cringing. You know how your friends say, "Ah, look at this!" and want to talk about it? I am not that kind of friend. I'll be the first to tell you about food in your teeth, but I cannot discuss something growing on your face. Sorry.
I recently switched medications that brought along a few spots. It's awful because they are impossible to conceal, and worse, it seems like the barista at Starbucks can't take your order because he is too busy staring. I admit, I have been blessed with good skin, so my heart really goes out to those with acne issues. A few years ago I had terrible, terrible acne. I had to take some antibiotics and use special creams from the dermatologist. It seems I'm at an age where I'm too old to be dealing with this stuff. Would I rather have suffered through this in high school? Doubtful. Those years were hard enough.
The worst is when your mom or boyfriend point at your face and comment on it, as if you didn't already know you had a pimple. You just think, "Thanks, I really needed you to make this a topic of conversation." When Hurricane Rita was coming towards Houston, my stress level went up to 150%, therefore causing a pizza effect on my face. I had to ride to Austin with my brother and his cute friend feeling like a victim of chicken pox. And the problem would not go away. It wasn't until four days later when we returned to Houston (after Rita did not actually hit) that I got a facial and felt and looked so much better. There really is nothing worse than a blemish, let alone more than one!
When my skin is tainted it takes eons to clear up. It's the most grueling, long-suffering process that I don't wish for anyone. Facials always help, though sometimes those bring hidden eruptions to the surface. I love that beauty magazines say, "don't pop!" That's like trying to get a dog not to lick himself. It's going to happen, and it's going to make everything worse. It's just a way of life. More frustrating is the spot or scar left behind. Some people may not have a clue what I'm talking about, but others do. In my particular case, once the red is gone I am usually left with remnants of what was a week of hell.
Years ago I was at Nordstrom and a lady was helping me with my makeup. She commented on my skin and I wanted to kiss her. I told her I had just gotten control of my acne and that I was embarrassed by all my scars. She literally looked at me like I was crazy because she didn't see them (so she said). I have a secret behind eliminating them all: vitamin E. I swear by it. The best part is that I got the advice from a pharmacist at Target in Waco, Texas! A big bottle of the vitamin E capsules, cut one open or poke it, whatever you want to do. Use the "gel" and rub it over certain areas where needed. Be cautious: it does kinda run and is a bit sticky, but if you rub it in really well and leave it overnight you'll have great results. I also believe in Clinique's Even Better potions, but I can't say for certain which works faster or better--I imagine its up to the user because everyone's skin is different. It's also important to do it on a pretty regular basis for the best results.
We try to hide the throbbing red areas with concealer, which usually ends up making everything look worse. But I'll be damned if I'm going out in public without trying! I'm a sucker for new spot treatments. I want to try all of them, and I have such a hard time being patient. I read that benzoyl peroxide and sulfur-based products are best. I have used the peroxide before and it was really effective, but I have to deal with the dermatologist. So I immediately put down the article and started searching for a sulfur facial mask. I did my homework, too. I went to different beauty sites and read reviews before making a decision. I went with DDF, a mask and spot solution, but it's still too early to tell. Clinique used to make an emergency mask that I loved and even made my boyfriend use. When buying makeup at another counter the guy helping me went to the nearby Clinique station and sold it to me. That was over 10 years ago and I used it once a week, religiously. There is nothing as sad as losing access to a beloved beauty product.
Feel free to ask me favors for almost anything, except those skin-related. There is very little that grosses me out, but this has and will forever be a subject I choose to steer clear, despite having just written about it.
Most importantly, you should know that this is a very difficult thing for me to write about--I hate all words dealing with blemishes, I can't ever talk about them with friends and I will never understand how aestheticians do what they do. My friend Kaitlin came up with a special code when speaking of such monstrosities with me: facial eruptions. Let me tell you, it helps. It's odd because I can watch open heart surgery or a limb being cut off, but I cannot say the word "zit" or "pimple" without cringing. You know how your friends say, "Ah, look at this!" and want to talk about it? I am not that kind of friend. I'll be the first to tell you about food in your teeth, but I cannot discuss something growing on your face. Sorry.
I recently switched medications that brought along a few spots. It's awful because they are impossible to conceal, and worse, it seems like the barista at Starbucks can't take your order because he is too busy staring. I admit, I have been blessed with good skin, so my heart really goes out to those with acne issues. A few years ago I had terrible, terrible acne. I had to take some antibiotics and use special creams from the dermatologist. It seems I'm at an age where I'm too old to be dealing with this stuff. Would I rather have suffered through this in high school? Doubtful. Those years were hard enough.
The worst is when your mom or boyfriend point at your face and comment on it, as if you didn't already know you had a pimple. You just think, "Thanks, I really needed you to make this a topic of conversation." When Hurricane Rita was coming towards Houston, my stress level went up to 150%, therefore causing a pizza effect on my face. I had to ride to Austin with my brother and his cute friend feeling like a victim of chicken pox. And the problem would not go away. It wasn't until four days later when we returned to Houston (after Rita did not actually hit) that I got a facial and felt and looked so much better. There really is nothing worse than a blemish, let alone more than one!
When my skin is tainted it takes eons to clear up. It's the most grueling, long-suffering process that I don't wish for anyone. Facials always help, though sometimes those bring hidden eruptions to the surface. I love that beauty magazines say, "don't pop!" That's like trying to get a dog not to lick himself. It's going to happen, and it's going to make everything worse. It's just a way of life. More frustrating is the spot or scar left behind. Some people may not have a clue what I'm talking about, but others do. In my particular case, once the red is gone I am usually left with remnants of what was a week of hell.
Years ago I was at Nordstrom and a lady was helping me with my makeup. She commented on my skin and I wanted to kiss her. I told her I had just gotten control of my acne and that I was embarrassed by all my scars. She literally looked at me like I was crazy because she didn't see them (so she said). I have a secret behind eliminating them all: vitamin E. I swear by it. The best part is that I got the advice from a pharmacist at Target in Waco, Texas! A big bottle of the vitamin E capsules, cut one open or poke it, whatever you want to do. Use the "gel" and rub it over certain areas where needed. Be cautious: it does kinda run and is a bit sticky, but if you rub it in really well and leave it overnight you'll have great results. I also believe in Clinique's Even Better potions, but I can't say for certain which works faster or better--I imagine its up to the user because everyone's skin is different. It's also important to do it on a pretty regular basis for the best results.
We try to hide the throbbing red areas with concealer, which usually ends up making everything look worse. But I'll be damned if I'm going out in public without trying! I'm a sucker for new spot treatments. I want to try all of them, and I have such a hard time being patient. I read that benzoyl peroxide and sulfur-based products are best. I have used the peroxide before and it was really effective, but I have to deal with the dermatologist. So I immediately put down the article and started searching for a sulfur facial mask. I did my homework, too. I went to different beauty sites and read reviews before making a decision. I went with DDF, a mask and spot solution, but it's still too early to tell. Clinique used to make an emergency mask that I loved and even made my boyfriend use. When buying makeup at another counter the guy helping me went to the nearby Clinique station and sold it to me. That was over 10 years ago and I used it once a week, religiously. There is nothing as sad as losing access to a beloved beauty product.
Feel free to ask me favors for almost anything, except those skin-related. There is very little that grosses me out, but this has and will forever be a subject I choose to steer clear, despite having just written about it.
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