For the most of the year I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t get rid of this redness or hyperpigmentation on my chin. I was using niacinamide, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, Retin-A, and Clindamycin. Nothing was working, I kept using more and trying new things and stressing over it more and more.

Inflammation is when the body is trying to protect itself from something. Things like chronic stress, smoking, drinking, and eating foods known to cause the body inflammation are all triggers. When the body is in a long period of inflammation it can cause the body to basically attack itself.

After a skin analysis and about 6 months in school, I was told I need to stop using all these products on my skin because the skin was so inflamed and I was making it worse. I was over doing it. I stopped using all the products I had been using for close to a year. I’m coming up on four weeks of only using a very basic cleanser for my skin type (CeraVe foaming cleanser), Thayer’s rose witch hazel for my toner, two special serums for healing and oil control, Repechage T-zone moisturizer, and of course Refinee spf. Keeping my skin routine has made the inflammation go down so much.

Since I was using the Retin-A for about 5 years, most of the skin on my chin is scar tissue because Retin-A increase skin cell turnover. So now that the inflammation is mostly gone, my skin needs to be resurfaced by professional treatments like chemical peels. I got my first peel last Thursday in school and so far I have texture coming back because the skin was scar tissue it looked flat and shiny, almost waxy.

If there are any topics that anyone would like me to write about please email me at skinbymikayla@skincaretherapy.net