Advice on acne

[archubbycub]

Thanks Bowyn for the great advice and the humor as well! As much as I like to swim the gills thing shouldn't be a problem. As far as the oatmeal soak I found an oatmeal bath treatment the other day while shopping. Says it's good for things like poison ivy and sunburns. Think that might help?

[zeon]

Hello,
The only thing i can say is it is best to accept its existance really and do trial and error... I know withg me i had bad spots til i was 24 then they sort if buggered off Not sure how ir why but my ex is in his thirties and has em still

[MidgetGem]

Hey, I only ever suffer from small breakouts on my back thankfully though have found that adding a few drops of both natural tea tree oil and lavender oil to a hot bath helps incredibly well along with scrubbing it with a loofah and some "aknicare cleanser" I believe that's what it's called, can't remember off by heart but it's a life saver - combine those techniques and it can help fro the breakouts you suffer on your back/thighs etc not so sure for the face though! no experience there but I would imagine it should help a bit, try cleansing your face with a little bit of hot water and tea tree oil + the lavender oil a natural anti-bacterial, anti-septic and anti-fungal killer it's worked great for me :redface:

Usually do the whole bath thing as opposed to a shower now on a daily basis and if I am in a rush in the mornings just a hot shower and the aknicare cleanser has worked well.

[Blue]

Look at the bright side, if you have acne as I do, you also probably have oily skin and, it doesn't wrinkle as early as dry or even normal skin does. Yes we have a bit of a battle keeping the breakouts to a minimum but, hey, we look better at 60 LOL.

It is genetics, and you can't cure it, but you can use the ideas here to minimize it. Always going to be a few blackheads and the pimple here and there, but unless you have cystic acne, I don't think it's worth the expense of professional medical treatment. If it is cystic acne, then there are medical procedures that will correct it, but they are very costly.

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Thanks Bowyn for the great advice and the humor as well! As much as I like to swim the gills thing shouldn't be a problem. As far as the oatmeal soak I found an oatmeal bath treatment the other day while shopping. Says it's good for things like poison ivy and sunburns. Think that might help?

Its the same thing basically, except it is most likely the sweepings off the floor of the oatmeal mill/packaging plant, put in a pretty package with maybe a few other things added to prevent people from trying to eat it and sold at a tidy profit.

I would suggest you look at the rest of the ingredients to make certain there are not dyes and or scents or other chemicals added that might irritate more or lead to clogged pores. There shouldn't be, but there might be.

[BeautifulBlue]

Ooooh, something I am knowledgeable about.

In brief, I went through puberty early, started getting acne at nine and have been battling it since. I was on a slew of medications including the infamous Acutane (which I don't recommend to anyone, and I believe it's been pulled from the market.) Since my late teens I've had minor problems with acne, but I believe that's all stress related due to my Bipolar Disorder.

Now... my regimine is on the cheaper end (but still costly) and is for oily skin, so it might help you.

Anyway, before I put any products on my face that I plan on leaving on my skin, I use a cleanser. I use Hill Country Essentials Acne Wash (Oil Free, Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment.) This is to exfoliate the pores and get all the shit out of them. Be sure to rub up down/left and right, but also in a circular motion.

Afterward (and before I get in the shower,) I use a Manuka Honey treatment. This can be done with any kind of Manuka Honey you get in store or online (just make sure it's the highest percentage of honey you can.) Apply it to all affected areas and do as you did with cleanser--up, down, left, right and circular motions. Leave that on for about fifteen to twenty minutes so it can sink into your skin.

Get in the shower and wash it off. Make sure it's WARM water so it opens your pores.

Afterward, get out of the shower and use a moisturizer of your choice. I recently ran out of mine, so I go without (which is a big no no, but I have no cash for a new one.)

FOR SHAVING --

I recently started using Gillette Hydrator Hydrant before shaving, applying it in the same kind of motions I did before. The trick with this stuff is to continue to rub it into your skin until your skin feels VERY light (it's a weird thing to explain unless you actually experience it yourself.) Wash it off, warm water, then shave. I didn't have a problem with ingrown hairs or razor cuts like I usually do.

FOR GENERAL USAGE

For the small stuff, use Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment with benzoyl peroxide. This is just a little cream you put on your smaller pimples/blacheads.

For the bigger stuff (big pimples, boils, etc,) use AcneFree TERMINATOR. It's much harsher than the OtS treatment, but works just as well.

DOCTOR-RELATED STUFF

Really watch out what creams they give you. A lot of the shit is extremely overpowered and can leave you with major scarring. Laser is good -- if the person who is doing it is trained. NEVER go to a clinic that treats acne by using scalpels/hooks to dig it out. It's extremely barbaric and horrible on your skin and can leave huge scarring. Trust me -- I know. This isn't to say if you have a boil in a bad spot on your body NOT to have it removed. Boils are bad news and can only get bigger and bigger if left under check.

Also -- NEVER pick at your skin. I'm trying to break myself of this habit, but popping pimples prematurely can be major cause for concern. The only way you really get rid of a pimple is if you get its 'core' out (that little yellow or black-shaped nub that comes out.) If you don't get it out, it has the chance to come back.

FIN

One last method you could try (but which I don't like to do because it's so fucking sticky) is use bag balm. I usually mix it with manuka honey. That seems to work well.

Like I said, this is MY regiment and it works for me. I don't know if it'll work for everyone.

[TryingNewThing]

yeah, I've struggled with acne during my teens up til the last couple of years. I had one of those severe cystic acnes and it was on my face, as well on my back but less severe. The most effective solution I found for my case of acne is Retin-A, basically topical vitamin-a derivative but generally you would need a prescription for it. I guess you could try out OTC products, which usually have either salicilic acid or benzoic peroxide as ingredients. However, they're not very effective against papules, cyst etc.

If you decide to go with Retin-A, just remember it's VERY IMPORTANT to follow the instructions. There's also an oral option called Accutane but it comes with possibility of quite severe kinds of side-effects. Some people believe it's the last resort sort of thing but just beware you could be one of the unlucky ones, so weigh your options carefully.

There's more resources on acne.org -- fantastic community there dedicated to all things acne related. I will recommend you to read the stickys, as they're extremely helpful in searching for your own solution as the cause of breakouts varies by individuals. Their Product reviews are very useful as well. Some products will work for some people but not for others; while for some, it's strictly diet related. You'll have to do some research on your own.

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/
http://www.acne.org/reviews/
http://www.alldaychemist.com/ (reputable online retailer, no prescription needed)

gl! mile:

[BeautifulBlue]

@TryingNewThing--Acutane has been pulled from the market due to how severe its side effects are, and also because there's been new research to suggest that it may cause stomach cancer (whoop de doo for me.) I was on it for three years and I'm just now getting over my night blindness. I still have sun sensitivity and problems with chapped lips due to using it.

[Deathwish]

After a hot shower or bath, I use Sea Salt as an exfoliant. Then I either use an oil like almond oil (there's many healthy oils you can use) mixed with a bit of lemon juice. It's also very helpful to apply Moringa powder to the affected areas, maybe with some aloe vera.

I also recommend adjusting your diet. Drink lots of water and eat healthy. Processed foods, hydrogenated oils, dairy and so on are only going to increase your chances of getting break outs and acne.

[Dreamer]

Forget dermatologists, and commercially sold garbage that never works!



Try these methods out:

(If you have really sensitive skin, make sure to dilute with water as much as you can, and limit your exposure time to this methods, to prevent any unwanted irritation)

BAKING SODA diluted with water as a mask, or gentle exfoliating scrub.
(works great when mixed with ANTI-BACTERIAL Cethaphil soap when showering!)

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR diluted with water and use as an astringent.

LEMON JUICE to sooth your skin and heal any irritation.

WITCH HAZEL helps as a quick way to rid yourself of oily skin throughout the day.

These three things with erase your acne, and reduce the heavy toll of acne breakouts!

Don't expect overnight results, clear skin can take up to a month, depending on the severity of your acne, and how often you use these remedies.

These are my methods, so they may not work for you, but it's worth a try!

I swear by it, and it's all I use to keep my skin clear!

(I've tried everything! Dermatologist approved or not!)

It works not only for the face, but it's great for body acne too!

Google different kinds of methods you can use with these cheap ass ingredients!

Good luck!