It’s me, your 28-year old future self. More specifically, it was exactly a decade ago that I graduated from high school,  settled in a whole new city and started college. It's as if the past ten years went by in the blink of an eye, and yet I feel like we have experienced more than enough to evaluate how we did. 

According to what I heard, writing a letter to your past self is even a common form of therapy.  It makes space for self-reflection, acceptance, and healing with wisdom that can only come from hindsight.
Remember this letter is by far meant to lecture you. On the contrary, just keep going like you do, because you will be just fine. 

When I think about you as an 18-year old, I have the image in mind of a bouncy, infinite positivist who loves to live and could be called an atmosphere architect.    Cheerful is your middle name, and it's almost as if you don't know how to be in a bad mood. You have many friends and love to gather as much people around you as possible.   And although you're not exactly where you want to end up in life from the start, eventually you'll be  studying medicine: something you'll have to fight for with all that you have.  

You have very ambitious dreams, such as working and studying abroad, expanding your fashion and lifestyle blog, and on top of that becoming a dermatologist too! You strongly believe you are unique, and you act like it.
In short, life is beautiful and it definitely could be much worse. Every day is another party, in every sense imaginable.

Still, you struggle with insecurities and you care a lot about what would later be labeled trivial.  While in retrospect, you have everything in you to get you anywhere. 

You are right in the middle of  what's going to be  the best time of your life. You're busy doing only that what makes you happy, except for the two months a year confinement for studying.   You are learning and growing into the  you that is now me. Needless to say you'll forever stay the wild child  you are.

You are loyal to your friends and family, and have love in surplus to hand out. And so you are when it comes to romance. Despite good intentions from both sides, your current relationship starts to  sow turmoil in your mind. Your spontaneity is your greatest gift, but the amount of people able to handle it is scarce. You will have to deal with jealousy and broken friendships. More than once it might feel like you have to 'dim your light' to make those around you feel comfortable. You'll face professional challenges too, which will make you fall deep initially, only to rise back up stronger.    

  If I'm allowed to give you one piece of advice, it's to stop taking things so personally. It will take you some time to realize other people's  behavior  is  only a reflection of their internal struggles and insecurities.  Keep believing in yourself, your capabilities, the fact that crazy always outplays boring, and continue to always look on the bright side of life. Surround yourself with those who uplift and support you, cultivating relationships that inspire growth and foster positivity. Choose wisely and cherish those who genuinely believe in you. 

And never apologize  for burning too brightly again.

You deserve so much more credit than you give yourself. Stop downplaying your skills and start welcoming challenges as opportunities for personal development.    You are capable of achieving greatness beyond your imagination. Your journey might not always be easy, but your resilience and determination will carry you through the toughest of times.

Embrace your passion and let it guide you fearlessly, but rest when you need to.  Trust in your journey, and never forget that the best is yet to come. The world needs your unique voice and vision.

With unwavering belief in your potential,

A Letter To My Past Self

 never really applied to me. As much as I am grateful for the initial ground where I got the chance to grow,  there's nothing I love more than the rush of discovering unknown territory.

If there's anything I learned during these first two years as a derm resident, it's that nothing is more important than to have been employed in as many places as possible. I've always been thrilled ever since the beginning of my residency, knowing I'd be traveling from  hospital to hospital, from city to city, for the next 18 months.

My residency plan involved 6 months of working in a local hospital and private practice on almost the other side of the country, in a small city I had almost never heard of. You can imagine that, despite my neverending enthusiasm, I was a bit skeptical at first. Afterwards, I was  placed in 2 French-speaking hospitals in 2 different municipalities of our capital city for one year in total. Currently, I'm   finishing off the last 2 months  of this journey in the notorious Saint-Pierre hospital  in the heart of Brussels.     

Eighteen months, three hospitals, one private practice and a ton of memories  later, I can say that it  all turned out  well.  In fact, I couldn't look back at this period of my life with a warmer heart.  Here are 10 things I  experienced during my 

 and that I didn't want to keep from you:

. Trust me when I say that you rely on yourself, and solely yourself, if you want amazing things to happen to you. You really make or break the situation you are currently in by the mindset and behaviour you display.

. You'll  discover that you're capable of more  than you thought you were from  spending time on your own.  Getting out of your comfort zone forces you  to act -maybe it works out, maybe it won't- but in the end in one way or another, you'll always win regardless the outcome. 

. Living the 'nomadic resident' existence, helps you understand life, your true self  and your needs on a deeper emotional level. Undoubtedly confronting at some times, but there's nothing that makes you grow up more. So far I gained the most knowledge about myself and how others see me during this period in my life.

, you're going places. Being flexible in any kind of situation doens't only enhance your resilience, but the people around you will notice you're in control as well. And what you radiate, you also attract. Entirely aside,  I find that flexibility goes hand in hand with having more fun no matter the odds. 

 for other places and certain modi operandi, how trivial they initially may seem, makes you richer in a way no money ever can. You don't need to remember or know everything. As long as you stay curious, you get motivated, and so the road to happiness and success will be open.

6. Growing up and moving around, away from family or friends, comes with 

disappointments and change of perspectives.

 At one point last year, I was having a very difficult time, to an extent I had never really experienced before. It had to do with conflicts within my family and with a friend within my close circle. Although it took me a long time to process everything, until not too long ago, I am happy with how everything turned out in the end. After confronting the individuals in question and being transparent about how we each experienced the situation, I learned to set my boundaries clearly. The result, so far, is that I have a clearer understanding with them. Honesty always lasts the longest. ♥ 

so much quicker. By not being held by the hand, you dare to speak up, show who you are and ask for more. Because if you don't, don't expect anyone to do it for you.   This is how for example, I managed to get invited at an international congress, normally only reserved for derms who finished their residency, or who are at least more advanced in their formation than I am. I met so many interesting people and lived extraordinary encounters I could only dream of in the past.  

 I thought I was an open-minded person before I began residency, turns out it was  not so much the case. To be honest I didn't have the slightest clue of what life was like for some people.   The past 18 months, I came in contact with every  rank of the socio-cultural ladder: the  super rich, the very poor, people who's intelligence was equivalent to Einstein's, people gifted with practical skills, patients from all kinds of religions and countries,... I truly could go and on and on and on.   I am grateful to be someone who can easily deal with  every kind of person, being convinced of the fact that we can learn so much from one another, and I think that I grew in that perspective.

In my opinion, it is so badly underestimated how much more we could accomplish if everyone had at least basic knowledge of some other languages.  A full year's work in a French-speaking, but also multicultural hospital receiving patients from all kinds of nationalities and cultures, enabled me to improve my language skills, which I will carry with me into my professional and private life. I have always found it extremely important to be able to make yourself clear in multiple languages. When I  initially didn't get accepted for Dermatology residency in Belgium, I considered an assistantship in Germany, and went through all the necessary language tests.   Another nomad part of my life that proves you can do anything you set your mind to!  

. Gratitude for the little things that aren't obvious to everyone. Since I've been hanging in and around hospitals for years now -if not as a resident it was as a student or intern- I've always had notion of how nothing compares to good health. Now that I have been able to observe different types of hospitals and different aspects of the lives of people from all types of backgrounds with my own eyes, my appreciation for the things I'm able to do has expanded even more. 

 the existence of our differences is distinct from 

 it directly. Even though we may speak different languages and do things differently, the why of what we do is universal. Being a nomadic resident, I had the chance to see how people interact and work differently, on their own or as a team. This has taught me so much on a personal and professional level.  I am convinced that the more one sees, the better formed one becomes as a person as a whole. I am grateful that I was allowed to experience these wonderful 18 months and will keep in mind all the things I have learned to be the best possible doctor who keeps his gaze at all times not only critical, but most of all open. 

♥ Sandals:    unknown brand from  a store in Monopoli, Puglia 

10 things I learned from being a nomadic resident 

In my daily practice, I receive questions on a daily basis about what kind of sunscreen won't cause break-outs in oily skin. More even, I figured it's a specific concern bothering not only patients suffering from acne, but also non-acne patients. 

Why is sunscreen so important, especially when you have acne? 

People with oily skin often skip applying sunscreen because it makes their skin look greasy with the formation of pimples. It is however of great importance to protect yourself against the sun, since sun exposure has a big impact on the progression of acne. Here's why:

 have anti-inflammatory effects, and therefore it might seem like your acne gets better in the sun. But what UV and blue light also do, is increasing the thickness of the outer skin layer inducing a dysregulation of our skin microbiome. This may worsen the presence of closed comedones (whiteheads), causing inflammation and acne flare-ups in Fall. 

 rays cause inflammation and increase sebum production and proliferation of keratinocytes.

 can induce postinflammatory hyperpigmentation on acne skin (due to irritation, excoriations), especially in 

 Sunlight induces the production of melanin, and this is why, if unprotected, acne scars stay dark. 

Another reason why it is absolute mandatory to wear sunscreen when suffering from acne, is that several acne treatments (antibiotics, isotretinoin, vitamine A creams) make our skin more vulnerable to sunlight. 

like oxybenzone, avobenzone, retinyl palmitate or para-aminobenzoic acid. Also a high concentration of alcohol is nefast in acne-prone skin.

sunscreens based on coconut or grapeseed oil.

You’re using expired sunscreen or tend to leave it baking in the sun:

 which causes breakdown of the active substances.

How to choose the right sunscreen for oily

Some general advice regarding sunscreen for oily skin:

, which means pores won’t be easily clogged.

 while they may be non-comedogenic, tend to be chalky in consistency. Mostly, chemical sunscreen will be more suitable for oily skin.

 their protection is weaker since you only get higher SPF level using more scientific ingredients.

Mist formulas, sprays, gels of chemical sunscreens

 with a water or light liquid base are less occlusive.

 to avoid occlusive make-up layers afterwards

Don’t use sunscreen meant for your body on your face

, since these often have a much greasier texture

Anti-inflammatory, sebumregulating agents

: salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid

Plant-based, anti-inflammatory ingredients: 

 skip sunscreen if you’ve got acne-prone skin. In fact, it’s even 

 imperative that you wear sunscreen if you have pimples. Remember that sunscreen should be applied every day year-round for the best protection, even when it's cloudy or rainy.

→ In case you missed my general overview on types of sunlight and sunscreens, click 

) for a summary of all evidence-based skin care research. 

Hi! My name is Ornella

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