About Us

This website was created for people with acne to find information on treating this distressing condition naturally. Karen Jessett has spent over 10 years gathering information to successfully rid herself of acne. She shares this information in various resources so others can also benefit:

Help your body to heal itself from the inside out.

About Karen Jessett

Karen set up Acne-advice.com eight years ago to help people with acne find information and products that may help them get rid of acne naturally. She wrote the popular book, Clear Skin (now available as an eBook from www.acne-advice.com) and continues to research new information about getting rid of acne naturally. Karen manages the website and responds to emails asking for advice. She also liaises with the media and writes articles about acne.

"I truly believe that the answer to achieving and maintaining acne-free skin lies in consuming a completely healthy diet and only using natural products on your skin. A holistic approach is the only approach, not only for your skin, but for your body's internal health and well-being. There's no better way to be."

My Story

I was born in 1975, in Nairobi, Kenya. I had an amazing childhood full of interesting experiences — camping amongst lions, zebra, wildebeest and gazelle on the African plain; spending holidays at the coast, playing in the clear, warm sea on white, palm-fringed beaches; having Christmas drinks outside on the veranda; and learning to swim in the Indian Ocean.

In 1983, my family moved back to England. I didn’t particularly like England, or school — I was already being bullied for being different from the local children. At the age of eleven, I started to get acne. It wasn’t severe then, and I coped because it was seen as ‘normal’ for a girl my age to get a few spots.

I have had acne, at different rates of severity, for over sixteen years now. I sought medical help at around the age of fourteen because the psychological effects were becoming too much. I was bullied at school, both by pupils ("zitty-Milleni", "monkey face") and teachers, who told me off for wearing too much make-up (I did this in an attempt to cover my skin). I was prescribed topical antibiotic lotions, which were messy and impractical, so they tried me on antibiotic tablets and the contraceptive pill because the doctors said it would "help balance my hormones". I also used over-the-counter remedies from the chemist, which only dried my skin out and made it worse. The spots would go for a while, then come back even worse than before so I'd get put on ever increasing doses of antibiotics and have to live with the side effects. I have since found out that the side effects of antibiotics (a sluggish digestive system and Candida) can in themselves aggravate acne: a catch 22 situation. I was never referred to a dermatologist or dietician who may have been able to help during my teenage years. Each time I asked, I was told I’d probably grow out of it by the time I was eighteen years old.

Into my twenties, I still rarely stayed over at friend's houses because I didn't want people to see me with no make up. If I did stay over, I frequently kept my make up on, which only exacerbated my skin problems. It got in the way of relationships, even if boyfriends didn't realise my acne was the cause of my insecurities. During times when the actual spots went away, scars remained; so it would seem as though I had clearer skin (with a lot of help from make up) to others, who would have little sympathy if I mentioned my insecurities. I also tried to hide the fact I took antibiotics for it — even that was embarrassing to me.

At the age of twenty-two, I went to a different doctor. I desperately wanted to get rid of my acne, which had now become severe even though I was now taking antibiotics at a dose four times that which is prescribed for tonsillitis. The doctor examined my face and admitted my skin was terrible. He suggested I be referred to a dermatologist who could prescribe Roaccutane, or similar. This he said would deal with the problem once and for all, but warned me of the serious side effects that could occur. This was the catalyst for me —I definitely didn’t want to take drugs that were that strong. I knew there must be a better, healthier way.

I decided to come off the antibiotics and started to look into my diet and lifestyle with reference to skin problems. I read as many books as I could on the subject of nutrition and skin health. I ate more fruit and vegetables, reduced my intake of red meat, dairy and refined carbohydrates, used natural products on my skin, took up exercise again and consciously made the effort to de-stress every day. Within a couple of months, my acne was visibly better. I've turned my diet and lifestyle around, and in doing so; my skin is now clear 99% of the time.

I understand the frustration, insecurities and embarrassment of living with acne, so I wanted to pass on to others some of the information I've found that has helped me achieve clear skin. That’s why I wrote Clear Skin. I know it works for me because I live by it, and I also know it works for others because I receive so many positive testimonials. I hope that the information on this web site will help you cope better with your acne and get you on the road to clear skin. If you've found that by changing your diet and lifestyle, your skin is now clearer, I'd love to hear your story.

Get in touch.

Much love,
Karen Jessett

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