ACNE!

Seriously what the heck. I am getting bad again. Is there any easy solution. I hate every little bit of acne.


What is your simple solution that helps you keep it away
?
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Replies

  • kateanne27
    kateanne27 Posts: 275 Member
    I wash my face/body with baking soda once a day, best thing I have ever tried
  • I start school the following Monday. I want to have perfect skin.
  • I wash my face/body with baking soda once a day, best thing I have ever tried
    just put baking soda on a washcloth and wash it like its soap?? Does it dry out your skin at all?
  • tobielauren
    tobielauren Posts: 184 Member
    I have tried many different solutions. Right now I'm actually in the waiting room of a salon for a facial. I swore by accutane when I used it...never had the bad side effects.

    I also am on ocella to help the hormonal break outs. I use clinique acne and their regular line mixed together.

    Also, I find that when I wear even just the light coat of bare essentials, the kind with no color but a bit of spf on top of the 40 I wear everyday, I don't break out or get those annoying bumps.

    I completely commiserate with you :/
  • Sasssy69
    Sasssy69 Posts: 547 Member
    I'm a lot older than you (39) but I still get really bad acne if I don't do this:

    Wash with Biore Acne Ice Cleanser face wash
    Clean and Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub
    Use Persa Gel (it stains your clothes, so use it only on your face) daily
    Finish off with Olay Total Effects with sunscreen Moisturizer

    If I switch products out, or stop using these, I get acne. But, that's just me.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    I used to have really bad adult acne in my early 20s. The only thing that ever made it go away was Mary Kay (I still use Mary Kay! Whenever I've stopped and tried to go to a cheaper brand, it starts right back up again!!) They have several different formulas, some from dry skin, some for oily and acne-prone. The best thing is to find a consultant near you and set up an appointment. It's totally free for you to try the products and they have a satisfaction guarantee for anything you do buy. (Just don't buy it on e-bay … I've seen that go very bad).

    Hope it helps!
  • 2fit4fat
    2fit4fat Posts: 559 Member
    I'd just say watch buying it on eBay.. You can get killer deals on great product! I sold my huge inventory at a big big loss on eBay.. Nothing wrong with anything. I just don't sell ml anymore. I still post a few things to sell :-) there are a lot of women like me that just want outs.... The ones to watch for are the ones that have months and months of mk product sold. More often than not they buy product from consultants looking to get out of the business and mark it up (whether or not it's expired)

    Anywho mk and st ives apricot scrub with blemish control are the only things that have helped my crazy sensitive skin. :-)
  • caddygarcia123
    caddygarcia123 Posts: 122 Member
    I wash my face/body with baking soda once a day, best thing I have ever tried


    I am so with you on that one! I used to get horrible cyst acne and once i started using baking soda in the morning and at night they stopped! along with fresh aole vera my skin has never been better!
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    Prescription acne meds are like magic.
  • I use rubbing alcohol at night and a home made brown sugar and lotion scrub in the mornings- I am 31 and for the first time in my life I don't feel like I need to wear foundation everyday- even just to check my mail. thats all I do- no other lotion or soap on my face at all. You might want to check your hair care products and see if maybe they are the problem, hairspray (or anything you spray on your face) can make acne BAD.
  • Finally, someone with a legitimate problem. I had awful acne in my teen years - here's the order you should attack it, in my opinion. Move down the list until you find what helps.

    1. Basic hygiene - washing every day with antibacterial soap and hot water.

    2. Clean diet - whether it's a myth or not I don't know, but I have better skin when I eat less sugar and fast food.

    3. Alcohol wipes - you can buy isopropyl alcohol in any pharmacy. Get either the wipes or rub some on a cotton ball and wipe your face down twice per day. Astringent works too, if alcohol dries out your skin.

    4. If none of these work, you may need to do what I had to - see a dermatologist. Apparently I've had large pores since I was born, meaning acne will not treat me well. A prescription of an antibiotic pill and a nightly cream have solved it for over two years now.

    Good luck.
  • Anastasia0511
    Anastasia0511 Posts: 372 Member
    Buy Murad or Proativ. They sell Murad at Ulta stores and Sephora. Proavtiv online, airport vending machines and kiosks in the mall. I don't have acne but I had it off and on a few years back in my 30's of all things. I'd get two pimples in the same area every month or so. I have tried all that Clearilsil and other things and they're just not good enough and don't work unless you use them all the time. Once you stop it comes back. You need something stronger that you don't need a prescription for. Murad and Proavtiv work and eventually get the Ph levels in your skin back to normal and eventually you won't have a zit again. May take you a couple of months to one year but its worth it. I used the kits and I used them daily for I think about 7 months and haven't had any sign of any pimple ever since then. My friends daughter had acne so bad she quit school at age 14. I didn't see her until her 15th birthday and was absolutely shocked by what Proactiv did for her skin. When I say she had acne I mean it, and it covered about 80% of her face and forehead, gone after 11 months of Proactiv. She used just the 3 piece kit with the face wash, toner and repair cream moisturizer. The stuff is amazing. I too have used it. I don't know why I chose to stay with Murad to be honest with you.
  • Mdin1029
    Mdin1029 Posts: 456 Member
    Purpose face wash 2 times a day
    Witch hazel toner once a day
    clinique moistorizing gel in the day
    acne.org aha at night

    drinks lots of water and lemon water

    good luck

    also change pillow covers and clean cell phone
    birth control pills can help some people too
  • Speaking of acne. My acne has started to clear up from exercising and eating clean I suppose. I sweat a crap load from my face when ever I jog and I think that's the reason why it's clearing up.?
  • Laura_Suzie
    Laura_Suzie Posts: 1,288 Member
    Oh my gosh! Me too, my acne went away and my skin was really clear and then BOOM! It was back. I think it might have been because I just went to Utah and whenever I go there I break out. Also, my skin is SO oily in the summer. I have to carry face powder with me everywhere...
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I never had bad acne, but my skin is both oily and fairly sensitive. I wash my face, usually just with something from the drugstore such as Neutrogena grapefruit acne wash or deep clean. I exfoliate my skin, usually with a mask that I get from an esthetician, right now I am using exfozyme by GM Collins (I can use other kinds), Also an exfoliating astringent or something can help in addition.

    The most important thing is that I use B.Kamins acne gel that has benzoyl peroxide 5%. This works and it's gentle and does not dry or irritate my skin, while also being very strong and effective. I get it from Sephora. Drug store bought benzoyl peroxide is very irritating to my skin (even though it is usually half as strong).

    Then I use a light moisturizer for oily skin that absorbs and does not leave a film of any kind on my face.

    For sunblock I usually use something very basic that is mostly zinc oxide. I am using one from GM Collins right now.

    Still always on the look out for things that work and help.

    Drink lots of water.

    I eat lots of vegetables. I eat nuts.

    Get sleep. Sleeping helps our bodies to heal and repair (including our skin).
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    I've had cystic acne since I hit puberty, tried everything OTC. Now I'm on Retin-A cream at night, a mild antibiotic (doxycycline) twice a day, and I wash my face once a day (at night before I put on the Retin-A) with acne wash I buy from Avon's "Clearskin" line. (Blemish clearing foaming cleanser It's pretty gentle, 2.0% salicylic acid. I also use the body wash, since I started getting a small amount of acne on my chest / shoulders after I started using Retin-A. My face stays completely clear now except during TOM I might get 1-2 small pimples. If I forget to wash my face, miss one of my antibiotics, or forget to use the Retin-A, I usually get 1-2 big cystic pimples, so I try not to forget! It is helping with the overall condition of my skin as well as clearing up the acne, and I've noticed some reduction in scarring, but not a whole lot. I have really bad pit scars, so I'm not surprised. It is helping a lot with some of the newer and less deep scars though.

    I also use Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer with SPF 15 - Sensitive after putting on the Retin-A before bed. It's non-comedogenic, which means it won't clog your pores. It's expensive, but it's seriously awesome! The best lotion ever, and I HAVE to have a good non-comedogenic lotion since the Retin-A would otherwise dry out my skin really bad. This stuff feels so amazing, just like water being absorbed right into my skin. lol.

    I also have to apply chapstick (Chapstick Moisturizer) before I put on the Retin-A so it doesn't dry out my lips. Had that happen once, ouch! You can't put the Retin-A near your eyes, nostrils, or mouth - which I didn't know until after a week of using it. The Olay moisturizer is amazing in keeping my skin smooth and it never feels dry anymore - also use it on my neck.

    A complicated regiment I guess, but it works. If you've had acne as long as I have, you'll do anything to get rid of it.. and this routine once a day is a blessing in that it actually has made my acne go away. I'm truly thankful. Even if I get one or two small zits here and there, it's nothing compared to having like 10+ huge painful cystic zits on my face all the time...

    Edited to add: It's also a good idea not to use the same towel twice to dry your face. I avoid this, as it seems to cause me to get a zit every time I do it. I also have started changing my pillowcase more frequently.
  • I've had cystic acne since I hit puberty, tried everything OTC. Now I'm on Retin-A cream at night, a mild antibiotic (doxycycline) twice a day, and I wash my face once a day (at night before I put on the Retin-A) with acne wash I buy from Avon's "Clearskin" line. (Blemish clearing foaming cleanser It's pretty gentle, 2.0% salicylic acid. I also use the body wash, since I started getting a small amount of acne on my chest / shoulders after I started using Retin-A. My face stays completely clear now except during TOM I might get 1-2 small pimples. If I forget to wash my face, miss one of my antibiotics, or forget to use the Retin-A, I usually get 1-2 big cystic pimples, so I try not to forget! It is helping with the overall condition of my skin as well as clearing up the acne, and I've noticed some reduction in scarring, but not a whole lot. I have really bad pit scars, so I'm not surprised. It is helping a lot with some of the newer and less deep scars though.

    I also use Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer with SPF 15 - Sensitive after putting on the Retin-A before bed. It's non-comedogenic, which means it won't clog your pores. It's expensive, but it's seriously awesome! The best lotion ever, and I HAVE to have a good non-comedogenic lotion since the Retin-A would otherwise dry out my skin really bad. This stuff feels so amazing, just like water being absorbed right into my skin. lol.

    I also have to apply chapstick (Chapstick Moisturizer) before I put on the Retin-A so it doesn't dry out my lips. Had that happen once, ouch! You can't put the Retin-A near your eyes, nostrils, or mouth - which I didn't know until after a week of using it. The Olay moisturizer is amazing in keeping my skin smooth and it never feels dry anymore - also use it on my neck.

    A complicated regiment I guess, but it works. If you've had acne as long as I have, you'll do anything to get rid of it.. and this routine once a day is a blessing in that it actually has made my acne go away. I'm truly thankful. Even if I get one or two small zits here and there, it's nothing compared to having like 10+ huge painful cystic zits on my face all the time...

    Edited to add: It's also a good idea not to use the same towel twice to dry your face. I avoid this, as it seems to cause me to get a zit every time I do it. I also have started changing my pillowcase more frequently.
    wow! i am going to have to try.
  • curxxx
    curxxx Posts: 16
    I had acne from the age of 11.

    I went on (Ro)Accutane for 8 months when I turned 16 :D

    Now I use Clearasil to keep clear, but I plan on changing soon..
  • BlueJean4114
    BlueJean4114 Posts: 594 Member
    drink lots of water.
    EAT FRUITS AND VEGGIES
    FRUITS AND VEGGIE
    AND MORE FRUITS AND VEGGIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    then drink MORE WATER.

    sunshine is great for acne.

    Against all odds, consider trying applying Triple Antibiotic ointment to pimples, instead of those drying types of acne lotions, See if that works for you.

    wash your face and gently exfoliate that top layer (the one that clogs your pores)
    with a Buff Puff.
    this is much nicer for your skin, than those gritty cleansers which have sand-like bits of hard grains, which can even embed into pores,:noway: or "scrubs" which can even microscopically cut up and irritate your skin.

    buf_puf_regular_texture.jpg
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
    Easy and cheap...drink tons of water. If I drink lots of water, my skin clears up within a few days....I'm talking 96 ounces or more.
  • apriltrainer
    apriltrainer Posts: 732 Member
    accutane! I had REALLY bad acne as a teen and into my twenties. When I finally got it...it went away and stayed away for more than 10 years. Later on I had another bout of adult acne when I got pregnant but never was bad like it was when I was a teen.

    I actually went super low carb not that long ago and my face cleared up..completely. I did it just for weightloss...never knew the added side effect would be clear skin! (ditto on the water too!)

    Not low carb now and I have a few breakouts here and there...but when it gets bad...I know I can go back to low carb. I just wish I knew about it as a teen. I might have actually been able to get a date!
  • Prescription acne meds are like magic.

    you look like bridgit mendler :) sorry, I'm random, haha
  • I was having HORRIBLE breakouts. Someone suggested witch hazel to me (which, by the way is really cheap). I've been washing my face twice a day and using witch hazel for 2 weeks and my face is almost clear! Sad it took me so long and so much money on other acne crap to discover this.
  • BlueJean4114
    BlueJean4114 Posts: 594 Member
    also,
    if your home has a water softener,
    keep track of when that thing is due for salt.

    you *might* notice a distinct correlation between you breaking out,
    and your water softener is flat out empty....just sayin.
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
    Cerave foaming cleanser is what I use, along with medicated (prescription) wipes. You can find Cerave at kcal drugstores.

    Also, make sure to eep your phone clean. I had a nasty breakout last year and the dermatologist said it was bacteria from my iPhone?! Ew! Yuk!!!!! :noway:
  • RawVeganFlirt
    RawVeganFlirt Posts: 189 Member
    100+ oz of water a day keeps the acne away :) it cured my moderately severe disaster i had all of high school. also healthy fats and 100% natural products to keep your skin healthy and balanced
  • I was having HORRIBLE breakouts. Someone suggested witch hazel to me (which, by the way is really cheap). I've been washing my face twice a day and using witch hazel for 2 weeks and my face is almost clear! Sad it took me so long and so much money on other acne crap to discover this.
    i will have to try this and water!
  • mariannahl
    mariannahl Posts: 2 Member
    Here's advice from a professional dermatologist: IGNORE ALL OF THEM. They're all completely off. Stay away from Clinique, Mary Kay, etc. Proactive works but all of its components are available over-the-counter for a fraction of a cost. DO NOT RUB no matter what. NO alcohol, baking soda, witch hazel, NONE OF THOSE. ABSOLUTELY NO FACIALS unless you go to a facility run at a dermatology clinic, not a 'spa'. Doing any of the recommended here will most likely result in irreversible scarring. GO SEE A DOCTOR, preferably a dermatologist. And lastly, be prepared to follow PROFESSIONAL instructions for at least 12 weeks for best results. Going now and expecting clear skin in two weeks is NOT going to happen.
    I'm not kidding about any of this. This is what I do for a living. Do not seek medical advice on internet forums. I've seen most atrocious results when well meaning people give most misleading and uneducated 'advice'.
  • BlueJean4114
    BlueJean4114 Posts: 594 Member
    I disagree with the person above, who lumps "all" ideas on this thread together,
    who says "none" of this advice will help.

    I stand by my idea that eating fruits and veggies, and drinking tons of water,
    will most likely help,

    as will ensuring your water softener IS actually "ON" and full of salt. Washing one's face with contaminated water will not help your skin stay zit-free..


    But yes, if you are a teen who does have the $50 to $100? to see a doctor, go for it!! However, DO research the side effects of any Rx you are given.
    There is NO drug in the world which 'only' does one (1) thing in your body. All drugs can have side effects. I say, save using drugs for a last resort,
    IF IF IF IF IF IF eating tons of FRUITS AND VEGGIES
    AND DRINKING LOTS OF WATER,
    will not help.