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Acne Mega Thread

It depends on your skin type, but personally too much sun disrupts my sensitive skin.
I have only had the occasional bad pimple, but my regimen seems to be making small improvements depending on how much I stick to it:
About 2 liters of water a day (I have this big bottle that makes it easy to achieve), milk and yogurt and the occasional cheese is about as serious as I get into dairy, lots of nuts. peanut butter, almonds are my friends.
I wipe my face with a steaming towel at night (oily skin type), and splash cold water then dab a witch hazel toner. I just started using witch hazel, I was wary about what it would change in my skin pH but it actually did wonders. I try to put some sort of moisturizer on every now and then, just because I don't want to have a bad reaction to how much oil the witch hazel is taking out of my skin.
 
^ You might want to be careful about how often you moisturise. I say this because I recently saw a dermatologist about my acne and he told me not to use moisturiser unless I needed it (ie. use it when I actually have flaky or dry skin). He said that because I had naturally oily skin, moisturiser could just make it worse (and I noticed you mentioned that you have oily skin).

Though don't take it as gospel, just consider it.
 
Thanks for the advice. I am pretty wary of moisturizer, but I've been using it because I didn't want the overdrying of witch hazel to cause my skin to overproduce >.< so it seems either way i'm doing something that could make my skin worse.
 
someone told me that if you eat the white heads/pimple then your body builds up a stronger tollerance. is this true??
 
D's said:
someone told me that if you eat the white heads/pimple then your body builds up a stronger tollerance. is this true??
Click to expand...
I highly doubt that is true. However, I don't know. If someone wants to research it (or try it out! YUCK!) and let us know, that would be awesome. :)
 
Hahahahaha, D's. You're also the one that said your white stuff helps clear acne. I think you're getting advice from the wrong people. :p
 
Aloe Vera does your skin wonders - for all skin issues like acne, eczema, dermatitis....

Research it and you'll see the benefits. It's not just good for sunburn! It's a natural healer for the skin.
 
^^yesss. when i used to have an aloe vera plant in my house my skin was ballin'...i'd just tear off a leaf thing and dab the end over my face and my skin looked great and never sun-irritated like it usually does.
 
Acne can not be stopped permanently.Actually it is age factor and harmonic disorder which appears in few adults.It also appears due to sensitive stomach and personality .We must have to prevent our self from fried and oily stuff.
<snip>
 
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I noticed someone mention lemon juice to drink, it does help clear out the system, however using a very small amount over a reddened area does help the veins to contract slightly making them less blotchy or spider like if that is the kind of acne you have. If it is the larger painful lumps, drinking plenty of water, using something like witch hazel or tea tree oil can help a lot, try not to keep touching it as the bacteria on your hand can make the area more inflammed and cause further problems.

Acne is normally caused by over active sebaceous glands, when this excess coems out and mixes with everday dirt that is in the air about you makes blackheads worse, if you are touching this then the bacteria added into this can cause the lumps to appear and worsen. Most people who suffer bad acne tend to have some amount of depression caused by feeling bad about it and self consiousness, so using something like bergamont which is also an astringent would help as it is used for treating depression, so may lift the negative feelings with it, geranium oil is used as a balancer for sebum, easily mixed in with a cream and used in a facial massage helping bloodflow to the area as well. using something like vitamin e as a base, or wheatgerm, depending on allergies etc find one that is suitable.

Another one is using rosemary, basically make an infusion with the leaves and allow it to cool then use it as a cleanser it is also a stimulant and could help the areas with production of sebum to calm down regaining the balance.
 
ANSR light for Acne

So last week i bought it, and about to try it,
does it work? Has anyone tried it? Any feedback from it?
Thank you
 
No I dont know about it, but here, have a list of the best things you can do, naturally and cheap, free of charge:

Buy Apple Cider Vinegar and wash face twice daily with it. (I apply it with cotton pad all over, neat and leave it on but you may dilute it if your skin is sensitive - I personally get the best effects from straight application though)
Consume half a lemon's worth of juice spread out over many glasses of water a day (8 minimum).
Apply lemon juice and tea tree oil directly onto spots.
Never wash your face with hot water. I always use cold. You may use extremely tepid water.
Apply Zinc Oxide to your face.
Wash your face with Epsom Salts.
Steam your face 3 times a week.
Consume 5 cups of redbush tea a day.
Clean up your diet, eating plenty of fruit and veg and nuts (full of Vit E, for example which is essential for healthy skin), cutting out sugar and processed crap and drinking plenty of water.

If you follow all of these points, you will DEFINITELY see an improvement. They are ALL significant, but if I had to pick the most important ones, it would end up being a clean diet, (the skin is after all the 3rd kidney, some say - releasing toxins from the crap we eat) vinegar facewash, lemon juice consumption and lemon/tea tree application. But do it ALL.

Good luck. I've never had Acne problems, but i've researched it alot, i've had friends with serious acne and I always try to maintain healthy skin. My skin is flawless aside from the very occassional spot (which is mostly due to being young still, aswell as smoking tobacco/joints) wihch I put down to this regimen. Redbush is great for skin, and lemon/tea tree helps rid any spots before they become large red and swollen.
 
I've tried loads of things over the years to treat my acne, with varying success. I definitely identify with the feelings of depression and frustration that others have mentioned, and I know what it's like to consider calling in sick on the basis of acne! It's mostly under control now apart from a few great big, hormonal bastard, blind horrible ones just prior to riding the crimson tide each month, but I can live with them in comparison to what I used to have to wake up to everyday.

I definitely found a big improvement when I used Dianne/Estelle/Brenda contraceptive pills, however the weight gain, libido plummet and migraines meant that the pill was not for me... I also feel better within myself weathering the ups and downs of a monthly cycle, rather than hormonal manipulation, but that's a whole other thread :)
In my teens I used erythromycin and then minomycin, with limited success, and ceased them due to thrush issues... yeah - nice :\
There is definitely a lot to be said for a good diet in terms of minimising acne, at least for me. I find my skin is much better when I avoid highly refined, starchy, 'beige' foods, or those that are literally dripping with oil (think spring roll from takeaway shop!)and very spicy or sugary treats. I've also noticed that white wine or even pinot noir seem to affect my skin better than the richer red wines, and I'm lucky not to enjoy sugary soft drinks. Fruit juices and even some fruits are minimised, particularly very citrusy ones, which for me have always inflamed my skin (think hives, itchy hot redness, allergy-style), which in turn seems to bring on acne. So, whilst i'm not always successful at avoiding what I've found to be my triggers, i certainly minimise them, or wear the consequences... on my face, neck, back or chest usually!

Diet wise the biggest helpers I've found have been fish, particularly oily Omega rich ones like sardines, salmon and tuna, drinking plenty of water, having a wide variety of vegies (make your meal colourful!), especially plenty of green leafy ones, choosing complex carbohydrates and the least refined versions of 'grainy' foods that I can, vegie juice instead of fruit juice, and avocados.
Zinc and beta-carotene (converted to vitamin A in the body) supplements helped me too.

I found BP products and Proactiv too drying, and would then get a kind of 'rebound' effect from the dry skin going crazy with oil, into pores that were blocked with dry, flaky skin.
My absolute best topical friends so far haven't been mentioned in this thread which I am really surprised about.

I have been using a foaming face wash with the active ingredient clorhexidine, which is an anti-microbial. The brand name used to be Acnederm, but they changed it recently to AZ Clear and it is about $12 Australian in the chemist, and lasts about 1 month. It doesn't lather on your skin, but comes out of the container as foam, and is very soft and light feeling, which helps me to use a light touch, because that helps too... I minimise mechanical scrubbing, be that with wash cloths, scrubs, hands, towel or otherwise because for me any trauma to the skin just seems to make it worse.
After patting dry I use a topical lotion in the same brand (AZ Clear) and instead of applying it spot by spot, I apply a very fine layer to my breakout zones. This cream contains an active ingredient called azelaeic acid, and I swear it has changed my skin so much for the better that I want to grab people and make them give it a go! It just softens the skin and very slightly exfoliates it (chemically, rather than mechanically) day by day, whilst creating an environment in which bacteria don't breed.
Only if my skin is feeling dry (rarely) I use a very little bit of clean & Clear Everyday moisturiser, active ingredient salicylic acid (aspirin) or sometimes a Neutrogena light moisturiser with SPF.

Make up wise, I use Revlon Colourstay concealer that also has a little salicylic acid in it. It's great because you 'trust it' and so don't self consciously touch your face as much either which helps too.
Mineral type make-up has been pretty good too, in which case i use Nude by Nature, but if I want a little more staying power I use Revlon colourstay... I'd love to just not use make up, but for me the benefit of covering up previous damage and scarring outweighs the possibility of it contributing to acne, which I've found that by choosing the right products, taking it off before bed, and not applying with your fingers but with CLEAN brushes or sponges, isn't the issue.

Don't worry about brands, but if other things aren't working, give clorhexidine and azelaic acid products a try... they might be the go!

A bit of sun certainly makes my skin look better short term, but seems to promote breakouts in the longer ter, for me, but I usually can't resist the instant gratification of a bit of a tan ;) Haha!
Other tips include using very soft towels for your acne prone areas and patting dry gently - NO RUBBING! Change towels frequently too, as well as pillow cases, and try not to touch/pick (don't worry - I know it's hard!).
Watch what hair products you are using too. Those heavy in silicone (think Pantene and most supermarket conditioners, several styling products) when transferred to acne prone skin can clog it right up and cause break outs. If your hair rubs your pillow, and your pillow rubs your face, then guess what happens next?!
Swimming in the sea always seems to help, but sadly isn't as possible as I'd like it to be. Working up a sweat actually helps, surprisingly, but do wash your face off afterward, and avoid touching your face with 'gym-hands'... uuurrrggghh!:p

So - that was a bit of an epic post, and I may edit after a good proofreading later on, but yeah... I hope it is useful to someone out there!
 
My acne is insane. Makes me feel like shit about myself. Feel like I'm being judged by everyone who looks at me because of it, when in reality I have tried everything I can think of and I have no control over my acne. I've had acne for years but it was never like this until a couple months ago. Out of nowhere, I have whiteheads and blackheads appear new every time I look in the fuckin mirror, so I have to do something about them or pop them and that just results in a scab but if I don't pop it it looks even worse to see someone with that on their face...it's a lose lose situation. I've tried prescription Differin, tetracycline, OTC creams with both benzawhateverthehell acid and salicylic acid. Everything. Astringents don't do a damn thing. Washing my face doesnt do a damn thing. Its frustrating, and I don't have the money to blow on expensive treatments or doctors. I've even gone as far to try the toothpaste method...where you use a paste toothpaste on a spot overnight and it supposedly dries up the pores or something, and this helped a little, but only until a few hours after I washed it off. I don't know what to do.
 
zombiesarepeaceful, don't fret my friend. Here is a post I made in another thread, i'll just make a bowl of copypasta for you:

Buy Apple Cider Vinegar and wash face twice daily with it. (I apply it with cotton pad all over, neat and leave it on but you may dilute it if your skin is sensitive - I personally get the best effects from straight application though)
Consume half a lemon's worth of juice spread out over many glasses of water a day (8 minimum).
Apply lemon juice and tea tree oil directly onto spots.
Never wash your face with hot water. I always use cold. You may use extremely tepid water.
Apply Zinc Oxide to your face.
Wash your face with Epsom Salts.
Steam your face 3 times a week.
Consume 5 cups of redbush tea a day.
Clean up your diet, eating plenty of fruit and veg and nuts (full of Vit E, for example which is essential for healthy skin), cutting out sugar and processed crap and drinking plenty of water.

If you follow all of these points, you will DEFINITELY see an improvement. If you are serious about it, you will follow this. (If you feel any of it is damaging and your skin is too sensitive, then tweak it, but I personally feel perfectly fine doing it all). Come back here, after following all these points for a month and tell me you haven't seen results.
They are ALL significant, but if I had to pick the most important ones, it would end up being a clean diet, (the skin is after all the 3rd kidney, some say - releasing toxins from the crap we eat) vinegar facewash, lemon juice consumption and lemon/tea tree application. But do it ALL.

Good luck. I've never had Acne problems, but i've researched it alot, i've had friends with serious acne and I always try to maintain healthy skin. My skin is flawless aside from the very occassional spot (which is mostly due to being young still, aswell as smoking tobacco/joints) wihch I put down to this regimen. Redbush is great for skin, and lemon/tea tree helps rid any spots before they become large red and swollen.
 
this is random, but i found hot spicey food gives me acne. i used to suffer badly from it, thank fuck accutane got rid of it
 
so i dont have time to browse through this thread atm but what are your opinions on accutane?
ive already tried doxycycline, minocycline, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, healthy diet, etcetc.
i plan on taking milk thistle with it cause from what i've read it doesnt seem to be very friendly to your body haha :\
 
How long were you on it? And does the acne come back when you stop taking it?
Click to expand...

I was on it for four months two years ago and just get the occasional spot here and then.
 
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