How did you get rid of your acne?

[babybell]

I had great skin in my teens and it all went downhill when I hit 20, and it hasn't recovered. It comes and goes in waves, but my face is definitely never all-clear (except for when I was pregnant). It makes me feel embarrassed, especially at work, where I am already much younger than my colleagues and I feel like my acne makes it way worse!

I've tried Body Shop tea tree oil, astringent, ProActive, Mary Kay, Arbonne... nada. Please give me some more suggestions!

[DrSally]

Sounds like it may be hormonal for you. Are you on the BCP? Which one? I went on a more estrogenic pill, and it helped a lot. I also started differin (a version of the active ingred in Retin A). That helps keep the pores unclogged. I also use a BHA gel, which does the same. That pretty much keeps me pretty clear now.

[bubbaray]

So, I've tried every.thing. there is to try.

What works best for me right now is a wash with salicylic acid in it (2%), a light, oilfree moisturizer, then 10% benzoyl peroxide on problem areas. Its kinda like the proactive regine, except minus the toner. If you do a toner, use a salicylic acid toner.

[babybell]

That's the funny thing about acne, I've discovered.... some people swear by salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, and others say it doesn't work. I'm not on birth control so that can't be effecting it... and I haven't given much thought to the fact that it could be diet related, since my diet has honestly only gotten better since I was a teenager with great skin! Maybe I should look into that.

I did go to the doctor about it a few years ago and got an RX for minocycline (I think), but very soon after I got pregnant and had to stop taking it. I guess part of me is also uncomfortable taking drugs to get rid of acne. Deep down inside I feel that there must be a better way!

[lizzywednesday]

I switched facewashes.

I was using one with salycic acid, but then I got all paranoid about chemical exposure while pregnant, so I quit using that one.

Then I used an apricot scrub which, I've read recently, is supposed to be bad for your skin because the unequal particles can cause smal tears in your skin surface, leading to more exposure to bacteria, etc.

These days, I'm rotating between the orange "spa" facewash at Trader Joe's and a kit from Kiss My Face, depending on which bathroom I shower in.

I use a toner by Boots and a lightweight moisturizer (when I remember) and sleep on my back.

I've also tried not to go to bed with product (Moroccan oil) in my hair because I don't wash it every day so I bought some spray dry shampoo to use before I go to bed on days I use product. Tresseme (?) makes one that is very affordable and easy to find - I got mine at Target - and it works just as well as the pricey one I bought 2 years ago at Sephora!

[wendibird22]

I've always had moderate acne that was cyclical...flaring up around my period. At 36 I do still get the occasional break out but much less than I used to. I've been using BE Purifying Facial Cleanser and BE Purely Nourishing Moisturizer (combo skin) for about 4 months now and love it and find that my pores are less clogged and I rarely get breakouts and when I do it's a small white head that clears in a day (I'll spot treat with tea tree oil) instead of the deep, painful, inflamed cystic acne I used to get.

[artvandalay]

Originally Posted by babybell

That's the funny thing about acne, I've discovered.... some people swear by salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, and others say it doesn't work.!

Ok I must have missed this. Have you ever actually tried BHA's (salycilic acid) or benzoyl peroxide?

[AnnieW625]

I stopped eating a lot of wheat when I was 27 and I pretty much never looked back. Now I limit my wheat intake to one specific brand or bread at home (or sourdough if I am not at home and a sandwich is likely my only option), tortillas, or an occaisional cookie or piece of pie. I used to be on antibiotics for my acne twice daily and within a month I was off of them. It's been 7 yrs. now and I have very little acne problems. I also started using Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser about the same time and that stuff is magic. I also found that once I eliminated any topical OTC benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid cream that it made my skin a lot better. The only BP cream that really worked for me was Benzaclin which is RX only.

[jennilynn]

Originally Posted by AnnieW625

I stopped eating a lot of wheat when I was 27 and I pretty much never looked back. Now I limit my wheat intake to one specific brand or bread at home (or sourdough if I am not at home and a sandwich is likely my only option), tortillas, or an occaisional cookie or piece of pie. I used to be on antibiotics for my acne twice daily and within a month I was off of them. It's been 7 yrs. now and I have very little acne problems. I also started using Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser about the same time and that stuff is magic. I also found that once I eliminated any topical OTC benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid cream that it made my skin a lot better. The only BP cream that really worked for me was Benzaclin which is RX only.

This is really interesting Annie! I started eating gluten free at the suggestion of my esthetician a few weeks ago and it's starting to look like it's helping. Another thing that really helped me was finally discovering that I have sensitive skin, not oily/combination/acne prone skin, so using products that are gentle and moisturizing actually helps. I love Ecco Bella products and Everyday Minerals makeup. Antibiotics worked for me but I wasn't comfortable being on them long-term. I saw a dermatologist a few weeks ago and he was so unhelpful. He wasn't at all willing to try to figure out the cause, just wrote me a prescription and gave me some creams. He told me I'm stuck with it until I "outgrow" it. I hate that attitude and strongly believe there is a cause or a trigger and I just have to discover mine.

[artvandalay]

Where is your acne located? Hormonal acne is usually on the jawline or chin. It's also really hard to treat topically.

If it is hormonal, oral BCP and spironolactone are good bets. Not everyone wants to be on bcp, though. Spironolactone is actually used to treat high blood pressure, so if you have low blood pressure you can't use it. You also can't be on it if you think you might want to get pregnant - I think it might be category X or one of the bad ones.