I Need Some Skin Advice..

LiquidSugarr

I've never had bad acne, just the occasional pimple we all get. But within the passed year my face has been breaking out a lot and getting worse these passed few months. It's really bad, some of the acne looks like I have huge planets on my face. It's embarrassing and hard to hide. I've used pretty much everything that you can find over the counter. I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do. I'm twenty-two this phase of my life should be behind me. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

KelseyDawn84

I got a skin infection one year that took MONTHS to clean up. I finally ended up using Bactine to clear it up. (It's an antibacterial spray for first aid).

2 Things I've found that are hugely important to keeping my face clear...
1: Wash before bed
2: MOISTURIZE

efarester

I have found some of my best skin care advice and reviews from Paula Begoun. Her site www.beautypedia.com has reviews on any kind of beauty product. I actually use her skin care line now (www.paulaschoice.com) and it has given me the best results out of anything I have tried in the past. The products are reasonably priced and she runs lots of free shipping/discount offers. Hope that helps!!

LiquidSugarr

I got a skin infection one year that took MONTHS to clean up. I finally ended up using Bactine to clear it up. (It's an antibacterial spray for first aid).

2 Things I've found that are hugely important to keeping my face clear...
1: Wash before bed
2: MOISTURIZE

My mom and I thought that might be what I have going on, because my house has a lot of mold in it and she has a skin infection going on all over her breasts and tummy. I never thought about using Bactine, I use that after I get piercings. I always wash my face before I go to bed, I've started using antibacterial soap, I've heard that it's bad to use on your face but I was thinking if it was an infection that it'd clear it up lol. I use witch hazel in the morning and put draw out salve on the big ones.

plushkitten

Yes!

1. Wash morning and night
2. Use an exfoliator and a cleanser. I use some apricot scrub and then some Clearasil
3. Always moisturize. I find that if I start skipping out on this, my face breaks out more.
4.LOTS OF WATER

I also recently started taking a biotin pill for hair skin and nails
I swear since I've been taking it has cleared up my complexion.
And drinks lots of water!!

kmjenkins

Try tea tree or green tea oil--you can get it on Amazon, just apply it directly to the affected areas. I've also found that using a toner after washing helps to clean up any residue that might have been left behind. And be sure to moisturize and wash regularly.

Good luck!

hollybug1016

I'm 37 and still have these issues. I've found that for me it's usually hormonal. If I eat too much sugar, either sweets or simple carbs in general, I break out like crazy because of the insulin surges. When I back off the carbs it calms down. Also, the location of the breakouts can tell you quite a bit about what's causing them & what to do to fix it. The hormonal ones tend to be on the chin area.

lorac321

Proactive. It really does work.

EvEboEvie

I don't know what your diet is like, but eating healthy food, fruits, vegetables, etc., and getting enough water has helped my skin to be clearer and my nails to be stronger... best of luck to you.

xosmsox

Birth control! Haha I've been on junel for 3 years, and I'm not exaggerating, I've had MAYBE 3 pimples in those 3 years. And I gained zero weight. I get comiments on my skin all the time and owe it all to my pill. (it's also prescribed off label to treat acne) and one additional perk? I don't have a period on this pill (; no cramps, bloating or *****iness ever!! It's fantastic!

i_love_vinegar

Im 22 and had acne since 13. My skin is finally clearing up since I began using acne pills and acne cream (I live in Japan so they are Japanese, but I saw acne pills in drugstores in America too and obv acne creams). Also using a face mask every day or other day along with toner and moisturizer. I also dry my face with paper towels. I have Retin A cream but it sucks. I've tried antibiotics, but they didn't do anything. I tried proactive along with most anything on the American shelves.

Here are some good products:
-Dr Bronner's Castile Tea Tree Oil soap
and/or
-Shiseido White Lucent foaming cleanser
-Acne pills
-sulfur (they have bottles of pink/clear stuff in drugstores or high end places -- same stuff though -- you shake it and apply it to pimples before bed. The active ingredient is sulfur and it dries pimples very well.

My skin is really getting clearer and I only started the pills last week *_* so I would recommend. BTW I am on the birth control pill and it didn't help with acne, but this pill does.

PS: I forgot to add that it might also be the Dr Bronners that is helping since I only started using that last week too and it uses castile and tea tree oil (noticed 2 people recommended these products). anyway...

knittnponder

Have you given any thought to food causes? My 17 year old had really, really bad acne that cleared up when she went gluten free. Now she has lovely skin and only breaks out minimally due to hormones (unless she gets glutened.)

I have another friend who has to steer clear of all dairy or she'll break out and another friend just has to skip any dairy that has RBsT in it. She's apparently just sensitive to the hormone. Might be worth it to try an elimination diet to see if any of those things impact you. Just pick one thing (like dairy) and cut it out for a couple of weeks to see how you do. If you clear up try adding it back in and see if you break out again. If you do, that's likely your culprit.

happypath101

I've had "bad" skin my whole life. Well, not really bad, but not clear either. I FINALLY got the nerve to go without foundation. I figure that with all the exercise I do mid-day/end of day, it's probably not good to have a coating on my skin. It's almost a month now, but I notice a huge difference. I guess all that jazz about being non-clogging is crap. Anyway, if you're wearing goop on your skin, you might want to stop using it for a while. (If you're like me, it'll feel like being naked and letting everyone see all that 's wrong. But, it could be the key to making it better.)

mamato2babes

natural soap... not detergents that will over dry your face. I like the goatsmilk soap from here www.freedomfarmsoap.com

My husband has a soap allergy that caused horrible breakouts and cists on his face. This soap really helps.

DisneySkaGirl

I'm twenty-two this phase of my life should be behind me. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, the whole "acne is for teenagers" thing isn't really true. I am 25, and I am still battling ugly, scarring acne on my back. I went on birth control (for a variety of reasons) and hoped that it would clear my skin like I'd heard, but there was zero change. I only had a little luck by going to the doctor and getting prescription benzoyl peroxide and cylicylic acid (something like that, its a anti-bacterial). I even went to a dermatologist before my wedding, hoping for something stronger and to eliminate the scarring, but the only solution he had was a series of laser treatments, expensive and not covered by insurance. I opted not to do it. Luckily my husband doesn't notice or care even a fraction of what I do.

If you can, try to see a doctor and see if a stronger prescription cream works for you. The only downside to it is that they tend to bleach, so had to wear white all the time or only wear it to bed and shower in the morning to protect my clothes.

AnninStPaul

DON"T SCRUB. I use a facial shammy, such as http://www.amazon.com/Skin-Rx-Clinic-SRX_BS-Smooth/dp/B002TR6L4G/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1334340121&sr=8-4, or a Clarisonic brush. My teenager does too.

I've started buying the "hormone free" milk just in case rBST is a culprit.

Drink water.

Amberetta82

If you have sensitive skin, you really shouldn't exfoliate like a PP said. But definitely wash your face morning, night and moisturize. ALSO... wash your pillowcase. That might be part of the problem as well.

londongirl2012

tea tree products are good, but notjign too harsh that ill over dry the skin. maybe using a face mask in your routine too along with cleaning, toning moisturising daily and exfoliation 2-3 times a week but gently not too harsh.
and always use clean cloths and wash them at 60C+ or use antibac detergent to make sure they are clean, especially if theres a mould issue in your house.

Sp1nGoddess

I hate to tell you this but I'm 45 and still get breakouts. If you can, go see a dermatologist, it's worth the $ trust me.

The best routine I found is:

Cleanse with something gentle like Cerave
Exfoliate with a beta hydroxy lotion to clear pores ( Paulas Choice has good ones)
If you have an active blemish use a micro benzoyl peroxide to kill bacteria
Use a moisturizer for oily skin- yes you need one - get one with sunscreen.

At night use retin-A, get from the doctor or use an over the counter retinol. (in place of the exfoliator & beta hydroxy)

Don't use harsh scrubs. Keep your hands off your face. Buy non-comogenic makeup.

Also buy scent free laundry detergents, like All Free. Some detergent additives can cause breakouts.

Best of luck!

cookiesandjuice

I've had "bad" skin my whole life. Well, not really bad, but not clear either. I FINALLY got the nerve to go without foundation. I figure that with all the exercise I do mid-day/end of day, it's probably not good to have a coating on my skin. It's almost a month now, but I notice a huge difference. I guess all that jazz about being non-clogging is crap. Anyway, if you're wearing goop on your skin, you might want to stop using it for a while. (If you're like me, it'll feel like being naked and letting everyone see all that 's wrong. But, it could be the key to making it better.)

THIS!! ^^^

moejo3

Could be a staph type of infenction if there is also a lot of redness. I have used Listerine after washing my face(when I was younger) it really takes the redness out and cleans the skin really well. Continue to wash with a good face wash and moisturize. However, I highly recommend lots of water and take prenatal vitamins. Prenatals have everything in them they are good for you and if you are dieting will help with the missing nutrient. All of the B vitamins and Iron are great for skin. I took prenatal vitamins from 18-40 years old as I liked using them when I got pregnant at 18 and they have been great through the years and they are cheap!

juliee274

I am 42 and I never had acne until I hit my 20s. My acne is mostly along my jawline which is usually hormonal acne. If you are not on birth control pills, you can consider trying them. They can regulate your hormones and help with acne issues. HOWEVER, be VERY careful....some BCPs (specifically, Yaz/Yasmin) can SERIOUSLY effect your blood pressure. I know because it happened to me. Do your research if you go this route.

I would also recommend visiting a dermatologist if you can. They can prescribe an antibiotic (usually Doxycycline or Tetracycline) which is inexpensive (both can be purchased at WalMart for $4 a month) if they feel you need it. While I don't advocate taking antibiotics all the time, you may need them to help get you through this hump. I would recommend a female dermatologist if you can .... I have found them more receptive to cosmetic skin issues when you are woman. A good dermo should also be able to recommend a reasonable cleaning regimen for you.

Email me if you'd like with questions.

kaetmarie

I had a similar problem not too long ago -- clear skin all through high school, college, and then in grad school -- BAM acne! I've found that it gets worse the more products I use ... I was going overkill with creams and cleansers, changing them frequently when they didn't work.

What I do now ... and it's not always 100%, but it's MUCH MUCH better -- I use a cleanser morning, after working out, and at night (I use Aveeno), moisturize in the morning (again, Aveeno), and then put spot treatment on pimples at night (I use Clean & Clear, its in a silver tube). I use apricot exfoliating scrub once or twice a week followed by a a mud mask. I also drink tons of water!

This has helped me ... and I probably only get 1-2 pimples every few months. Hope this helps ... skin problems are the worst!

1stladykaye

There is a product by Marykay called Velocity it works great. Add the acne gel and toner to it you can't go wrong. I happen to be a rep but you can just go to www.marykay.com and a rep in your area will be happy to give you a free sample and facial. It really works my daughter uses it and she 20. Her breakouts got me in the business.

zenchild

Honey, I'm 32 and I still have acne. I kept thinking "I'm out of my teens, it should stop now." "I'm 25, it will stop now." "I'm 30! Why the hell do I have zits?!"
Right now my skin is clearer than it's been since I was 12. There are a few things that help. I use castile soap a few times a week. I have very oily skin and I've found that castile is the only thing that gets rid of that film of oil. The only problem is I can't use it every day or it dries out my skin. A friend who is an aesthetician recommends a clay-based cleanser to suck up extra oil. I'm going to pick some up this weekend and try it.
I have been eating pretty clean for about a month now (no white flour, only natural sugars, minimal processed foods) and I can't help but think it's helping. The recurring zits on my chin and my cheek are gone. These two have been coming and going for YEARS. Even when they weren't bad they were still there and still visible. Now there's nothing except some scarring. And come to think about it the collection of mini-zits is almost gone too.
The third thing is a prescription. It's called Duac. It's a combination of erythromycin and peroxide. I've tried every prescription cream and gel under the sun with no luck. This stuff has been working beautifully. I apply every other day to avoid over-drying (this stuff is strong). I've been very happy with it. My GP prescribed it so I didn't have to go to a dermatologist.

SarahSchwoerer

Please note I am not a dermatologist but have had acne my entire life (29 years old now).

The best thing you can do is visit your dermatologist. They can help you find a skin regime customized to your skin. But here are things that worked for me.

1. Wash pillow cases frequently
2. Wash your face morning and night religiously. NEVER EVER sleep in your makeup
3. Buy yourself a Clarisonic Mia. It will really get the dirt out of your skin (cost around $95 but TOTALLY worth it) and comes in cute colors
4. Get yourself an acne face wash. My all time favorite I've been using for 7+ years is Neutragena Rapid Clear Oil Control-I swear this product will change your life
http://www.neutrogena.com/product/rapid+clear+oil-control+foaming+cleanser.do?sortby=ourPicks
5. Ask your doctor for a perscription topical cream. I use Differin Gel. Have been since I was 15!
http://www.acne.org/adapalene-differin-reviews/21/page1.html
6. Find a face/body lotion WITHOUT oil aka "non comedegenic." Means "does not clog pores." My favorite is Curel Sensitive Skin lotion. Guarenteed not to clog your pores. STOP using lotions that do not state "non comedegenic." These absolutely cause acne.
http://www.curel.com/products/fragrance-free.aspx

I have beautiful skin now and am always told I look 23/24 than 29 (turning 30 in a few months). I wear sunscreen daily (you can find oil free sunscreen at the drug store. Look for Non comedegenic products. Sunscreen is a must!

You may also need oral medication which only your doc can prescribe. When I was 16 I went on a high dose of Amoxicilin for a year (i know that's for when you are sick, but it can also treat your acne!)

Hope this helps! Please consult your doctor first!

Sarah

LordBezoar

Use this:

Combine a quarter of a cup of aloe vera gel with ten to twelve drops of Geranium oil, ten drops of Lavender oil and seven drops Lemon Grass oil or Tea Tree oil (I much prefer the Tea Tree Oil). Blend all the oils and gel together thoroughly and apply to blemish areas twice daily after cleaning the skin.

A word of caution, though, be very VERY careful about your eyes. Don't use this cream right up next to them and make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly after using. Tea Tree and some other oils can wreak havoc on your sensitive bits... and eyes, too.

All of this should be available at your local health food store. If you have any questions, feel free to message me.

LiquidSugarr

There is a product by Marykay called Velocity it works great. Add the acne gel and toner to it you can't go wrong. I happen to be a rep but you can just go to www.marykay.com and a rep in your area will be happy to give you a free sample and facial. It really works my daughter uses it and she 20. Her breakouts got me in the business.

Lol I'm an Avon Rep.. I can't buy from the competition!!

1shauna1

The washing the pillow cases is good advice; also watch if you are on the phone alot. Pressing on your face can be dirty also. Drinking water helps and healthy eating as well.

I wouldn't use an anti-microbial hand/body wash on your face, it's very harsh. Use a gentle cleanser like Cetaphil and you will need moistuizer too. There are many good oil-free ones. As mentioned, Pro-Active can work well (but I found it harsh when I tried it in the past).

I used to be an esthetician, and I'm often told I look closer to 30 than the 40 I actually am. Start a skin routine now and you'll benefit in the future!

nicehormones

The only thing that's ever really worked for me is being on the birth control pill. I almost never had any acne issues when on it. Not that I have a severe problem, but I usually have at least one that doesn't go away for like weeks. I've tried every face wash, they don't really make any difference. I miss my pills

LiquidSugarr

The washing the pillow cases is good advice; also watch if you are on the phone alot. Pressing on your face can be dirty also. Drinking water helps and healthy eating as well.

I wouldn't use an anti-microbial hand/body wash on your face, it's very harsh. Use a gentle cleanser like Cetaphil and you will need moistuizer too. There are many good oil-free ones. As mentioned, Pro-Active can work well (but I found it harsh when I tried it in the past).

I used to be an esthetician, and I'm often told I look closer to 30 than the 40 I actually am. Start a skin routine now and you'll benefit in the future!

I've used Cetaphil and Pro-Active, neither of them worked. I'm a Cosmetologist and have tried doing the skin care stuff that I learned, but it hasn't worked.