‘Kids at school called me pizza face, spotty and ugly because of my acne – an advert on social media changed my life’

A young woman called “pizza face” and “spotty” by her peers at school due to her acne has said an advert on social media changed her life and her skin.

Dominika Zrastakova, 23, a retail assistant and freelance content creator from Bath, Somerset, started developing mild acne on her face aged 16, but she assumed it would “go away eventually”.

As her acne worsened, Dominika “tried hundreds of things and spent hundreds of pounds” on various products and even tried several prescriptions from her GP – but nothing worked.

Feeling like she would be “stuck with (acne) forever”, Dominika nearly gave up hope, until she came across an advert for Clarol skincare on Instagram last year.

She said the products did not claim to be a “miracle” cure, which “enticed” her, and having used its face wash and cream for around four months now, she said she looks and feels like “a different person”.

Dominika told PA Real Life: “Kids at school would call me pizza face, spotty, ugly.

“My skin was dry, flakey and producing pus and it was hard to cover, so it was really heartbreaking, kids can be so cruel.

“But now I feel much more comfortable in my own skin without having to cover it up all the time.

“It feels to me like I look like a different person. It’s been life changing.”

Dominika, who is engaged to Evan, a 19-year-old chef, explained that she started getting acne when she was about 16 years old, but only mildly.

She said everyone told her it would “clear up in about a year”, but as the months progressed, her acne worsened.

“I tried so many different products, from scrubs to face masks to face washes, but nothing seemed to make it better,” she said.

“In fact, they seemed to make it even worse and more furious.”

At school, Dominika said she was “mocked and bullied” and subjected to hurtful comments.

She said she was called names, such as “pizza face” and “spotty”, and was told to “wash more often”.

“I remember sitting in maths one day and a girl turned around to me and said, ‘Why are your spots so red?’ It has stuck with me to this day,” she said.

“You try and shrug it off… but in truth, being bullied about your skin when you are younger leaves you with emotional scars, even into adulthood.”

Dominika said her skin was at its worst during her final year of sixth form, when she was experiencing the added stress of exams.

She said her “whole face was full of acne”, especially her cheeks, and she described the spots as “painful”.

“I would often wake up in the middle of the night in agony,” she said.

“I wouldn’t be able to sleep on my side, I would have to sleep on my back as it would be too painful, and I ruined so many bed sheets and pillowcases with blood.”

In desperation, Dominika said she visited her GP and was advised to start taking contraception as this can be effective in women who have acne.

However, she said she experienced negative side effects from taking the pill.

“This pill started to affect my mental health as it made me feel depressed and overly emotional, which wasn’t like me at all,” Dominika explained.

“I was then prescribed an antibiotic called Lymecycline, which actually seemed to make my skin worse.

“The last treatment I was prescribed before giving up on doctor’s advice was Accutane gel, which I was warned was only a short-term solution.”

Dominika said having acne “ruined (her) confidence massively” and even stopped her from leaving the house on occasion.

She said seeing influencers and celebrities on social media with “clear and perfect-looking skin” further exacerbated her depression and low self-esteem.

On the other hand, she said social media can be a “limitless source of information, support and honest reviews”, and this is how she stumbled across an advert for Clarol.

Although she was “cynical” at first, having tried countless other skincare products which did not work, she decided to give it a go.

“I’ve seen more than my fair share of adverts and reviews… but there was something about Clarol products that was different to normal acne products you read about,” she said.

“They didn’t claim to give you clear skin quickly, they talked about the fact you needed to build back up your skin’s natural acne defences.

“This struck a real chord with me as my skin felt completely wrecked.”

Dominika started with the Clarol Sebopure product in around October last year and said this made a “huge difference” to her skin.

Within a week, Dominika said her skin started showing small improvements and, over time, she experienced fewer breakouts as well.

“My skin was less red, sensitive and dry and felt smoother, calmer and much more flexible instead of dry and sore,” she said.

Dominika now uses the Clarol Silver and Birch Exfoliating face wash and its Silver Serum antibacterial cream as part of her daily skincare regime.

She now feels comfortable in her own skin and even wears no makeup to work, which is something she never thought would be possible.

Although Dominika has been left with some acne scarring and still experiences the occasional breakout, she said she has seen a 70% improvement in her skin and is no longer “wracked with anxiety”.

Dominika would advise others who are struggling with acne to love themselves and to be patient as “you will find that product that works for you”.

“It makes me sad how much time I wasted on feeling bad about my skin and not enjoying things, wanting to miss out on things,” she said.

“As hard as it can be, just know that it will get better and you will find that product that works for you and helps you feel more confident.”

To find out more, visit: clarol.co.uk.