A lucky few have never experienced acne. Though it’s often associated with adolescence, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), around 80% of people aged between 11 and 30, have acne outbreaks at some point. It’s only when people enter their 30s that acne really starts to go away. For an unlucky few, acne can persist till their 40s and 50s. Acne can turn the most beautiful face into something quite unsightly. Though it is typically not a serious health problem, it can have damaging effects on a person’s emotional health. It may at times lead to permanent scarring. It’s no wonder that people are often quite desperate to find treatments for acne. Though there are prescription and over-the-counter treatments available, many people struggle to find a suitable treatment. Kerrie Dodd, a medical records administrator, struggled with acne from the age of 14 until she turned 28. Having tried various treatments, she stumbled on a surprising cure for her acne. British newspaper, the Metro recounts her discovery. Let’s discuss that piece and her unlikely discovery.
Like many people, Dodd believed that as she entered her 20s, her acne would gradually ease and go away. By this time, she had tried every treatment she could find including a host of medical treatments and expensive foundations to mask them. Like many people, her acne made her incredibly self-conscious. It’s hard to feel great when you look like a world atlas with loads of blobs all over your face. She would avoid leaving the house, which really hurt her social life. Wearing make-up to cover up the acne just made things worse. She seemed to be in an impossible position. Do nothing and accept the acne or do something and look worse. There were no good solutions. Foundations at least seemed to cover up the acne but they kept with a hefty price tag. Each year, she spent an average of £300 (around $416) on foundation from Estée Lauder and MAC. a year on pricey cosmetics from brands such as MAC and Estee Lauder. By this time, she had resigned herself to not being able to cure her acne. Even at the best of times, she would have blemishes on her face. Nothing seemed to work. She even had to sleep on her back because the acne made her skin so sensitive to the touch she would be in pain if she slept any other way. The pandemic made things worse for her: face masks irritated her skin inflaming the acne even more.
Only a desperate person would try the treatment she heard of one day. Perhaps that is why they say necessity is the mother of invention. An ad for a vegan cannabidiol (CBD) infused fake tan intrigued her because she had lost all hope. Dodd says she was always an anxious person and her problems with acne just sent her anxiety through the roof. She was desperate for something that would work. By this time, she just wanted something to help with her complexion. This was not about curing her of acne.
The fake tan, Utan x Jamie Genevieve CBD Tanning Water, cost just £18 (around $25), and is said to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. What it does not advertise itself as is that it can cure acne. People don’t usually visit the best spray tanning expecting to get their acne cured. She sprayed the fake tan on and it really did improve her complexion. After a week, something had changed: her acne started to subside and within three months, her face had completely cleared. With now-glowing skin, she had ditched the foundation and even makeup! Her self-confidence has never been higher. All thanks to a cheap, fake tan that isn’t supposed to cure acne.
