Mandy Nazé experienced nodulocystic acne at 15.
She suffered from severe acne, with pus and discharge on her face, forehead, chest, neck, and back, causing her considerable discomfort. Months later, she discovered a cyst on her groin due to a persistent and painful skin condition that results in abscesses and scarring. This condition generally appears around the sweat glands with hair follicles in areas such as the groin, buttocks, breasts, and armpits.
She was left with a fear of intimacy, thinking her partner would be repulsed by her abscesses, cysts, and pimples. Despite trying various creams, the 29-year-old remained undiagnosed and rejected Accutane due to its side effects.
She discovered a solution for her severe acne after her doctor suggested a Diane-35 pill. This medication is typically prescribed for acne that is unresponsive to other treatments.
However, Mandy Nazé opted for another option.
After a decade on the pill, she switched to a naturopathic approach. Despite an initial worsening of her condition, she eventually found a natural solution that suited her. As per Mirror.co.uk, that includes a wholesome diet, medicinal herbs, regular exercise, lymphatic massages, sauna sessions, and the use of vegetables and essential oils.
For the past two years, she has been free of cysts and abscesses, a feat she had never achieved previously, as her condition has significantly improved.
She said: “It affected my relationship because it became difficult to deal with intimacy. The hardest thing about this skin disease is the unpredictability. You never know when a new flare-up is going to happen and when it does, you wonder how long it will last.”
“Sometimes you have to cancel planned activities with friends at the last minute and you end up cutting yourself off socially because you can’t live the way you want – for many years, I couldn’t even wear the clothes I wanted to wear like jeans because they were too tight. My self-confidence was very badly damaged during the years I suffered badly from acne because I had to face the stares of people looking at my face and bust. The looks were derogatory as if I were dirty,” she continued.
Mandy added: “When I had a boyfriend, it impacted the intimate moments of our relationship because sometimes it just wasn’t possible. I was afraid my abscesses, cysts and pimples would disgust my partner even though I knew he loved me. I have always been very, very self-conscious about the scars left by my acne, especially on my forehead and back. I always wore makeup and refused to wear clothes with low backs, even though I really wanted to.”
She follows a healthy routine.
Mandy has incorporated various self-care practices into her routine, such as eating healthily, taking cold showers, indulging in hot baths and saunas, and switching to plant-based and healthy cosmetic and makeup products.
According to her, the crucial factor for those who suffer from acne is to keep communicating and not isolate themselves.
She said: “I worked on my anxiety and mental health which is very much related to my skin issues. I learned to meditate and breathe properly. I feel better in my skin because I can finally enjoy a normal life.”
She wants people dealing with severe acne to love and believe in themselves.
She expressed: “The advice I would give to all those who suffer with skin disease is that it’s normal to devalue yourself sometimes but you have to believe that you are worth more than your skin. Love yourself because no one will do it better than you. Your body is not doing this to hurt you, it’s doing this to find a balance so you must help it. Do not hesitate to explore other treatment avenues. I often say ‘it’s not the quality of our skin that matters but the quality of our thoughts about it.’”
Have you ever suffered from severe acne? What was your solution? Tell us in the comments.