I used ProActiv for about a year and a half. Then I tried Acne Free (from Walmart) and it works even better! Proactiv gave me good results, but I would still have occasional breakouts. With Acne Free, I hardly ever have breakouts. I still use the ProACtive mask.
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I LOVE PROACTIV. It works like a charm for me. I was spending money on meds from the dermatologist and buying expensive clinique products, and nothing worked until I tried Proactiv. If you join the club, the prices aren't that bad compared to the prices of other higher end acne treatments. My face was very oily before and I would have breakouts on my forehead and around my hairline, but it's totally gone now.
__________________ Jen (30) Mom to Lily To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and furbaby Bailey
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Proactive did not work for me AT ALL. I used before my wedding, so naturally, I did it exactly as they said so that I would get the best results. Well, it really didn't clear up anything. It cleaned my skin, sure, but it didn't get rid of any breakouts any faster than they cleared up on their own and it didn't prevent any new ones from coming back either.
Even though they tell you it's a money back garuntee, be careful. If you try it, and find that it doesn't work for you, you have to go through the hassle of calling them and telling them details of your routine (the rep that I spoke with was very condescending and accusatory, as if I was trying to get something for nothing). Then they pushed this sensitive skin formula on me which also didn't work. Eventually, I sent it all back and got my money back, it in the end, it was totally NOT worth it.
I began breaking out in small bumps all over my cheeks. Lots of them. I am 44 and haven't had acne since I was a teen. This went on for months and I assumed it was hormones. I tried to really watch my diet to keep my insulin/hormones in check, but this made no difference. I tried the AcneFree (they advertise it as the same formula as Proactive)available at Walmart and Target and probably the drug stores also. I have sensitive skin, so i use my own gentle cleanser, the toner included with the AcneFree and then a very small dab of the AcneFree medicated lotion. I only use the lotion on the areas of my face that were getting acne. I also only use the product once daily, at night.
It has been about 2 weeks now, and I am very pleased with the results. The 2nd day I saw and improvement and by the 3rd day it was all cleared up and has remained so.
Proactiv worked great for me when I was a teen and had regular teenage acne. I used it for a few years, and it kept most of the breakouts at bay. Now that I'm older I've tried just about everything, and nothing helps. I'm 26 now and it's sad to have worse skin than I did ten years ago!
I even bought the Proactiv mask after seeing the commercials about putting it on a bad blemish at night and waking up with it gone. I'd never used it that way so I thought I'd try it. I hate to say I wasted my money but I did. I tried it for two consecutive nights last week and I've still got a huge cyst on my face.
I think products tend to work best for me if I switch every few months. Until we can get our hormones sorted out I'm afriad for a lot of us there just isn't a topical cure.
I love this stuff. They recently added a light "cucumber" scent to it that is a great improvement (since it used to really reek). They also added a flip-top lid! Yay! I also use it on my upper arms to help with my (very mild) keratosis pilaris.
Thought it worth mentioning that it contains witch hazel. That's supposed to be generally well tolerated, but inflames my skin like nothing else. Didn't realize it was in this till after using awhile and trying to figure out what was going on! Also, using it bleached my pillow cases!
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I didnt go through all those threads so I don't know if this was said or not, but if you try using the Proactiv and find that it helps out great for a little while and then seems to stop working like I did, it seems to help if you switch between that and another face wash. I use the ProActive for a month and then switch to a facial cleanser from Avon for a few weeks to a month and then go back to the ProActive. It seems to help me a lot to do that.
i have found that to be true with most ance prouducucts your skin just get used to it - nothing seams to work for me long term - sometimes i think i will take one thing from one line another from somewhere else and make my own personel sytem there are one or two pieces in mostthat work but then always something that doesnt or id just to harish for my skin - im defintly a thumbs down for proactive - but if it works for you defintly stick with it by all means
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Proactiv really didn't seem to do much for me. It was expensive and tedious (and this coming from someone who will do anything to have clear skin again!) the best product I have found is Olay dual action cleanser and toner, and actually when I stopped putting so much "acne products" on my face it seemed to clear up a little, but that's hard to do and I always end up resorting back to putting something on it lol, so now I am trying the Olay wash again with Benzaclin. I would say try this wash before spending all that money on proactiv.
I got the first kit, where it came with the cleanser, the toner, the treatment stuff, daily oil control, and at the time, came with the bonus Oil-free moisturizer w/spf 15. I used all the products, religiously at night, and my skin improved. I however hate the toner and no longer use it as it burns my skin, makes it really red, and I just don't like the feel of my skin afterwards. Didn't really like the daily oil control, didn't seem to do a lick of good so stopped using that. SO, I found out that I really do love the cleanser and the moisturizer (it's the only thing I've found that I do not break out with...Cetaphil makes me break out...figure that one out). I use the treatment on bad spots during times when I get lazy and start breaking out again and go back into washing my face with the cleanser and my skin clears up again. My face isn't completely pimple-free...but I can live with my results and I'm happy. At least the zits I have now are manageable. I do have Benzaclin (benzoyl peroxide + clindamycin) which I use for the occasional pimple that nothing works for or for rare cysts...and I'm happy.
I think the big thing for me by using proactive is that its main ingredient is the benzoyl peroxide 2.5% and I think that's been the best thing I've found. Most of the products I've ever tried and paid attention to as far as ingredients go, have salycilic acid and it does NOTHING for me. I even honestly think it makes me break out worse.
Everyone is different so what will work for one person, will completely wreck someone else's skin. I think it's worth a shot for most people. I personally buy only the proactive products I know I love (the cleanser and moisturizer) on eBay and I can deal with spending maybe $60-70 a year. Much less than what I've spent in the past and I do believe it is worth it when I'm not having to deal with the bad cysts I used to have every day.
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I was allergic to it!!! My skin broke out in a rash so bad that my eyes nearly swelled shut. I had to wear calomine (sp?) lotion all over my entire face for three days to dry out the rash before I would even leave the house, and I was actually blotchy and itchy for three weeks. I didn't know it, but I'm apparently allergic to the benzoyl peroxide. Now I see a dermatologist for everything.
__________________ Stephanie
Two early miscarriages 11/06 & 8/07 July 2008: metformin + gonal f w/IUI = BFP!!! Colin & Avery arrived April 1, 2009!!! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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