Roaccutane.. Really?!

So you've been under the GP (not literally may i add) for a year, various different topical solutions, creams and gels tried. Months of oral antibiotic courses completed and still i was looking in the mirror saddened by what screamed back at me.. Acne. Red, sore, lumpy and angry skin.

Not only does acne affect your confidence, it has negative effects on your mental and physical state. Firstly, on looking in the mirror you find yourself asking "what have i done to deserve this?". Then comes the meticulous routine every morning of covering each individual spot in a bid to hide the monstrous reality of what lies underneath. Maybe the worst is when you meet a new guy (who turned out to be the one) and you begin staying over - everyone wants to wake up looking as fabulous as you did on the date night previously. Unfortunately not the case.

I spent a long time when my acne was at its worst hiding away in the morning and not allowing my loved ones to see me until the mask was on - Thank god for makeup!

I decided enough was enough; back to the doctor in a desperate bid to resolve this once and for all; after all i had expired the majority of the other solutions. That's where i guess my real journey to tackle acne began...

The GP began discussing referrals to the dermatologist in order to discuss Roaccutane. Naturally i went away and began researching this product myself. I also spoke to my knowledgeable colleagues. I owe the reason for this blog and more so the reason behind my now more or less clear skin to my manager and salon owner. Their expertise and advise was priceless.

Research i was carrying out was already worrying me. The side effects, possible depression, the post treatment problems, the science behind how the drug works, risk of abnormal organ function and monthly hospital trips for pregnancy & blood tests - everything semt to scream NO! Then came the chat with my managers. I wanted their honest opinion on what i should do. They had after all been in the industry for years, experienced a lot and worked with all skin types; including the ones that had previously used Roaccutane.

Did i want paper thin skin? Extreme dryness of the whole body? Sore flaky skin? Depression? Internal problems? Premature ageing? The list goes on ... The answer was No! I was now at a hurdle, if i wasn't going to take that route what was i going to do?

More research occurred and there i found my natural approach..

We were already stocking and working with Environ products - a brand based on science, beauty and care. Environ focus' hugely on vitamin A and its benefits on the skin. (I'm going to do a post purely on this soon). The brand itself is part of a company called the iiaa (https://iiaa.eu/), along with the Environ they also created The Advanced Nutrition Programme. After looking through the brand in more depth we had our attention turned to a product called Skin Accumax.

Skin Accumax is a nutritional supplement. It's dairy free, suitable for vegans and free from artificial flavours and colourings. It contains high doses of a combination of vitamins A, E, C and plant nutrients - particularly a plant nutrient found in broccoli! The supplements are suitable for male and females over the age of 16 (not suitable if pregnant or planning pregnancy) The tablets are made in the UK to "strict pharmaceutical standards", come with a full information brochure and they cause no negative side effects, dryness or flaking.. What was not to be excited about? The Advanced Nutrition Programme recommends using 2 tablets twice a day with your largest meals (to aid absorption) for at least 14 weeks, after that you can continue as you are or reduce to 2 tablets once a day as maintenance.

Obviously i was sceptical, it all sounded to good to be true; but true to its word the Skin Accumax began to work. I had previously decided to track the progress taking a series of photos (i will apologise now - the before pictures are dreadful) before my course began and a series 14 weeks later in order to compare. The results were amazing! Gone was the sore, lumpy, red blemishes! Present was clear, healthy skin. Amazing.

I chose to continue taking the tablets as maintenance for my skin and i will admit i have stopped taking them a few times but give it a few months without and i soon see the blemishes creeping back. The vitamins seem to have a triple effect, firstly on my skin, secondly on my health - i have fewer colds ect whilst taking and finally on my mental health. Clearer skin = A happier me!

I literally cannot rave about this product enough! Once i had achieved my results we launched the products within the salon and began spreading the word. If you are at that point of despair and Roaccutane seems like your only option, please give this a go. It's not cheap by any means, you will be looking at around £53-£70 a month initially then half thereafter but it works! You'll get none of the harsh side effects linked to Roaccutane just a natural approach - better in every single way. It's just one of those gems you discover and want EVERYONE to know about.

If you have any questions or want anymore information on Skin Accumax please don't hesitate to comment, email or get in touch!

Bethany xx