Interview with @healmyskinfromwithin on her experience with acne

by Tommi Skin

Our team interviewed a few skincare/ acne positivity content creators to discuss their experience with Acne. Heres what Galina from @healmyskinfromwithin had to say about her acne journey. 

Is it ok to label our skin as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ or ’normal skin’? Do you think these exist?
Anyone is free to label their skin as they choose, but I believe there is a lot of harm in depicting one type of skin as "good" and one as "bad." Unfortunately, this is what our society has done; clear skin is viewed as the only "good skin," while people like me who suffer from skin conditions like acne are labelled as having "bad skin." These terms are entirely a social construct, so they don't exist in that sense. As a society, we should stop spreading this narrative and instead focus on the common goal of HEALTHY SKIN. Clear skin can be unhealthy, and skin with acne can be healthy. They are interchangeable, so it is wrong to assume anyone with a skin condition is unhealthy or not taking care of their skin. We should strive to look past people's skin, and see them as an individual.

What type of pimples do you normally get?
I typically get inflamed, hormonal acne such as papules, pustules, cysts, and nodules. I get blackheads and whiteheads less often.

What has having acne taught you?
Acne has taught me many lessons. I fully resented it before, but now I have come to realize the lessons I have learned are completely worth the pain, mentally and physically, that I endured. It has taught me not to place my value as a human in something as ever-changing as my skin. It has also taught me empathy and kindness to myself and others.

How did you start your journey with acne positivity?
I had clear skin most of my life, until the age of nineteen. My acne was inconsistent and, at that time, likely a result of using the wrong products for my skin. At the age of 23, I decided to see a dermatologist for my mild acne, thinking it would be a simple fix. After the 3 month course of antibiotics and a retinoid, my skin broke out in severe cystic acne. I was devastated, and my self-esteem hit rock bottom. At the age of 23, I had no friends dealing with acne and felt extremely alone in my experience. Eventually, I came across the #acnepositivity community on Instagram, and my life was forever changed.

I was watching these beautiful people sharing their skin, and it made me realize, if I thought they were beautiful with acne, perhaps I could think of myself as beautiful as well. I started to see results with a skincare routine I was using and eventually decided to create an account to share my skin progress and be a source of encouragement to others as I had once received. My account is a place where I connect with people from around the world who also deal with this skin condition, and it is a place of positivity and kindness.

We'd love to hear about your skincare journey, email us at Lily@tommiskin.co to be featured on our blog!