just call your doctor and ask for a prescription over the phone for a retinol product like trenitonin or differin. they cost about 10$ for a generic version. 80$ without insurance.
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The Acne Thread
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just call your doctor and ask for a prescription over the phone for a retinol product like trenitonin or differin. they cost about 10$ for a generic version. 80$ without insurance.
Vega Magnus
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It's not very serious. I'd prefer not to use prescription strength stuff like that. How about tea tree oil? Any thoughts on it?
rayoflight
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Lucy's advice on topical retinoids is a sound one, because those products are among first choice in any acne guidelines.
What's not very serious is trying to fight acne with over the counter stuff. Which don't work, ruin skin in long run and only wastes money. It takes more than one active ingredient (of which drug store products never contain even 1/10 of the effective concentration, if they even have managed to get the useful stuff in at all) to solve the problem, and acne is a multi-vector issue, so it's a one size doesn't all situation. One person gets away with using benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin gel, others need excessive diet changes or even isotretinoin prescription. So a dermatologist would be best place to start.
If you think tea tree oil is worth a try, then make sure the product contains at least 5% of Melaleuca alternifolia oil. You still require some effective keratolytic product, tea tree oil is only a natural antibiotic and mild anti-inflammatory agent (it's a bit of a natural anti-histamine in that regard), but it doen't clear out pores or exfoliates skin.
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Vega Magnus
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^I've been using cheap over the counter acne products even since I hit puberty seven years ago, usually with massive success. I would very rarely get acne at all, and the only reason I got acne recently was because of food reactions, hormones, not keeping my face clean enough, and foolishly over-treating and worsening said hormonal issues. Since fixing those problems, I have had no issues other than the mild papular stuff on my forehead. My face regimen is this:
Night:
Thoroughly cleanse face with Sea Breeze Actives 1% salicylic acid astringent.
Apply Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Control moisturizer. (I don't really like this stuff, but it works tolerably.)
Apply Clearasil 2% salicylic acid gel to forehead and jaw. (Paranoid about hormonal acne there.)
Finish with Clearasil 10% benzoyl peroxide cream.
Morning:
Thoroughly rinse off all night treatments with cold water.
Apply Clearasil salicylic acid gel and benzoyl peroxide cream to jaw and forehead.
Any opinions? It works really well for me if I'm careful and make sure to do everything properly. My only real problems are redness, (Caused by all of the stuff I use, I know.) some oiliness, and the need for an exfoliation agent. I'm going to try rosewater for the redness if I can ever find any, and I have a Neutrogena Wave cleanser brush thingie with exfoliation pads that I was going to try tonight. The oiliness could possibly be solved by the Neutrogena cleanser lucy92 mentioned, but I've been afraid to try the bottle I have because it is a 2% salicylic acid concentration, although my skin's favorable reaction to the Clearasil gel makes me feel better about trying it.
Night:
Thoroughly cleanse face with Sea Breeze Actives 1% salicylic acid astringent.
Apply Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Control moisturizer. (I don't really like this stuff, but it works tolerably.)
Apply Clearasil 2% salicylic acid gel to forehead and jaw. (Paranoid about hormonal acne there.)
Finish with Clearasil 10% benzoyl peroxide cream.
Morning:
Thoroughly rinse off all night treatments with cold water.
Apply Clearasil salicylic acid gel and benzoyl peroxide cream to jaw and forehead.
Any opinions? It works really well for me if I'm careful and make sure to do everything properly. My only real problems are redness, (Caused by all of the stuff I use, I know.) some oiliness, and the need for an exfoliation agent. I'm going to try rosewater for the redness if I can ever find any, and I have a Neutrogena Wave cleanser brush thingie with exfoliation pads that I was going to try tonight. The oiliness could possibly be solved by the Neutrogena cleanser lucy92 mentioned, but I've been afraid to try the bottle I have because it is a 2% salicylic acid concentration, although my skin's favorable reaction to the Clearasil gel makes me feel better about trying it.
Vega Magnus: I use rosewater as a toner and it does remove general redness and calms the skin, feels mildly astringent too. The anti-redness effect doesn't last that long though.
I have used Azulene Calming Mask from Mario Badescu and it worked very well on areas red from other treatments. The MB brand have several products that calm the skin.
I get new problems from most oils and creams so I've stopped using the Azulene mask, but it did work.
I also used a serum for sensitive skin. It's from the Italian brand Lakshmi. It's called Serum Spikenard Jatamansi. It has oils from rose and also spikenard, a plant that is said to reduce redness.
I'm not sure I recommend this since it's quite expensive but I'll mention it since it worked amazingly well for me. It has oils so I can't use it that often but it's a serum for everyday use.
I have used Azulene Calming Mask from Mario Badescu and it worked very well on areas red from other treatments. The MB brand have several products that calm the skin.
I get new problems from most oils and creams so I've stopped using the Azulene mask, but it did work.
I also used a serum for sensitive skin. It's from the Italian brand Lakshmi. It's called Serum Spikenard Jatamansi. It has oils from rose and also spikenard, a plant that is said to reduce redness.
I'm not sure I recommend this since it's quite expensive but I'll mention it since it worked amazingly well for me. It has oils so I can't use it that often but it's a serum for everyday use.
vega magnus: wait, what cleanser are you using now? i dont think you should be just using an astringent as a cleanser...and why arent you using a moisturizer during the day with sunscreen?
i usually apply a moisturizer twice a day (one in the AM with sunscreen and then 4 times a week at night (the other nights i am using retin A)
i would try to keep track of how many times a day you touch your face also. and try to put down your cell phone. i try to use my landline as much as possible so i can hold the phone away from my jaw.
i usually apply a moisturizer twice a day (one in the AM with sunscreen and then 4 times a week at night (the other nights i am using retin A)
i would try to keep track of how many times a day you touch your face also. and try to put down your cell phone. i try to use my landline as much as possible so i can hold the phone away from my jaw.
Vega Magnus
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^Oops. Wrong term. 
I don't use it as a cleanser. I just put it on some cotton pads and apply it to my face.
I tried using my Clean & Clear moisturizer during the day back in March, but that was around the time that I started having breakouts on my jaw. A lot of stuff started happening simultaneously around that time though. I started using the moisturizer, I started using conditioner, and I started having problems with depression. Shortly thereafter, my acne got relatively bad, and even after I stopped using it, my forehead remained clogged, leading to some regular acne issues that were a bit annoying and the blackhead/general pore clogging of the forehead I have today. I'm pretty sure most of it was hormonal, but the moisturizer sure didn't help and may have contributed to my forehead problems. (That's why I said I don't like my moisturizer that much. It's fine at night, but I'm not comfortable using it any more than that.) I've been extremely hesitant to try moisturizer during the day ever since. As far as the sunscreen goes, I didn't know that was a good thing to do until quite recently, and once again, I'm afraid of it clogging my skin up.
Oh, no need to worry about me touching my face. I am absolutely obsessive about keeping my hands away from my face. I even wear gloves to apply all of my skin products.
^^Thanks for the info, Rova.
One other thing. I got a free sample of this stuff from Sephora.
http://www.sephora.com/redness-solutions-daily-relief-cream-P201440
I haven't tried it yet. Anyone know anything about it? (It's expensive. That's one thing I do know.)
I don't use it as a cleanser. I just put it on some cotton pads and apply it to my face.I tried using my Clean & Clear moisturizer during the day back in March, but that was around the time that I started having breakouts on my jaw. A lot of stuff started happening simultaneously around that time though. I started using the moisturizer, I started using conditioner, and I started having problems with depression. Shortly thereafter, my acne got relatively bad, and even after I stopped using it, my forehead remained clogged, leading to some regular acne issues that were a bit annoying and the blackhead/general pore clogging of the forehead I have today. I'm pretty sure most of it was hormonal, but the moisturizer sure didn't help and may have contributed to my forehead problems. (That's why I said I don't like my moisturizer that much. It's fine at night, but I'm not comfortable using it any more than that.) I've been extremely hesitant to try moisturizer during the day ever since. As far as the sunscreen goes, I didn't know that was a good thing to do until quite recently, and once again, I'm afraid of it clogging my skin up.
Oh, no need to worry about me touching my face. I am absolutely obsessive about keeping my hands away from my face. I even wear gloves to apply all of my skin products.
^^Thanks for the info, Rova.
One other thing. I got a free sample of this stuff from Sephora.
http://www.sephora.com/redness-solutions-daily-relief-cream-P201440
I haven't tried it yet. Anyone know anything about it? (It's expensive. That's one thing I do know.)
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.
rayoflight is right. you could use one prescription product and forget all this other drug store treatments.
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.
rayoflight is right. you could use one prescription product and forget all this other drug store treatments.
Vega Magnus
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^You're probably right. I could probably do fine with getting rid of the astringent. It is what is causing the redness; that I am pretty much certain about; but I'm afraid to quit using it because it does prevent normal acne pretty much without fail if there are no additional factors like hormones or bad diet. I did try a much weaker 0.5 percent concentration salicylic acid astringent back at the start of the year, and while the redness was lessened and my skin mostly reacted fine to it, I got some unusual bumps on the upper portion of my forehead, so I switched back to the stronger astringent. Still, your suggestions are good ones. I'll probably try it at some point if I can muster enough courage.
Vega Magnus
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Well, I suppose I should post my final opinion on the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner. It does a decent job of loosening up material in pores for removal via Biore strips and it temporarily makes pores look smaller, but that's the extent of what did for me. It is basically just a tool to help with pore cleaning rather than something that actually cleans pores, if that makes any sense, and even then, it did not cause any permanent improvement or help with discoloration of pores. I started using Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask instead and it works way better at drawing stuff out of pores. Plus, it's half the price of the vacuum cleaner and it contains much more per tube. Thus, based of my personal experience, I can't recommend the vacuum cleaner. It causes limited improvement and one could likely find something else that works as well or better for far less.
Vega Magnus
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^Eating healthy helps a great deal, but that is only one of many possible causes.
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Vega Magnus
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I just realized something. I was right when I said that I thought my skin was in a transitional state, but it's more than just that; my skin HAS transitioned. I don't have teenager skin anymore, and I think my problems with hormonal acne were in fact marking the end of it. I don't think my hormonal acne was just a random flare-up; I think it was a side effect of a major hormonal shift in my body. Since that problem subsided, I haven't had issues with acne unless I eat poorly, do not wash my face well enough, or don't clean my forehead after wearing a hat, and even those are mild and rare.
This means that I can probably cut back considerably on the strength of my treatments, which would make my skin much less red, and likely make it produce less oil as well since it wouldn't be trying to replace all of the oil that my astringent removes. It also means that all of my clogged pores are just that; clogged pores; not acne. That would explain why my clay mask and pore strips work to help that problem while my acne treatments don't. So I don't need prescription acne meds; I need to formulate a new face regimen built to keep the skin clean and combat oil and pore clogs, which lucy92 has already been kind enough to provide with her Cetaphil recommendation. A facial would probably be advisable as well to get everything cleared out and ready for my new treatments.
This means that I can probably cut back considerably on the strength of my treatments, which would make my skin much less red, and likely make it produce less oil as well since it wouldn't be trying to replace all of the oil that my astringent removes. It also means that all of my clogged pores are just that; clogged pores; not acne. That would explain why my clay mask and pore strips work to help that problem while my acne treatments don't. So I don't need prescription acne meds; I need to formulate a new face regimen built to keep the skin clean and combat oil and pore clogs, which lucy92 has already been kind enough to provide with her Cetaphil recommendation. A facial would probably be advisable as well to get everything cleared out and ready for my new treatments.
rayoflight
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^ A facial (for extractions) would help, but getting something for daily use that helps keep oil levels at normal levels is better. Extractions aren't permanent and unless one gets them like every week, blackheads still come back between the appointments.
I'm probably like a broken record, but a retinoid product does that and more, they really do bring oil production to healthy levels and help keep pores clean in two ways: 1) normalizing oil production; 2) normalizing skin cell turn-over rate and thus slowing down the hyperkeratinization process that is one of the causes of clogged pores. It doesn't really matter whether it's one of the prescription ones (tretinoin, tazarotene, adapalene) or non-prescription retinol (but the concentration is crucial, needs to be at least 0.3% or higher), but with insurance prescription stuff is cheaper since the good retinol products are above $40 for 30 ml.
I'm also with the gentle cleanser notion! The gentler the better! For my skin cleansing waters have turned out to be most suitable and my skin really hates anything that foams, regardless of how gentle or sulfate-free it is, without them my skin is calmer and consequentially less oily on it's own (total win/win situation for me). Getting a cleanser that doesn't aggraviate skin is the best thing next to wearing sunscreen religiously, I mean that for general skin health, not just acne related. Harsh/irritating products not only lead to more oil production->more clogged pores->more acne, but also age skin faster.
I'm probably like a broken record, but a retinoid product does that and more, they really do bring oil production to healthy levels and help keep pores clean in two ways: 1) normalizing oil production; 2) normalizing skin cell turn-over rate and thus slowing down the hyperkeratinization process that is one of the causes of clogged pores. It doesn't really matter whether it's one of the prescription ones (tretinoin, tazarotene, adapalene) or non-prescription retinol (but the concentration is crucial, needs to be at least 0.3% or higher), but with insurance prescription stuff is cheaper since the good retinol products are above $40 for 30 ml.
I'm also with the gentle cleanser notion! The gentler the better! For my skin cleansing waters have turned out to be most suitable and my skin really hates anything that foams, regardless of how gentle or sulfate-free it is, without them my skin is calmer and consequentially less oily on it's own (total win/win situation for me). Getting a cleanser that doesn't aggraviate skin is the best thing next to wearing sunscreen religiously, I mean that for general skin health, not just acne related. Harsh/irritating products not only lead to more oil production->more clogged pores->more acne, but also age skin faster.
Cristina777
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I am so scared to go to my dermatologist...I am afraid that he will precribe retinoids. Is it common for someone not tolerate over the counter retinoids and prescription being tolerable?! My skin seems to prefer the "more medical brands looking", some things from Avene, Vichy, LRP, Bioderma are like satan on me
. I have this theory that "the more medical brands looking" don't change their formulas that often so their formulas have being tested for a lot of people during years and are less likely to make my skin mad...
Is this common?!
As for the gentle cleanser, some people only seem to judge how gentle the cleanser is by the presence of sulphates or not...Well, only I can say (as a consumer) is that some of the worst cleansers for me were sulphate-free...Boreade cream cleanser was one of those that were stripping and made my skin CRAZY! My skin prefer the gels (oh yeah and the ones that cost more than 20 euros per 200 ml
).
I don't like using cleansing waters on my face, Bioderma crealine is gentle but makes me breakout so bad...my problems with cleansing waters are the amount of cotton pads needed, takes more time than using a rinse-off cleanser and rubbing the cotton pad on my face feels like physical exfoliation. Maybe I just need better cotton pads, but I don't know were to get them in my area.
. I have this theory that "the more medical brands looking" don't change their formulas that often so their formulas have being tested for a lot of people during years and are less likely to make my skin mad...Is this common?!
As for the gentle cleanser, some people only seem to judge how gentle the cleanser is by the presence of sulphates or not...Well, only I can say (as a consumer) is that some of the worst cleansers for me were sulphate-free...Boreade cream cleanser was one of those that were stripping and made my skin CRAZY! My skin prefer the gels (oh yeah and the ones that cost more than 20 euros per 200 ml
). I don't like using cleansing waters on my face, Bioderma crealine is gentle but makes me breakout so bad...my problems with cleansing waters are the amount of cotton pads needed, takes more time than using a rinse-off cleanser and rubbing the cotton pad on my face feels like physical exfoliation. Maybe I just need better cotton pads, but I don't know were to get them in my area.
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The best thing you can do is go to you dermatologist
Also I dont see how can crealine make you break out its the best product ever and always recommend by derm.
Your acne problem might come from other stuff...
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Also I dont see how can crealine make you break out its the best product ever and always recommend by derm.
Your acne problem might come from other stuff...
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Cristina777
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Many cleansers make me breakout....I have tried only using them and they do. My skin likes "treatment" products best...
I think bioderma crealine is a great product...I've used on my eye area and I liked it a lot...But my skin around my eyes is very different from the rest of my face. Bioderma crealine is labelled for "normal to dry skin", something that I don't have.
All the things I use were recommended by derm...I am just terrified of trying something and the outcome being really bad...
I use cleanser, a acne scar product ocasionally, something that helps prevent irritation (I refuse to call that thing "moisturizer"- it's almost like putting water) and sunscreen when I am in the sun (most days I don't wear any- bad I know- they all look awful on me)...There are a lot of days when I don't use anything. These products don't cause any trouble for me...but when I try something new, I often get pimples.
I don't wear any make up...Base make up=huge acne pimples. My skin is bad...Most people want to have good skin, I just wish mine was normal.
"The other stuff" that causes my acne are: bad genes (my father is almost 60 and still gets bacne), period, hot weather...How many people do you know that at 13 already tried roacutane, birth control pill and a bunch of topicals?! I bet not many...
My skin looks better, but these last months my skin stopped improving...
when i was a teenager i went on orthotricyclen birth control pills just to stop potential pimples, and then i went on differin (a prescription gel similar to retin A) to to stop acne as well...
i did not have bad acne, just occasional pimples.
if solutions are out there that are proven to work, then why not use it? i did not consider it drastic.
there are also laser treatments that can help with acne, but those are expensive. there are also laser treatments that suck out oil and sebum with a vacuum like treatment.
nowadays i am in my early 30's and i only get a pimple maybe once or twice a month. i'm more concerned about large pore size and blackheads.
now because of the preventative measures i took in the past 15 years with the retinol/differin products i do not have any wrinkles.
meanwhile some of my classmates from high school resemble baseball catchers mitts.
so its a win-win situation for me. less pimples, less wrinklesB)
i did not have bad acne, just occasional pimples.
if solutions are out there that are proven to work, then why not use it? i did not consider it drastic.
there are also laser treatments that can help with acne, but those are expensive. there are also laser treatments that suck out oil and sebum with a vacuum like treatment.
nowadays i am in my early 30's and i only get a pimple maybe once or twice a month. i'm more concerned about large pore size and blackheads.
now because of the preventative measures i took in the past 15 years with the retinol/differin products i do not have any wrinkles.
meanwhile some of my classmates from high school resemble baseball catchers mitts.
so its a win-win situation for me. less pimples, less wrinklesB)
Cristina777
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Thank you lucy92 for these words.
Was it difficult for you to start retinoids? I am scared of putting them on my face. I am afraid they will irritate my skin and starting them will be really difficult.
I neglected my skin for a years because I could not face the mirror (I had really bad acne in my teens). I take better care of my skin nowdays, but still isn't good...
*edit - no weight talk*
Was it difficult for you to start retinoids? I am scared of putting them on my face. I am afraid they will irritate my skin and starting them will be really difficult.
I neglected my skin for a years because I could not face the mirror (I had really bad acne in my teens). I take better care of my skin nowdays, but still isn't good...
*edit - no weight talk*
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no, it was not difficult for me to start retinoids.
differin is a third generation retinoid. so its milder. (it also comes in many different formulas/gels etc)
Tretinoin (retin a) was a little more harsh. so i only used it every third night starting off. i could see that it was working - the top layer of my skin was starting to slough off. i used a facecloth or a clarisonic brush (i have a knockoff of the clarisonic) to take off the flakes.
i also moisturized twice a day.
i am also not out in the sun very often at all - so that keeps the irritation down.
differin is a third generation retinoid. so its milder. (it also comes in many different formulas/gels etc)
Tretinoin (retin a) was a little more harsh. so i only used it every third night starting off. i could see that it was working - the top layer of my skin was starting to slough off. i used a facecloth or a clarisonic brush (i have a knockoff of the clarisonic) to take off the flakes.
i also moisturized twice a day.
i am also not out in the sun very often at all - so that keeps the irritation down.
