Avoiding the Mirror and Life: A Brighton Teen Finds Acne Relief with Naturopathic Care

For 16-year-old Ava*, the family’s move from Brisbane to Brighton was supposed to be the beginning of something new. A chance to settle into Melbourne’s Bayside lifestyle, join a strong local school community, and grow alongside her twin sister, Lily*, as they entered the final years of high school.

But for Ava, it marked a painful turning point.

Unlike Lily, who seemed to glide into life at Firbank Grammar School, making friends, joining extracurriculars, and soaking up her new surroundings, Ava carried a quiet but crushing struggle: cystic acne that covered her cheeks, forehead, and chin, and stripped her confidence.

“She started asking to stay home from school on photo day,” says Ava’s mum, Michelle*. “She pulled back from everything… swimming, social stuff, even just walking to the shops.”

The Hidden Impact of Teenage Acne

Teen acne is common for young Aussies but for Ava, it was emotionally isolating, made worse by the constant visual comparison to her sister.

While Lily was out at birthday dinners on Church Street or walking along Brighton Beach with her friends, Ava stayed home. She had once been a competitive swimmer in Brisbane, training four mornings a week before school. But when they moved to Melbourne, she dropped the sport altogether.

“She didn’t want to be seen in a swimsuit anymore,” Michelle explains. “And the chlorine was flaring up her skin, which gave her one more reason to quit.”

Ava’s mental health began to slide. Her school grades dipped, she disengaged in class, and weekends became a retreat into her bedroom, away from mirrors, friends, and sometimes, even family. Teachers at Firbank noted her withdrawal, a sharp contrast to the Ava they’d seen on paper before the move.

Creams, Promises, and the Crushing Cost of Ineffectiveness

Michelle had done everything she could. Multiple GP visits, referrals to dermatologists, and prescriptions for creams filled the family’s bathroom drawers. Ava was given benzoyl peroxide and Roaccutane and was offered an OCP, which her mom wanted to leave as a last resort. Rather than helping, the meds caused dry, burning skin that made her even more self-conscious.

“It felt like we were just applying Band-Aids to something much deeper,” Michelle says. “Every product made her feel more broken.”

As Ava became more withdrawn, the sense of helplessness grew.

“You just want to take the pain away. But nothing we tried gave her relief — not physically, not emotionally.”

Olga’s Fresh Perspective on Natural Care

Through a family connection at Firbank, Michelle heard about Olga Mandic, a naturopath in Brighton known for helping teens struggling with acne, hormones, and gut health. Michelle booked the appointment, not knowing what to expect, but feeling like they had nothing to lose.

From their very first visit to My Natural Clinic, tucked just a short drive from Southland Shopping Centre, Michelle saw a shift, not in Ava’s skin yet, but in the way someone was finally seeing the whole picture.

“Olga didn’t just treat her acne, she treated Ava,” Michelle says. “She asked about school pressure, nutrition, hormonal changes, and how Ava was feeling. No one else had done that.”

Olga developed a teen-appropriate, whole-body plan that addressed the internal drivers behind Ava’s acne:

• A low-inflammatory diet, tailored for hormone balance and gut health
• Nutrients like zinc, vitamin A, and omega-3s to support skin healing
• Herbal blends for liver and hormone support (e.g. St. Mary Thistle, chaste tree, burdock root)
• A switch from chemical-heavy topicals to natural skincare (e.g. calendula, chamomile, and manuka and trusted ‘clean’ skincare brands)
• Emotional resilience tools, like journaling and simple breathing exercises

Olga also worked closely with Michelle to help her support Ava at home with meal planning, non-triggering encouragement, and patience.

“Olga gave me a role. It wasn’t to fix Ava but to walk beside her while she healed,” Michelle says.

Within two months, Ava’s skin began to calm. The angry inflammation settled, breakouts were less painful and more spaced out, and her confidence started to flicker back to life.

She returned to swimming, not competitively, but quietly, at the Bayside Aquatic Centre, a place she once dreaded. She agreed to go to a small group catch-up at the Firbank library. She even joined a lunchtime wellbeing club, her first extracurricular in over a year.

“It wasn’t overnight, but it was steady,” Michelle recalls. “You could see her slowly reclaiming her space in the world.”

Book a Free 15min Discovery Call with Our Naturopath, Olga.

Take the first step toward better health with a free holistic naturopath assessment at a time that suits you.

BOOK FREE APPOINTMENT

Where Is Ava Today?

Now 18, Ava is in her first year of university, studying to become a Physical Education teacher, a dream career she rediscovered through her own healing.

“If you told me two years ago that she’d be leading group fitness sessions and volunteering with younger students, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Michelle says. “She’d lost herself. But thanks to the support and care she received, she found her way back, stronger than before.”

Her skin is no longer a source of shame. While she still has occasional breakouts, she now knows how to support her body from the inside out and her relationship with her sister is closer than ever.

A Safe Space for Teenage Skin, Confidence, and Growth

Teen acne is never just about skin. For some, like Ava, it becomes a barrier to connection, sport, learning, and identity. At My Natural Clinic, Olga Mandic offers compassionate, functional naturopathic care that looks deeper, supporting the teen as a whole person, not just a set of symptoms.

If your kid is struggling, especially if standard treatments have fallen short, know that there is hope, and real results are possible.

Book a free discovery consultation with Olga today, and start their journey back to confidence, clarity, and wellbeing.

*All names and places changed for privacy.