Help! As predicted, BAD acne came back...

[anchor31]

Just started my second cycle of Diane-35 today and I feel great! But... I started having major zits again on my face, back and chest last week. Wah!

So I''m very much needing new skin care product. Again, I turn to you for advice...

I need a facial cleanser, a body cleanser and a spot treatment that works for severe acne, but won''t hurt my very sensitive skin... Something that''s poor-college-student-budget-friendly...

I''m starting to regret my strapless wedding dress...

 

[somethingshiny]

My BFF had acne like you described. Her dr. put her on an RX of Erythromycin. Now, she only occasionally has a pimple.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

As someone who has truely been on everything on the market, you really may have to consider perscription help.
I was still getting a decent amount of acne even after I took acutane but the most helpful non perscription thing I found was taking omega 3 pills. It is just fish oil that I started taking because it helps my knee problems but I noticed it makes my skin and hair a LOT less oily so now I don''t need special cleaners. You can get it fairly cheap; it cost me $20 for a bottle of 360 and I take 5 a day, so it lasts.

 

[Kaleigh]

Anchor have you tried Proactive? I'd give that a shot, but best to see your dermatologist. Good luck, hope you find something that works well for you.

 

[monarch64]

Anchor, what is your skintype? Oily, dry, normal, etc. I was just watching What Not to Wear the other night, and the makeup artist said that if you have really dry skin, you can scrub your face with regular old sugar every day for a week and it will exfoliate your skin gently but thoroughly and help with breakouts. I have really dry skin myself and I think I will be trying it this week.

Otherwise, I would try to see a dermatologist and let them know what prescriptions you''re on and see if they can treat your acne. It''s one thing to have acne on your face, but having it on your back and chest suggests that you need something stronger than just a good topical skincare product, imo. good luck!

 

[diamondfan]

Proactive can be good but I hear you can start breaking out if you stop using it.

Neutrogena and Loreal both have stuff at the drug store, and Clean and Clear does too, much more reasonable.

 

[door knob solitaire]

I go to the rock star dermatologist in my city. She is FAMOUS! I have met many of her groupies all over town. Anyhoo...all the labels and all the brands and samples she can give or prescribe to her patients...she swears by (and I do too) AcneFree Linky. There is something in this one that actually improves your skins texture. The dead skin that is a main culprit in many issues is whisked away. Your PH is corrected...and then treated. Perfect.

It is only $20 and if you look hard enough you can find a pack with full size freebies attached. You can get it at any drug store, Walmart, Target, Sephora, Ulta...many convenient places. When you are running low no need to pay for shipping.

It is a three step process. And you must use all three. (for the best results) There are other products to incorporate like peels and sunscreens. There is also a stronger one that is Serious Acne Free. I don''t know anything about that one. She said to start with the normal one and see if you want to progress to the stronger one.

You will notice a difference within 3 days ...and great progress in a week. Warning...when you stop using it...you end up back at square one. But you won''t stop. I never loose the opportunity to share that product with a shopper in that section. I have begged kids to get it. Begged I tell ya. Oh my sil also did the acutane thing...two courses of it. She swears her skin looks ten times better while using AcneFree than the years on accutane. Won''t use anything else.
Ok enough of my opinion...Yak Yak Yak

 

[anchor31]

Ladies, you''re fantastic. My skin type is "normal-to-combination" skin, lots of blackheads on the T zone and chin (ick), but it''s very sensitive and can dry up easily. I''ve been plagued with acne since I was ten, got on Diane35 at 18 so it cleared up, but now that I''ve stopped it''s coming back. When I was a teen, Differin really helped, so I maybe I should get another prescription. I don''t know how soon I can see my doctor, though.

DKS - That definitely sounds great. The website says nothing about selling in Canada or shipping there, so I guess I''ll have to check at Walmart and see for myself.

 

[akw94]

Hi Anchor,
I''ve used Proactiv for awhile now. I find that my skin is also quite sensitive so that I don''t use it every day. Or sometimes I''ll use it every day for awhile and then take a one or two day break. I also only use the Cleanser. The only time I use the other stuff is when I''m having a breakout, then I apply it to that area. I find that I actually breakout more when I apply too much to my forehead. No idea why...
It is expensive though and I''m looking to buy some of the Cleanser alone through Craigslist or Ebay b/c I really don''t need the whole pack of 3 products.
What I''d like to do is get a facial but haven''t done that yet.

 

[crown1]

hi anchor! i did not know what diane-35 was until i just googled it. after reading about it maybe you should ask your derm, gyn or an endocrinologist about spironolactone. if you google it and acne there is a lot of information out there suggesting it helps. the fact that some bc have spiro in them is addressed and the fact that you can add it to the bc with spiro and get a level that works better. i don't know why you stopped the diane but if it did the trick when you were taking it i would give it a chance to kick in. you mentioned keeping costs low spiro is an old drug and pretty cheap. one of comments i read when googling was that someone was paying ten bucks for it. hth.

eta: i did a search on this forum for spironolactone and there are two different threads where a poster has recommended it. maybe do a search here and see what you find.

 

[Independent Gal]

Anchor, I feeel your paaaain. I''ve been breaking out like c-r-a-z-y lately. One thing that has sometimes worked for me that I''m going to give another try is Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. It only costs about $4 and lasts 2-3 months if you are using it twice a week. It''s basically a clay mask that has sulphur in it (good for adult acne!) and tightens pores / gets rid of blackheads etc. On my skin, it works pretty well. Like a facial but without the price tag.

Plus, your face is green while the mask is on so you get to chase your FI around the house pretending to be an alien invader. Always fun.

 

[VegasAngel]

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, Normal to Oily Skin-If you wear makeup use a babywipe with the Cleanser
Aveeno® Skin Relief Body Wash Fragrance Free
If you can swing it Paula Begouns Weightless Body treatment with 2% BHA
Stridex Power pads -You can get them at CVS or Long's

 

[anchor31]

Date: 1/29/2008 10:21:04 AM
Author: crown1
hi anchor! i did not know what diane-35 was until i just googled it. after reading about it maybe you should ask your derm, gyn or an endocrinologist about spironolactone. if you google it and acne there is a lot of information out there suggesting it helps. the fact that some bc have spiro in them is addressed and the fact that you can add it to the bc with spiro and get a level that works better. i don't know why you stopped the diane but if it did the trick when you were taking it i would give it a chance to kick in. you mentioned keeping costs low spiro is an old drug and pretty cheap. one of comments i read when googling was that someone was paying ten bucks for it. hth.

eta: i did a search on this forum for spironolactone and there are two different threads where a poster has recommended it. maybe do a search here and see what you find.

I stopped taking Diane35 because it was turning me into a monster. Major mood swings, fatigue, etc. Your point about spironolactone is very interesting and worth investigating.

 

[anchor31]

Date: 1/29/2008 10:43:39 AM
Author: Independent Gal
Anchor, I feeel your paaaain. I''ve been breaking out like c-r-a-z-y lately. One thing that has sometimes worked for me that I''m going to give another try is Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. It only costs about $4 and lasts 2-3 months if you are using it twice a week. It''s basically a clay mask that has sulphur in it (good for adult acne!) and tightens pores / gets rid of blackheads etc. On my skin, it works pretty well. Like a facial but without the price tag.

Plus, your face is green while the mask is on so you get to chase your FI around the house pretending to be an alien invader. Always fun.

It gets rid of blackheads? Goody! I''ve never been able to get rid of those, even Diane35 wasn''t helping.

 

[Independent Gal]

Just thought of something else GREAT for blackheads (but not so much for acne in general). There''s a device you can get at a drugstore, I don''t know what it''s called, but someone in the beauty aisle can probably help. It''s basically a little flat metal thing with a scooped out area at the end with a hole in it. Essentially, you just kind of press it over the black head, and it squeezes out the gunk. Doesn''t hurt or anything. And yeah, it''s kind of gross. But nothing works quite like it! Especially on the nose and the side of the nose, and the nook above the chin. Shouldn''t cost more than $5 or so.

Sorry that that was such a bleuchy post.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 1/29/2008 10:43:39 AM
Author: Independent Gal
Anchor, I feeel your paaaain. I''ve been breaking out like c-r-a-z-y lately. One thing that has sometimes worked for me that I''m going to give another try is Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. It only costs about $4 and lasts 2-3 months if you are using it twice a week. It''s basically a clay mask that has sulphur in it (good for adult acne!) and tightens pores / gets rid of blackheads etc. On my skin, it works pretty well. Like a facial but without the price tag.

Plus, your face is green while the mask is on so you get to chase your FI around the house pretending to be an alien invader. Always fun.

Indy, Queen Helene Mint Julep Face Mask is my JAM! I love it and I recommend it to everyone!

For some reason I started breaking out a lot in the last 6 months or so, so I made a dermatologist appointment and got two prescriptions that are working wonders for me. I''m using Retin-A Micro and a topical antibiotic liquid called Clindamycin Phosphate and my skin looks seriously amazing after about 20 days of using them both. (I use Retin-A only at night and I use the antibiotic morning and night.)

Anchor, I don''t know if you have insurance or if you can get prescriptions through a student clinic at your university, but I can''t recommend that combo highly enough! I will say that I''m pretty sure it''s the Retin-A that''s been working the magic.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Date: 1/29/2008 10:16:46 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 1/29/2008 10:43:39 AM
Author: Independent Gal
Anchor, I feeel your paaaain. I''ve been breaking out like c-r-a-z-y lately. One thing that has sometimes worked for me that I''m going to give another try is Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. It only costs about $4 and lasts 2-3 months if you are using it twice a week. It''s basically a clay mask that has sulphur in it (good for adult acne!) and tightens pores / gets rid of blackheads etc. On my skin, it works pretty well. Like a facial but without the price tag.

Plus, your face is green while the mask is on so you get to chase your FI around the house pretending to be an alien invader. Always fun.

Indy, Queen Helene Mint Julep Face Mask is my JAM! I love it and I recommend it to everyone!

For some reason I started breaking out a lot in the last 6 months or so, so I made a dermatologist appointment and got two prescriptions that are working wonders for me. I''m using Retin-A Micro and a topical antibiotic liquid called Clindamycin Phosphate and my skin looks seriously amazing after about 20 days of using them both. (I use Retin-A only at night and I use the antibiotic morning and night.)

Anchor, I don''t know if you have insurance or if you can get prescriptions through a student clinic at your university, but I can''t recommend that combo highly enough! I will say that I''m pretty sure it''s the Retin-A that''s been working the magic.

I had great luck on the Retin-A as well. It does make one more sensitive to the sun so when my family learned it was skin cancer my grandma died of, they took me off it. Just so you know.
If you decide to go with over the counter stuff, pretty much all of them, including proactive, have the same active ingredients. It is either benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid so there is no need to get something expensive like proactive when the store brand is the same thing.

 

[Gemma12]

Anchor, I''m so sorry!

Diane-35 is often used in people who have symptoms of high testosterone levels (which is how spironolactone acts as well) to prevent acne. Having said that it is very common for women stopping the pill to have increased acne for 2-3 months as hormone levels return to normal.

Different types of acne respond to different treatments. Retin A and other topical treatments can be very effective but do sensitise to sun so be careful of that-they can also be very drying.

Hope that things settle down for you soon!

 

[anchor31]

Date: 1/29/2008 10:16:46 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 1/29/2008 10:43:39 AM
Author: Independent Gal
Anchor, I feeel your paaaain. I''ve been breaking out like c-r-a-z-y lately. One thing that has sometimes worked for me that I''m going to give another try is Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. It only costs about $4 and lasts 2-3 months if you are using it twice a week. It''s basically a clay mask that has sulphur in it (good for adult acne!) and tightens pores / gets rid of blackheads etc. On my skin, it works pretty well. Like a facial but without the price tag.

Plus, your face is green while the mask is on so you get to chase your FI around the house pretending to be an alien invader. Always fun.

Indy, Queen Helene Mint Julep Face Mask is my JAM! I love it and I recommend it to everyone!

For some reason I started breaking out a lot in the last 6 months or so, so I made a dermatologist appointment and got two prescriptions that are working wonders for me. I''m using Retin-A Micro and a topical antibiotic liquid called Clindamycin Phosphate and my skin looks seriously amazing after about 20 days of using them both. (I use Retin-A only at night and I use the antibiotic morning and night.)

Anchor, I don''t know if you have insurance or if you can get prescriptions through a student clinic at your university, but I can''t recommend that combo highly enough! I will say that I''m pretty sure it''s the Retin-A that''s been working the magic.

So, I''m on a quest to find that Queen Helene mask! Thing2of2, meds insurance is mandatory in Qc, so it''s not a problem. I will see a doctor at the student clinic, we''ll see how soon I can get an appointment. Thanks for the recs!

 

[anchor31]

Date: 1/30/2008 2:00:18 AM
Author: Gemma12
Anchor, I''m so sorry!

Diane-35 is often used in people who have symptoms of high testosterone levels (which is how spironolactone acts as well) to prevent acne. Having said that it is very common for women stopping the pill to have increased acne for 2-3 months as hormone levels return to normal.

Different types of acne respond to different treatments. Retin A and other topical treatments can be very effective but do sensitise to sun so be careful of that-they can also be very drying.

Hope that things settle down for you soon!

Thanks! I do hope that it will go away in 3 months or so!

 

[VegasAngel]

Benzoyl peroxide & prescription creams kill the bacteria that causes acne therefore reducing breakouts, if you stop using them then you will breakout. There is no cure for acne. Unless of course the acne you have is caused by something you are putting on your skin rather than an internal issue.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Date: 1/30/2008 1:27:08 PM
Author: VegasAngel
Benzoyl peroxide & prescription creams kill the bacteria that causes acne therefore reducing breakouts, if you stop using them then you will breakout. There is no cure for acne. Unless of course the acne you have is caused by something you are putting on your skin rather than an internal issue.

Acutane is meant to be a permenant cure to acne and in a lot of people it does work. It didn''t totally get rid of mine, but it made it a lot better and prevented it from getting so bad it scarred. For my mom it did cure her acne completely. It depends on what kind you have. Supposedly using a laser that closes oil glands also works and is permenant. But yes, everything is meant to be temporary.

 

[VegasAngel]

Accutane does help to clear a lot of people but it isnt "The cure" No one would have acne if it was. I took two rounds of Accutane & still breakout not only that I am dealing with some side effects 8 years later. I wish it would have been the answer for me

 

[diamondfan]

there is another topical besides differin that is by RX and is supposed to be good. Some insurance will not pay and it can run over 100.00 a tube but I am not sure.

You must not overdry in trying to treat the acne. Your skin makes MORE oil to compensate for the dryness. Spot treating but being careful not to overuse products with salicylic, sulfur, etc. is important.

Back and chest facials can be good, along with sprays meant for those areas.

 

[sunnyd]

For me, Cetaphil is a godsend!!! I didn''t have horrible acne, but more than a 23 year old should have...I do that 2x a day, and Neutrogena 2.5% beryloxide(?) 2x a day, with a toner because I get really oily. I have really sensitive skin too, so no fragrances or anything for me. All drugstore!

Anchor, if you google ''the regimen'' the first site is where I got that from. I really noticed a difference right away. I hope that helps!

 

[VegasAngel]

SDL, That is sad.

After I stopped breastfeeding my skin starting breaking out really, really bad. Usually the products/regimen I use works really well but not with this acne. I went to my derm for something else & man she made a point to treat my acne. I told her I didnt care her exact words were "No, you need something." Ha. She prescribed Differin. I''m happy with the results & only use it every other day.

I think OTC products should be tried first before going to the derm. If you dont get results then a dermatologist is the next step.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 1/30/2008 1:27:08 PM
Author: VegasAngel
Benzoyl peroxide & prescription creams kill the bacteria that causes acne therefore reducing breakouts, if you stop using them then you will breakout. There is no cure for acne. Unless of course the acne you have is caused by something you are putting on your skin rather than an internal issue.

Anchor, I use a Benzoly peroxide 4% face wash daily (it is a perscription) and Differin 1% (gel) and have used Retin A in the past. I like Retin A better than Differin but use Differin because it does not dry out my skin as much.

 

[door knob solitaire]

Sorry to threadjack...SDL...you got me under pressure here! That one you bought at the club is twice as much product! Great buy. I trust it will work for him. Stay on him to do it twice a day!!!

On that accutane birth defect issue, my SIL had to sit through two hour video showing her how that drug affected the fetus...and then the baby. She said the deformities were unbelievable. She said she was in tears as she left the office-had to sit in car alone for an hour after. She and her husband had to return to watch another set of videos and then sign a ton of forms stating they knew the risks. Without too much info...I think they shipped hubby off to Bali for 6 months! She said NO NO NO...no means NO! And they doubled up on birth control for 2 years after. IT IS WAY SERIOUS. Don''t mess with it if you plan to do anything that may make you pregnant. Also, I learned it is so strong, it actually changes your bone color from white to grey. I am sure there are other things that can do that...but that is strong. And it travels deep into your body. I don''t know of the other product names being discussed here. But please think it through if it is anything like Accutane. (oh she was an emotional mess...always crying...and at her wits end...she is ok now...but geeze. Still afraid to have children 6 years later.)

Anyone who has taken it...please don''t be offended by my post. (everyone has a decision to make and you made what was right for you..) However, If one person will think twice about taking it...the post was worth it. I hope you agree?

 

[anchor31]

Don''t worry, there''s no way I will take accutane. My brother took two regiments of it and became severely depressed. There''s a history of depression in my family caused by some medication pills, which is why I got worried when I started depression-like symptoms while on the pill and got off it. So I definitely want to try to control my acne without pills.

 

[debhew]

I use Benzoyl Peroxide every night and it pretty much does the trick. I purchase a low %, extremely potent BP cream sold exclusively through Acne.Org (not as drying as clearasil and other over the counter brands due to its low % yet more effective due to the potency of the ingredients

).