Tennis Star Eugenie Bouchard’s sister, Charlotte, has revealed about how painful her acne was and said she was so embarrassed that she did not leave her house without makeup on.
Charlotte used to cover her acne spots with multiple layers of foundation. However, she claimed that she is now acne-free after going vegan, cutting out sugar, alcohol and dairy, and taking probiotic supplements daily.
She said the first acne breakout she had after using the contraceptive coil in 2016 when she suddenly noticed an aggravation soon after the device was fitted.
The 23-year-old, who had a serious acne problem during her teenage, said no medication or creams worked for her. She also got rid of the contraceptive coil, with no improvement.
The social media manager said, “Having acne really took its toll on my self-esteem. I used to dread the morning when I’d discover a new pimple. I couldn’t go out of the house without covering it up with layers of foundation, but that was a vicious cycle because it would then block my pores.”
“It made me not want to be sociable. I become paranoid when speaking to people that they were staring at the huge pimple on my forehead,” added Charlotte.
Describing her acne as very cystic, infected, inflamed and painful, she said, “They were all along my jawline… then I started getting them across my cheeks and on my back.”
The exact cause of cystic acne is unclear. However, in women, menstrual irregularities, pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and menopause could worsen acne.
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are 99 percent effective for contraception but some women may have acne after an IUD insertion.
Charlotte went on to see a dermatologist who prescribed her a strong medicine that helped her a bit but not permanently. She said, “My skin was in such a bad state that I felt like I had no other option but to try the medication.”
“It was like a band-aid, though. It did work, but it did not tackle the root of the problem,” she added, “It was also a really strong drug which dries out your oil glands, so I found my skin and lips were really dry.”
After four months, Charlotte stopped taking medication and started researching things that could help her to overcome acne. She visited a naturopath who advised her to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Charlotte said, “I wanted to find a more natural way of dealing with the problem.I had a colonic, which flushes waste material out of the bowel, went to see a naturopath and then cut out alcohol, sugar, and dairy. It was really difficult, but I was desperate and ready to do anything.” She also started taking daily probiotic supplements.
“I had suffered from some psoriasis, too, which is an autoimmune disorder causing red, flaky, crusty patches of skin, so something like a probiotic can really strengthen your gut,” she added. “It wasn’t a fast result, it took me about six months to really start to see a difference, but it was working.”
