How One Teen Treated Her Acne by Going Low-Carb

If you remember spending your high school years fighting acne, you’re not alone. An estimated 85 percent of teenagers suffer from acne, according to a report by UC Davis School of Medicine.1 However, some teens find themselves suffering from a more severe type of acne that can be resistant to over-the-counter and prescription medications alike and can last for years without clearing up. This is the type of acne that Nottingham resident Yasmine Roff found herself battling throughout her teenage years. After a constant stream of pills, prescriptions, and “cures,” Yasmine found her in a mental health crisis. She was so stressed that her mother took her to the hospital, for fear that she may hurt herself.

Just when there was seemingly no hope left, Yasmine tried one last path–a low-carb diet. Today, the 24-year-old student is on a journey to being naturally acne-free…and she’s sharing her journey with others.

Acne and isolation

As anyone who suffered from acne as a teenager already knows, the embarrassment that comes along with a face full of spots can be excruciating. For Yasmine, acne did not just take control of her skin–it also took a toll on her social life. Yasmine found herself constantly avoiding nights out with her friends or dinners with family members. These feelings of anxiety and despair were compounded by the fact that Yasmine’s posse of girlfriends seemed to have naturally clear skin, making her feel like even more of an outcast.

“My skin made me feel incredibly embarrassed, anxious and humiliated, as all of my friends had effortlessly clear skin and I was watching mine get worse by the day,” Yasmine confessed in an interview with The Daily Mail.

“‘I felt isolated as I didn’t want to go out at night or go for dinner, in case this made my acne worse or I was judged by others. Friends were kind, but they didn’t understand how emotionally draining it was.”

A new low

Yasmine’s skin concerns were so severe that a dermatologist eventually wrote her a prescription for Roaccutane. Roaccutane is a powerful anti-acne drug that is used only as a last-resort due to its interactions with other medications. While the prescription did effectively clear her skin, Yasmine began to experience severe interactions and side-effects. From mood swings to anxiety attacks, the medication began to make Yasmine’s life unbearable–she even considered suicide. After her breakdown, Yasmine and her mother decided that clear skin was not worth sacrificing her mental health, and she went off the medication.

A fresh face….and a fresh beginning

Yasmine’s last hope when it came to her struggle with acne was a more natural approach–a low-carbohydrate diet. After cutting processed sugars and carbohydrates from her diet (which Yasmine would often stress-eat), her skin finally started to improve. Today, she’s sharing a very important message via her Instagram page: acne or not, every man and woman is beautiful.