When she moved to Austin, Bobbi Ratliff was ready to meet new friends and embrace the ATX lifestyle. Yet, the 24-year-old knew that could be difficult. Simply put, Ratliff lives with acne.

 Here is the story of how Ratliff is healing her skin with the help of locally-based Dr. Jennifer Vickers at Sanova Dermatology.

Did you always suffer from acne?

I started to break out in college and that’s when I tried all the over-the-counter products. I also changed how I was cleaning my face and I eliminated certain foods from my diet. I wasn’t super stressed out and it wasn’t hormones. Nothing was working. That’s when I decided it was time to see a dermatologist.

What makes acne so hard to live with?

If you’ve never had acne, it’s hard to understand how embarrassing it is and how insecure it makes you feel. I find myself skipping group outings because I’m so uncomfortable in my skin. I don’t want to be seen. Even when my friends say, “it’s not that bad,” it’s hard to believe.

How did you find this latest Sebacia treatment?

I did an online search of and saw that Sanova Dermatology was the only practice in Austin to offer Sebacia. I have tried everything, and I mean everything, in the past: all the creams in the store that you could possibly think of! So I thought, “Why not try it?” Sebacia has given me hope… Dr. Vickers and her team have been so supportive and encouraging.

How did Sebacia feel during the treatment?

I didn’t know what to expect. I have a low tolerance for pain, but it was not bad at all. It felt like an ice cube hitting my face. I just completed my third and final treatment. So now I’ll wait and see. It’s supposed to take three months for the effects to really show on my skin, but my face already looks better than before. I now feel a little better about going out with old and new friends, knowing that my skin is clearing up.

Cover photo Jill Wellington from Pixabay