Breaking out...what clears it up?

[zoebartlett]

What have you found to be the best way to clear up break outs? I've been lucky so far and haven't had any real problems with this, but I feel like my skin is beginning to regress to the teenage years. Thanks in advance for suggestions/tips!

 

[TravelingGal]

Post child, something has happened to my body - the hormonal zits I get are of the devil. I swear they erupt from below the muscles of my face - they just feel THAT deep. They are boils. You could take a ski vacation on these things.

That being said, if I even see a BIT of redness, there is stuff by dermalogica that I zap them with. If I can get them early enough, they don't erupt nearly as badly, and sometimes are stopped in their tracks...

 

[shimmer]

When I was off birth control my acne was horrible, I researched and found the acne.org products and they were surprisingly effective. I did have to use a heavier moisturizer (cetaphil) or I would get dry irritated skin, but the soap and benzyl peroxide, along with the application techniques (sounds weird...I know) worked perfectly. I highly recommend them!

 

[vespergirl]

Benzoyl peroxide is the most effective thing. Surprisingly, I found the Proactiv "step 3"Repairing Llotion (2.5% benzoyl peroxide) to be remarkably effective & gentle, but don't use it twice a day like the bottle says. You can just use a mild cleanser like Purpose from the drugstore then the "step 3" at night, or even every second night if your skin is very sensitive.

For spot treatment, Clean & Clear Persagel 10% Benzoryl Peroxide is excellent (from the drugstore). It is a much higher dosage, so you only want to use that on the actual pimple.

You also want to use a very light day moisturizer. Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing GEL (not the lotion) is very light & oil free. The Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer is also excellent, but more expensive.

If you don't want to try the whole Proactiv kit, you can buy the "Step 3" Repairing Lotion by itself on QVC.com.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

The Proactive refining mask works pretty well for spot treatment.

The thing I've noticed is that if I leave a zit alone, it heals itself at least 50% faster than when I pick at it or pop it or cover it with something. I usually don't use a spot treatment until I've sufficiently irritated the hell out of it.

If only I could practice what I preach. I have a zit on my face deserving of it's own zip code that I cannot keep my hands off. I find that if I'm bored and not using my hands, I start to pick without realizing. Gross.

 

[monarch64]

I have had bouts of adult acne, and although I am not fair skinned, I find that sitting in the sun for 15-20 minutes in the late afternoon dries up whatever breakouts I've had.

Yes, I get that it's not healthy. But it works for me, and it's not only cheaper than seeing a dermatologist, it's also cheaper than buying and applying the drugged creams that a dermatologist would give me.

Best natural remedy ever (which you may or may not have access to) is visiting the beach and dipping your entire body in salt water and then drying yourself on the sand.


Not popular...but in MODERATION, it totally works.

Much love, Zoe!!!

ETA: an alternative might be soaking in Epsom salts, and as far as your face, taking a washcloth and soaking IT in Epsom salts and just letting it lay on your face while you soak the rest of yourself. I'm not a great help at this. My aunt on my mother's side is very fair, we like to joke and call her a "ginger," has had several melanomas removed and stitched up in the past several years, so I actually do take this seriously despite my own natural brown skin color. I am hoping the best for you...

 

[geckodani]

I have had bouts of adult acne, and although I am not fair skinned, I find that sitting in the sun for 15-20 minutes in the late afternoon dries up whatever breakouts I've had.

Yes, I get that it's not healthy. But it works for me, and it's not only cheaper than seeing a dermatologist, it's also cheaper than buying and applying the drugged creams that a dermatologist would give me.

Best natural remedy ever (which you may or may not have access to) is visiting the beach and dipping your entire body in salt water and then drying yourself on the sand.


Not popular...but in MODERATION, it totally works.

Much love, Zoe!!!

ETA: an alternative might be soaking in Epsom salts, and as far as your face, taking a washcloth and soaking IT in Epsom salts and just letting it lay on your face while you soak the rest of yourself. I'm not a great help at this. My aunt on my mother's side is very fair, we like to joke and call her a "ginger," has had several melanomas removed and stitched up in the past several years, so I actually do take this seriously despite my own natural brown skin color. I am hoping the best for you...

Oh how I WISH I could just jump in the ocean whenever I had a zit!! Heaaaaaven!!!

For me (late 20s) I discovered that the secret was staying moisturized. If I let my skin dry out at ALL I break out immediately. It's odd.

 

[CDNinNYC]

Zoe, in case you haven't done this yet, you might want to confirm that you actually have acne and that your breakouts are not a symptom of something else. I was driving my self crazy wondering why I was getting adult acne and why nothing seemed to help. Turns out it was rosacea. All the ointment/washes/creams/medications I used to treat the acne was making my skin worse. Once I was properly diagnosed, my skin cleared up pretty quickly (with the help of topical medications and watching out for triggers).

 

[MonkeyPie]

My skin used to be HORRIBLE out of high school, but after giving birth in April it has stayed incredibly clear, and I have no idea why because I haven't changed anything. I have always drunk a lot of water, but after trying Proactiv and not being impressed, I stopped washing my face with anything other than plain water because it just made things worse.

I have to second monarch, though - when I was younger, if I went into a pool that was either salt or chlorine, my skin looked AWESOME for quite awhile afterward. It was like it cleaned every single pore out in a very gentle way.

I would visit a dermatologist, though, because what works for others may make your skin even worse. Once you find the cause of the acne (if that is even what it is, like Zoe said), then you can treat it properly. Adult breakouts are always caused by something, unlike teenage breakouts.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

Have you looked into facial mapping? I think that's kind of an interesting idea.

I know that since I had an IUD inserted about a year ago, I've had crazy acne around my chin. According to facial mapping, the chin is associated with the uterus and reproductive organs. So though I can't prove it's a causal relationship, there's definitely a correlation there for me.

 

[zoebartlett]

Benzoyl peroxide is the most effective thing. Surprisingly, I found the Proactiv "step 3"Repairing Llotion (2.5% benzoyl peroxide) to be remarkably effective & gentle, but don't use it twice a day like the bottle says. You can just use a mild cleanser like Purpose from the drugstore then the "step 3" at night, or even every second night if your skin is very sensitive.

For spot treatment, Clean & Clear Persagel 10% Benzoryl Peroxide is excellent (from the drugstore). It is a much higher dosage, so you only want to use that on the actual pimple.

You also want to use a very light day moisturizer. Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing GEL (not the lotion) is very light & oil free. The Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer is also excellent, but more expensive.

If you don't want to try the whole Proactiv kit, you can buy the "Step 3" Repairing Lotion by itself on QVC.com.

Thanks Vesper! The highlighted item is the one I got at the store today. I was looking at everything and I noticed that some of the products only had 2% of the active ingredient in it, but this one had 10%. I figured that must be a good thing so I went with it.

I've never used moisturizer but maybe I will. Thanks for the tip.

 

[zoebartlett]

Wow, I'm learning so much! Thanks everyone!

CDN -- I'm positive that it's a spot and not something else. Every once in a while one appears, but for this one, it was time to call in the pros.

Okay, that mapping pic is hilarious. I've never heard of it or seen the visual before, and before I read what you wrote, TG, I studied the map. I was thinking, now, I know I wasn't great at anatomy, but I'm POSITIVE that my small intestine isn't on my forehead.

 

[Indylady]

Benzoyl peroxide is the most effective thing. Surprisingly, I found the Proactiv "step 3"Repairing Llotion (2.5% benzoyl peroxide) to be remarkably effective & gentle, but don't use it twice a day like the bottle says. You can just use a mild cleanser like Purpose from the drugstore then the "step 3" at night, or even every second night if your skin is very sensitive.

I do the same thing; I use a cleanser followed by Proactiv's repairing lotion at night. Its effective and still gentle. In the day, I use Estee Lauder's Idealist+lotion (not as treatment, I use it just because it looks nice).

 

[aliciagirl]

I definitely second (or third or fourth!) the benzoyl peroxide rec! It's what is found in most RX products, but is also sold OTC. I don't enjoy the gels and lotions you have to leave on your face overnight or for multiple hours, so I always use the Panoxyl bar soap - it's just a bar of soap that contains either 5 or 10% of benzoyl peroxide. We keep both around the house and use the 5% when there are no breakouts and the 10% when we need a little extra acne fighting!

 

[Jennifer W]

I use a prescription lotion. Zineryt. It works almost supernaturally well. I don't know if it's expensive, we pay a fixed charge for all prescriptions here, but from the look of the packaging etc, I get the feeling that it probably isn't.

I just wash my face with a microfibre cloth, then put the lotion on - you dab it on from the applicator on the end of the bottle. Once it's dried, I use a moisturiser. No breakouts, any that have appeared if I've been lax for a while are dried up and gone by morning, more or less.

Little bottle of magic - I can't recommend it highly enough. I have tried everything, everything else. Every over-the-counter preparation, even a clarisonic. Big fat waste of money for me. Zineryt. It's probably made by Harry Potter.

Jen

 

[noelwr]

Zoe - I would see a professional beautician or a dermatologist. they can see if it's hormonal or if it's from your diet, etc, and then prescribe the best face care. my mom was a beautician and I have also spoken to others, and they all agree on one thing: anything you can buy at a drugstore should not be used on your face. you need to dish out the money for the stuff they sell at the salons if you want the best face care.

if you aren't already, make sure you wash your face both in the morning and at night. never go to bed with makeup on, and again, make sure you are using the right creams/lotions for your type of skin. also, make sure to get a facial every 6 weeks. I even get one for my back now that I'm pregnant and breaking out.