By Alysia DeMaio

As women, skincare is either a total obsession for us or a complete afterthought. For me, it was always the latter. I was fortunate enough to never experience any real issues with my skin for most of my life. My skin was always pretty clear besides the blemish or two that I would get around my monthly cycle, and I never really appreciated how amazing (and lucky) that was until recently. About two years ago, I experienced one of the most traumatic times of my life. I was in a relationship that took a toll on my physical body, my mental health, and my emotional state. I’ll spare you the juicy details, but it wasn’t until I removed myself from this toxic situation that I had to face the impact and all of the crud started to surface — with it’s greatest toll manifesting on my skin.

I woke up one day and thought I was having an allergic reaction to something. My face was covered in tiny red dots that traveled from my forehead down to my neck and shoulders. They were itchy, uncomfortable, and got worse whenever I was in the sun or exercised. Soon, I learned that I had developed rosacea, and it was brought on by all of the trauma and stress I’d put myself and my body through over that last year.

“Rosacea (roe-ZAY-she-uh) is a common skin condition that causes redness and visible blood vessels in your face.” It usually affects women with lighter skin and rosy undertones. Your blondes and redheads are at risk, but some brunettes with fair skin, like me, are also susceptible!

At it’s worst, it was bad…and I mean, I didn’t want to leave the house for fear of freaking somebody out, bad. I went from the girl that had perfect skin to feeling like an extra in a horror movie overnight. I tried everything. Calamine lotion, essential oils, natural eczema creams, acupuncture, teas and tinctures, etc. Nothing worked. I have always been the type of person that prefers to heal myself naturally, so medication is usually not an option for me, but at this point I didn’t know what else to do. I finally went to a dermatologist and asked for help. They prescribed me some sort of antibiotic (which after reading the side effects, I didn’t take), as well as a topical cream that the doctor developed himself. I used it twice daily and it was gone within a few days.

Did it ever come back? Yes. If I stress too much, drink too much alcohol (oops), spend too much time in the sun without protection, or eat too many sugary foods (I know, just take away all my fun why don’t you?!) I will have flare ups. However, *knocks on wood* in the last 6 months, I have not had to use my cream even once. I keep it on hand just in case, but I’m happy to say that I don’t have to rely on it anymore. When I started to truly stress less, eat wholesome foods, and love myself as a daily practice — my skin began reflect the love that I was pouring into it.

The lesson behind my experience is an important one. Do not let anything or anyone take your power. Your body will fight for you. It will do everything it can to keep you “surviving” through the trauma. But once you let your guard down, once your body feels at ease enough to stop producing excessive amounts of adrenaline and cortisol — that’s when the after-effects will come out. That is exactly when you need to give yourself the most love. Meditate, eat clean foods, drink more water and less alcohol or sugary drinks, exercise, but most importantly, love yourself.

Your body is there for you day in and day out, fighting things that you don’t even know are attacking you. Be grateful for it, take care of it, and show yourself love. Lastly, bring this lesson with you everywhere you go and never let anyone strip you from what you inherently own — your power. 

— Alysia DeMaio

Alysia is a former fashion editor and natural beauty enthusiast based in Sarasota, Florida. She has a passion for wellness and holistic health, and is eager to share her knowledge with others.