‘After years of trying different treatments for my skin, I decided to completely change my lifestyle and habits’

Make-up artist Ivana Kostova, from Bow, east London has cleared her chronic acne issues by turning to a vegan diet and drinking more water.

The 24-year-old first broke out in spots at the age of 11.

To tackle her acne, Kostova at the time tried various treatments including chemical peels, expensive skincare routines, birth control pills, and antibiotics. She even had weekly sessions with dermatologists at £50 a pop.

Her parents spent over £10,000 ($12,600) on treatments but the acne continued to erupt while giving Kostava worrying side-effects.

“My skin became so dry that I was shedding like a snake every two weeks,” she said.

“I had styes on my eyes for four months and I experienced very bad depression which had never happened to me before.”

She reached a point where she didn’t want to go to school anymore as she was bullied for her looks.

“What I had wasn’t considered ‘normal’ when I was a teenager. I was the only person in my school with acne that was at such a bad stage. At that age, you feel like it’s the end of the world,” she shared.

“By fourteen, my life revolved around my skin. I would beg my mum not to send me to school because of how bad and painful my skin was.

“My parents helped me in any way they could. We spent thousands on skincare and treatments.

“Boys were always making fun of me so I began wearing makeup when I was 13.”

Vegan switch

Kostova eventually decided to change her diet and opted to go vegan in 2014, and since then has had her acne issues resolved.

“After years of trying different treatments for my skin, I decided to completely change my lifestyle and habits. I studied how our mind is connected to our gut health,” the make-up artist said.

“That led me to becoming vegan for a year and I started to implement intermittent fasting, which I swear by. I used to only drink one glass of water a day – now I can’t imagine not drinking my three litres.

“I also figured out that moisturiser was not my enemy and I stopped wearing foundation when I was 21. This was a five-year process.”

‘Taught me so much’

She now hopes to help other people suffering from similar issues by sharing her journey.

“It was a long long journey but I’m here to remind you that you can be in completely different place in a few years. Even tho I hated my acne and was crying, screaming and sad because of it but it taught me so much,” she wrote in a post to Instagram.

“I learned how to not judge people by their looks,” she continued.

“I learned to be kind because you never know how much can add one scar to someone’s wound.

“I learned to be compassionate because I understood someone else’s pain.

“I learned self-love and self-acceptance because I realized that how can someone else love me or appreciate me if I don’t do it myself.

“I learned that Everything happens for a reason even if you don’t see it at first but because of my acne I found my passion in makeup and discovered what I love and who I’m.”

• Read: Pro vegan health coach credits plant-based diet for cystic acne cure

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