The Acne Thread #3

[Fabulyss]

I will try that. Have you tried drinking diluted apple cider vinegar too? I heard it't good beacuse it balances hormone levels.

I haven't, but I'll definitely try that too! Thanks

 

[martizung]

I've read somewhere that coconut oil helps acne - anyone who can confirm it?

 

[WerbowyStegner]

^Apparently it exasperates breakouts too ><

 

[martizung]

^ that sucks.
but maybe it can be the case of getting worse before getting better?

 

[Jinadaze]

Coconut oil is comedogenic, so I would not use it on acne prone skin.
Oils are a big no no for me though, even the 'light' ones, like rosehip, grape seed oil and even tee tree.

I am using apple cider vinegar for four days now and seems like it helps me. Will order Grandma's soap bar on ebay too.

 

[melfreya]

Has anyone tried Fucidin? I started using it because my skin was very irritated after trying Avene's Diacneal. It made the irritation go away and I thought oh well I'll continue using it just to see, and I swear my skin hasn't looked that good in years.
I've been using it for a few weeks now and not a single spot has appeared when I always have 2-3 all the time.

 

[ffashionist]

Does Fucidin dry out your skin? Do you need a prescription to buy it?
I can agree that Avene's Diacneal is extremely harsh and in my case also ineffective. It completely ruined my face. I recently wrote about it on my blog because I really don't understand why all dermatologists recommend Avene products. They are too aggressive and chemical.

 

[Jinadaze]

Diacneal was horrible for me too, it burns my skin like nothing else, but I have very good experiences with Cleanance K.

 

[melfreya]

It's an over the counter cream in Europe, no prescription needed. It's for treating burns and inflamed skin. It is very soothing and moisturizing.

 

[Vega Magnus]

i still think you are using way too much harsh stuff. if i were you i would use a mild cleanser like cetaphil or cerave followed by the clean and clear moisturizer during the day.

then wash again at night with the mild cleanser and then use the benzoil or benzoyl peroxide treatment or the clean and clear moisturizer again. i seriously dont think the moisturizer would make you break out because it is non-comodogenic.

I've started doing this and it works great. No negative effects from quitting the astringent, the Cetaphil cleanser works great, and my skin is far less red. You're an utter genius. Thank you.

 

[Rova]

My skin has cleared up so much the last weeks.
I use mineral makeup that I apply with a soft synthetic brush.
I noticed that if I use another brush I get small bumps under my skin. I also get them where I apply concealers that aren't mineral powder.
I used to wear moisturizer under my mineral powder but I stopped and I get fewer bumps and the makeup also stays longer.

It's ridiculous how much damage a brush can do. I don't even buff my foundation in that much... I strongly suggest soft synthetic brushes if you have the same problem : )

 

[ad041715]

I just got prescribed Retin A Tretinoin 0.01% gel and Doxycycline pills. I'm a bit scared about the Retin A as I hear that around the third week your skin breaks out tremendously (the skin is purging all the future acne and opening your pores). Has anyone here been on either of these medications? What was the outcome and how did you cope during the "rough period"?

I was watching the YouTube diary of a girl on this same regimen and on the third week her skin looked hellish but by week 24 her skin was flawless.

 

[ChloeFrancoise]

How do you treat breakouts when your skin had gone from its usual oily state to slightly dry? In the last week my skin has been drier which I first thought was from using a product but it's actually different. I know skin can change when the seasons change but that hasn't happened to me before and now I'm more broken out than when it was still oily and I wouldn't want to put drying things on it.

 

[Jinadaze]

Guys, where in Chicago is possible to buy Paula's Choice products, is there any physical store, drugstore or pharmacy? Thanks in advance.

 

[Junn]

This is not for existing acne but as a post acne scar treatment. I use lemon juice mix in water and apply after cleansing my face. Start gentle with the lemon juice. I've noticed it helps to lighten scar/marks after a while.

 

[pantaloend]

This is not for existing acne but as a post acne scar treatment. I use lemon juice mix in water and apply after cleansing my face. Start gentle with the lemon juice. I've noticed it helps to lighten scar/marks after a while.

Doesn't it burn when you do that?
I heard the same tip about honey, it is supposed to help to erase scars!

 

[Vega Magnus]

I am beyond frustrated. I've been having constant issues since late November. First, my pores were getting pretty clogged, leading to at least one badly clogged pore on my face at all times on either my chin or forehead. That has gotten better, but it's still something that could happen at any time IMO. Now my left cheek has been breaking out. I have a couple under the skin that still need to go away, but the others are gone now, but I have zero faith that it won't get bad again. I've also had some issues with pimples along my jaw, right under my face. Those are getting better also though, but they're unpredictable as well. It may seem like everything is getting better, which may be the case, but something else is going to go wrong on another part of my face (Likely my forehead.) just as soon as it seems to be getting better overall, and therein is the problem.

My skin is very unpredictable and seems to do whatever no matter what I do to it. My typical stuff is very mild; just Cetaphil cleanser in the morning and early evening and Clean & Clear .5% salicylic acid lotion at night after I shower. I used to use very potent 2% salicylic acid astringent, the lotion, and 10% benzoyl peroxide cream at night, which were extremely strong and caused my skin to redden and at times peel, but it worked very well until early fall 2011 when I started having issues with my left cheek. (It's always my left cheek that gets breakouts, not my right. Weird.) Its effect got even more inconsistent last spring, when I started having issues similar to what I've got now. I ended up quitting it with no negative effect, but nothing I have tried since, not even returning to my old stuff, (Which is far too strong anyway.) has worked very well. My skin is still pretty much constantly having something go wrong with it. It's strange because I had very few skin issues at all during adolescence, but once I got to be eighteen/nineteen, it started having issues, and now it has been getting about as bad as it ever got when I was fourteen. That makes no damn sense! Shouldn't it be getting LESS acne as I get older? I eat healthy, I exercise, I drink lots of water, I try to keep my face clean, I don't put my phone against my face, and I try to sleep on my back. I guess it's hormonal, aging, or something, but I still don't understand it. Granted, it isn't like my face is completely covered; just a few here and there; but it shouldn't be like that! Anyway, here is a list of stuff I've tried and the resulting effects:

.5% salicylic acid lotion: Works good for what it is. Quite weak, but it's something. I like it quite a bit.

1% and 2% salicylic acid astringent: Used to work, now too strong and mostly ineffective.

10% benzoyl peroxide cream: Used to work well. May still work somewhat, but when I tried it this weekend, it tore apart my skin. Good exfoliating agent I guess, but not something I can use regularly.

10% glycolic acid: Keeps pores unclogged okay, exfoliates, and fades scars, but not really an acne treatment. Reddens skin too. Useful though.

2% salicylic acid face wash: About the same as Cetaphil. I guess it's okay. Doesn't do anything of note.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner: Horribly overpriced. Works to an extent, but not nearly well enough to justify the price. Mediocre.

This is really annoying me. I'm admittedly very vain when it comes to my skin, but it's not even the acne that bothers me as much as it is that I don't understand why it exists or how I can get it to go away for good. I miss when I was younger and I knew that if I applied certain stuff and avoided doing certain things, my skin would stay clear almost all the time. I think my skin has changed a bit since then though. Anyway, any advice would be welcome.

 

[Jinadaze]

I can't believe how much the new regime improved my skin in the last months. In september I cutted out sugar and almost all diary products and my skincare is as follows:

In the morning: Grandma's Soap for oily skin, apple cider vinegar toner, Cosmerba cream (or Balea Beauty Effect with SPF if I go out)

At night: Grandma's Soap, Paula's Choice 8 % AHA, Cosmerba cream

I'm using a mineral foundation only, which is not clogging my pores at all and a cleansing mask approximately twice a week.

 

[emailme.]

Any experience with Paula's Choice products anyone?

 

[Jinadaze]

Maybe you overlooked but there a quite a lot of post reviewing it in this thread and here too.