Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have lived with acne for more than 35 years. In my early 40s, I ended acne breakouts with a very strong prescription from my dermatologist (this happened after dismissing the UCLA dermatology department's treatment of 5 years and finding a new doctor who actually listened and agreed with me that my acne was in need of something stronger than topical solutions). After finally being relieved of acne breakouts, I found myself living with all the acne scars I helped create over more than 40 years.
I am now well into my 50s and I have tried everything on the market, even expensive bleaching creams purchased from my dermatologist. I've found that most skin lightening creams--if they work at all--lighten your skin and the scaring in equal proportions, leaving the scars just as prominent as before you started using the product; you look like you're changing colors and you still have spots. What I was looking for was something that would even out my skin tone; leave my skin color as it was but smooth out and/or lighten only the scars so that my face would have the same even coloring all over. Nothing worked, that is until I found Neugrogena Advanced Solution Acne Mark Fading Peel.
Acne scaring is extremely prominent on African-American skin. Either I felt invisible in the world as people did their best to ignore me or I felt stigmatized when asked dumb questions like, "Did you just get over the Chicken Pox?" Or some other such non-sense. I had always thought I had a pretty face and knew that if the world could just see past my acne that they would see me too. Acne leaves teenagers and young adults--even adults in their 30s and 40s--with a terrible lack of confidence, leaving them feeling self-conscious and embarrassed almost all the time. I know that's how I felt. I preferred social invisibility to rude, thoughtless remarks.
In May of this year (2010), a friend gave me a new tube of Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel. She got it from a friend, but my friend didn't need it or want it and asked me if I wanted it. I read the packaging and gave it a try. Why not? I was at the point of trying anything to get rid of those old scars. I noticed a remarkable improvement within two weeks. I couldn't believe my eyes. I kept using it and staring in the mirror every chance I got. I couldn't believe my eyes!!! By the time I finished the first tube, I was grinning from ear-to-ear and exclaiming to my friend to look at the change in my skin tone. Even an ex-male friend--who hadn't seen me some time--who had come to help me move asked me what had I done--indicating with a hand gesture, something about my face. Of course, I just smiled and ignored the comment.
Now when I'm noticed, it's a good thing. I'm not quite sure how to respond to it. Guys actually notice me and have actually said some very flattering things. I've lost my veil of invisibility and I'm now rather uncomfortable in the new world of exposure that I find myself. I was never a debutant or a diva, so I could never play those roles, but I was always a tomboy--although, an invisible one--so, I'll just have to continue to be who I am--a tomgirl with clear and even skin, now noticed by the world.
I think I kept only one photo of my horrible skin taken years ago, which is probably at the bottom of my box of photos somewhere. Maybe at some later date--if someone reminds me--I'll find it and post it with a current photo. It's nice that the world sees me now in a new and positive light, but what's even better is that I like what I see in the mirror, and it's only the end of July 2010.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel, 1.4-Ounce Tube
No comments:
Post a Comment