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Bethan Jones, a mum-of-two and aesthetician, opens up about her battle with a painful skin condition that left her feeling like a fraud in her own profession as a beauty clinician. The 33 year old developed papulopustular rosacea two years ago, triggered by the stress and grief of losing her granddad. This condition, which causes redness, soreness, bumps and pus-filled spots, made her face appear constantly bright red and angry, with cracked, rough and bumpy skin. "I used to cry every day, looking at my skin and wondering if it would ever get better," she said. "It was as if a light had flicked and my skin just blew up," Bethan, who owns a beauty clinic in Maesteg, South Wales, told NeedToKnow. "The condition impacted my day-to-day life as I worked in the aesthetics field myself, so it made me feel like I wasn't credible in my own job." Living with the condition went further than impacting her career, it also had an impact of her mental health. She began to feel extremely self-conscious and felt as if everyone was looking at her. "I thought, 'How is anybody else going to trust me to help them with their skin if I look like this?'" She added, "I would cry about how my skin looked and felt." Bethan lived in fear of people noticing her skin and was constantly anxious that clients were staring at her face. It became so overwhelming that she dreaded joining video calls and would often break down in tears over her reflection, devastated by the state of her skin. Even well-meaning comments from loved ones concerning her face appearing sore, only made matters worst - and heightened her insecurity. Bethan took matters in her own hands, attempting to conceal the redness and mask it with makeup. But this only worsened her condition. For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. Her skin had become so parched and sensitive that cosmetics would sting and burn upon application, trapping her in a relentless cycle of irritation and shame. "I was in a vicious cycle of trying to cover it up and making it worse with makeup," she said. "I have spent hundreds on treatments, used other medical-grade brands, been prescribed medication from the GP that would only temporarily help until the medication was stopped and then it would come straight back," she added. The condition hit crisis point during pregnancy , when hormonal shifts sparked her most severe flare-up ever where her face became so painful it occasionally bled. She says the skin barrier was so compromised it seemed impossible to restore. But everything transformed when she discovered AlumierMD , a professional, medical-grade skincare range, whilst researching new products to introduce in her clinic. Within weeks, Bethan said her skin had a swift change and the furious redness began to subside, the agonising papules started to vanish, and the fissures in her skin mended. Six months later, her complexion was entirely revolutionised. For the first time in years, she felt comfortable to step outside without makeup - something she once believed she'd never manage again. Bethan can now also readily recognise her triggers - typically alcohol or excessive sun exposure and if a minor flare-up occurs, it's gentle and brief. She's now using her personal journey to inspire and assist clients who are battling similar skin conditions, becoming a trusted source for those seeking natural remedies. Her personal transformation has also revolutionised her business model after being motivated by her own healing process, she's shifted her focus towards promoting long-term skin health and has invested in advanced skin scanning technology to provide personalised solutions. However Bethan knows she can't truly get rid of the condition and will have the occasional flare ups - but she now understands her triggers and how to prevent extreme flare ups. "For me, it's alcohol or too much sun exposure, they give me breakouts, but they're not severe - I don't get that full flare-up across my face that I did previously," she explained. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
