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best acne treatment HELP!
For the longest time I have had really acne prone skin that I just can't seem to shake, sometimes my skin is good and other times I'd rather not go outside. I would really appriciate anybodys suggestions because I'm really sick of having to pile on the foundation if I ever want to leave the house. Apr 12 07 07:35 am Link PhotoShop. EL Apr 12 07 07:44 am Link call me crazy...drink at least 8 glasses of water per day and make sure that you change your pillow cases at least once a week. try switching your soap to 'white dial'. Apr 12 07 07:49 am Link don't 'over clean', using harsh or abrasive chemicals etc. will just irriate your skin. It is not dirt that causes true acne-it's your glands producing too much oil and clogging. Acne spots, as appose to other spots, are also practically guaranteed to scar and you will find most don't have that much in them anyway! SO don't pick under any circumstance. I cannot stress the use of gentle, natural stuff enough though-even witch hazel is too much on my skin. Stuff like clearasil etc. in madness in my humble opinion. Keep it simple, use a gentle, moisturising (yes, I know) cleanser and tea tree oil on the blemishes themselves. Do this religously. If it is true acne you will need to see a dermatologist and your doctor may prescribe antibiotics-which do work wonders but is probably something you want to avoid. Good luck  It is 'get rid of abable' in all but the most severe cases.Apr 12 07 07:54 am Link The answer is, lifestyle changes + good skin care. At the very least, you need a non-alkaline facial cleanser for oily skin (i.e. NOT a bar of soap!), oil-free moisturizer with an spf of at least 15, and a facial scrub with very fine granules...(not ST IVES). Don't use the scrub more than once a week. Good skin care is essential to clear skin, and it doesn't have to be expensive. You can find perfectly good products at your local Sally's or drug store. Aveeno, Neutrogena, and Beyond Belief are all good brands. Wash your face morning and night, and moisturize with the oil-free moisturizer. What foundation are you using? Make sure it's oil-free and non-comedogenic. Be aware of everything that touches your face, be it hands, cell phone, pillowcase, etc, and clean/disinfect such items regularly, either by washing, or using a topical alcohol-based cleaner. Also, DONT pick your skin if you are having a breakout. That only spreads the bacteria that causes acne, and can also cause scarring. That should help. Apr 12 07 08:01 am Link really...I use st.ives and find it works really well?? Apr 12 07 08:06 am Link Diesel wrote: You just stated the reason why you are having problems with acne...don't wear makeup unless really needed. Wearing makeup will block the air from getting to your pores, and it does a nasty job of clogging your pores with gunk...thereby causing acne. I wear makeup only on a few occasions: when I go somewhere special, or when I am modeling (yes, I do that too). I very rarely get acne. Apr 12 07 08:22 am Link BeccaAnnPhotoGal wrote: Ditto that on the make up and excersising-sweat helps to excrigate...I have no idea how to spell that, your pores. Apr 12 07 08:24 am Link Alice Symonds wrote: We'll just say it irrigates them Apr 12 07 08:27 am Link EL PIC wrote: Ok let me photoshop my face before I go outside lol.....Too funny. Definitely works in pics but doesn't help much if she wants to leave her house. Apr 12 07 08:29 am Link I as well have really acne prone skin. I see a dermatologist and the antibiotics don't really help that much and have some pretty nasty side effects. Make up is pretty much awful, I usually only wear it for shoots if needed because the day after the shoot, my skin will look pretty much awful Apr 12 07 08:35 am Link i share the same problem and had to test quite a few options before i found the one for me. Proactiv killed my skin. I mean it killed the acne but was HARSH overdried and really kills your healthy skin too. If you try a system, GM Collins is good because its simple and fast and gentle so your dermis is protected. Also, if you've never had a facial before, it is worth the money before you start a major acne care system because it sloughs off dead skin that you cant see so your medication can actually hit the acne you put it on. If you get a facial, go for one with 'extractions' (which is aimed for blackheads and acne). Low dose tetracycline is good if you try a system and are not happy with the results. As acne is an *Infection* that you are genetically prone to, surface treatment can only help acne that has surfaced after 3 weeks of forming under your skin. Tetracycline can help stop the infection for spreading and forming blemishes. Although you can't stay on tetracycline forever, it gives you the advantage of clear skin and less chance for acne to repopulate through touch-spreading on your face if you continue a good facial care regimen. phew! Sorry for the novel, but I share your pain so to speak and really found the latter system works the best for me. Try the regular facial treatment first (everyone responds differently) before trying a prescription. Apr 12 07 08:37 am Link CarolineVictoria wrote: You are too funny, Caroline Apr 12 07 11:27 am Link I know exactly how you feel, I suffered with cystic acne for quite some time and had tried EVERY product out there. Literally every product you can think of. Going to dermatologists, prescriptions, over the counter products, proactiv even, other natural products, all did not work. Your skin is the largest organ of your body and when something is out of balance it shows, unfortunately on your face. This is what worked for ME but it takes detication. I used(key word here) used to have cystic acne, they were deep, painful and unsightly. The first thing I did was change my diet, yes diet. NO gluten, no sugar, and no dairy. My face started to clear up in about 1 week. To be honest with you, if I even slipped up just a bit I noticed a new pimple. The diet also helps if you have stomach/digestive problems. Breaking the Vicious Cycle is a GREAT book all about the diet, except I omit dairy too. Doctors and dermatologists cannot prescribe a diet, they are not making any money if they do that. Once you try the diet for about a month you can introduce what you took out back into your diet one at a time to see if there is a difference and to pinpoint just what it is. I then bought some neem oil soap and lotion. http://www.organixsouth.com/ is the site with their products(I use their tooth paste too) The company also has Neem capsules you can take internally. Neem oil is remarkable and is used in ayrvedic medicine. It is "bitter" and will counteract the "sweetness" in your body. Other people I know have noticed a difference in my skin, that is what makes me happy:) I also bought a microdermabrasion wash cloth(EuroSPA). It is so soft to the touch and really works. No harsh chemicals, no granules(even the finest can get stuck in an open pimple) I bought mine on eBay from "Best Buy Far". I truly believe that diet, besides genetics, plays a major role in acne. If you are not willing to make a drastic change in your diet try the Neem oil. If you do try it I would love to hear if it worked for you:) Apr 12 07 02:00 pm Link Some more things that help.... Herbal steams 2 times/week. Herbs to use are lavender, fennel, comfery, licorice, calendula, lemongrass, anise. I'm sure there are more but I like these listed. Wash your face before you steam. Boil the herbs in a covered non-metal pot(metal will absorb the essences) for about 3 minutes. make a tent with a towel and steam for about 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Honey and coconut cream mask (you can buy full fat coconut milk and add it to the honey) I use raw organic honey. After a steam or washing apply the honey or honey and cream to face and let sit for about 10 minutes. The honey is an acid and a humectant. Coconut oil/cream is a GREAT for your skin and body, packed with nutreints. I cook with organic coconut oil too. Aloe vera, not the gel from the store but the gel sraight from the plant. Aloe Vera contains an array of materials, including the following.... Acids - antimicrobial, anti-helminitic (anti-parasitic worms), wound healing for skin tissue and ulcers. Amino Acids - required for repair and growth. Aloe Vera contains twenty of the twenty two essential amino acids. Enzymes - catalysts enabling chemical reactions to take place. Lectin - anti-tumour effects. Lipids - principle structural components of living cells. Minerals - calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium are all present in significant quantities. Lactates and Salicylates - analgesic properties. Phenolics - mild antiseptics and antimicrobials. Polysaccharides - long chain sugars broken down to smaller ones via enzymes. Urea-Nitrogen - pain killing effect. Vitamins - contains 8 of the 13 recognised vitamins. Contra-indications/Precautions... Not recommended during pregnancy. I also do oil pulling with sesame oil. Swish a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for about 20 minutes, on an empty stomach, and spit out the oil. It should be white and bubbly. DO NOT SWALLOW it has the toxins in it from your body. This helps to remove toxins from you body, a type of cleansing. Be sure to wash the sink after you spit it out. Brush your teeth:) It took me many, many years to figure all of this out and I am very glad I did:) Apr 12 07 02:21 pm Link Well, I've found that with adult acne oil & bacteria often have nothing to do with it! It could even be because your skin is dehydrated.. try treating it for inflamation & avoid irritating it (which includes most skin care products). Aloe vera is a pretty good quick fix and when you've developed some sort of balance (i.e not too dry, oily or flaky or mixtures) believe it or not, a 30 min massage with baby oil will exfoliate all the blemishes right off.. gently & more effectively than abrasive alternatives. 'Kay, that's my lecture.. Good luck! Apr 19 07 01:57 pm Link EL PIC wrote: Meanie! Apr 19 07 03:58 pm Link BeccaAnnPhotoGal wrote: Huh? Oh man, the whole wearing make-up gives you pimples is just as old as the not wearing a sweater will give you pneumonia tale. Drinking water and unless you know how certain chemical ingredients interact wit your skin (using organic products is the best way to go) are 2 key elements in clear skin. I've slept with my makeup on before and aside from really oily skin when I wake up the next morning I've been fine. Apr 19 07 06:59 pm Link I don't know if this works for anyone else but for me it was the best thing to happen.. EVERY product that Proactiv has, haha. It has made a dramatic change in my life and self esteem. Apr 19 07 07:01 pm Link This is what I do: Lots of water Dove soap Noxiema (spelled wrong) face mask. Differn and tazorac for spot treatments along with other acne creams And just plain wash your face at least twice a day. Also do to a skin dr they can perscribe some good stuff. Apr 19 07 08:54 pm Link Off topic, but I saw the GP for your location. Are you from ZA? Jo'burg? Just curious. Okay carry on. lol Gillys wrote: Apr 19 07 09:16 pm Link Oh, and to contribute to the thread... acne is the bane of my existence!!! grrr I HATE pimples!!!!! I need to quit juithing.  One thing that many say is a myth including derms is that diet affects acne, but I think that derm docs secretly have an epiphany whenever they walk through the mall and see young people eating pore clogging body clogging foods because as they watch you slurp down that dairy milkshake and chew those greasy fries, they are debating in their head over which color Porsche 911 to buy.  For me, I still haven't found my magic cure and my acne-osis ebbs and flows. Sometimes, my skin looks radiant and awesome. Other times, I wonder if an entire civilization of pimples have decided to set up a colony on my face and have plans of raising their little pimplets and having their little pimple families in pimpleville, i.e.- MY FACE! Sometimes I go for an alcohol swab and nuke the bastards. Noxema, rubbing alcohol, and clinique stuff do work on my skin, but in my experience they merely assist. When I eat clean (whole foods, cut down on all the processed crap and also dairy), I notice that my face takes on a radiant glow and the acne clears up within days. And the various skin products help even more to give it that healthy clear glow. But when I eat crappy, it doesn't matter if I turn my face into a Clinique landfill. It still looks broken out in pimples and now also is red and irritated from all the chemicals. So my best advice is to become a little bit more holistic in your health. Rather than seeking out that magic potion that you can put on top of your face or Retin A pill that will suck the moisture right out of your skin and drain your bone mineral density, clean your body from the inside out. Cut down on the alcohol, toss the cigs, toss the junk food, and eat whole, unprocessed foods. When you buy animal products such as dairy and meats, buy organic. The massive amount of hormones you ingest from a serving of regular dairy or meat is equivalent to taking a Premarin pill. If your hormones are out of balance, your whole body goes apeshit and basically takes a big dump right on your face in the form of acne. If you wake up with a collection of pimples in the morning, it's most likely your body's way of saying "Dude, what the FUCK?!" That's when you need to back track and figure out what you've exposed your body to that it doesn't like. Don't take a pill or slather on a lotion to cover the symptoms. TREAT THE PROBLEM. If you have chaos on the outside of your body, you have chaos on the inside, too. The cause of that chaos is different for everyone, since we're all different. But when you find what is upsetting the balance of YOUR body and remove that, you will find the path to a new clear skin. ~Just my 2 cents I borrowed from a hippie... Apr 19 07 09:41 pm Link ok there is a product out there that I have heard of but never tried, its called "Zap-it" and it is made by a company called Melaleuca. I think you have to buy it from a member or a distributor of the company so you may have to research it to find someone who carries it. in any case it is a natural product without harsh chemicals and toxins and worked wonders for my sisters adult acne. Something important to remember is that not every product works for every person so it may benefit you to do some trial and error to find what works best for you Apr 19 07 11:11 pm Link Hi Diesel, do you smoke are you under stress do you drink enough water do you exercise do you get OUT into the sun. Also sex is good for the skin.. FW Apr 20 07 07:00 am Link Fphotoworks wrote: THAT IS VERY TRUE. BUT IVE ALSO FOUND THAT IF YOU WASH YOUR FACE 3 TIMES A DAY AND PUT ON A NIGHT MOISTURISING CREAM TO KEEP YOUR SKIN BALANCED ALSO WORKS. WHEN I WEAR MAKEUP FOR TOO LONG, MY FACE BREAKS OUT ALSO. BUT I USE "WOMEN OF COLOR" PRODUCT ON MY FACE: THE FACIAL CLEANSER, THE SKIN LIGHTENER(EVENS COPLEXION), THE MICRODERMABRASION SCRUB(USE FOR 5 DAYS, THEN S TOP FOR 7 DAYS, THEN REPEAT.), AND THE NIGHT CREAM. MY FACE LOOKS GREAT! Apr 20 07 08:35 am Link Diesel wrote: Acutine. Go to the doctor and ask for Acutine (spelling?). That doctor will have to keep an eyes on you closely if you are on acutine. Apr 20 07 08:37 am Link Obagi Clenziderm (sp?) got it from my dermatologist and it is amazing. But I know you can get it online cheaper. Apr 20 07 08:39 am Link http://www.kiehls.com check out the mens skincare line. it works. keep your hands away from your face too. Diesel wrote: Apr 20 07 08:52 am Link I've gotten prescription's from my doctor and i have the most sensitive skin and i'm allergic to pretty much everything. But i've tried erythmecyclin?sp? which worked great. I'm also on another kind which is clindamycin, now i can't tell if it works yet but it doesn't cause any bad reactions so i probably will work. Apr 20 07 01:13 pm Link Some people are just stuck with it after puberty and some aren't. That's the long and the short of it. If you are one of these people then it sucks to be you! Ha.. just kidding. What I meant to say was that some things may help your situation, however if you are one of those people, there's not much you can do. As far as the drinking water, changing pillow cases, applying elephant dung, etc., I would certainly hope people are doing that stuff anyway. (Well, except for the dung thing maybe)  Apr 20 07 01:18 pm Link 3 steps from clinique Apr 20 07 02:37 pm Link There IS something you can do, what I suggested earlier. You do not have to suffer with it. I know several people who cut out dairy and their acne totally cleared up, including me. Personally, I think it is strange for another species to drink another's milk. People's bodies are different and react differently to substances, try an illimination diet. I have taken antibiotics(which ruin your body)for my acne prescribed by a dermatologist plus countelss other prescriptions. Take probiotics to replace any natural flora in your gut, it is the center for your immune system. Also consider an alkaline/acid imbalance. Having a body that is too acid is a host for sickness and bacteria. Keep in mind your skin absorbs 80% of what you put on it, do you really want synthetics and preservatives in your body? For anyone and everyone, I cannot stress enough what I posted earlier. Also what onother had posted earlier, diet, diet, diet. Doctors cannot prescribe a diet, they will not make money from it. I have done alot of research on acne, acne products, and diet. I even worked for a major skincare company and I have concluded, DIET. Some topical things that help can be tee tree oil- Latin name- Melaleuca alternifolia and neem oil- Latin name- azadiracta indica. Neem is my favorite because tea tree oil has a terpentine component. Yes, terpentine. Apr 20 07 10:49 pm Link Pure Honey. Dab, dab, dab. Patience. Gently rinse. Apr 20 07 11:37 pm Link If you have chronic acne, I would see a dermatologist. I had a friend who started breaking out in high school horribly. She saw a dermatologist and they treated it. Otherwise who knows what works? Cleaning can help keep them from being so numerous but not eliminate them. Apr 20 07 11:44 pm Link I posted yesterday, but I don't think that my reply went through. Since you are sort of in the area, I would suggest visiting the Toronto Acne Clinic. It's fairy inexpensive (I thinik only twenty dollars a visit with your health card), and they can really help you out. I went there around seven years ago, as I had a lot of acne problems as well from a very young age. I went through some topical creams, but nothing worked until Accutane. It cleared up my face perfectly. Now, when I tell people that I had acne problems, they simply laugh at me and think that I am making it up. I always get compliments on my clear skin. Wow, I sound like an infomercial. Anyway, Accutane is the last resort they would use with you, since they will probably start you off on much milder topical antibiotic creams and see how you react to that. Maybe the creams will help, but maybe not. I am definitely advising you to talk to the clinic and see what they have to say. Accutane is also not for everyone, as there are some risks involved as well as monthly blood tests to make sure everything in your blood and liver is okay. However, it worked amazingly for me, so there is hope for anyone in my opinion. I have been through every possible treatment, and found that while Proactive and similar creams worked for some people, it never did anything for me. Best of luck hun! As a side note, I would also like to add that a healthy and balanced diet, excercise, and staying out of the sun will help clear up your skin as well. However, if you do have serious problems, that may not always work. Apr 21 07 02:43 pm Link CarolineVictoria wrote: LOL....LOL Jun 19 07 11:01 am Link Bare Minerals Makeup-works wonders: you can pick it up online or at an ULTA store near you....def. worth the money, forget goopy cover-up unless its for spot treatment! Everything suggested is wonderful-I can use some advice myself! Diet/exercise/consistency with whatever you can find that works-it all helps!! XOX Jun 19 07 11:09 am Link A few years ago I was going through a similar problem and after a particular cleansing regimen It actually cleared completely in about a month! I learned NEVER to use a bar of soap on your face, but instead to use Noxema http://noxema.com/ which was something we kept around for sunburn but I never realized the benefits it could bring to my face! Many drug store will carry their own brand which is just as good (I get a large tub from Dollar General for $2.50 and it lasts months). When a zit or 2 happens to show up on my face, a product called "Boo Boo Zap" by Benefit (can be found at http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/gp/prod … Brand=core or a store such as Sephora). The cool thing is that it is intended for on-the-spot treatment and can be applied while wearing makeup. Hope this helps Jun 19 07 01:32 pm Link I used to have reallllly bad acne. And I was seeing all kinds of doctors and was put on god-knows-how-many drugs. And then I went on Ortho birthcontrol and my face is completely clear. Weird stuff, huh? Jun 19 07 01:37 pm Link London Andrews wrote: grrr. Jun 19 07 01:39 pm Link |
