The Acne Thread

[Vega Magnus]

^Eh... I'd prefer stuff I can do at home. Are there any other masks or sticky pad thingies out there that might work?

 

[lucy92]

try using dr brandt pres no more vaccuum cleaner blackhead extractor before using a pore strip by boscia or biore. its at sephora and other fancy department stores.

the dr brandt products softens them up. but its not cheap. its around 50$.

or i would go straight to a dermatologist or your regular doctor. they can give you a 10$ prescription product for blackheads and other acne.

clay masks can help extract oil, but not really deep down like some blackheads.

 

[strawberries]

my boyfriend gets big old boy blackheads and I use the nose strips on him - waiting until the strip is hard (like a broken bone cast) before tearing close, but perpendicular to the skin to tear it off. It is kind of like pulling off a wax strip to get the hair from the root.... I just realised that sounds like I pull his off - gross, and I don't.

For my own blackheads I find I get good results from steaming my face with hot water and Queen Helene mint julep mask or mario badescu silver powder. Both of these mask I take off with a facial scrub. Regular facials for the bad ones though

 

[pennyroyaltea]

For blackheads the most effective method for me is using a blackhead extractor tool. Do it once a week and you'll be good. The body shop sells one... but i got one on ebay for like 1.99 haaha! It's what they use in spa treatments when you get a facial sometimes ... specifically called "extractions".

 

[dumbfairy]

I was casually browing vitamins in Boots earlier (a UK drugstore) and in the herbal section they had tablets for acne,clear skin etc. Anybody ever used anything like that? One type,which was called clear complexion in an orange box,was only £2.20 so I might just give it a go anyway at that price.

 

[Sylvviaa]

first look through ur cosmetics, if u have sensitive skins you should do some research, cause for me anything with mineral oil does not work, cloggs my pores , i had so many problrms with my skin then i cutt of with some products and whoah my skin got better a lot , and to add ive started using some vegan cosmetics and it is really good.

 

[dumbfairy]

Anybody any recommendations for a face wash for acne prone skin? I've nearly run out of the one I'm currently using by clean and clear (I only purchased it because it was on offer) and I honestly think all of the ingredients in it probably do my skin more harm than good,so I'm looking for one that will help my skin,but is a bit more natural.

 

[pantaloend]

Anybody any recommendations for a face wash for acne prone skin? I've nearly run out of the one I'm currently using by clean and clear (I only purchased it because it was on offer) and I honestly think all of the ingredients in it probably do my skin more harm than good,so I'm looking for one that will help my skin,but is a bit more natural.

I would say Avène or La Roche-Posay! They're both very good and very efficient in cleaning face without being too harsh. Have you also tried cutting down on dairy products? This made a big difference for me

 

[Sylvviaa]

I would say Avène or La Roche-Posay!

and also normaderm vichy gel

 

[dumbfairy]

From August 1st I am going to try going dairy free for the month. I was told at about age 13 that I was lactose intolerent,but over the years I just got a little bored of soy milk etc so went back on the dairy big time. But a week ago my Mum suggested it to me so it's certainly something I'm going to look into again.

As for la roche posay,how could I forget! I LOVE that brand.

 

[jusska]

Benzoyl peroxide from the chemist is the best! It's the active ingredient in most good acne skincare.
I was on isotane for my bad acne (it's the most intense treatment you can be prescribed), but my skin was still quite bad after... BP keeps it at bay.

 

[sill]

Anybody any recommendations for a face wash for acne prone skin? I've nearly run out of the one I'm currently using by clean and clear (I only purchased it because it was on offer) and I honestly think all of the ingredients in it probably do my skin more harm than good,so I'm looking for one that will help my skin,but is a bit more natural.

I think oil cleansers or cleansing balms are ideal, because they really, really get the dirt out without being too harsh on the skin. I've tried the Darphin Rosewood cleansing balm and loved it, used up every last bit of it. I'm aching to try the Shu Uemura cleansing oils, but I know the Dermalogica pre-cleanse is good too.

 

[Jinadaze]

I highly recommend Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub. They have a basic wash without peeling particles too, but I haven't tried it, this scrub is gentle enough for daily use.
VC moisturizing cream is great too!

I was really satisfied with NUXE Reve de Miel gel and Essence My Skin gel, those two I've used for years.

 

[diesanni]

I feel like I keep repeating myself in various threads but for me Dr. Hauschka products are still the best. Their cleansing cream did wonders for clearing my skin. Just don't expect over-night-wonders. A week will do, though.

 

[tigerrouge]

I was casually browing vitamins in Boots earlier (a UK drugstore) and in the herbal section they had tablets for acne,clear skin etc. Anybody ever used anything like that? One type,which was called clear complexion in an orange box,was only £2.20 so I might just give it a go anyway at that price.

Sometimes I go through a phase of drinking a cup or two a day of herbal tea with similar ingredients - bought from Holland & Barratts - and while my main reason for getting these teabags was as an alternative to drinking coffee all day, I do think they make a difference to my skin in terms of overall clarity.

Heath & Heather Nettle Tea and Dr Stuart's Skin Purify, they're not that expensive either, there's usually some special offer in-store. Although if you're not keen on the taste of herbal teas - some can be quite bitter - then you might be better with the tablets.

 

[wishbone666]

Anybody any recommendations for a face wash for acne prone skin? I've nearly run out of the one I'm currently using by clean and clear (I only purchased it because it was on offer) and I honestly think all of the ingredients in it probably do my skin more harm than good,so I'm looking for one that will help my skin,but is a bit more natural.

I've found gentle cleansers to be the most effective, but it really depends on your skin type. I have dry/sensitive skin and mild acne and found that oil based cleansers although were very good the first few times, ended up making my skin very dry. I also broke out more. For me Avene cleansing milk, Aesop cream cleanser and REN ultra moisture cleansing milk are all very good.

 

[WerbowyStegner]

^Really? I found the Dr H moisturizing mask made me break out like crazyyyyyyy and no my skin isnt oily or sensitive

What's worked for me:

-Dove fresh touch cleanser (Gets the job done and doesn't break me out)
-Aveda Shammy (THIS TRULY HAS WORKED WONDERS)
-Aveeno baby moisturizing cream.

It truly has done wonders for my skin.

A sour cream mask is also amazing.

 

[Vega Magnus]

My new astringent works quite well.

Source: Drugsdepot.com

It's much more gentle than my old stuff and doesn't make my face so dry and red. I'm starting to wonder if my acne problems have been fully taken care of. I haven't had a breakout in about a month. The problem I have now is still blackheads on my forehead, which aren't too bad by themselves, but some of them get swollen and red. Unfortunately, none of my normal acne products work on them, so I guess I'll have to try the Dr. Brandt stuff that lucy92 mentioned. I'm not too keen on the price, but if it gets the job done, it's worth it.

 

[lucy92]

Vega Magnus, you should read the reviews on sephora for those products or similar products for blackheads. they are a great help.

i just read in the current issue of details with michael phelps on the cover that blackheads are actually WORSE during the summer because our pores swell in the heat.

i remember using seabreeze in the early 90's. omigosh, was that stuff harsh! i dont think drug stores around here even carry it anymore. i hope they've changed the formula for your sake.

 

[Vega Magnus]

^I have read the reviews. They are what has convinced me to try the Dr. Brandt stuff. The vast majority were highly positive, and the negative reviews seemed to be mostly by people who didn't understand how to use the product or didn't use it for long enough. As far as the cause of my blackheads, it isn't the heat. It's that I was stupid and heavily overtreated my entire face with salicylic acid moisturizer back in March when I first had issues with bad hormonal acne on my jaw. That is pretty much what caused all of my issues for then onward; me being a total idiot.

I like Sea Breeze. It's a bit harsh simply because it has salicylic acid in it, but I haven't really had any major issues with it thus far. I'm just glad to have something other than my old stuff that works. I may switch over to the non-salicylic acid version at some point if I think my acne is in the past, but for now, I'm happy with what I've got. Plus, it smells nice.

I think my skin is in something of a transition state. Back during my adolescence, I needed really harsh products and my skin was able to handle them better. Now that I'm exiting my teens, I don't need such powerful treatment to get results, so I can switch to using weaker, less harsh stuff.