My name is Eivis. I am a 20-year-old Lithuanian that resides in the UK. At the moment, I work in tech development and I have a passion for gaming, skincare, and exercise. I started developing acne in my mid-teens with the occasional whiteheads. However, in college, I had poor skin hygiene and a horrible picking problem as a result of stress. My insecurities stemmed from family comments and I’d often see other people’s clear skin. I don’t remember anyone in college or any of my friends having skin that was similar to mine. I would think, why is this only happening to me? And it made me feel left out. Nowadays, I am much more confident with myself but I still have the occasional thinking sessions where I remember some bad memories. And it would often come down to how I looked.
Not so surprisingly, my acne started to clear when I finished college and started work. However, upon returning from a Summer holiday, my acne became much worse, which is when I started to research and take interest in having a skincare routine. I also set up my Instagram page to help document skincare products I have used and my skin journey. Initially, I was hesitant to post a bare-faced selfie with a product because I thought no one would care because I had acne. But once I did, I started to receive an overwhelming amount of support from the skin community. I’d say the biggest factor in improving my acne was having a consistent skincare routine and taking prescribed antibiotics. I was very lucky to have support from the community at the time. Because I was advised to take probiotics along with the medication which really helped with the side effects of antibiotics & gut health.
Some things I wish people knew about living with acne: If it can’t be fixed within 5 minutes, then do not mention it. Even then, some things don’t need fixing in the eyes of others. It’s very damaging to hear people talking about your acne and even staring at your acne when it’s not even solicited. A scar is a scar, no matter the origin and it will always be a reminder of the past. Good or often bad, it does not need to be pointed out nevertheless.
I used to be quite careless of what people think of me until it came to acne and my body. However, I will not be blaming acne for the cause of current self-esteem issues. Because this is what other people have caused and not the acne itself. It has certainly made me conscious of what other people think. Being male, skincare is generally not something that is taught to us in a more traditional – Lithuanian – household. Therefore, my exploration of skincare as a hobby and passion originated from having something that became a ‘flaw’ over time. This passion has empowered me through having the knowledge, security, community support, and creative outlet that allows me to share my experiences freely with the world. Through my Instagram page, I intend to help push the #acnepositivty movement forward but also integrate skincare related content to break the idea that just because someone has acne, wrinkles, large pores, uneven skin tone, and facial scars, etc. Doesn’t mean they cannot share their passion for a hobby. We also need to see more diversity!
My advice for anyone struggling with acne, acne scars, or emotional scars as a result of acne: you are not alone!
Follow Eivis’s journey on Instagram.
No Comments