Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Skin and acne

Finally won a battle--help me win the war (against acne).

tomorrow — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 15:42:11 -0800

Washing my skin with just water has gotten rid of 90% of my acne. How can I get rid of the remaining 10%? I'm a woman in my late 20s who's had moderate to severe acne on my face for at least the last 10 years. My skin care routine has always involved several products: I've always used some combination of an exfoliator, a cleanser, a toner, and moisturizer. I've used acne.org's The Regimen, Clinique's acne solutions 3-step products, and Paula's Choice Clear system, so my routine has almost always involved salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. I've seen several dermatologists and used prescription-strength versions of these products. Through all of this my skin has never been that good, and while some routines have been better than others I've pretty much always had a fair bit of visible acne all over my face.

About a year ago, I stopped using any products at all and started washing my face just by splashing it with water twice a day and using no toners or moisturizers or anything else. After a short while, my skin started to improve A LOT. After tweaking this routine by adding in this 5% alpha hydroxy acid exfoliator that I use at night, about 90% of my acne has vanished and hasn't come back. This is obviously beyond awesome! But now I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to get rid of the remaining 10%. The pimples that I get now are almost all small pustules (the kind filled with pus that can be popped) on my chin. This is a huge improvement from before, when I used to get all kinds of pimples all over my face, including the big, deep, under-the-skin ones and other painful red bumps.

My skin is very fair/pale and scars easily. While I was using different products it was extremely oily (like, I had to blot it with blotting paper multiple times a day) but since starting washing with just water it's hardly oily at all: it starts out a little dry, flaky, and tight in the morning and gradually gets less dry until the end of the day when it's just slightly on the shiny side.

I change my pillowcase often, wipe my phone down with alcohol wipes, minimize dairy, and have switched to an all-natural shampoo.

Knowing that using fewer products has helped more than anything else, what could I try to deal with the few remaining pimples I keep getting on my chin? I'm already thrilled with how much of a difference I've see, but I'm SO CLOSE to having totally clear skin and would love some suggestions of how to finally get there.

My skin is revolting. Help me lead the charge against this mutiny!

youandiandaflame — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 05:50:40 -0800

My newly 30 year old skin is acting like it wants to ruin my life. And my boobs are my skin's accomplice, apparently. What is happening with my hormones? I turned 30 last September and my skin, it seems, has decided to revolt. I never had acne as a teenager and for a majority of adulthood I had healthy skin that didn't require me to wear makeup. My routine for the last umpteen years involves washing gently every night with hot water and Dove soap...and that's it. It's worked well for years...until recently.

I'm experiencing what looks to be miniature whiteheads just under the skin. They never become pop-able. They're not as large as cysts but they are red. One side of my face has had an outbreak of this, along with exceedingly dry skin no matter how much I moisturize and that spot is about 3" x 2" of dry, red, annoying awfulness. I'm also experiencing the same thing on the bridge of my noise and now it seems to be spreading to the other side of my face. I am no longer using OTC acne medication -- tried that and it just seemed to dry it out more and make it worse. I've quit exfoliating as well because that seems to aggravate my angry skin. I've also been dealing with blepharitis in the past few months.

On top of that, for the past three months before my period my boobs swell. I've always been rather flat chested and I swear, these things go up a size and become a little sore about 2 weeks before my period.

Both those things lead me to believe this is hormone related. Has anyone experienced anything like this? What did you do to calm your skin down (frankly, I'm fine with the bigger, albeit a little sore, breasts -- I can live with that!)? I've been washing my pillowcases once a week with no detergent in hot water but that's offered no improvement. I don't pick at my skin and I've not changed anything about what I do to my face. Shampoo and soaps are the same I've always used.

Today I'll be wearing makeup to work for the first time in, uh, years. I'm not a makeup wearing person and I don't think that'll help with the skin issue but frankly, my crazy skin is looking awful so it's necessary.

Again, if anyone's experienced this or anything like it, advice is truly appreciated.

Also, I am uninsured so would prefer to not HAVE to see a doc about this unless this is a serious hormone issue. I can save up a couple hundred bucks for an office visit if I HAVE to but honestly, I'd really rather not.

How to get good good looking skin for men? Suffering from dry skin and back acne.

Parh6512 — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:43:19 -0800

What's a daily mens skin care routine to have good looking skin? Also how do I get rid of back acne for men? I have had it for years and nothing seems to be working. Im a male in my early 20's and have been suffering from back acne for 5-6 years now. They leave spots after they go away so now my back is filled with dark acne spots.

Apart from my back, my facial skin also tends to get dry and lots of black heads on my nose. I tried Neutrogena for men and dove but all those just dry my skin out.

I work out 4-5 x a week and shower right after it. My diet is also clean food and take multi vitamin regularly. I have tried using the facial product on my back but my skin tends to dry out and itches like crazy (specially during winter time).

Are there any good products you guys would recommend for my face and for my back.

It's the body's biggest organ, you know.

pupstocks — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 13:17:15 -0800

Please help me figure out what's going on with my skin. I have either a rash or acne or something on my face and I don't know why or what to do! I've used Dr. Hauschka skincare for years and would like to stick with that if possible, but I am getting desperate. Details and gross skin photos within! So, I am a 32-year-old woman, and I've had really clear skin from when I started using Dr. Hauschka in 2004-5 (so, 7-8 years ago for you math fans) until a few months ago. I used to get a stray pimple or two in relation to my period, but now I have this gross acne/rash/whatever all over one side of my face and in a big patch on the other side. Here are photos if you want to look.

My skincare routine is:
Wash in the morning with Cleansing Milk, spritz with Facial Toner, apply Quince Day Cream

I haven't worn any makeup at all since I started having stye problems (I asked this question about it; I actually had to have one of them removed by a doctor, and I have some other stye-like issues going on -- perhaps they're related?), so I don't put anything else on my face typically. I might sometimes use Toned Day Cream on top of the quince, but usually I don't bother.

At night, I wash again with Cleansing Milk and spritz Facial Toner, then I go to sleep.

Each time I wash my face, I also use this foaming eyelid cleanser on my eyelids only (again, due to my stye issues).

My current skincare routine is informed by phone consults w/Dr. Hauschka folks. They had also suggested a course of Rhythmic Night Conditioner, which I tried over the summer, but it didn't help. I've also used the sensitive version of this before, and I have a box of it I could try, but I'm not confident it's going to do anything for this.

I'm going to graduate school (so I'm super busy) in a rural area two to three hours away from the nearest dermatologist (and I don't have insurance anyway) or Dr. H facialist. I have a drugstore and Walmart nearby and I can buy products online. I really would like to keep using my Hauschka stuff since it used to work so well and it's so expensive (I have a couple of bottles of everything stockpiled)... but I really really really would like my skin to be clear and healthy. I know YANMDr/Derm, but I hope you can help me determine what's going on and what to do!!

Other potentially relevant info... I drink lots of water. I try to eat pretty well, but my diet isn't optimal (see above re: grad school, rural area [this particular rural area is a food desert]). I do try to eat lots of veggies and good stuff, but I'm not super consistent, except with the water. I don't think I'm unusually stressed out. Sleep is ok too. I don't take any prescription medications, but I do take Zyrtec and Prilosec every day and Lactaid when I eat dairy. If you have any questions for me about anything, please ask away! I appreciate you looking at my question and my gross photo and trying to help.

Soy-free moisturizer for acne-prone sensitive skin?

lemoncakeisalie — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:41:52 -0800

Can someone recommend a moisturizer for acne-prone sensitive skin that doesn't include any of these things? My skin is acne prone and extremely picky. I'd like a good daily/nightly moisturizer, and I'm sensitive to many things - any inflammation tends to break me out (I'm even trying to eat better so I have fewer insulin spikes and less inflammation from that).

I need a moisturizer that is free of oil (or specifically labeled non-acnegenic, not just non-comedogenic), free of the sunscreen oxybenzone, soy-free, lanolin-free, tea-tree-oil-free, and (if it's a day time moisturizer) Vitamin-A-free. In general, fewer botanicals would be good because I don't know everything I'm sensitive to.

I also don't want any glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or benzoyl peroxide - this needs to be a moisturizer I use twice daily (or a day cream / night cream pair), so I want control over which chemicals I use and when.

SPF is fine if it's oxybenzone free, but I'd prefer not to put SPF on my face at night if possible.

I'm currently using Neutrogena Oil-Free Sensitive Skin Lotion, which breaks me out less than some lotions but is causing breakouts because it has soy in it.

Whew! I know that's a lot of requirements, but that's why I'm having such trouble. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Can I clear up my acne scars?

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:24:33 -0800

I'm in in my 40s. I have scars on my face from teenage acne. Is it too late to do anything about it? That's pretty much it. I want cleaner, smoother skin. I want to go from crater to mare. It's been 25 years since I had any serious acne though I still do get the occasional zit.

I'm happily married and I love life. My skin doesn't really hold me back or bother me too much but every time I look in the mirror I wonder if I could improve it.

I'd prefer a minimal amount of work on my part and nothing too drastic.

How do I fix acne leftovers?

st starseed — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 06:29:43 -0800

I have leftover acne redness from 15 or so years ago, and I've finally decided to do something about it. The goal is to make my skin more even-toned and healthier-looking. What methods and/or products - preferably available over-the-counter - would you suggest? Pics of some of the offending areas on my face here, here, and here.

Accutane alternative

Anonymous — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:40:24 -0800

What's the next best option after Accutane? I have Crohn's disease so that's not an option, but doxycycline and topical treatments haven't worked. Are there any other options? I've had acne on my face for many years and haven't been able to keep it under control. Crohn's Disease prevents me from going on Accutane. I've taken doxyclcine and used all types of topical treatments. Are there any other options out there? Surgeries, other treatments, etc.? Money isn't an issue here, so let me know anything. Thanks.

Does this acne treatment work?

Funky Claude — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:18:29 -0800

Wondering if a specific acne treatment (Isolaz) is actually effective or not. I've been suffering from mild to moderate acne for a while now. I'm under the care of a dermatologist and have used several different pills/topicals with varying degrees of success. My face has finally gotten to the point where my acne is more to the mild side of the spectrum but still not totally clear.

Found out about a treatment called Isolaz. Everything I have heard about it seems great but I have the following reservations about it...
i) High per session price
ii) Always worried if these sort of things will make my face look worse/redder than before
iii) My dermatologist doesn't offer it in their offices, so I would need to find some place that does

If anyone has had any experiences with Isolaz I'd love to hear them. Did it actually clear your skin and does your skin stay clear or are repeat treatments needed?

Help me get rid of my back acne

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:09:44 -0800

I had perfect skin until I learned I had a clotting disorder and had to stop using Nuvoring. Now in addition to regular outbreaks on my face, my back is constantly greasy and covered with acne. Is there anything I can do? My back used to be my favorite feature - I am a strong, healthy 30 y/o woman with a muscular back. It is now constantly greasy and covered with white heads. Is there anything I can do? I can't take hormonal birth control, nuvoring, etc. because of the clotting disorder (I care about my acne, but not enough to jeopardize my health!).

I use retin-a on my face, seems to help a bit but I still have constant zits.

I really miss my Nuvoring - my skin was nearly perfect for months at a time! Any advice to reclaim my back?

"A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!"

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:08:31 -0800

Dermatology Filter: what the eff is this rash/acne on my chest that won't go away!? What can I do? I can't afford to see someone unless important... is this important? [warning: links to pictures involve cleavage/bra. NSFW]

I've had this splotchy, looks like acne, rash on my chest for almost 2 weeks. It seems to be spreading up towards my shoulders and arms, as well as across my breasts. I have no idea what to do about it; it's extremely embarrassing, and my current financial/insurance situation makes seeing a doctor about this unlikely unless absolutely necessary.

It's not present anywhere else on my body. I haven't come into contact with any "poison-" plants; I can't believe this is chicken pox. It doesn't itch at all until I come home at night and get ready for bed... where upon I change clothes and feel really hyper-aware of my skin.
I've been blessed with almost no history of acne beyond occasional whiteheads on my nose/chin, so this would be an unprecedented case of acne in an extremely unusual place.

Washing daily didn't help; puncturing (gently!) the whitehead spots and releasing the liquid in them doesn't make them go away.
Leaving it all alone seems to lessen redness but does nothing to slow spread or diminish the population of whitehead-looking spots.

What is this? What can I do?

Era Acne Vulgaris

rachaelfaith — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:15:39 -0800

How do I handle hormonal acne as an adult, after going off birth control? Due to questionable blood pressure issues, I went off birth control several months ago. Since then, I've dealt with horrible periods, but worse (in my opinion) is the onset of acne.

Because I was on birth control from age 16 until 23, I never really dealt with teenage acne. I definitely had my share until then, but luckily have had relatively clear skin for years. Two months after going off birth control, it's been active again.

I have a section of my jaw that consistently breaks out- and I have been diligent about cleaning phone surfaces and pillowcases, washing my face with gentle cleansers, using topical benzoyl peroxide. I have to be careful about my choice of products, because I also have eczema on my face and body.

My dermatologist suggested spironolactone but I am naturally a little concerned about jumping into a pill treatment- I would love to go back on birth control for many reasons but am worried about blood pressure issues. I considered progestin-only options, but hear they not only aren't recommended for acne treatment, they may worsen it.

Have you dealt with adult hormonal acne? What treatments helped for you? I realize experiences are individual, but would love insight regardless- and I can always use them to bring up other options to my doctor.

This has really been killing my self-esteem, coupled with the eczema flare-ups and my generalized anxiety.

Hope me!

Acne acne, go away

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:19:01 -0800

I have mild to moderate acne. My dermatologist is trying to push me towards Accutane, are there any other treatments out there? 20 year old male here. I have mild acne on my face and moderate acne on my back. I have tried a few prescription medication as prescribed by my dermatologist but they haven't really done the job.

My dermatologist will constantly suggest I consider Accutane but this is not something I want to use.

I feel like there is a whole world of skin care products/methods that I am not using. I will splash my face with water in the morning and shower at night, in addition to using a topical prescription cream as needed. What else can I do? What else should I be doing?

Next appointment with my doctor is in exactly one week, I would like to have some things to discuss with him. Maybe my acne is from my diet? Or I need to try a different prescription medication? Or maybe some other behavior?

zebra stripes are not fitting for a human.

These Birds of a Feather — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:17:29 -0800

What did I do to my poor face? I have had a pea-sized cystic pimple/nodule on my left cheek for a long while (2-3 weeks). This morning it finally dried out, but another one appeared just above it and after applying a little glycolic acid to the new spot (just to nudge it along) I discovered that this bizarre stripe had appeared directly underneath it. Initially it was bright white and now it's that angry red color you can see in the picture.

What did I do to my poor face? :( I have applied Aveno Calming Lotion to the sore and its stripe and I've even gone so far as to ice my poor face since the pimple hurts without me touching it. I only get hardcore pimples like this on my cheek.

Additionally, why do I keep getting the same cyst in the same damn place(s)? Whenever I go to see a dermatologist the pimple is always gone, and it reappears within days of seeing the doctor, so asking them isn't helpful because they don't believe me when I say I'm getting pimples like this.

How do I eat a low-carb diet that satiates me, doesn't make me lose weight and leaves my skin clear?

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:21:53 -0800

How do I eat a low-carb diet that satiates me, doesn't make me lose weight and leaves my skin clear? I'm a 36-year old male and no amount of drugs (Accutane, Minocycline) or topicals (Aczone, Retin-A) over the years has cleared my skin for more than a few months. I am so frustrated and self-conscious at this point... to be the only male in my demographic who seems to have this problem.

I have been recently hearing about low-carb diets helping acne. My diet is very average in terms of being "healthy", but I do crave salts and dairies which I'd like to cut out. In fact, I'd like to try radically changing my diet for a few months anyway to see what happens. But I've never really learned how to consistently eat healthy food that wasn't bland or left me hungry.

What are some meals I could eat that don't inflame the skin or cause salt/sugar-derived spikes that make my skin worse? I don't mind eating the same thing virtually every day, I'm not picky. I would just like to find a handful of recipes for things that are tasty, filling, but not bad for someone prone to acne.

The other problem is that I'm very skinny. I have extremely high metabolism and eat frequently, yet don't gain weight. How can I strike a balance? How can I make myself full while still eating healthy?

The only thing worse than a stressed-out bride is a stressed-out, HORMONAL bride

Madamina — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:29:07 -0800

My skin is exploding with hormonal rage... and I'm getting married in 3.5 weeks. Help? I have very pale, very sensitive skin. Ever since I went off of hormonal birth control, my skin has gotten awful, especially right around my period. As luck would have it, I seem to be expecting my period right on my wedding day.

After trying various things recommended here and elsewhere (benzoyl peroxide, clean pillowcases, Zeno, etc.) I went to the dermatologist, who prescribed clindamycin and Differin, both in lotion form. I did the clindamycin for about a month before even trying to add the Differin, and as soon as I did my skin went bright red and scaly for about a week. I haven't used anything since, aside from washing my face in the shower with Cetaphil.

So I called my OB/GYN, asking if I could go on a pill (even for just a few months...) and they said no because my triglycerides are high. I've had an IUD, which was perfect, but it expelled twice so I don't think that's an option again. So that leaves me with Nuvaring, which I'm hesitant to try, and from what I've heard won't really do much.

My visible acne is mostly big bumps around the jawline and red, slightly rough cheeks that get dry and flaky if you so much as look at them. It could be rosacea or KP; the dermatologist said that I have KP on my arms.

Any other ideas? Can I get a second opinion or some other treatment to make sure I'm okay for the big day? Do I even have time?

How do I break free of teenage skin, ethically and cheaply?

Isingthebodyelectric — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:10:08 -0800

Need an effective, over-the-counter, organic, cruelty-free acne treatment regimen! After going on & off & on birth control again, I finally saw a dermatologist as my acne had gotten worse (in my mid-20s). I tend to have a lot of small, red, spots - sometimes large ones - and at my worst it is all over my face. The most-affected area seems to change. For years it was my t-zone, and in the past couple years it has been my cheeks.

previous OTC treatment: salicylic acid & benzoyl peroxide gels, Cetaphil facewash.

prescription treatment: sulfur face wash, clindamycin and sunscreen in the morning, and tretinoin or differin at night.

It worked great! Except now I have no health insurance. And I'm interested in looking at more natural products. NEVER again will I use BP. All my t-shirts and towels have been bleached.

I currently use: St. Ives scrub with salicylic acid, and sunscreen. My skin is starting to get worse, probably because I have no anti-bacterial component to my regimen. My skin is also very sensitive so I try to use products with very low concentrations of medicine.

So:

1. What are some good organic or "natural", preferably not animal-tested, brands and products?

2. How about tea tree oil? What's the best kind to buy? When do you apply it? Did it work?

3. Can you give me solid examples of OTC treatments that worked for you on a long-term basis? Nothing too harsh.

4. Any other tips for treating this stuff? I'm trying to drink more water and get more exercise, and have read in past threads about zinc deficiency.

BONUS: I am a frequent cyclist and seem to be getting more acne around my forehead, chin & throat where my helmet touches the skin. Best way to deal with this? Sanitize the helmet? Wash my face after riding (would be tough as I ride to work)?

Thank you for your help!

The sun turns me into The Fly.

AthenaPolias — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:44:41 -0800

YANMD, but MD(ermatologist) can't see me until October (!), thanks to some excellent health insurance. Last summer I started, seemingly out of nowhere, having a very odd and very severe reaction to the sun on my face - whiteheads, all over, almost literally in crops all over my face. If you picture a person's skin being almost completely swapped for whiteheads, that's along the lines of what I had (not on eyelids, etc, but it hurt and felt horrific). It might be getting worse, I can't get to see a dermatologist, and I work outside in the summers - is there any help for me this summer? More info: I have student health insurance and am thusly tied to my university's health services. I ran this problem past a GP recently and they just said, "go to Derm," but Derm only works one morning a week, so they're backed up for months. I can't afford to pay out of pocket to go out of plan, so that's pretty much it for my legitimate medical options until the fall.

The background: I work outside all summer, every summer. I do what I can to avoid sunburns, but sometimes the amount of sweat and general busy-ness means that I get overexposed and burns do happen. Last year, I burned - came home, put on aloe with lidocaine, as usual, and about 3 hours after the burn, my face started to throb. Turns out, my entire face was sprouting whiteheads, from my hairline to my jawline. There were probably a couple hundred of them - it was genuinely disgusting. After this happened twice, I realized it wasn't any product I used or something I ate, but rather the burn - the whiteheads followed exactly the line of the burn, and wouldn't appear anywhere that wasn't overexposed. Sunscreen helped avoid this, but not entirely - and, again, with how much I sweat while working, sometimes I simply can't maintain the coverage I need. (Obviously, I will have a gigantic-brim hat this year, but last year all I had access to was a baseball cap - not enough shade).

This year, I wonder if it might be getting worse. I went for a run three days ago around 3pm. I slathered myself in sunscreen, but sweat through it within about 15 minutes. I came home and had no burn, but began to break out around where the sweat was the worst. It seems now that maybe I'm getting more sensitive?

There is no way I can avoid being in the sun. I try to minimize it when possible, but honestly the option is quitting my job and damaging my career, so that won't happen. I will have a series of shady hats, and I am looking into some more persistent sunscreen - though I've always had very sensitive, acne-prone skin so most sunscreens make me break out just from their ingredients. I'm in a bit of a catch-22.

So, without access to a derm/good doctor - what can I do? What might this be? Google is almost no help, and when google + doctors aren't helpful... dear god, I feel like I'm on my own.

Me: 30, blonde with extremely fair, freckly skin. No previous horrible burns, but constant sun exposure each summer. No preexisting medical conditions, though I have been very fatigued this year, inexplicably, despite having decent sleep, fine iron levels, thyroid, etc etc (fatigue is another thing the drs didn't help with - one said, "in a college, everyone has mono. I can't even test you for it." I've already had mono. But that was the dismissal.) Also, the skin on the rest of my body has been very itchy lately - no outward signs as to why, but I'm just generally kind of ... prickly. Though I'd chalked that up to our insane pollen at this time of the year. The pimples themselves are of only one type - small whiteheads. No cystic acne seems to come from the sun exposure.

Tl;dr - fair-skinned female started severely breaking out last summer from sunburn, situation may be getting more sensitive. About to go abroad to work outdoors for 6 weeks, hats only do so much. Doctor can't see me until fall. Help??

Looking for a miracle worker: Bay Area acne dermatologist recommendations?

scazza — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 06:48:40 -0800

Looking for a miracle worker: Bay Area acne dermatologist recommendations? The last recs from AskMe are from 2009 or 2004. Thought another roundup would be worth it. This is for my husband who has had painful cystic acne for almost 2 decades now, back, neck, face. Otherwise healthy as a horse so I'm thinking that accutane is the next step if his liver can handle it. I've been opposed to it but I've seen that there are some that got good results without the scary side effects. The dermatologist here in NYC was a quack; the Retin-A, clindamycin, differin, rosula, made his skin softer but made NO difference in breakouts. And he was so good with the routine too, to no effect. We're moving to the Bay area today and this madness just needs to stop.

I'm looking for someone really serious about results, and who could be a good, cautious guide with accutane.

Thanks!

Clear my skin!

queens86 — Tue, 31 May 2011 14:47:36 -0800

How long should I give my new acne treatment? I have always had slightly oily, acne-prone skin; I was on oral antibiotics for several years as a teenager, but not since I was 18 or so (I'm now 24). Since going off, I get the occasional zit, but nothing that has bothered me enough to seek treatment.

I'm living in a humid, hot climate, and seem to be breaking out a bit more. I went to the dermatologist for a breakout along my cheek, which I thought had left a scar (the derm said she thinks it's just a red mark). She prescribed me 10 days of doxycycline, a pH balanced face wash that is supposed to control the oil on my face, and what I assume is an oil-free moisturizer. She told me to wash 2x daily.

I've only been doing this for five days, but I seem to be breaking out more! I'm getting deep, painful pimples where I rarely or never do-- like my forehead and chin. I'm not terribly broken out, but it's definitely not any better.

My question is: How long should I keep trying this for before throwing in the towel? I have heard that sometimes a new treatment 'purges' your skin by bringing all the acne to the surface, but I'm not sure if that's a myth and sounds rather improbable to me. I've also heard that if you over-dry your skin, it will produce even more oil. My skin doesn't feel oily during the day.

Bonus: How do I get rid of all these annoying red marks?

Thanks in advance!

Tell Me About Acne Lights

ThePinkSuperhero — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 07:59:15 -0800

I'm looking for some new skin care techniques to add to my arsenal in the war against acne, and I'm interested in hearing about people's experiences with acne lamps/lights. Gadgets like this or this. Worth it or no when dealing with mild to moderate acne?

Dermatology noob doesn't know where to start

hubble — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:02:05 -0800

Dermatology: Yay or Nay? Disclaimers: YANMD, everyone's skin is different.

Now. I'm 30 years old with the cystic acne of a teenager. I have tried everything, including:

*Proactiv
*The crazy castor oil treatment that MeFi swears by
*Changing the cosmetics (that I've used for 10 years for no problem) to the newer Bare Minerals stuff
*Water only
*The usuals like Beta Hydroxy, salicylic acid, other pharmacy treatments
*Cortisone shots directly to the blemish, from my doctor
*Prescription Retin-A, from my doctor

Ok. None, and I mean none, of this has worked. In fact, it seems to be worse than ever. Therefore, it seems the next logical step is getting my very own dermatologist.

However, due to my history of fighting this crap, I'm burnt out. I have this terrible feeling that literally nothing will work—even the dermatologist's treatment.

Upon researching, reviews of treatments have been mixed, ("lol my skin so bad m boyfrin say my face r pizza, lol. dr say i get better an i did") and treatment descriptions that seem very superlative and over-promising. ("...leaving your skin firm to the touch, wrinkle-free forever, and with the kisses of angels on your brow.")

Sigh. Can anyone give me anecdotes—positive or negative—that I can more accurately base my decisions upon? What cystic acne treatments have shown a high success rate? What are the downsides?

Really—it's less question than "help me figure out where to begin."

Post-acne red spots

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 10:40:38 -0800

Post-acne red spots and discoloration - YANMD but do I have to see a dermatologist or is there another solution? Pic included Throughout my teens I had pretty bad acne and a period of about a year when I had cystic acne. I'm 19 and I stopped getting regular breakouts and pimples. I have been using the OCM for about a year and it makes my skin feel great (and look great in spots without the redness).

The discoloration and red/dark spots are pretty much exclusively around my mouth and on my cheeks. I still get occasional pimples around my period and I had a major breakout around my mouth in December because of stress from finals.

It doesn't look that bad in the pictures, but it's a lot more noticeable in person, even when I am wearing concealer/foundation. Here is a picture.

Is there any solution? Should I go to a dermatologist? Am I overreacting? It's really noticeable (to me anyway) because I have pale skin.

I need some experienced tips on the oil cleansing method, please.

vytae — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:52:28 -0800

The Oil Cleansing Method seems to be awfully popular around here. I've been doing it for 5 days now and my skin is both better and worse than ever! If you've tried it, how long did it take for things to really improve? Or did you give up on it? Despite decades of being told that oil will clog my pores, the information on that website (oil dissolves oil, the cycle of stripping and moisturizing is hard on skin) made sense to me. Throw in so many mefites recommending this approach, and I figured it was worth a try. Last night was the 5th evening in a row that I did it (25% castor oil, 75% sesame oil), and I just keep getting more and more blemishes. It's true, my skin is neither as dry nor as shiny-oily as it used to be (hooray), but I guess I preferred that over all these red spots.

So -- the method says it may take a few days for the skin to normalize. How long should I wait? And as a bonus question: the instructions are awfully vague about how long I should spend massaging the oil into my face. I've been doing maybe 60-90 seconds before steaming. Is this more or less than has worked for you?

Has anyone had success in reducing the number of acne/face cleansing products they use?

Loto — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 06:13:17 -0800

Has anyone had success in reducing the number of acne/face cleansing products they use? I was curious if anyone had success in reducing the amount of product they use on their face daily while still keeping acne under control. According to the Merck Manual for Acne I am in the medium to low end for mild acne. Currently, in the PM I wash my face with Cetaphil, run a 2% salicylic acid pad over my face and then apply a 2% benzoyl peroxide gel. In the AM I wash with water and run a pad over my face again.

Recently, I have stopped using traditional shampoo every day and now wash with baking soda and vinegar twice a week. I enjoy the reduction in the amount of crap I have in the bathroom as well as the fact my hair looks and feels even better now. I'm hoping to something similar with my face stuff but I am worried that cutting back on my acne treatments will result in massive breakouts. Has anyone successfully done this?