Acne/Skin Care

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DownSheGoes
DownSheGoes Posts: 88
in Chit-Chat
As a teen, I'm going through having to deal with the whole 'acne phase' but it's bringing me down heaps and just when i thought I was starting to get on top of it it's suddenly started to come back up again. I've been on Pro Activ (doesn't work) and also have been prescribed a cream and assisting pill from my GP in the past. I'm sure if I was prescribed Accutane it would at least help my skin but due to the 'tendency' of it causing some form of depression in whatever % of all users my GP has told me I shouldn't go on it. Any suggestions or experiences would be much appreciated. I've run out of ideas and hope.
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  • patronussky
    patronussky Posts: 9
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    I had the worst acne when I was 15/16, and it's still bad today (19). I haven't found any 'miracle' that helps at all. I just try to drink lots of water, and clean my face twice a day. Even if it doesn't look that great - I find comfort in knowing that my face is clean. Good luck :)
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    As a teen, I'm going through having to deal with the whole 'acne phase' but it's bringing me down heaps and just when i thought I was starting to get on top of it it's suddenly started to come back up again. I've been on Pro Activ (doesn't work) and also have been prescribed a cream and assisting pill from my GP in the past. I'm sure if I was prescribed Accutane it would at least help my skin but due to the 'tendency' of it causing some form of depression in whatever % of all users my GP has told me I shouldn't go on it. Any suggestions or experiences would be much appreciated. I've run out of ideas and hope.

    Sorry to tell you, but the only way I ended up getting rid of mine was Roaccutane... 18months compared to the recommended 6 :(
  • emilydmac
    emilydmac Posts: 382 Member
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    the oil cleansing method (google it)I have the worst acne but started this two weeks ago and my skin is 10x better.
  • DownSheGoes
    DownSheGoes Posts: 88
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    As a teen, I'm going through having to deal with the whole 'acne phase' but it's bringing me down heaps and just when i thought I was starting to get on top of it it's suddenly started to come back up again. I've been on Pro Activ (doesn't work) and also have been prescribed a cream and assisting pill from my GP in the past. I'm sure if I was prescribed Accutane it would at least help my skin but due to the 'tendency' of it causing some form of depression in whatever % of all users my GP has told me I shouldn't go on it. Any suggestions or experiences would be much appreciated. I've run out of ideas and hope.

    Sorry to tell you, but the only way I ended up getting rid of mine was Roaccutane... 18months compared to the recommended 6 :(

    Grrrr, that's what everyone has been telling me! I wish they'd just prescribe me it. Chances are I'd be 50% happier!
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
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    Eating healthy is what worked for me. I've had acne all my life and was seriously bummed out when It hung around until I started getting wrinkles and lines. Since I started eating real food six months ago my skin has totally cleared. The skin is the largest organ of the body and reflects on the outside what is going on inside.
  • rabbit99_47203
    rabbit99_47203 Posts: 85
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    I didn't do it when I was young but birth control is supposed to help. And the girls I seen with the clearest faces in high school always drank plenty of water. Cut out any pop or caffine it does make a difference. I've got a problem that does cause me to have adult acne, which was helpful in them being able to diagnoise me however not helpful in me feeling good and wanting anyone to see me. I take a vitamin for my hair, nails, and skin you might not need this yet but other than that a healthy diet and water is the key. Good luck I know how it can make you feel but you are very beautiful and it will get better.
  • slimkitty
    slimkitty Posts: 418
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    I am not a teen any more and I don't know whether adult and teen acne have the same causes, but here is what works for me.

    1) Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser (gentle cleanser)
    2) Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Stress Control (2% salicylic acid)
    3) Olay Regenerist regenerating serum (vitamins. antioxidants)

    I would suggest you look up Paula Begoun and read her articles and recommendations on acne. It's what helped me the most.

    Good luck.
  • lisaweaver3
    lisaweaver3 Posts: 29 Member
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    Hi! I have rosacea. So even in my 40's I have acne. Can you go to a dermatologist for a proper diagnosis? If your skin is not responding to regular treatment it could be rosacea. I have to keep my face very clean, heat and sweating aggravate it, I only use make-up for special occasions. There are also foods and drinks that aggravate the condition as well as stress. If I have a flare up, I have an antibiotic I can take to calm it down. Let us know how you are doing... Oh, and also, I find that many acne treatments really irritate my skin. I'm 'allergic' to many products that are supposed to help.
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
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    greasy foods bring spots out more in me,i don't have greasy foods now so i don't get spots! and drink lots of water too!
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
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    I'd see if your doc is willing to put you on The Pill. It might slow down your weight loss a bit, but it could help clear up your acne. I had flawless skin as a teen (all the popular girls used to tell me I had "porcelain skin" and that they were jealous, haha) and developed acne in college. They put me on The Pill for it, and it helped tremendously. It's better now, but I'd maybe talk to the doc about trying that method out. Good luck!
  • kristyann86
    kristyann86 Posts: 140 Member
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    i'm 25 and still have acne. the younger kids i teach at my school sometimes ask "what's wrong with your face?" and it's so damn hurtful. no offense but i already went thru my teen acne phase. i'm frickin 25 so why can't i grow up into healthy looking skin already? i used proactiv back then and it cleared my skin sooo fast and really well. so i quit using. big mistake. i've been using it for almost 3 months now. my skin is better but it should be fully clear by now. so i'm still struggling with the whole "ugly acne" thing. i know what you're going through. with my experience, i had to keep using it. it got worse before it got better. and found out i only need to use the systeme once a day or every other day b/c it dries my skin.

    i can prolly blame it on stress too. lotsa personal things going on, but good luck with getting what you need to be happy :)
  • Just2Good
    Just2Good Posts: 4
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    This is a huge thorn. Anyone thats never experienced it will never understand. There is tons of stuff I've tried. I use SkinID and so far I like it. It's from Neutrogena. You can customize your own regimine at www.skinid.com. It's not super expensive, and the BenzoylPeroxide and Salicylic Acid levels are low enough to not kill your skin. I found another site that has some great products, but its on the pricey side. It's www.reneerouleau.com. She's a dermatologist, and she sells some good stuff. Like I said it's a lil on the pricey side, but it's your skin. It's still cheaper than prescription meds. I took erythromycin for a little bit and that helped a lot. It's a type of antibiotic. I've used Clenia, its a cream based face wash with sulfur and sodium sulfacetimide. It's gentle and really works well. (You need a script for that) You should drink water, but don't obsess thinking it's a cure all, because it's not. Here is the best advice I can give: Don't pick at your face, don't let yourself get overstressed, get the right amount of sleep, and find a good cleansing regimine that doesn't hurt your face, and helps, and stick to it religiously. I found an article that kinda made me think. Give it a read. http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/cystic_acne.html .......it mentions the product AIRBORNE. it was originally a cold cure, but now it's advertisedas an immune booster. DO NOT TAKE ACCUTANE. it isnt 100% guaranteed and has more side effects than anything. Only if your skin is sooo extreme that nothing works, would I say take a chance. Give my suggestions a try, and let me know what you think. Remember, nothing works over night. Also remember, it's just blemishes. It may sound hard to believe, but you still beautiful. Anyone who can't see passed it, isn't worth your time. Friend me! We can share secrets ;)
  • DownSheGoes
    DownSheGoes Posts: 88
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    I'd see if your doc is willing to put you on The Pill. It might slow down your weight loss a bit, but it could help clear up your acne. I had flawless skin as a teen (all the popular girls used to tell me I had "porcelain skin" and that they were jealous, haha) and developed acne in college. They put me on The Pill for it, and it helped tremendously. It's better now, but I'd maybe talk to the doc about trying that method out. Good luck!

    I've just come off it, being a student I don't have the extra cash to go to a doctor to renew my prescription to Levlen ED. I forgot to mention I have been on this for several months now with little change but nothing satisfactory.
  • iceey
    iceey Posts: 354 Member
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    I'm now 39 and suffered from pretty bad acne since I was 13 all the way to today. I have tried all the medications out there including Accutane (now THAT worked but acne did come back after a while). For me, and many, acne is hormonal imbalances in the body. The Pill just gave me migraines so I went off it. I started seeing a naturopath about a year ago. That has been the best thing I ever did. She has been working with my diet and natural supplements to try to balance my hormone levels. I won't say it's a miracle, because I still get cyctic acne around my period, but it has certainly helped. And my digestion and migraines are much better! I would recommend a naturopath over taking any drugs.
  • melliemel818
    melliemel818 Posts: 46 Member
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    I had horrible acne when I was in my early to mid 20's and a friend told me about Aloette It's helped so much (along with not eating greasy foods) I used to not even be seen w/o makeup on and now I feel confertable going out with NO makeup on at all. Of course this isn't a cure for acne, I still get small breakouts during "that time of month" but nothing like I used to and Aloette helps with acne scares too. The product is made with real aloe, you can check it out at www.Aloette.com if you want to know more or you can send me a private message and I can put you in touch with my friend who sells it. :)
  • melliemel818
    melliemel818 Posts: 46 Member
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    I had horrible acne when I was in my early to mid 20's and a friend told me about Aloette It's helped so much (along with not eating greasy foods) I used to not even be seen w/o makeup on and now I feel confertable going out with NO makeup on at all. Of course this isn't a cure for acne, I still get small breakouts during "that time of month" but nothing like I used to and Aloette helps with acne scares too. The product is made with real aloe, you can check it out at www.Aloette.com if you want to know more or you can send me a private message and I can put you in touch with my friend who sells it. :)
    I also forgot to mention dry ice method. My friend had Horrible acne and scaring, she used to get teased so much back in HS, her parents took her out to home school her. anyways, She went to a dermatologist and used a "dry Ice" method on her face, she would go every month to the dermatologist and get it done. (only the dermatologist can apply it, there is a special method to it) after getting it done and keeping it up her skin was so beautiful, it looked like porcelain. I'm not sure how much it is but it's worth checking out.
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
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    I'd see if your doc is willing to put you on The Pill. It might slow down your weight loss a bit, but it could help clear up your acne. I had flawless skin as a teen (all the popular girls used to tell me I had "porcelain skin" and that they were jealous, haha) and developed acne in college. They put me on The Pill for it, and it helped tremendously. It's better now, but I'd maybe talk to the doc about trying that method out. Good luck!

    I've just come off it, being a student I don't have the extra cash to go to a doctor to renew my prescription to Levlen ED. I forgot to mention I have been on this for several months now with little change but nothing satisfactory.

    Ahhhhh ok. I was on a generic one - $4/month at Wal-Mart - but I totally understand not having any money!!
  • rakelbara
    rakelbara Posts: 1
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    I had a REALLY BAD acne problem when I was young and it really excalated when I reached 20 where I was under massive stress. My face was blue because the infection was so deep in the skin layers, and I had massive zits that hurt like hell. I went to a specialist and got a medication called "Isotretinoin" and that works wonders. There are side-effects, your eyes dry up so you can't use contacts, your nose dries up so you get nose-bleeds quite often. Back in the day when I was taking it, there were some suicides linked to this drug and I can definetly confirm that it alters your mood. But I had to take it again this year, due to a skin condition on my chest, and it works like a charm, I don't get any zits anymore.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    I was on Accutane twice, at 14 years old and again at 19, for 5 months each time. It worked in both cases, and the only side effect I had was that I stopped getting my period the first time, but my doctor didn't seem concerned about it because of the nature of Accutane (interrupting hormonal processes). When I stopped taking the medicine, it came back as normal.

    I first starting getting acne breakouts at 11 years old and continued until my first try with Accutane. After that, it was about 4 years before I started having breakouts again. After a year of just dealing with it, I went on Accutane again. It did not last as long the second time around, and I continued to deal with acne for the next 7 years. I also tried ProActiv and didn't get results. I tried Neutrogena's SkinID, and it made things worse. But other Neutrogena products worked really well for me. The Neutrogena Aloe and Chamomile face wash (it's green) was great at calming the redness and cleaning my skin. The deep clean gentle scrub was a good exfoliant for me because I have sensitive skin that can't handle harsh scrubs. The clear pore oil-eliminating astringent helped to dry up the acne I had. I also used the healthy skin moisturizer. I started using these products about 2 years ago, and my skin cleared up pretty quickly. I have not had acne since then. I get the occasional pimple here or there when I'm stressed or at that time of the month, but no more actual acne breakouts.

    I now use Clinique skin care products, and they have an acne solutions line as well (mostly geared toward calming redness). I use their daily redness reducing cream each morning, along with a moisturizer before putting on makeup, and I really like the results. But as far as dealing with the acne problems initially, Neutrogena is the only brand that consistently worked for me.
  • Christiiiine
    Christiiiine Posts: 30
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    This is a lot to read through so I'll just share my experience real quick. I would get awful dermatitis flare ups on my face (usually in the winter) and my doctor prescribed Solodyn to me straight away along with a cleanser. Solodyn is a pill btw. After about 2-3 days my skin felt incredibly soft and my skin looked amazing.

    I haven't had to be on it in over a year now so in the long run it seems to have kept it at bay. I didn't have any side effects other than the soft skin--which I miss :) It is a VERY expensive drug if you don't have insurance. I'm talking almost $700 for a 30 day supply. My insurance brought it down to $25. Goodluck!

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