scarlet

I don't want to annoy anyone here, but it would be great if people didn't use products tested on animals. Lorela, Oil of Olay and Neutrogena all test on animals. You can find a comprehensive list of people who test and don't test at www.peta.org

I don't want to be pushy. I understand if people keep using the products, but I just thought it would be a good idea to tell people so they can make an informed choice.

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A soulcyster member since 2001. Former alternative remedies moderator. Back into the community again!

smokes

I'm trying to find natural solutions to acne or products that are all natural (no parabens, etc). I would say that I was on proactive, and it does work, but I wanted to discontinue b/c of the parabens (there's evidence that parabens cause cancer, contribute to cysts, etc). The only thing I got now is putting cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide on my face. It works semi-well, but I dunno if its dangerous to be using it everyday, even though it's dilute?

~X~

Yowza! I'm bummed to hear that Neutro. tests on animals because I am staunchly opposed to that, and yet I TRULY rely on some of their products. I don't buy any other products from animal-testing companies that I know of. I like the Body Shop because they have some great products that are not harmful to the environment, or people, or animals....but I can't get everything from then.

Neutrogena Multi-Vitamin formula is something I NEED...I don't know of a single other product out there like it. Ack! It's really, really good by the way.


I have an idea.

I will search for a replacement, but until I do, I will buy CONSERVATIVE amounts of the stuff and use it sparingly as I really need it.
Plus, I will match the dollars spent on this company's products with donations to animal-welfare organizations. Money is tight, so no doubt this will be hard, but if I feel the pinch in my wallet when I am donating, it will motivate me to find a subsitute product faster.

=)

X

guineapig

I am currently on spiro 100mg but it's too early to tell whether or not it's working. It doesn't seem to be making it worse in the "T zone" although I get a stray zit in brand-new places occasionally.

I am still washing the face with Plexion cleanser--a prescription cleanser that's sulfur based. It works good but it smells. And it's expensive--$45 per tube (about the same size as a typical shampoo bottle but squeezable) and I have good insurance but it won't cover it. I guess I've been using this tube about 6 months though...but only on my face. If you had acne elsewhere, I guess it wouldn't last as long.

It's pretty drying so I alternate it with Aveda's gel cleanser. Between those two suds, my acne has gotten betTER. Gosh, I guess I've been using the Plexion about 2 years now.

I've tried the antibiotics (oral and topical) and topical Retin-A and topical (I can't remember the name--starts with a D). Oh, yeah, Differin. They didn't work too hot. And the oral antibiotics made me puke.

I never tried accutane (scared of hairloss worse) but DH did it AS A TEENAGER with great results. But of course, boy teenage acne is normal and temporary and quite different from our hormonal problems!

And I don't ever wear "face" makeup or even powder...it makes me break out (plus I'm so pale it never matches anyway).

Oh yeah. When my acne & PCOS were mildER, I used to use "Paula's Choice" products--the exfoliator lotion & the cleanser (identical to Kiss My Face white cleanser). They worked okay at the time. I also used to use Estee Lauder Clear Difference moisturizer.

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Whoa! bfp 11/22/08. A YAZ "reset" baby!

• allergy shots 2 yr
• Soma sleep apnea pillow--yeah it works, but it wears out after a year

Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.

Hannie

I use Proactiv which has improved the tone and quality of my skin, but I still get breakouts. I think some of that may be from the shaving, tho. I'd used a list of products as long as your arm before, and nothing was really greatly effective.

The one thing I have done that I almost guarantee will clear up acne is tanning. Don't jump down my throat; of course I am aware of the risks. Like so many things in life, you weigh good and bad. Believe me, if you saw me IRL you would realize that I'm a very infrequent tanner. I'm white as a ghost most of the time. But when I do tan, all my facial acne clears up, and more importantly all my body acne clears up. It makes your skin reflective, and my face was glowing and I would go everywhere without makeup. Plus, because my skin was a little more colored/darker, the hair on my face and arms was less noticeable.

Anyhow. I'm not tanning right now, but I'm anxious to start again. Just enough to look alive and clear up the old birthday suit.

__________________
XOXO,
Hannah
--------------------------------------------------------------
No one gets to choose their lot in life, but we can all choose what we build on it.

Be willing to give up what you are for what you can become.

raeolyte

I read on another message board about what has worked on cystic acne. I have some disgusting cysts on my cheek, and every night I have been following this:

Purchase some garbanzo flour (aka chick pea flour or gram flour - depending on location) from the health food store. Mix it with water to make it into a somewhat runny paste. Use it as a mask. At first, I used it for about an hour or so, and now I use it every night for the whole night- yes, you will look silly with a bright yellow crust all over your face, but I swear to God, it is pulling the cysts out!
Be sure you soften the mask with water, in the shower, or with a soft cloth - because this stuff is like glue and difficult to remove without pain if you don't. It's working for me and I have only been using it for 2 weeks. And, yes, I have tried everything from antibiotics to Accutane to ProActiv Solution. This is working and it's totally natural!!! BTW, it cost about $4 for a 2lb. bag which will easily last me the rest of my life. When you make the mixture, use no more than a teaspoon or you will have way too much! You can also add other things to it:
Lemon juice - to remove excess oil, but that is redundant because the flour does that
Tea Tree Oil - haven't tried it yet, but will soon
Turmeric - yes, the spice - a very small amout - like a pinch - it really cuts down on the red spots - I use this!
Almond Oil or Honey - as a moisturizer - I use it after I wash off the mask

Hope this helps someone!

Sarahboh

Hello,

I have been using @tmosphere Tea Tree Oil Stick, it is clear when it goes on, all over my face morning and night. It is the best, I have not have my face this clear in about 1/2 year. Also, using the Alpha/Beta Hydroxy Pore Refining Toner by Neutrogena and Pro-Activ's Benzoyl Peroxide Repairing Cream. I swear by these products, they are the best!

VanillaSkyy

AnastasiaB

I'm a newbie and just discovered this awesome site just a few minutes ago. I was getting ready to log off when I saw this topic and I just had to comment!!

I first used Proactiv about 8 years ago and I have to admit that it did work very well. Using the toner seemed to cause me to get more acne and the complimentary skin mask sent in the first order worked wonders.

I never had a problem w/acne in high school but when I stopped getting regular periods, and by regular, I mean, at least every three months, I started getting acne and that's when I started using Proactiv. It worked great and I used it for a couple of months and it cleared my face so I stopped using it. I'd get the occassional breakouts from eating pecans or peanuts, ahh, my weakness but causes my face to look HORRIBLE!! But, I'd just make an extra effort to keep my face clean and all would be fine and dandy.

Then, last year, I started using a new makeup line that shall remain nameless because it wouldn't be fair to put the blame on them; most likely my PCOS was just getting 'worse' and that's what was causing my breakouts. Anyhow, I stopped using that line and went back to Prescriptives (which I absolutely LOVE) and discovered Acne Defense and Redness Relief by Prescriptives. They worked really well, for a while, but are quite pricey for the small tubes and bottles. So, I went back to trying some of my old tried and true regimens like using good ol' Oatmeal as a mask overnight or Cetaphil cleanser. They worked a little but they only seemed to aggrivate my skin. Finally, I decided to try Proactiv again, thinking that if it worked awesomely for me once before, it would do it again. Unfortunately, I guess my hormone imbalance is REALLY imbalanced that much worse, that it didn't work. I've even taken Fish Oil Omega 3 vitamins to help thicken my hair and clear my skin. (Worked well w/thickening my hair but not the clearer, glowing face.)
*Sigh*

At this point, I'm feeling horrible and my face is looking just as bad. I'm disgusted and depressed because my sweetheart of a nine-year old niece, even though she knows that acne isn't contagious, she's timid in kissing me on the cheek. I babysit some other younger children and even though they don't know what they are saying, it hurts when they ask what's wrong with my face.

So, one day, I'm looking through a magazine and see DDF products mentioned available at Sephora (my new favorite store!!) I click on SkinCare and click on Acne Solutions somewhere along the side and look specifically for DDF (Doctor's Dermatologic Formula) and come across the Salicylic Wash 2% ($28/8oz) and 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Gel & Sulfur 3% ($22/2oz). Yeah, seems a bit pricey but this has proven to work sooooo well, that I don't regret spending those $50. I had horrible acne along my jawline and on my cheeks and I thought that even if I found something to stop and prevent the acne that I would have terrible looking acne scars. While my acne isn't completely gone, I have a few blemishes but it is far better than what it was before. I never wore ponytails or scarves in my hair because I didn't want my face being that visible. Word of caution though and luckily the girl at the counter told me this before I left: it is very, very strong. It doesn't sting or anything, but the formula is very potent. I think the bottle for the wash says to use twice a day, but she said to start out using it only at night and to use a really good moisturizer for oily skin. Then to start using the Benzoyl Peroxide Gel two to three times a week, also at night, after using the wash. One thing she didn't tell me but I found out by doing research beforehand, is that the wash and/or the gel, I think the gel, can bleach your clothing. Trust me, if you try these products, you'll love it and wonder why no one had mentioned it before...Also, don't ignore the process of introducing your skin to the products because I know I was desperate for relief and used it according to the directions on the bottle and had super dry skin for days. The great thing about Sephora, if you aren't satisfied or it just doesn't work for you, you can return it. That played a major influence on me considering I, and I'm sure many of you, have bought almost every acne treatment/regimen out there.

I don't know if it's helping remove some of the dark spots on my skin, too, or not but I'm also using something that came in a facial hair removal kit. I know that Vitamin E helps w/scars (yeah, I've tried Mederma too and it just aggrivated my acne) and Sally Hansen has a skin conditioner that has Vitamin E and I think that's what is helping w/the scars and dark spots.

Sephora.com

Sorry, I'm getting lazy with the details but it's getting late and I'm getting that much sleepier. Feel free to email me for more information on the items I have mentioned or send me a message on yahoo:Bunnies_Are_Psychotic.

---Marilyn

TracyS

I saw a derm last year for acne that was worse than I've ever had. (I wasn't diagnosed with PCOS until last week).

She wanted me to take an oral drug, but I really wanted to avoid that, so I chose not to.

She gave me Klaron lotion to put on in the a.m. and Differin cream to put on at night.

I was my face with Cetaphil (you can buy this at Wal Mart)

This has worked GREAT!! I don't even use the Klaron and Differin every night anymore. Now I just use them when I have a flare up!

__________________
Tracy
**
Wife to David since 1995
Mother to two sons (ages 5 and2)
Diagnosed PCOS in October 2004
Metformin 1000 mg (to start)

Xtina

I use Biore' foaming face wash (the purple one) and Mary Kay formula 2 moisturizer, it works excellent for me. I have had people ask me what I use when they noticed my face really cleared up. It took me a long time to find what worked for me, I don't think there is any one answer for everyone. I do know that if you want to improve your skin make sure you find something that gently takes away all makeup when you wash your face. Make sure you wash your face every night even if you are really tired. Always make sure you moisturize your face, even if you have oily skin, use a an oil free type, it helps bring balance to your skin. Not using any or using products that dried my skin up too much always made me either get stinging areas or more breakouts. Also, any type of facial cleaner with grit like substance always made me break out even more. A Dr. once told me that was because it was rubbing junk into my pores, he even suggested using only your hands and not a wash cloth. Another good moisturizer I have used is cetaphil for sensitive skin. It made my skin too oily looking for my makeup though so I only used it at night and used another for the day. The worst "solution" for acne I have ever tried was retin A , dried my face up and gave me this icky crusty flakes and stinging areas as well as red splotches.

Stig

A note about Accutane: it can cause serious depression. I was on it several years ago and was very close to committing suicide, and the depresssion lifted as soon as I stopped taking Accutane.

A question about Spiro: does it help for acne too, I thought it was to reduce hair growth.

A question about using acne gels that cause dryness: any good ways to get rid of the dryness and flaking?

Also does anyone have a method of reducing pore size?

Thanks so much!

AnastasiaB

For dryness & flaking, (daytime) I use Boscia Vital Daily Moisture SPF 15. After washing my face in the evening, I use Boscia Recharging Night Moisture. If your facial skin is seriously dry, I would recommend using the night moisturizer during the day and night for a day or two. It works great for me! If your skin is super dry, you can feel your skin soaking up the moisture that you lost. Boscia also has an excellent eye cream that helps relieve the dark/dry spots under/around the eye. My eyes used to look tired all of the time. I love Boscia's moisturizers because they are all natural.

I buy it at Sephora, but they also have a website: www.Boscia.net

__________________
---Marilyn (29)

Y!:Bunnies_are_psychotic

Diagnosed: 1992?
Laparoscopic Surgery: 10.22.04
Metformin: 11.7.04 - 500 mg; 11.14 - 1000 mg; 11.19.04 - 1500 mg

"Measure wealth not by the things you have,
but by the things you have for which you would not take money."

~X~

Just writing to say thank you. I'm going to pick up some of their sulfur mask, I think and try it. (I'll let everyone know how it works for me). I went to their site ddfskincare.com (I think, that's from memory) and from what I can tell, about the ingredients, I think this product will make a fine addition to my usual routine.

Thanks for sharing! Truly.

X

__________________
"Every day you play with the light of the universe" ~Pablo Neruda

"Be a supernova"
~ Bob Geldof

"Close the language door; open the love window."
~Jelaluddin Rumi

artistic1

I use Neutrogena soap for oily skin / with Dalacyn T Topical Solution (need to get a prescription from your doctor) I swear by it, it really works for Cystic acne and lasts for about 2 months (@ 25 dollars a bottle) And drink lotsa water.

Erin
Diagnosed Jan/2000
Currently on Diane / Metformin

__________________
Erin

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