Mole Removal Experiment - Apple Cider Vinegar (Part 1)

"Moles are growths on the skin that are usually brown or black.  Moles can appear anywhere on the skin alone or in groups.

Most moles appear in early childhood and during the first 30 years of a person's life. It is normal to have between 10-40 moles by adulthood.

As the years pass, moles usually change slowly, becoming raised and/or changing color. Often, hairs develop on the mole. Some moles may not change at all, while others may slowly disappear over time.

Moles occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin. These cells are called melanocytes, and they make the pigment that gives skin its natural color. Moles may darken after exposure to the sun, during the teen years, and during pregnancy." - WebMD

WebMD - Moles

I've decided to try to remove my mole using a natural method, Apple Cider Vinegar or ACV.  It took me a long time to make this decision because until recently my facial mole never really bothered me.  I've had it for years.  I don't exactly remember when it popped up but it had to have been in my early teens or maybe earlier.  It's just a part of me and I've always thought it made me unique.  I've notice recently in the last couple of years that it has grown a little bit larger and with me suffering from allergies on a regular basis, because it is directly below one of my nostrils, it has on occasion become painful from rubbing against tissue when I blow my nose.  I've had it checked by my dermatologist and it's not cancerous or suspicious in any way.  She also told me that to have it removed I would need a plastic surgeon because of the placement of the mole.  That could cost me thousands of dollars!  No thank you.

I've read several blogs, sites and forums regarding mole removal using ACV, Castor Oil, Iodine, garlic and so on.  From the comments and suggestions ACV seems to have a high success rate.  There are several different instructions to choose from.  I chose the most simplest one out there because these are items I already have in my home.

Apple Cider Vinegar Treatment For Moles

You'll need:

1.     Apple Cider Vinegar

2.    Cotton balls

3.    Cotton Swabs (Q-tips)

4.    Emery Board

5.    Band-Aids

6.    Vaseline

Clean the mole and surrounding area.  Abrade the mole lightly with an emery board and then soak a piece of cotton in apple cider vinegar.  Coat the healthy skin around the mole with vaseline to protect it from the acid.  Place the cotton on the mole and hold it in place with a bandaid.  Leave it on for 15 minutes, some people have left it on overnight.

Day 1:  Today is Sunday, February 17, 2013.  I cleaned the mole and the surrounding area.  After drying I took a cotton swab, dabbed some vaseline on to the skin surrounding the mole. (This is to protect the surrounding skin from the ACV because ACV contains acid that might irritate the skin.)  Once done I took a cotton ball and pulled off a small piece, the piece was about the size of my mole and soaked it in ACV.  I then placed the small cotton soaked with ACV directly on my mole after squeezing the excess from it and held in place using a bandaid.  Using a timer I left it on for 15 minutes.  I didn't seem to have a reaction to it.  Some people said that their mole and the surrounding skin was burned or irritated.  It did not have that effect on me.  Maybe because I didn't scrape my mole?  I have no idea but no nothing so far.  Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Day 2:  Today is Monday, February 18, 2013.  I applied the ACV exactly as I did yesterday but the only difference is I left it on for an hour instead of 15 minutes.  I felt no discomfort, no irritation or burning sensation.  Hmmm...I wonder if it's doing anything at all?

Day 3:  Today is Tuesday, February 19, 2013.  Today I got a little impatient because as of this morning (I put some ACV on the mole with a Q-tip when I woke up) I still had not felt any burning sensation like everyone has written or vlogged about that has tried this method.  So after work, around 5:30 pm, I cleaned the mole and surrounding area and after drying and putting vaseline on the healthy skin I scraped the mole softly with an emery board before placing a piece of cotton soaked in ACV on it and held it in place with a bandaid.  Boy did it burn baby burn!  It didn't burn like in painful I'm going to die of the pain burn it was more like a strong chemical peel type of burn which I can handle because I've had plenty of chemical peels done on my face.  After an hour I removed the ACV bandage.  Around 8:30 pm I got ready for bed and while brushing my teeth I debated whether or not to do the ACV again.  The masochist in me decided to put it on one more time before actually going to sleep.  No scraping this time.  It still burned but not like earlier.  Now I'm debating whether or not to leave it on overnight.  If it was in any other place I would have no problem making the decision to sleep with it on but because it's right below my nostril I'm not sure if I'll be comfortable enough to sleep with half of my nostril covered and inhaling vinegar all night.  It has me craving fish and chips already.

Day 5:  Today is Thursday, February 21, 2013.  So I ended up not leaving the ACV on overnight on Tuesday.  I just couldn't do it but tonight I am.  I'm getting ready to go to sleep and I've just finished bandaging the ACV to my mole after softly scraping it with an emery board.  I skipped putting it on last night (Wednesday).  I was just too tired.  I hope the ACV doesn't irritate/burn the skin around my mole.  Right now all I'm feeling is a stinging sensation in the mole's general area.  I don't know if it's just the mole that is stinging or if the skin around it is included in the mix.

Day 7:  Today is Saturday, February 23, 2013.  I've just finished taping another dose of ACV on my mole.  No stinging at all tonight.  I'm kind of disappointed.  When I woke up yesterday morning after leaving the ACV on all night I found that the skin around my mole was slightly burned from the acid.  I guess I didn't do a good enough job of layering on the vaseline.  Tonight what I decided to do was cut off one end of a bandaid, regular tape would have done but I didn't have any on hand, and placed it on the skin right beneath my mole and layered vaseline on top of the tape and around the edges so the acid would not be able to seep through.  I hope that works in keeping the skin protected.  So far I haven't seen any change to the mole, none what so ever.  Maybe my mole is a supermole, impervious to acids, bullets and general rough housing?  But true to form, I will not give up!  I AM as stubborn as my family and friends accuse me of.

Day 8:  Today is Sunday, February 24, 2013.  I did another application this morning and left it on for 2 hours.  When I removed the bandage I couldn't believe my eyes.  The mole seems to have gotten larger!  I don't know if that is a good sign or not.  It has me a little worried.  Later in the day I did another application and left it on for an hour.  No change.  I applied it again in the evening for another couple of hours and again no change.  It is still enlarged.  I read in one website that it does happen occasionally.  I'm going to stick it out and continue.  My mole seems to be as stubborn as I am.

Day 11:  Today is Wednesday, February 27, 2013.  My mole is starting to turn black and scab in one area, the bottom left side of the mole.  The part that has turned black and scabbed feels rough but it's mostly on the surface of the mole.  I don't think it has penetrated beyond the first couple of layers.  The area that hasn't turned black is still brown and soft.  Tonight I scraped the soft areas of the mole with an emery board and applied the ACV soaked cotton.  I will leave it on overnight.  I am so excited that I am finally seeing progress.

To be continued...

--

*Allene Angelica*

       =^_^=

Update - Red LED Light Treatment for my Eczema and Chemical Peel

I haven't talked about my eczema in a while, that's because it hasn't reoccurred.  I pull out my red LED light occasionally to use it when my skin feels irritated but honestly I haven't used it in over six months.  I am so thankful I discovered that light.  It has really kept me sane.  I am again in the middle of a chemical peel treatment series.  Last night was my third treatment.  (I used a 35% Glycolic-Lactic acid mixture)  I didn't do my neck or my decolletage area this time.  I'll save that for this weekend.  My skin this morning feels soft, smooth and tight maybe a little raw (my cheeks have a slight red tinge) but I know that those are signs that the peeling is about to commence in the next few days.  For this series I'm going to do six treatments, once every week to a week and a half and then my girlfriends and I are going to get together at a spa in a couple of months to do a microdermabrasion treatment.  The microdermabrasion should get rid of any stubborn excess flaky skin that might still be clinging to my face.  I can't wait!  This weekend I also need to take care of my hair.  It's in desperate need of a lot of things; color, hot oil treatment, a trim...etc...  I'm not sure I'll be able to accomplish all but I'll certainly try.

--

*Allene Angelica*

       =^_^=

My False Lash Experiment

About a week ago I got the bright idea to try wearing false lashes. I've never worn them before and to tell the truth have never really been interested. I've always been the swipe on a few layers of mascara type of gal. But one day a few weeks back I was out to lunch with a girl friend and she complimented our waitress on her false lashes and asked where she purchased them. After the waitress mumbled that she couldn't really remember but maybe bought them from some accessory shop somewhere before walking off with our order, my friend confessed that she never uses mascara, she always wears false lashes that set my mind reeling. 'Really?' I thought to myself. I know I'm a bit sheltered but that was news to me. Women really wear false lashes on just a regular day like a work day? I can understand special occasions but on regular days too? Well that day replayed itself in my mind for the last few weeks. The waitress with her thick black false eyelashes (they did really look quite nice and brought out her exotic eyes) and my friend's confession. So one day a week ago while I was at the drug store ambling from aisle to aisle dropping feminine essentials into my basket I came along the false lashes section, I stood there for a while staring at the display not really knowing why. They had so many different lashes to choose from I didn't know where to start. Those long spiky lashes of different lengths and thickness in those clear plastic cases intimated me. I thought to myself how could I be afraid of some synthetic little hairs when I faced down two bullies in an alleyway in the sixth grade protecting my little sister (that's a story for another day)! So with my shoulders back my spine rigid I reached out and pulled the starter kit from the shelf. After making the purchase I drove straight home to try them out. The first couple of tries were horrendous. I got glue everywhere, all over my eyelids, fingers and even my eyeballs but I think I now have the gist of it after watching a couple of how to videos on YouTube. I still need a lot of practice before I can wear the suckers in public but I'm sure I'll get there eventually.

I've attached a link to one of the how to videos I watched...Kandee Johnson...she's so cute...I started following her YouTube videos.  She has great make-up tips.

How to Apply False Eyelashes by Kandee Johnson

Update:  I'm getting the hang of it.  Of course I'm not practicing everyday just the weekends.  I'm attaching a couple of before and after pics of me using false accent lashes. :)

Before

After

*Allene Angelica*
=^_^=
Sent from my iPad

People Will Never Forget How You Made Them Feel

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 
― Maya Angelou

These last couple of weeks I've come to realize how true this quote is.  An incident happened recently to someone I know.  Now this particular person is not a nice person.  I've heard disparaging comments, insults, racist remarks, ignorant assumptions, (the list goes on and on) come out of this person's mouth.  This person was getting away with it for years; treating subordinates with disrespect.  Why no one had put a stop to it sooner I couldn't tell you.  But apparently his reign of terror has finally been put to an end.  Not a tear was shed.  Looking around me, the feeling I'm getting from people is relief.  Relief that finally, FINALLY, they no longer have to put up with his self appointed higher than thou attitude.

--

*Allene Angelica*

       =^_^=

Positive Outlook for 2013

Happy New Year everyone!!!  It's been a wild two weeks so far.  All for the good.  I'm still pluggin' away at my stories, slowly but surely.  I'm hoping to have my nanowrimo book completed and published in a few months.  I'm not setting any deadlines because knowing me I'll rebel against myself.  It's just the way it goes.  I know myself enough that deadlines and Allene are like oil and water.  They just don't mix.  I have a lot of projects in the works and I'm feeling good about them.  I'm staying positive and trying not to overwork myself.  Don't want to burn out too early in the year.  There are some events coming up this year that I'm looking forward to and possibly a trip across the pond that has been a long time coming.  I'll keep you updated as I go along.  I have a feeling 2013 will be a great year!

--

*Allene Angelica*

       =^_^=

Where I Am Right now

I've been working on a story that I started on Nov 1, 2012 for NanoWrimo.  I did not make the deadline due to unforeseen circumstances (reasons I would like to keep private), [likely story], but I've developed a couple of characters that so far I really like.  I plan on completing the story.  It's been slow going because I'm debating whether or not I need to research police procedures.  There is a murder involved and maybe some knowledge of police procedures might come in handy and incorporate them into the story.  I have watched like a million episodes of CSI and Law and Order, you would think I would have some inkling of the processes involved in investigating a crime or how evidence is collected at a crime scene.  But maybe I should write it from a civilian's point of view and just try to not get in the police investigator's way.  Plus I haven't decided what city I want to place the story in.  Maybe I'll make up a fictional city?  I don't know if that is easier than a real city with real streets and communities I can tie into the story line.  I don't know.  It would make it seem so much more realistic don't you think?  So many questions, too many variables.  I'm taking it slow and easy.

My other projects are also eating away at the back of my head.  Adara, Verity and Arianna are all probably feeling very abandoned right about now but rest assured I have not abandoned them.  They are all still there fighting the good fight, in my mind.  I will get to them eventually.

--

*Allene Angelica*

       =^_^=

I Know I've Been Neglectful

I am acutely aware that I have been neglecting my blog.  Unfortunately my heart hasn't been in it the last few months.  I've also been busy with other projects.  I'll be more consistent with my posts in 2013 though.  Today is 12-21-2012 and so far we are still here.  I've never studied the Mayan calendar or their history in detail, well except maybe just their general history back when I was in elementary school, or even been interested in the theories and doomsday prophecies that have been floating around regarding today's date but still when I stepped out of my front door and stood on my patio for a few seconds marveling at the beautiful sky with it's radiant colors of red, orange and gold I did for a second wonder if today's date held a specific significance to that ancient culture.

A fantasy fiction ebook I've written.  I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.  I'm always open to suggestions to improving my writing so feel free to give me constructive criticism.

Unfold by Allene Angelica

If Looks Could Kill

I just finished reading this free ebook.  Very entertaining.

If Looks Could Kill

A Hidden Fire - An Elemental Mystery

I finished reading this book earlier this week and it's pretty good!  It's called "A Hidden Fire - An Elemental Mystery" by Elizabeth Hunter.  Check it out you might like it...

A Hidden Fire - An Elemental Mystery

Please Don't Touch Me!

There's this woman I know.  I don't particularly like her because I can sense her falseness.  And you know the saying birds of a feather so I keep away from anyone who is friendly with her.  Anyways, the whole point as to why I'm writing about her, because normally I wouldn't give her the time of day, is that she always touches me when she passes me.  My skin crawls whenever she is in the vicinity and for her to actually touch me is disgusting, I am always biting my tongue trying not to outright tell her to "Please Do Not Touch Me!".  That would be considered rude right?  Why does she have to touch me anyways?

Adara's First All Hollows Eve - A Short Story

Adara's First All Hollows Eve - A Short Story

Adara's New School - A Short Story

Published my first short story last week.  I hope you all check it out.  I'll be publishing the second book this week.  Enjoy!!!

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/218739?ref=AlleneAngelica

Man Save's Drowning Dog

This is a sweet story.  It's the first I've seen it.  It's from 2009.

http://www.bigredkev.com/2009/08/man-jumps-off-pier-to-save-drowning-dog.html

I created these two photos using my photo editor (the pictures were originally in black and white from the web that I grabbed, edited and added my own words to them).  I'll probably be doing a lot more of these.  It helps to keep me motivated with my workouts plus it fuels my creative side.  Eventually I'll use my own model (I'm trying to talk my daughter into it :) ) so we'll see...
I've been fairly consistent with my workouts and I have lost weight which makes me even more determined to carry on.  :)