Anyone Have Success with Proactive Acne Cream?

Allyson1023 · March 2012

I've been breaking out a lot lately. I thought it may be my diet (the reason why I joined MFP in the first place).

I've been thinking of trying Proactiv but before spending the money I wanted to know if any of you had any success/ failure with it?

Thanks!

vschwoob · March 2012

I have used it with minimal Results. I had MUCH better results with acne.org products give it a try.

Chelseaalsup · March 2012

I use Eminence products.. I use probiotic moisturizer. it has really helped!

vschwoob · March 2012

My daughter is 20 and uses the acne.org products too.

Kerri_is_so_very · March 2012

I did years ago and loved it, though I didn't try anything else since I was happy with the results.

kid320 · March 2012

A family member of mine sells the stuff and says that it does work really well, but most of her inquiries are from people with some money. She knows the stuff is overpriced and has a hard time convincing people who don't have a lot of disposable income to buy her product.

My dermatologist recommended PanOxyl cream. Granted, I don't have horrible acne on my face, but it has cleared up the acne on by shoulders and back considerably. Just be careful - apparently it can bleach your hair, although it has never happened to me.

nickyfm · March 2012

Yeahh, except it's not just proactiv. More a combo of Proactiv cleanser (don't use the other products), castor oil at night, and Lymphatox vitamins

rolliepollie087 · March 2012

I use baking soda. Works great for me.

rockerbabyy · March 2012

when i use it i have great results, i used it regularly for almost a year

EBFNP · March 2012

I use Panoxyl also, and it helps a lot with breakouts. I would just go to a Dermatologist and get the good stuff for your face. I used Proactive before in college,and it somewhat works. However, I felt like it just dried out my face.

firstnamekaren · March 2012

Yep. Lots of success. It took a while for my skin to get used to it (it dried me out a lot) but after that, my skin looked amazing.
I used the regular cleaner + regular toner + medicated lotion stuff + oil free lotion. If anybody asks me, I tell them hell yeah, this stuff works. I have oily skin.

allisshiney · March 2012

I have never had a big acne problem but still use the cream. I find that it works really well to make my skin more even and gets rid of "bumps".

ginamaria724 · March 2012

When I use to have really bad acne I wanted to try it, but my mom told me all it does is just dry out your skin and make the acne worse. So I started using a product called Noxzema, and it works so well on me. I've been using it for about 6 years now, I love it

It makes my skin so soft and clean.

maieranne77 · March 2012

It didn't work for me. Clinique is what works for me.

BeautyFromPain · March 2012

eeeek, just a warning... Proactive is a bleach so will bleach everything it comes in contact with.

I did not have success but that is more cos the only thing i have had success with is roaccutane combined with the pill... roaccutane literally took out all the oil in my skin.... my skin would become so dry from it it would start bleeding... but in the end it was worth it i actually had THE worst acne... you can get only get roaccutane from a dermatologist and is actually the worst tablet you can get (in saying that i mean will work for peoples skin no matter how bad it is) but in saying that... my skin was the worst, first time i went to the DOCTOR they asked me if i had chicken pox

so in saying that, it will work for some, not for others' depends on the severity.

Chloe_Chaos_ · March 2012

Was going to start it but then my doctor put me on birth control lol
I still have wicked break outs sometimes (mostly when I ate crap) but I use Clean&Clear facial cleanser that dries my skin out enough. All of my friends and family have tried it and it dries them out so much they feel like they'll bleed lol.

Msg me if you want the name and I'll let you know.

But once your diet improves your face should too, sometimes it's genetic though

Bpothik13 · March 2012

I thought it was dreadful stuff that didnt work and bleached out the collars on some of my shirts.

I use "Angels on Bare Skin" soap from LUSH....is expensive, but gentle on my face.

peacheshka · March 2012

Velocity from Mary Kay great product

heyghoge · March 2012

i think it depends on your skin sensitivity. i used the face wash a few years ago and remember that all it did was make my face itch horribly and then break out into an awful rash. which looked really great on top of the pimples! :P i do know that other people say it gets worse before it gets better, but for me that burning sensation was alarming/painful/not worth sticking it out to see if my skin would adjust.

i use tea tree oil, which is milder than benzoyl peroxide (the active ingredient in proactiv and a lot of anti-acne washes/creams).

1Timothy4v8 · March 2012

When I was a pre teen I had a really bad problem with acne I eat natures cure tablets, they worked so well I didn't have bad acne at all as a teen

Josie_lifting_cats · March 2012

I was interested in it, but I had a few friends tell me that when they stopped using it they ended up worse than before.

I currently use the Target version of Clean and Clear to wash, and I have a Neutrogena "zit zapper" I use the second I think I have something developing. I'm not perfectly clear all the time, but much better than I used to be!

BeautyFromPain · March 2012

But once your diet improves your face should too, sometimes it's genetic though

^ so, so true!

the only time i ever get breakouts now is when i'm on my period

Werglum · March 2012

I tried it and had the worst reaction to it! It took ages for the rash to go away and they kept sending me the stuff even though I'd rung them to cancel it!! Apparently you can buy stuff from the chemist, with the same active ingredients, for way cheaper.

ashleynicol3 · March 2012

I tried Proactiv for a few weeks & it helped a little at first, but new bumps kept popping up & my skin started to feel more oily than usual. I don't know if I was using too much of the toner or what, but it didn't work for me. I bought the Clean & Clear Acne Advantage kit at the store & after 2 days of using it, my face was much better than the Proactiv. The face cleanser is the best part. It has 10% benzoyl peroxide in it & it makes your face feel cold, kind of like when you put Icy Hot on. It's stronger than the Proactiv cleanser & it also comes with a moisturizer with salicylic (sp?) acid and a spot treatment that is pretty awesome with salicylic acid too. Anyway, that has been working pretty good for me! My face is not 100% cleared up but MUCH better!!!

Oh yeah, the cleanser does dry out your skin but not so much that it bothers me at all. It just feels nice and clean and not oily at all, and that's what I needed to get rid of my bumps. I'm sure the moisturizer that comes in the kit would help, but I'd rather keep my face dry because it seems to work better for my skin.

Crystalb43 · March 2012

I have never used proactiv, but I do use Purpose. Which is similar to cetaphil but much much cheaper. My dermatologists recommended me use Purpose after consistent and severe breakouts.

My face is clear, with the exception of a few bumps during that "special" time of the month. But no complains here.

I would say give that a try before spending a lot of money on proactiv. But that's just my two cents.

ruststar · March 2012

I've used Proactiv for years and I've been happy with the results.

Chrisgriff32 · March 2012

Please, please, please do your research on Proactiv! I wasted so much money on that for my moderate/severe acne and it left me much worse than I had originally started. I recently purchased "The Regimen" from Acne.org and I am pleased (OK shocked) at the results I am getting. I read so many positive reviews for this stuff I had to try it. Price wise, you get SO much more product for the money and all of his products are top notch. The only problem I am encountering with it is dryness, but you have to give your skin time to get used to the BP. Good luck!

lumina0o0 · March 2012

Yes I used it and I love it! If I had the money id buy some more. I wish I had pics to share, but this was before digital. Nothing else worked for me. I had really bad acne for like a year and tried all sorts of over the counter stuff most of it only making it worse.

Pebble321 · March 2012

My nephew used it and although his acne cleared up, he went a really funny pale colour.
Which makes sense if it is a bleach. In my wedding photos he looks really washed out and not quite normal.

galededras · March 2012

I never had a breakout until I turned 30, and then they came with a vengeance! I tried just about everything, including Proactive, and everything made my face worst. I bought a Clarisonic about 6 weeks ago and my skin looks like the skin of a five year old. It didn't just clear up my acne but made my skin smooth and reduced the size of my pores. I rarely even wear foundation now. If I'm going out I might wear a light dusting of Bare Minerals mineral veil just to give a nice glow, but otherwise, I don't need foundation or concealer of any kind. And the great thing about it is you can use it with whatever product you like. I alternate between Cetaphil and some basic Oil of Olay face wash. It's pricy, about 120 dollars at Sephora but you can find them online for a little less.

jessyjones00 · May 2012

I've used a ton of chemical loaded products including Proactive. Now I swear by all natural products!

This page I found when doing some research- http://www.acnetreatmentsystem.org/salicylic-acid/ talks about the main ingredient in Proactive called Salicylic acid. Basically if Proactive is working for you you aren't meant to use more than one product containing the ingredient but Proactive sell a whole 4 step treatment where nearly all the products contain that Salicylic acid. That's why the skin gets so dry.

Anyone Have Success with Proactive Acne Cream?

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