Hope you all had a lovely weekend and are off to a great start of your week. For those of you following along on Instagram, you already know that mine was filled with lots ofchange with the move into the new house. For today's post, though, I'm shifting direction from how my surroundings are changing and turning the attention on something that's a bit more personal.
Like many people out there, I have struggled with skin issues most of my life. When I was in my teen years I suffered from typical acne and as a result have some tissue scars on my face that appear like small divots. When I got through college and into my twenties I couldn't believe that my skin wasn't improving since I wasn't an adolescent boy anymore. I went to various dermatologists to seek help and though they would prescribe me various gels and creams (and even two separate sessions of Accutane), over the years that followed my skin ceased to get better.
Last year when I turned thirty I decided it was time to really take control of this issue and seek help outside of my dermatologist office. I live in West Hollywood and often frequent a street named Melrose Place. Melrose Place is home to trendy coffee shops, high end retail stores, beautiful foliage and my personal skin savior, the Kate Somerville Clinic.
Two years ago I was diagnosed with the common skin disease, eczema. This condition is hereditary and can come and go over time. Basically, it causes patches of your skin to dry and become inflamed with a pink rash. Therefore when I first went to the Kate Somerville clinic I was not only broken out with acne but also excema around my scalp, cheeks, and my neck— I was truly in desperate need of help. Well, it turns out that Kate herself suffers from eczema and when I sat down to meet with her she took one look at my skin, and almost with a magical wand, began to tell me her plan to help fix the situation. She assured me that she would help me fight and win the battle and today I am sharing my one year journey of how Kate and the Kate Somerville clinic helped me turn my battle with skin issues around.
Although hyper-personal, I am very proud to share the results with you all today, as I know I am definitely not the only one who's suffered from skin issues and the insecurities that result from them—especially as an adult. Not only will I be highlighting the results but I'm also happy to share the steps that were taken to achieve them.
## BEFORE // AFTER
## FACIALS
I always thought facials were a bunch of hocus pocus before I met Kate. She introduced me to one of her longtime aestheticians at the clinic, Kelly, and told me I was in good hands. Kelly has seen many people with many issues over the years and instead of loading my skin with peels, products and anti-aging formulas, she told me I needed to stop everything. Therefore, I stopped using all of my normal skin products and came to see Kelly a few times each month for a facial session. During our time together she would do gentle cleansing extractions and apply oxygen to my skin, along with high frequency which kills bacteria that may lead to future breakouts. Her gentle methods along with my commitment to seeing her regularly, no matter how busy my schedule, allowed for my eczema to clear from my face.
## LIGHT THERAPY
As soon as the eczema breakout was repaired, we began to do light therapy once a week. At first I couldn't imagine how lights could help my skin but it turns out they are one of the most incredible inventions for people with many different skin issues. The primary light & skin treatments that I received were Laser Genesis andEradiKate Facials. Kate is a huge believer in light therapy for treating acne. The EradiKate Facial uses wavelengths of UV-free LED lights that penetrate deep into the skin, killing bacteria and treating breakouts. The blue light helps kills acne-causing bacteria while the red light reduces inflammation, minimizes pore size, promotes circulation and accelerates healing. When used together they help treat acne, prevent future breakouts and improve the overall appearance of skin.
## LASER GENESIS
As soon as my acne was under control we began to help work on the texture of my skin. Between the acne, the eczema,and the years of trauma my skin had been through, it was a bit rough around the edges. Therefore, Kate wanted to help smooth the texture of my skin without any sort of pain or downtime like some of the more advanced laser treatments. Laser Genesis is a noninvasive laser that uses near infrared light and heat to get down to the dermis to stimulate collagen production and healthy cell growth. The treatment helps target acne scarring, large pores, uneven skin tone and texture, and fine lines. Kate calls it the “skin polisher,” because its smooths out the surface layers.
It's an incredible tool for anyone who is looking for painless treatments to help smooth their skin without any downtime or redness after the treatment. Laser Genesis results take time so you should try to do them once every other week for a few months. Trust me when I tell you they yield wonderful results as long as you have the patience and trust.
## WHAT I'VE LEARNED
Everyone in the world faces skin issues in their lifetime and the reality is that you are in charge of your own body. I waited too long to take charge and a doctor can only help you so far, as you are the one who needs to put in the work and determination to make it better. By making a commitment, you really can achieve incredible results. For me with Kate Somerville it was a year long journey but for you, it might only be a few weeks or a few months.
We are marketed so many skin products and the reality is that many can hold you back if you are using the wrong ones for your skin type. Using a gentle face wash, and a gentle oil-free moisturizer can help you reset your skin back to normal. For me, the trick was subtracting almost all products and finding a regular aesthetician who calmed my skin down, nurtured it with light therapy, and then helped smooth the scars with a gentle laser which yielded wonderful results over the course of a year.
I cannot thank Kateand her incredible team (especially Kelly, Cassie and Lori) for working so closely with me this past year to help me regain my confidence and turn my adult skin issues around. They helped me win the battle and for that, I will be forever grateful.
To learn more about Kate Somerville and all of her transformative treatments, click hereto learn about the clinic. Not in Los Angeles?Here's the best way to learn all about her skincare products and recommended regimens.With this post, I hope this will inspire those of you who have insecurities around your skin to take the step to changing that! Thanks so much to you all for followingalong...
Cheers,
xx
GM