When I was 13 I performed as a pirate in a children’s production of the musical “Peter Pan.” Five nights a week for three weeks I borrowed communal makeup and painted on a nasty unibrow, a goatee and some chest hair before running out on stage to sweat and grunt “argh” through peppy musical numbers. Afterwards I would clean the fake body hair with whatever baby wipes available in the green room and go home feeling triumphant about my performance.
Roughly three months later red bumps with sickly yellow tips began popping up in three places: between my eyebrows, on my chin, and all over my chest. While it took me some time to connect the acne with the communal makeup I used, I did tragically acknowledge that my skin condition signaled I was one step away from the lost boys and two steps closer to being a lousy adult. I had growed up.
Like most teenagers (and plenty of adults) that suffer from acne, I treated my zits like enemy combatants who had invaded my soil. My acne treatment consisted of painfully squeezing the life out of every zit and then burning their corpses with toothpaste and whatever drying out substances available in the medicine cabinet. My face and chest were different war zones where I was certain the only path to victory was attack, attack, attack. I scrubbed and exfoliated constantly, wore greenish masks that turned my face bright red if left on too long, and, most importantly, I never moisturized, for I was certain that I had to starve and dry out my skin to kill the acne.
It wasn’t until I sought acne treatment NYC with a wise physician that I learned to take care of my skin, which in turn rid me of the acne. I was prescribed two good face washes and two moisturizers, one for night and one for day. I felt hesitant about putting a soothing lotion on skin I hated, but followed my doctor’s orders. After over seven years of suffering from acne caused by a crummy pirate stint, my doctor cleared my skin in less than two weeks.
I experimented with multiple skin cleaners and moisturizers over the years, but only my doctor was able to analyze my skin condition and suggest a combination of products that actually worked. Everyone’s skin condition is unique, thus amateurish advice from friends who’ve experienced results can prove ineffective, as it did for me. And some people’s acne requires more than good cleaning products. You may need your internist to prescribe medication that adjusts the hormonal levels that affect the look of your skin.
Thanks to my doctor my skin looks healthy and young. So maybe I don’t have to grow up all the way, just yet.
If you’re looking for a great primary care doctor in NYC to analyze your skin condition, make an appointment with Medical Clinic NY. With years of experience treating adults young and old for acne, their doctor is also incredibly and patient and thorough. After examining your skin he will offer the appropriate cleaning regime for treatment. Just log onto their website at Walk in clinic NYC or call 212-696-5900 to make an appointment.
212 696 5900