The Grapes of Wrath

Sue me for blog neglect! I've been unbelievably busy for the past several weeks and I missed all my favorite blogs!

If there's one thing I've learned during the long hiatus, it's the importance of observing a good sleeping habit. Due to the unbelievably huge workload and a not-so-awesome time management skills, I sleep 3 or 4hours tops everyday. I hit the sack at 3 or 4AM and have to rise at 7AM for school. Thanks to that unhealthy lifestyle (plus the scorching Manila heat), I broke out real bad on the chin area. It's not the toothpaste nor the pillow... it's the increased testosterone levels resulting from the terrible sleep pattern I developed.

The grapes of wrath: I broke out very similar to this one. Sigh.

My unhealthy sleep pattern gave me cystic acne that grew like a bunch of grapes on my chin

Thanks to my derma, I finally gave in to reviewing my lifestyle and revamping it in a healthier way. I was also given:

Prednisone 20mg x 2tabs/day for 2 weeks (this is a very maximal dosage for my present weight): this caused my cystic acne to calm down a bit. But they are still on my chin. Ugly. Grape-like and ugly. Eeeew. (Wallet damage: 100+ pesos for 14tabs)

Afaxin (Vitamin A), 50,000 IU x 1tab/day for 2 weeks: If you've got zits that are truly stubborn, this one really helps since it ups your immune system. Google retinol (this is Vit A's name) and its effect on the skin and you'll want to add this up on your meds counter. After 2 weeks, I can maintain with 25,000 IU/day. (Wallet damage: ~20+/tablet at Mercury... ~17/tab at Watson's)

Facial +TCA: Thank heavens I was able to squeeze in a derma trip to Doc Six Foronda last Tuesday. It's been eons since I last visited and I'm glad that today, I have improved a lot. The grape-like cystic zits (yes, eeeew) on my chin have been busted! I've also peeled from the TCA and now I'm glowing!

a lecture on: (1) testosterone levels increasing when stressed out, (2) stress managment, and (3) why zits grow like grapes on the chin area (the glands in this area are so close to each other that when one gland gets inflamed, the ones surrounding it are most likely to swell up, too --- now, the Grapes of Wrath Theory is explained).

Also, despite the hiatus, I'm discovering new skincare and beauty products like:

• Kanebo Freshel Cleansing Oil (it works as well as Shu in removing makeup+dirt)

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• Pure Beauty Cleansing Oil (I saw them on the racks and I'd like to look for reviews on them)

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• Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil (moisturizer at night! I started just last Saturday)

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Anyway, I'm getting back to blogging! :) Thank you to those who dropped me messages while I was away... i'm just so embarrassed that I couldn't respond to them ASAP.