vicandla

Carley's Clear & Smooth skin treatment a go. Its available at www.no-acne.com or ebay

like to use a gentle exfoliant on my skin and a drop of lavender oil or tea tree oil in some moisturiser or almond oil. It doesn't get rid of the spots but keeps the skin in good condition. The lavender and tea tree oils are slightly antiseptic which is good if the skin gets infected.

Netrogena Clear skin Body cleanser

Nutragena Oil Free Acne wash I personally Use this myself, and really like it, my face hasn't looked this good for quite a while!!(Treatment used By: vicandla)
I have used this for years. I LOVE IT!!! I like the liquid better, but I think it's too most people's own preference(Treatment used by: ABailey405)


B5

I've been reading through old posts and don't see anybody taking B5 (Pantothenic Acid) for acne. I ran across it on the skincare.acne newsgroup a few years ago, and it's been amazing! 1000-1500mg (depending when I remember, LOL!) a day keeps my acne almost completely at bay, and has done the same thing for my 13-year-old stepson. The few times I ran out and thought "My skin looks great, I don't need that anymore" my acne has come back with a vengance. I've tried Accutane, potions, creams and everything else under the sun, and nothing works for me like this. Anyone else taking B5? I saw it help dozens of people on the newsgroups, and wanted to share with my cysters. (Treatment used By Julia's Mom)


Pure Zone from L'Oreal is a godsend. I use steps 1 and 2 (1 being the cleanser and 2 being the astringent that was described above)

I have had wonderful results with this and a combination of Spironolactone.

I tried the Step 3 moisturized...even tho it says it's oil free. My skin still became oily when using this as compared to just Steps 1 and 2. (Treatment used By: Iapcosgurl)


Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle, Anti-Blemish and Clear Skin Cream w/Retinol Works for me
I also been using Aveeno's Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer which minimize the appearance of unwanted hair and have seen a huge difference Best part you can buy them at Walmart (Treatment used by: FLALATINA)


Samuel Par Skin Clarifying Pen - anyone tried it?
I was ordering cleanser from Dermadoctor.com, and during my search through acne products, I saw this pen. Basically, it's a spot treatment. It's natural (cinnamon, thyme, rosemary, oregano, lavender), but it's supposed to dry the occassional pimple up fairly quickly. Has anyone ever tried this? I ordered it, but it hasn't gotten here yet. Okay - replying to my own post. I got the pen, I *heart* the pen!!! I highly recommend it. Using it 4-5 times a day (you can use it over makeup too), the pimple is all but gone by the next day. Woohoo! Something that works! (Treatment used by: missniki)


Caudalie products - my skin loves them!
http://www.caudalie.com/
i know this stuff is expensive but a sales person turned me on to the masque creme hydrant for dry skin. i leave it on all night and my sking loves it! it works well for me and if i have any "spots", they are diminished in the morning. i had run out and bought some last night and used it and my skin looks so much better today1 i also got some samples of their other products and the gentle buffing creme in their sensitive skin section cleaned my pores like no other product has. i'm going to try my sample of the purifying mask in the combo skin section tonight. i think it's the grape seed they use that works well with my skin. the smell is great - not over perfumed like some products out there. i've tried just about everything and this works best for me. i know each person is different so you just have to find out what's best for you. (Treatment used By: nwlywed)


CHECK OUT PROACTIVE!!!!!!!!!!
Proactive IT WORKS!!! It really really does! It cleared up my face in a couple weeks...I'm hooked!
Honestly...I never had real bad acne but I did have a couple pimples a week (that were noticable) and now I dont! at all!(Treatment used by: Mschin)

i've been using proactive for two weeks. i live in the UK so have not seen the infomercials, but although proactive is not a miracle cure for acne and will not give you perfect skin overnight, i have seen an improvement in my acne. Alot of my spots have healed and there are less new ones forming. As I said ive only been using it for two weeks, so am hoping to see a bigger improvement with time, but so far it has worked better than any of the other products i've used, eg clearasil, biactol, tea tree oil, etc. so i definately think you should give proactive a try.
Disadvantages - it's expensive, as you probably know. I bought the whole package, but will only buy the face wash and repairing lotion the next time, as i don't really think the toner or the face mask makes a difference. the face mask contains sulfur, and has a nasty smell, and i read somewhere that sulfur isn't really an effective treatment for acne.
It also dries out your skin because of the benzoyl peroxide. So i'd say use a good non-comodegenic moisturiser. I use Nivea moisturising lotion becasue it doesn't make my skin feel oily, and you only need a tiny amount. (Treatment used by: M-19)

Proactiv has helped a lot !
Hi there ! Proactive has helped my acne a lot !! The only problem I found is that when I ordered the product, they started shipping it to me faster than I can use it. I hope it works well for you . (Treatment used by: PrincessLaci317)

Just want to let you know that I use Proactive as well as my 10 yr. daughter. I love the body cleanser..I use it only on my face, it seems to really help my oilyness more than the facial cleanser.
I don't like the toner but I use the repairing lotion whenever I break out. YES IT IS EXPENSIVE. (Treatment used By: Selina G. Reyes)



I have been uding Nivea facial cleaner for oily skin (it is green in color and had little beads in it). Have found that it works well for me so far. (Treatment used by: shannabel)


I swear by Oil Of Olay cleansing cloths for oily skin!!
They leave you feeling clean, and they do a great job exfoliating!!
That and the "acne care kit"(or somthing like that) sold a www.skinbio.com really cleard my skin up!!
i hope this helps! Iknow how depressing breakouts can be!!!(Treatment used by:"Cyster D.")


I don't know if you can buy this product range in US or not but I use T-Zone and it is truly fantastic for spots and acne.
I have been using it for about 3 years now and I wouldn't risk anything else for fear of undoing the good results. My best friend also suffers with acne but has a different type to mine and she was reluctant to give it a try at first, as she thought it couldn't possibly work for both our skin types but she has had great success with it too! We both swear by it and wouldn't want to change to anything else - we had tried just about everything on the market between us over the years and just when we would think we had found something that seemed to work, a couple of weeks later we would be back to square one, until we discovered T-Zone.
It's also really reasonably priced with most products around 4 pounds (about $8 US?) I especially like the light mousse mask which I apply for a couple of minutes after I've cleansed my face, whilst I'm showering. It certainly helps calm any irritations and breakouts and as I've got really sensitive skin (things like Clearasil are like paint stripper to my skin!) I can vouch for how gentle it is. It contains tea tree oil amongst other ingredients.
http://www.t-zone.co.uk (Treatment used by: pleasantlyblew)


I use "SpectroJel" by GlaxoSmithKline. (Treatment used by:bandanna)


I use the St Ives "Blemish Control" apricot daily face scrub. I love their products and my skin is loads better since I've been using them.(Treatment used by: Dani UK)

I use biore and love it! It only takes a small amount to make a very nice lather. Also, it smells great!(Treatment used by: Huggies)


I use St. Ives Blemish Control too. I love the stuff. My face is clearing up and it is so much softer. I have tried just about everything out there and I love this one so much.(Treatment used by: rldunn20)


i've been using new products by Eucerine for acne prone skin. it cleans my skin w/out over drying. i use the soap and toner. my face hasn't totally cleared up but it's much happier. also, i use milk of magnesium (MOM) on a spot - i read in a magazine that it draws the oils out. i've found that dabbing some on at night makes them go away faster - be forewarned though, it does bring all the oily ick in it to the surface.(Tretment used by: nwlywed)


I use Avon's Clearskin foaming face wash and overnight acne treatment (I use the treatment in the morning and at night). I've used these for years and I love them. But I only use the face wash in the morning and use a milder cleaner in the evening depending on the season (a stronger one for summer and very mild one for winter). In the summer it's usually Clean and Clear and then in the winter something mild for normal skin. I've also read that aloe vera is a good for your acne and scars. Has anyone else heard this or tried it?(Treatment used by:bio_girl2)


This is what I was prescribed for acne!!!
An anti-biotic in pill form - Zithromax

Anti-biotic topical gel - Clindagel

topical gel - Differin

And after 2 months of this, my face has cleared up immensely!!!! I went to see my Derm. today for a follow up, and everything is getting better. He wants me to come back in 2 more months. (Treatment used by:pixiestic)

ROACCUTANE WORKS!!!!

I hope you all remember me and my huge problem with reacurring acne.........well if you don't then...................
I started suffering with acne when I was about 17 (now 20 in 5 wks). During this depressing time of my life I had been on numerous treatments, such as Erythromycin, tetracycline, Minocycline, Retin A cream, Metformin, Benzamycin and the dreaded Dianette bcp!! dianette made the situation 1000x worse and the others did nothing but improve the condition slightly!
Well, as I type this I've finally got what I have always dreamt of, clear skin, excpet for scars and red marks from old breakouts.
I went on roaccutane 80mg per day February 2001, and was on this for 6 months. After this time, I was clearish, but never fully clear whilst on my treatment. My dermacologist took me off roaccutane as he beleived my skin would continue to heal after treatment.........It didn't, so a month latter I went back, and he gave me a course of 4 months. This all seems like a very long time to be on roaccutane, but my blood was tested regally and everything was fine! After four months, I was still getting a few spots, but these were caused by me, as usual attacking them!
I'm now on my final month, and I beleive I am finally at the end of my struggle with acne. Touch Wood, I have not had a spot for a month, so I pray to the lord this is this part of my life over with now!No one would beleive how muccch happier I feel! I spend ages in the morning getting ready for uni, but these days it does not take as long, as I do not waste time covering my face with concealer!I just wanted to let all you ladies know out there, that this battle will eventually come to an end, and I really beleive in that saying "There is Light at the end of a tunnel"(Treatment used by: RACHEL MOSS)


I am on my 3rd course of the wonder drug 'Roaccutane'. Fingers crossed this is the last time.While I am on the medication my skin is excellent - really dry, but not a spot in sight. It is normally 12 months afterwards that the symtoms come back - for me anyway. (Treatment used by: scottishlady)


SAW PALMETTO
ok. I checked with the derm and its ok to take it.
(My skin is clearing up too- )
I think u are right. I even ordered the IR diet book u recommended because i really want to make an effort to control this. I was too ignorant before and am so thankful to have found this site. I will try the Saw Palmetto for a couple of mths too to see if it can help me....All my problems started when my periods got less and less frequent. I guess the full blown PCOS started late for me. I am 28.Managed to have clear skin for past 8 yrs but somehow, hormones went out of control after I removed an ovarian cyst and had ovarian drilling done to regulate my periods. Periods are regular so far w/o birthcontrol.(Treatment used by: michi)

just a comment
I read about some women here having success w/ saw palmetto in clearing up acne, so I figured I'd look into it. Went to Vitamin World and the clerk asked if he could help me. I told him what I was looking for and his reply was "What do you need that for?" Apparently the bottles of saw palmetto advertise that it promotes prostate health! The guy thought I was misinformed. He'd never heard of women taking it.

:-) Ah, but we're a special bunch of women, aren't we(Treatment used by: ChelNY)

I believe that saw palmetto does help out with acne. I know it is believed to help with excess hair...and to stop the hair from thinning on your head. The saw palmetto helps to block a large amount of testosterone so it is suppose to help with the hair problems....I think it would also help with the acne....because androgens are believed to be one of the causes of triggering acne...along with sebum and oil. So, I am pretty sure that the saw palmetto would help...I think it would be worth a try! Sorry I can not give a definite answer(Treatment Used By: KatrinaAnne
Smiling Soulcyster)



WONDER SOAP

Hello Everyone, I just thought that I would share a product that I found at a health food store. It is called Grandpa's sulfer soap. My son has acne really bad all over the upper half of his body. I went to the HF store to get some coconut oil and while I was there I found this soap. It works like you would not believe. You can tell a major difference even after the first use. I am really impressed with it. The lady at the HF store said that another thing that helps to get rid of acne is to drink lots of water, and eat alot of green veggies. She said that the body produces toxins which leave the body in the form of acne. Anyway, I just thought that I would share this information. Maybe, it will be what you are looking for. (Treatment used by: lanniedoodles)

Acne-treatment nutrition that works for me
1) Lots of pure spring water between meals!!!!!!
2) Plenty of protein, especially a wide variety of fish plus organic yogurt
3) Some kind of salad every day!! !!!!
4) Extra fiber with meals
5) Lots of vegetables with meals
6) When craving sweet, go for fruit, especially green apples, lemons/limes, berries, papaya, and pineapple.....but don't go overboard(Treatment used by: ~X~)


MICRODERMABRASION

I was just wondering if any one has used a Dermasponge? I was very sceptical about it, but I bought it. I love getting Microdermabrasion done, but it is quite expensive. So I found this site and tried it out..I love it! My skin feel exactly the way it does when I leave the derma's office. It had the rosey glow the slight sun burned feeling and my face feels smoother. It is also made with the same cyrstals that the machines use (Aluminum Oxide). I saw the dead skin on the sponge and still had plenty to do my back as well..Well if you used it or something like it please share your stories or if your interested in what I bought the web site is www.fabulousskin.com (Treatment used by: AdoreMsK)



OTHER FORMS OF ACNE CARE

I suffered with both forms of acne, and the only thing that has really cleared my skin is Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. It really is a lifesaver! I used to put it on once a day, but have cut down now to a couple of times a week as it started getting too drying. I haven't had a pimple in months. (Treatment used by: jennlen)

Lately I've gone back to two separate kinds of old-fashioned "drying" soaps: plain old Ivory and Bee & Flower Sandalwood. They both work really well (I have to admit I pick my face) to dry up both the open and non-opened messes.
What's the name of your makeup? I use Revlon Color Stay - because it goes on like paint and stays almost all day. I was so thrilled to find this stuff a few years ago! (Treatment used by: Bearcat)

One thing that does work with some of the painful zits is lemon juice, it kills some of the bacteria on your face, isn't that drying, and I think it helps prevent some zits. I just put it on at night with a cotton ball before I go to bed, and it's so cheap! About a dollar a bottle! (Treatment used by: jschmidt)


BLACKHEADS
i have a lot of blocked pores (blackheads) in the T zone area. i've had them for years and nothing totally gets rid of them. i've used joey's new york pure pore cleanser that targets them and it helps some. http://www.joeynewyork.com/home.asp
i hate them and am extremely self conscious of them. although, i'm sure it's not as bad as i feel some days.(Treatment used by:nwlywed)


Some people are more prone to have a lot of blackheads, especially in the nose and chin area. If you have oily skin more oil tends to collect in these facial areas. I would highly recommend using the Biore Pore Strips. They work quite well and will relieve you from having to do so much squeezing and popping!(Treatment used by: chaplin)

I'm the same, no zits really just major blackheads. Those strips don't work for me, they do take out some of the gunk but that just leaves an empty pore that fills back up with oil. What you have to do is stop the excess oil (sebum). Accutane is one option though there are major side effects and it is not permenant or try to find the root of the problem, which is probably too much testosterone in your system. So far spiro hasn't helped though it's only been 2 months. I'm due to start metformin in a few weeks so hopefully that will help. Anyway just wanted to maybe save you some money and time cause nothing otc is going to help in my experience (and trust me I've spent a bloody fortune ) . (Treatment used by: Dakota)


Cleansers: Dickinsons cleansing pads (with witch hazel and aloe vera), Neutrogena or Biore cleansers in the shower. Glytone cleanser also good (makes skin glow) but not too often or it can be irritiating.Also very important: Neutrogena multi-vitamin treatment for acne!!!! VERY effective! (used after cleansing gently with Dickinsons in the AM before applying makeup)And Neutrogena skin clearing moisturizer with salicylic acid and retinol OR differin OR retinA micro in the evening.

- Antibiotic (tetraciclines, etc.):-------------------------

topical cleocin and clindamycin did work a little bit for me but

I don't think antibiotics should be used for acne most of the time.....I think they cause more problems in the long term. They definitely damage your body's natural digestion so if you use them, take probiotics or eat yogurt, or both. If your digestion is working well, it will help prevent toxins from entering your bloodstream forcing your body to detoxify through excreting them through the skin. (contributing to acne)

Taking erythromycin orally did not have an effect as far as i could tell, anyway.

In fact, I think the cysters who have benefited from cutting out dairy might be because of the antibiotics which are in milk (go organic!)


- Birth Control Pills:---------------------------------------

DEMULEN! is the only one that helped clear my skin BUT I also don't think bc pills are good.....too many hormonal backlash problems

ortho novum and triphasil b.c. pills were okay for my skin, neither good nor bad

ortho tricyclen made it MUCH worse

*Others*:


- IR meds : I take alpha lipoic acid, drink green tea often and sometime use extra fiber and rarely chromium. Overall this seems to help the IR, especially the alpha lipoic acid which helps to potentiate more efficient insulin action and is also a strong antioxidant.


- Vitamin-type meds---------------------------------


Zinc (only 30 mg a day....if you take too much zinc it will compromise your immunity and make your skin infections harder to heal)

Vitamin C w/rosehips

B-complex in the AM

multiple in the evening

Nordic Naturals essential fatty acids supplement

using flax seed, ginger, lemon juice, lots of green vegetables, Udo's oil and Bragg's aminos in cooking and nutrition seems to help balance my hormones a little, reduce inflammation, and make breakouts/infections disappear quickly

And if I can make a suggestion for another area to talk about:

PROCEDURES/PROCESSES DONE TO SKIN

Microdermabrasion: good! Did not magically clear up skin but slightly improved scars and really made skin much more glowing and beautiful, minimizing pores, etc.

Facials: depends on where you go, have had mixed experiences (Treatments used by: ~X~)


tea tree oil...i just put it right on my breakouts and they clear up pretty well...i love the stuff! (Treatment used by: gwen)



cleansers/washes - benzac AC, St.Ive's foaming facial cleanser (for make-up removal mainly)
topicals - clindamycin (clindatech), diffrin
antibiotics - bactrim (only temporarily ie. for 3 months to clear up infections)
other meds - spironolactone...had amazing results for me (so far!)(Treatment used by: el)


Philosophy products are awesome!
Philosophy makes a great line of products for oily skin. It is a bit $$ but I would never buy anything else...NEVER! Check them out at http://philosophy.com/index.jsp or on QVC. QVC is actually having a Philosophy show on the 21st. Just wanted to let you all know. Their oily skin line is wonderful. I actually have both their regular line and their oily line. (Treatment used by: Char3)

Believe it or not, Visine works for me.
I recently remembered reading this somewhere a few years ago and decided to try VISINE, yes visine eye drops on my inflamed cystic acne. It was an emergency. I had an interview and I had to make the redness go away, and I wanted to let all of my cysters know that it worked for me. Just dab it on a cottonball and apply it topically and liberally. The redness should subside quickly. It shouldn't burn, and it won't heal or dry up acne, but it worked as a temporary fix. Please share if it works for you. (Treatment used by: ToledoCyster)


I found an acne cream that works really good!
It is called acnomel.I bought it at rite aid.It is expensive (!0 dollars for a tube) but it works great! I was looking at the ingredients and it contains sulfur and resorcinol instead of benzoyle peroxide and salicilyc acid.So it doesn't dry you out bad.But this stuff realy works wonders.It is tinted too so it covers them up.I've been breaking out in cysts on my chin lately so i bought some of this stuff yesturday and my cysts shrunk overnight!And no new ones today!It still works well on those hard to cover(it is tinted)cysts.But the acne on my chin got out of controll so i was forced to go to the dermatologist and im now using differin and it has worked okay but not as great as i hoped.To tell you the truthh i have found that the dermatologist stuff is not much better than the over the counter stuff unless you use the big time stuff like accutane or antibiotics but in my opinion antibiotics are not long term in acne treatment and i've been on accutane 3 times without much success.So yes the Acnomel is one of the best things over the counter i have ever used! If you only get a couple of cysts it is great for spot treatment.And it really works.It's better than some of the junk the derm has given me over the last couple of months.
Oh and before i forget,a tue of Acnomel will last you forever! So the ten bucks that it costs i well worth it!And alittle goes a long way.I just dab alittle on the cyst or pimple and it covers it really well no matter how light skinned you are and im one of those ghostly pale people that doesn't tan well on my face.It also is a miracle for covering the red marks that cysts leave after they heal.Just make sure to dab it on a little at a time instead of rubbing it in and let it dry up before putting on make up if you wear it.I cant wear make up unfortunately cause it causes me to break out worse no matter what i use.So the Acnomel is wonderful for me since i need to cover the reddness and acne cysts.I highly recommend this stuff!( Treatment used by: frenchiebull)


I have been using Proactive.
It seems to help lot.
After just the first use (about 2ys ago) my skin felt so good!
I am now trying Aveeno with it now my face is breaking out again.(Treatment used by: mthomas)


acne therapy w accutane and laser
Hi. I thought to share my therapy to beat acne w accutane and laser-yag laser.
i am on wk 23 of 30 of accutane treatment and had 9 lasers done to date. I have been doing laser every 2 wks at the derm's clinic. each session lasts 5 min only. Its similar to cooltouch but according to the derm, cooltouch only helps wrinkles but not acne scarring.
So far my treatment has gone quite well. I had
a very ROUGH 1st 5 mths on Accutane to be honest. I had a VERY bad breakout and also depression even though i was on a low dose (20mg). But now my skin is clearing up very well. about 60% improvement.
Acne scarring is improving and also facial hair decrease due to laser.
I also use clindamycin, tretinoin and a AHA moisturiser by the derm on top of the low dose accutane. This method works.

I have been taking saw palmetto for past 2.5 mths too. Blood work for testerone level came out yesterday was 0.78 which is in normal ranges.

My treatment is very expensive w accutane and lasers and the creams but i think its worth it as long as i can beat acne.(Treatment used by: michi)


Lexli products worked for me!
Just wanted to give you gals a heads up...I've had oily and zitty skin forever it seems, and I started using this Lexli skin wash which is aloe based and my skin is SOOO much better! ( Treatment used by: carrie1602)


Passing along an acne treatment
Just to pass it along. Right about the time that I was diagnosed with pcos, I was having terrible acne breakouts on my face. I am not sure if it was a pcos side effect or make up related. I found the article on yahoo. It is a daily routine treatment, basically this is how it goes:
1st I splash my face with warm water.
2nd I use St.Ives face wash cream for my skin type.(you can use any brand you want) I always apply it in an upward motion. I let is set for like 30secs.
3rd I rinse my face with warm water for about 2 minutes. Then I finish with a splash or two of cold water, to close up my pores.
4. After my face has dried I use a toner(suave for my skin type) that I also apply in an upward motion, I also apply a little more on my problem areas.
5. I then use a Ponds mostoirizer.

Basically it takes me about 10 minutes and I do it twice a day. I have only been doing it for two weeks and my face has completley cleared up 100%. I didnt even have a new break out during AF! My face is completely smooth. I know what works for might not work for others, but I wanted to pass it along hoping it would help others. Give it a try if you want. By the way I noticed a difference in my face after 2 days. Let me know if you try it. ( Treatment used by: wvchic1979)



Duac?
My derm recently prescribed Duac for me. It's a new topical acne medication... a combo of clindamycin and Benzol Peroxide. He said the first month to keep using it no matter what b/c basically my skin would just do it's thing. If I was going to have a bad month, I still would, if I was going to have a good month, I still would also. The second month is when I'd really see a difference. Well, I've been using it for 2 weeks and I guess I'm having a good month b/c the skin on my face has been really great. I've only had a few minor breakouts. I am also using it on my back, as recently I've developed really annoying bacne. UGH!! Anyway, so far I don't see much of a difference on my back but it's definitely not getting worse so that's a plus. I am anxious to see what happens after using it for a couple of months. I have a very positive feeling about it. (Treatment used by: Court)

__________________
Laura(Hypothyroid) (38)~Soulmate of Victor (41) Est 4.1.96
~ Mom to:
~DD C 18
~DS J 16
~DD A 5 (Hypothyroid)
~DD Z 3
~DD A 2
~New Baby Z Coming Sept 2008

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