skin...the traits we inherit

I guess it is hormones. I know the truth. Heredity plays a significant role in what you deal with or choose to ignore. As I have aged, it is remarkable how much my appearance is growing to favor that of my parents. At 12, I had this tree growing on my back. Of course it did not sprout roots or give fruit. It certainly needed pruning. Actually, it needed to be gone and fast. Dermatologists and my mother's careful loving hang, I was able to recover from my first bout with an eczema scar. Eczema? Yes, I call it my father's DNA. Years, later eczema is not the only disorder I have encountered in the Atopy triad. At 17, I encountered my first bout with hay fever, not to mention countless skin irritations that seemed to come out of no where. My skin was hypersensitive to everything. If something touched my hands, and my hands reached my face, a new outbreak would occur. For years, I believed the battle of teenage acne would end and a new life would emerge, allergy free.

Wrong.

In my mid to late 30's asthma reared its ugly head, eczema was in full bloom, and the return of acne. Acne has no relation to the triad, but if I mismanage the treatments for the triad, acne is a viable result. After nearly two decades of virtually being acne free, I was shelving out money for prescriptions that were deemed 'new' and 'cutting edge' but gave little results. I grew frustrated with my condition and even more so with my dermatologists. A few simple self-care, at-home treatments resolved my issues.

Then came the 40's...

Hormone struggles are officially added to my list of 'causes' for skin irritations and the return of acne. However, this round, I do not intend to shelve out money to a dermatologist. My skin has been erratic for the last 7 years. I would say the late 30's forward. It is tricky. I have to basically stay consistent and try at best not to over clean it. Now that I am outside a lot running, I have to keep it cleaner but without soap. Same goes for my hair. I cannot over dry or risk overproduction of sebum. My skin follows the same protocol.

A simple steam pot with vitamin c added, along with herbs, teas, etc. but not necessary, helps to open my pores allowing me to cleanse them and treat them instead of just the surface of my skin. This is so cheap and certainly not a recommendation by dermatologists, hence another reason I find the medical profession/insurance community laughable.