breaking out more than usual??

Depends on the causes.

Are you on any kind of birth control? Did you change it recently or just start? Did you change soap, perfume or lotion? Are you near your period? Is pregnancy a possibility? There's a ton of possible causes and the solutions are based more on the cause than the problem itself.

But, for general topical treatment, salicylic acid based products (2%) are your best bet. All the major companies have *something* on the market - Aveeno, Oxy, Nutragena, Olay... etc. Take your pick. I'd avoid benzoil peroxide. It's harsh and can have the opposite effect by drying out the skin so much that it responds by producing excess oils to rehydrate, causing more breakouts. These will not STOP the breakouts (prevent future break-outs is a crock), necessarily. If it's an internal issue, then you need to figure out what's out of whack. If it's external, then you need to figure out what that is and change it (if you can).

And - you're 18. Could simply be a hormonal shift and there's not a thing you can do other than topical treatments and wait.

I used to always have at least 1 or 2 or 4 pimples popping up very regularly, even into my 30's. I tried various washes, etc, which did nothing. What seemed to do the trick is drinking plenty of water. Now they are extremely rare or non-existant. Just my 2 cents... for all I know you're already drinking tons of water.

Dihydrogen monoxide. It works.

Dihydrogen monoxide. It works.

it really is a miracle molecule.

Is it possible that you're not getting enough fat in your diet? I had to eventually go on Accutane because of my issues with acne as a result of losing so much weight. I do not in any way recommend it but it did work for me and at the time I had no other choice. I would recommend making sure you're getting enough Omega 3's in your diet..it's easy to lose nutrients that are good for your skin and hair when dieting because we cut back on so many things the rest of our body needs. If it gets worse I'd ask your doctor.

Dihydrogen monoxide. It works.

it really is a miracle molecule.

It is. I don't agree with the negative claims people make about it. Damn them and their phony ideas of rubbish. I utilize it everyday. :bigsmile:

There's a movement to ban it for all of its negative properties. I.E. drowning, bloating, hazardous torture techniques to name a few.

ive been acne prone since 15, im 26 now.
I had to cut eggs from my diet cuz they break me out (hormones) I need to drink organic milk also
I use black soap to cleanse...its drying so you need a good moisturizer I use mark's matte chance in the morning...
and at night its proactiv repairing lotion only before bed
a couple times a week i put on a seaweed mask...helps with breakouts

good luck...

I noticed that as I age and my hormones are shifting that I am breaking out and getting small bumps all over my skin as a result. I was twice a day, using Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming and I often use a sulfur based prescription wash. Still nothing. I drink lots of water and eat fairly well most of the time. I agree with the hormone thing, but a balanced diet certainly doesn't hurt. Body acne can be helped by wearing clothes that whisk moisture away from the skin.

I feel ya girl!!!! I have always had acne but not a ton of it, and alway have certain time where I break out.

The best thing to do first is find out WHY your breaking out. All the zit cream int he world won't help you if the cause doesn't ever change.

The seasons changing can definitely cause breakouts, especially going into summer, since you sweat alot more. If this is the case, you should make sure you carry around some blotting pads. This is the kind i use: http://www.sallybeauty.com/blotting-tissue/PLADIO5,default,pd.html?cm_vc=SEARCH . These help control oil on your skin caused by your makeup, temperature, and just having oily skin sometimes.

It can also be caused by stress or new makeup(which can clog your pores, making you break out. In both of these cases you can fix it, by changing your makeup brand and doing meditation exercises or overall quitting whatever is stressing you out.

As far as medicine is concerned, the only medicine I have ever used that worked was prescribed by my doctor, and that is Retin-A-Micro: http://www.retinamicro.com/

oh yeah, diet also has alot to do with it too, although I have heard many doctors say that chocolate does NOT make you break out! Your monthly cycle will also cause this, and the only thing that will help that is the right birth control pills and medicine like Retin-a-micro.