I have struggled with acne on and off throughout my adult life. It has been extremely frustrating to say the least. There have been times when I have felt like I tried it all and nothing was working. From over the counter products to prescription acne treatments and skincare regimens designed to clear up my skin, I continued to wake up with new breakouts almost daily. I know first-hand that acne can truly affect your self-esteem, your confidence, and your motivation to do the things you love. I found myself hiding; not wanting to go to events, dinners with my family, or hanging out with my friends.

Acne also began to affect my work life. Working at Honolulu MedSpa, patients look to me for skin advice, they are looking for help with their skin struggles. I thought to myself, “how can I make any type of recommendation when I myself am struggling with painful acne, scaring and hyperpigmentation from sun damage? Why would anyone take skin-care advice from someone who does not have a handle on their own skin?”

Something had to change. I decided to reach out to Kanoe, our lead aesthetician and Sarah, our lead laser specialist for help.

Kanoe completely changed my skincare routine. She took me off the harsh products I was using as well as the prescription-based treatments. She mentioned this was to give my skin a rest and let it breathe. She placed me on a simple and clean regimen and minimized the number of products I was using. As my skin began to heal and become less irritated, we slowly incorporated other products to address my concerns. I was scheduled for monthly HydraFacial’s with blue light to clean my skin and address overactive bacteria. Kanoe spent the time to discuss lifestyle choices with me and explained that diet can affect the skin. We discussed removing foods that can cause acne flare ups such as dairy, whey, peanut butter, and certain types of sugar. I started adding Apple Cider Vinegar to my morning routine to help with the gut.

Now that my skin was clearing up and the days of waking up with new breakouts were behind me, it was time to address the scaring, texture and unwanted pigment. I met with Sarah and she recommended a combination of lights and lasers to address my acne, scaring and hyperpigmentation. She recommended six treatments of the Fotona laser acne series and four treatments of AFT/IPL.

This treatment protocol worked wonders on my skin. It was not a quick fix, but the results are phenomenal. Sarah was wonderful, she knew when and where to be conservative or aggressive with the lasers & IPL. She is so knowledgeable, and I trust her completely with my skin.

Sculptra was another aspect to my treatment. This product helps stimulate collagen production and I know it helped also helped to improve the texture & tone of my skin.

Nine months ago, I wanted to hide. I could not talk to patients about skincare and felt nervous if the topic even came up. My patients have seen me struggle with my skin. They have been so supportive and have noticed the positive changes. I know this because so many of my patients are now saying things like, “Wow, you look great!” “Your skin looks so good from the last time I saw you 3 months ago! What are you doing?” “I want skin like yours!”

This journey has taught me a lot. I know what it’s like to want immediate results but it’s just not realistic. I have learned that it takes time and a multi-modality approach to achieve the type of success I’ve had with my skin.

Thank you for reading about my journey. I wholeheartedly believe in what we do here at Honolulu MedSpa. Our entire team truly cares about the concerns our patients have and will do everything in their power to help you achieve your skincare goals.

Below is my treatment plan designed by Kanoe and Sarah:

Lights & Lasers

•Fotona laser acne series (6 treatments)
•IPL series (4 treatments)

Skincare:

•SkinCeuticals LHA & Simply Clean Cleanser (we no longer carry these but have alternatives)
•SkinMedica cleanser
•TNS Recovery Complex
•Alastin Restorative Eye Treatment
•Retin A
•SkinMedica Dermal Repair
•Alastin HydraTint

Injectables:

•Chin- Lyft Dermal Filler
•Temples- Lyft Dermal Filler
•Sculptra- 1 vial
•Dysport- forehead, glabella, crow’s feet, browlift, DAO, chin

I look forward to seeing you at the spa. We do offer complimentary consultations if you’d ever like to learn more about our services and what is the best treatment plan for your skin. #loveyourskin

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