Skin Care Journey
This topic may seem a bit unrelated to the typical chiropractic complaints of low back pain and neck pain but that’s because this is my account of my struggle with acne.
I wanted to take the time to share my acne journey and get everything out in the open. This blog will detail everything I went through from the beginning until now, and I am writing this for you.
My Personal Story
My goal is to help people who are struggling with hormonal acne and show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I, like many other women in their twenties with new knowledge about the birth control I was put on at 15, decided I no longer wanted to be on it. I was nearing the end of my first year of chiropractic school and was starting to notice increased acne symptoms. I had struggled with minor symptoms of acne when I started birth control at age 16 but in hindsight, they were quite minimal. I thought taking out my IUD would help.
Spoiler alert – it did but not! In the summer of 2019, I finally had my IUD removed and my skin started to worsen. I was dealing with cystic acne along the jawline that was incredibly painful as well as pimples along my chin, cheeks, and forehead. It continued to get worse and to add insult to injury I was dealing with additional stressors being in chiropractic school, an awful relationship and to top it all off, COVID hit. Throughout 2020 I just dealt with the issues; I thought I could figure it out myself. I figured it was all stress-related; I didn't know how literal that was.
Finally, at the end of 2020, I decided to schedule a dermatologist appointment. She took one look at my skin and said I needed to go on Accutane immediately. However, the Accutane process is incredibly complex due to the strength of the medication and requires additional testing before starting it. I went on a high dose of Doxycycline (100mg twice daily to be exact) as well as spironolactone 150 mg. The irony of the medical treatments for acne is that they destroy the body's natural mechanisms for detox and ultimately continue maintaining the vicious cycle that is cystic acne. Sitting here today I understand how problematic that was for my body but at the time I didn’t know any better. By February 2021 I had done all of the steps and started my journey with Accutane. This drug is no joke and knowing what I know now I probably would have never gone on it, but it remains an integral part of my journey.
The Accutane Experience
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Accutane process, I wanted to give a detailed description. Accutane is typically prescribed for severe acne that hasn’t responded well to topical creams, antibiotics, or other medications like spironolactone. It is a very high dose of synthetic vitamin A intended to dry out your skin (as well as the rest of your body) and prevents the sebaceous glands from producing any oils, therefore stopping acne.
To put it lightly; this is a hell of a drug. Patients have extremely dry skin and lips as the acne goes away however this medication is working systemically. It dries out a variety of different organs and overworks your liver and kidneys. Monthly blood work is usually required while a patient is on isotretinoin as well as monthly pregnancy tests and 2 required forms of birth control for women due to the extreme birth defects that can result if pregnancy occurs on this medication. I will list all the potential side effects directly from the American Academy of Dermatology below to emphasize how extreme this medication is:
Dryness:
Dry skin, severely chapped lips
Nosebleeds
Dry, irritated eyes
Dry mouth
Can affect your eyesight, hair, muscles, or joints:
Trouble seeing at night (night blindness)
Thinning hair
Muscle (or joint) pain
Other possible side effects:
Rash
Stomach problems
Unhealthy cholesterol levels
Inability to have prolonged UV exposure (up to 6 months after stopping the medicine)
Uncommon side effects include:
Increasing pressure on the brain can lead to problems with your eyesight, permanent loss of eyesight, and, in rare cases, death.
Liver damage
Pregnancy risks:
Severe birth-defects
Miscarriage
Stillbirth
While some people have reported the following serious side effects, we don't have enough evidence to know whether isotretinoin is linked to or can cause the following:
Depression
Thoughts of committing suicide
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Okay so with all that being said; who would want to take this drug?
Me. My journey with isotretinoin was mild compared to what I have seen from other people, and I want to emphasize that a knowledgeable provider is essential when going on this journey. My dermatologist used this as the last possible option and it took months of preparatory work and numerous appointments to continue being on this medication throughout its duration.
If I did it why am I recommending that my patients don’t?
My personal situation was very unique. I had an abnormal amount of outside stress levels that I didn’t even fully accept as stress; however, my body did which exacerbated itself into a full-blown cystic acne nightmare. In hindsight; knowing what I know now I could’ve managed my symptoms holistically but was in a place where I didn’t have the push to; this is why I want to give my advice to everyone struggling. I will support anyone’s journey regardless of what they decide and because I did it, I have first-hand knowledge on how to help symptoms and manage them effectively. I will say that when it comes to this medication most dermatologists are thorough regarding informed consent due to the severity; however, even I didn’t fully understand what it was doing to my body.
The Importance of Wellness
This is where chiropractic care and nutrition come into play. As a holistic provider, I try to find the root cause of the symptoms as opposed to using medication to fix it. This means that we take into account every aspect of the patient’s life to determine how to help treat them effectively.
This means that as providers we want to know:
Eating habits
Drinking- water, alcohol, soda, etc.
Exercise habits
Major life stressors- school, work, children, family, etc.
Sleep levels
Medications/ supplements
Concurrent diagnoses
Menstruation
PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids
By taking into account the entirety of a person’s life we can understand what methods are going to help them.
A lot of providers will say “diet and exercise” as if it’s just that easy. This is not knocking the idea of improving our health but with the additional stressors of daily life, these things can sometimes seem unattainable. I finished my round of Accutane after 9 months and was feeling confident in my skin. I experienced the typical side effects of extremely dry lips and skin. I had a very severe sunburn that summer due to how sensitive the drug makes your skin and I still struggle driving at night due to the effect it had on my eyes. I had little to no acne and the redness was significantly reduced. However, the Accutane was a bandaid and it wasn’t the end of my journey.
Managing Flare-Ups
I have had two pretty significant flare-ups in December 2022 and December 2023. The flare in 2022 made me consider Accutane again but it was completely triggered by a large hormonal fluctuation in my body. I went back to my dermatologist and she prescribed antibiotics and spironolactone again. This combination didn’t work this time and actually caused GI symptoms and constant nausea/ IBS symptoms which resulted in significant weight loss.
The flare-up in 2023 started the journey I’m on today. I tried to do everything on my own and fix my skin without help but what I've learned most throughout this journey is that it’s okay to ask for help. I finally sought the help of an esthetician; I had been so cautious due to how sensitive my skin is but she specializes in hormonal acne and came highly recommended. For my local readers, her name is Jenny Synder with JJSkincare and she will change your life. After my first visit with her, I felt so confident; I just knew that she could help me. During the same time, I started a supplement that was developed for patients with acne called Clear Stem. It contains all the key nutrients needed to support your body through it and I believe that this was a huge factor as well. I also entered my non-toxic journey which is a story for another day. I found non-toxic cosmetics, makeup, cleaning products, laundry detergent, etc.
It took me about a year of doing supplements and facials to finally make the major changes that I had been avoiding to push me in a positive direction. This included limiting sugar, dairy, alcohol, and gluten intake. I was SO against dietary changes, I told myself that I have been eating the same things my entire life and why would that be the reason? It was a really “poor me” mindset and has taken me up until the point of writing this blog to fully accept it.
Top Tips For Healthy, Happy Skin
So here’s what I would recommend for anyone who is struggling and doesn’t know where to start.
My first piece of advice is to understand that wellness is a lifestyle and to heal your acne; you’re going to have to change your life too; but this is good!!!
Take a deep breath! This isn’t forever and no matter how much it sucks now, you will get through it.
One of the best ways to help your body is to decrease stress. Emotional stress leads to physical stress and this can show up as acne, IBS, headaches, and so many other things. Find an outlet that you love- walking, reading, meditation, getting rid of toxic people, embracing self-care, and being alone.
Drink your water!!! We should be drinking 3 Stanley cups a day ladies- water flushes out the inflammation and helps your body heal.
Moderation is your motto. This goes for most things in life- don’t limit yourself when it comes to good food, good drinks, and good fun but allow yourself to find joy in the homemade salad or the NA seltzer or staying in to save money.
Less is more when it comes to your face. Don’t try every product that someone recommends on TikTok. You want a basic cleanser a moisturizer and a great esthetician to guide you through the tough parts.
If this blog was helpful; please reach out! I LOVE helping people who feel like there’s nowhere to start. I am an open book when it comes to my journey and I want people to feel safe and understood in all aspects of their life when they talk to me.
I truly hope this helps!
By: Dr. Abby Kellogg
Chiropractor at ANH Wellness
Medical Disclaimer: "The information including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment."
Comments