Acne-Suffering Teenager Nicknamed 'Scarface' By Her Attackers Is Now Changing Her Life With An Ancient Remedy

Lisa Kavanagh, a teenager with acne, spent most of her life hiding in her home. Because of her severe skin problems, her bullies nicknamed her “Scarface” and forced her to spend hours covering herself in heavy makeup.

Lisa says she tried every product imaginable, but nothing worked on her inflamed skin. But her experience led her to make it her “life mission” to find a solution.

After years of study, she went back in time to create a skincare line using a World War I remedy that saved soldiers' lives over 100 years ago. Lisa, now 36, discovered that an ancient plant – sphagnum moss – could dramatically soothe inflamed skin.

She has now founded her own company, Sphagnum De-Lux.com, as well as a range of products tailored to people with sensitive skin and acne problems.

The Manchester mother-of-four has told how she was determined to make a difference to the lives of those suffering from skin and confidence issues after being struck down by acne at the age of 16. She told how she spent the next two years struggling to cope with the effects on her appearance and confidence.

She said: “I suffered from acne from the age of 16 to 18. I tried many skincare products and was even prescribed harsh medications to try and reduce the acne and redness. Unfortunately, they didn’t work well on my skin as they damaged the pigmentation. When my skin didn’t improve, I would spend hours in the morning covering my acne and the scars on my cheeks with foundation.

“This unfortunately led to horrible bullying at school where I was constantly called ‘Scarface’. It got to the point where I wanted to stay home all the time and even when my friends would ask me to meet them or go to parties, I would just say no. I felt so bad about myself.”

Lisa decided not to waste this experience, but to use it for good. She started taking a beauty course at university to learn more about skin care.

She said: “My journey into learning skincare began when I enrolled in beauty school at 16, where I developed my passion for skincare and self-care. I learned about the anatomy and physiology of the face, so I know exactly what works best for different skin types.

“I also got into the habit of reading every ingredient in skincare products so I could dissect which ones didn’t react well to my sensitive skin. After a rigorous trial and error process of testing different products and finding that nothing worked for me, I decided to create my own.”

It took years of work, but Lisa finally discovered that peat moss was the perfect solution for her skin. And that's what led her to create her own line of products.

Peat moss, also known as sphagnum moss, was known to be used to heal wounds and save the lives of soldiers during World War I. Lisa said: “I was excited to start my business because I finally found the right ingredients and can begin this mission to help others feel confident in their skin. Peat moss is fantastic for helping to reduce blemishes and redness on the skin.”

“It’s also great for oily and acne-prone skin. I’ve used it to make mud masks with hyaluronic acid to help with sensitive skin.”

Once her business was up and running, Lisa’s skincare woes hit again when her 13-year-old son, Martin, began suffering from acne. Like Lisa, the acne took a huge toll on Martin’s confidence, to the point where he didn’t want to leave the house.

Lisa explains: “Soon after starting my business, Martin started suffering from severe acne, which got so bad that his skin was bleeding. It completely shook his confidence, especially since he was only 13.”

“Friends would ask him to come and see him, but he would refuse and stay home because he was embarrassed by his skin. At that moment, all the horrible memories of wanting to hide under a hat came flooding back. It was horrible to see my son feeling the same way I did when I was a teenager.”

Martin saw a marked improvement in his skin after learning how to take care of his skin and using his mother's product range. Lisa says it was a difficult journey for herself, which led her to dedicate herself to helping others with sensitive skin find the right products to help them feel confident.

Lisa said: “It’s been two years since I started my business and since then I’ve heard so many heartwarming stories about how this product has helped customers with their skin. One of my customers used the product on her young son who was suffering from severe redness and acne.

“It’s amazing to see how much it’s helped him and others. My goal is to make people feel comfortable and confident in their own skin, which I certainly didn’t feel like growing up.

“I don’t want people to feel like they can’t go out and enjoy life. No one deserves to feel like I did because I didn’t find the right products for my skin. I’d like to go back to my 16-year-old self and tell myself to stop worrying because it’s only going to get better from here on out and you’ll learn to love the skin you were born with.”