Acne Mega Thread

[Mafioso]

hey i don't know if someone has posted this already but acne.org has some good products. I use their cleaner and treatment on a daily basis, and have been using them for the past 2 years. I have pretty bad acne on my back, chest, face and neck and like most people went to multiple doctors, tried antibiotics, proactiv, and so on. Nothing really helped and it was starting to turn into cystic acne, especially on my back. I forget how I found acne.org, but no joke it makes a world of difference. I still get acne, pimples, and blackheads but not nearly as bad and it is manageable now.

there are still a lot of products out there that i haven't tried, but I think the biggest things for me are 1) washing off as soon as i finish exercising/work and 2) using a special kind of soap that doesn't irritate my skin. I know everyone is different but its worth a shot if you are struggling with acne. it will at least help keep your flare ups down and manageable.

 

[Dud_ette001]

I have been getting acne for like 18 years was really bad though out high school, only now am I finally getting a hold on it. Personally I went through every remedy. But what I find that works for me is just simply washing your face with soap every night, I know that it drys out my face but it works well.

 

[the_ketaman]

Bad body ACNE, what can I do?

Hey people of Bluelight Health Dicussion! Ive been a member of BL for years but never posted in here before, not sure ive even looked in here. Guess that says a lot about how seriously I take my health. Im trying to change that though

Over the years ive had acne on my face and body throughout various periods of my life, im 21 now but it was pretty bad through my teens. It tends to come and go and at the moment it is really bad on my body and neck. Its winter here and ive found that it gets a lot worse in winter and almost disappears in summer as I spend a lot of time in the sun with my shirt off. I know im a good looking guy and when im out I can always pull the guys that I want but I havent been out since my back has broken out recently so im really nervous about getting someone into bed, my face isnt really that bad so the acne is not something one would notice straight away.

I dont know whether I should go to the doctor or whether theres other things I can try before going to the doctor and getting medication? I know that when I use more heroin the ACNE gets worse but I know thats not the root cause of it, I dont use every day or even every second day, usually once or twice a week, im just glad im not a meth addict coz my skin would be digusting. I am on 8mg of Suboxone(Buprenorphine/Naloxone) not sure if that could be contributing, I plan to get clean of the Sub soon. I know that its not 100% because im not keeping myself clean as even when I shower and scrub the heck out of myself it doesnt get better. Sometimes ive even found if I cant have a shower for a day or two then the acne even gets a bit better but I obviously cant not shower and I think that would eventually backfire on me before too long

I really dont get why I have it so bad, I have a music festival in 2 months(Defqon.1 Sydney 2012 ) and I would really like to wear a singlet but I dont think id feel comfortable with skin this bad. The other thing is that I now have quite a few scars and I am not getting out and dating potential boyfriends because of my poor self-esteem. When summer comes back ill get on the beach and after the first sun-burn my back will be fine for the summer but its likely the acne will come back at some point and im sick of it, I want it gone for good and I want to know how I can control or rid myself of this awful affliction. It really affects me and it seems like something that not that many other people go through to the degree that I do. Apparently my father had bad acne(he ended up with bad scars too which I dont want) and my sister had it so it obviously runs in the family.

I really need help guys! Please if anyone knows what I can do then pleeaaasee let me know it would mean so much to me. Thanks for reading

 

[pkt]

Go see a doctor, i took pills for acne when i was younger but as one gets older it usualy goes away by itself. I had bad acne on my back until my early 20's.

 

[TurelGrigori]

I don't know what sort of products are available OTC in Australia, I'd suggest a body wash with 2 or 3 percent salicylic acid if available. Body washes with salicylic acid are often marketed for seborrhea/seborrheic dermatitis, but it is useful for acne as well.

Acne is worsened by hormonal fluctuations and stress. Try to relax or find some activities that allow you to be focused instead of stressed out if you are of an inwardly intense sort of temperment. Seeing a doctor as pkt has suggested is likely the best solution of all but thought I'd throw out a few things to try in the mean time.

 

[modern buddha]

OP, how's your diet? What do you like to eat?

 

[Bomboclat]

In truth, there's no real solid connection between what you eat and your acne. If you have a food intolerance (such as to gluten, dairy, or any other food item), eating that item could potentially cause acne, but youd need to see an allergist about that.

Acne is your bodies way of releasing toxins/hormones/etc.
If you want to try to control it holistically (which many have success with), there are a few items you need in your arsenal of supplements.

Glutathione -
Glutathione is one of the best detoxifiers you can get. It helps excellerate cell turn over, meaning your lesions will heal quicker and your skin will become lighter/fresher in a smaller amount of time (if you arent a picker or a popper). There are a few great glutathione products out on the market (oxicell - a topical [however if you have oily skin i wouldnt recommend it because it has oil in it], and liposomal glutathione products). Using the Liposomal Glutathione products will yield you a bettter overall result because youre treating the problem right at the source (The liver which stores all of the toxins and releases the excessive hormones through the skin). The issue with these products, however, is their cost. They can run quite high in pricing.

N-Acetyl Cysteine - Poor mans Glutathione. This product is usually a fraction of the cost of any glutathione product, but its essentially the same thing. N-Acetyl Cysteine will break down in your body into glutathione. So while you may not be getting the same large dose in one punch, youll at least have something to help aid in your fight.
*This you must take with vitamin C to become fully active in your body as glutathione

Vitamins A,C,D,E,B12/6 - You need these four vitamins for healthy skin. Vitamins A will help shrink your pores, and will help stop your sebum production from being so wild (Sebum is what creates acne on the surface). The best way to get it is from liver (fish liver I believe [cod liver?]), however too much vitamin A can be toxic. Vitamin A from beta-kerotene on the other hand is way less toxic in larger amounts - however it doesnt pack as good a punch as from cod liver oil. Vitamin C will help rebuild colagen, vitamin E gives you amazing skin texture, and vitamin D will help your skin become stronger and healthier overall. Your B vitamins will help with inflamation, which if your acne is cystic will definitely be something you need.

Apple Cider Vinegar - ACV is an amazing natural astringent/toner. Putting on ACV twice daily with a cotton ball (diluted with water 1:3 ratio acv/water) will give your skin a great glow to it. I also recommend drinking a tablespoon twice daily.

Salycilic Acid - Great for drying up sebum. If your acne is not sever, SA alone could be a good cure. There are countless products OTC with SA in it, shouldnt be hard to find.

Glycolic Acid - This will help with any red marks you may have

There are a bunch of chinese medicine items for acne as well which my boss always tried to get me to take, but since I had no idea what was in them (because i cant read chinese) I was always skeptical and never actually took any. She swears by them though.

One is called Acne Sweeping Pill - blue and white box
The other is just called Acne Pill - in a green box

If you have a chinese market or herbalist near you im sure you could find them. Report back if you do!


If acne is a reoccuring problem for you that just wont seem to go away, you may want to talk to your doctor about doing some retnoid therapy. Retnoids have a great record of clearing peoples acne for life. (no not just accutane which has more awful life long side affects than its worth, but products that contain tretinoin, adapalene or tazerotene. All except adapalene are chemically derived from vitamin A and will improve your overall skin texture/color as well if you respond.)

Sources: Working in a holistic clinic for a year/personal experience.
Good luck and remember to have patience! Also dont pick at your acne if you want it to clear up any time soon, that will noooot help your situation at all.

 

[modern buddha]

In truth, there's no real solid connection between what you eat and your acne.

Acne is your bodies way of releasing toxins/hormones/etc.

And your diet habits influence your levels of toxins and hormones that need to be released.

Q.E.D.

 

[Bomboclat]

And your diet habits influence your levels of toxins and hormones that need to be released.

Q.E.D.

Show me the medical journals that show direct correlation between acne and diet. I get where youre coming from, I get the logic, and I want to agree, but there have been no medical reports showing relation between the two.

If you have a food allergy though, like to dairy, gluten, soy, etc and you eat products containing ingredients that fall into those categories, youre bound to break out. That needs to be determined by an allergist though.

 

[the_ketaman]

Ok thanks Bomboclat and the rest of you guys. My diet is ok, not too good but definitely not as bad as it could be. Bomboclat I will look into all of these vitamins and things you mentioned. I have noticed when I take my mens multi-vitamin that my skin get a bit better and this multi-vitamin contains many of those that you mentioned.

You say dont pick, now I am guilty of this but I try to wait until I get into the shower, is this still bad? I would have thought expelling the infection would quicken the healing process as long a its done cleanly.

I think stress plays a big part in my acne so im thinking meditating once a day may have quite an impact while helping with a number of other things in my life at present. I think I will try the methods bomboclat mentioned and if that doesnt make a difference after a few weeks then ill see a doctor and look into the retnoids but if I can get away with using natural methods then thats what I want as who wants to put a bunch of chemicals in their body when they dont have to?(or its not getting you high )

Thank so much guys. It has been a re-occuring problem in my life and doesnt do much for the self-confidence, ive often felt like people were looking at me in disgust when I went out without a shirt on or even with a singlet/tank top on and its embarrassing, usually people arent staring at me but thats how it feels and who would blame them if they were. Its not nice to look at a bunch of pimples and as I said I know I am a ruggedly good looking guy but the acne just fucks it. My friend wanted someone to do a photo shoot(a nude one :D) and said I would have been perfect but my acne is just too bad at the moment. Its a real shame.

Anyway thanks for the advice, if anyone has anything to add ill still be checking this thread. Ill keep you guys updated.

 

[Bomboclat]

Its always bad to pick, really. Whats happening when a pimple is scabbing over/drying out is youre experiencing cell turnover, and by picking at the scab/healing pimple, youre only aggravating it more and hindering the healing process.

By popping an active pimple you suddenly open the pore which was clogged, and expose it to bacteria in the air and in your fingers. If youre going to pop a pimple, the best time to do it would be after a hot shower when your pores are already open, but no matter when you do it youre only hurting the healing process.

Good luck treating it homeopathically! I hope it works for you!

If you do decide to use a retnoid, also discuss with your doctor the use of an oral antibiotic during the first month or so. Retnoids push out everything in your pores, which means youre going to have the worst break out of your life, but using an oral antibiotic can get you through this with nothing more than an annoying but not so severe break out.

Cheers

 

[modern buddha]

Show me the medical journals that show direct correlation between acne and diet. I get where youre coming from, I get the logic, and I want to agree, but there have been no medical reports showing relation between the two.

If you have a food allergy though, like to dairy, gluten, soy, etc and you eat products containing ingredients that fall into those categories, youre bound to break out. That needs to be determined by an allergist though.

There is about as much direct correlation between diet and acne as your suggestion that there's a direct correlation between specific vitamins and acne. Let me ask you something: vitamins come from food, yes? Minerals come from food? Okay, great.

Now, if you're suggesting that OP takes supplements to treat the acne holistically, then you can get it from food, yes? If OP's eating Pop-Tarts and cookies every day (not all day, of course), then he's lacking vitamins and minerals that he needs for good health. Then you get pimples (along with hormonal changes, of course). That's why you're suggesting vitamins and minerals to him.

However, I do agree that if TK is following a healthy diet consisting of non-conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, meats and some whole grains, but is still having problems with acne, then yes, supplementation would be the next step to raise the levels of those vitamins and minerals more.

Basically, I can say it like this: I've noticed it myself. When I eat shit, I feel like shit and get acne (I'm 23). When I avoid eating said shit, I have a lot of energy and rarely, if ever, get acne. I have no known food allergies, but I think it's pretty much a universal thing: we're not meant to eat cookies, Pop-Tarts and well, you get the idea. When we eat it, we're hit with acne or other things. It's our body's way of saying "something's not right. Fix it, dude, or else I'm gonna keep making you look less than what you deserve to be!"

In all honesty and seriousness, this building of logic really doesn't need medical journals to back it up. (I'm too lazy right now, in addition )

I agree with all of your statements too, Bombo and would like to second the notion of only popping pimples when your body is warm. After a warm shower or right after exercising, right before lathering up in the shower.

 

[Bomboclat]

Like I said, I get the logic, and I want to believe it, but as of now there are no medical journals showing relation.

Just go look at people who are trying to cure their acne. A great amount of them who just cant get their acne under control eat extremely well, and on the opposite side of that spectrum, there are tons of people who eat garbage and dont take care of their body who have flawless skin.

With food you get a good source of those vitamins, but not nearly as much as you would take in supplements to reach the desired effects, and whether or not those desired effects are really within the grasp of holistic medicine is still not entirely known.

Its oddly strange how little acne really has been researched when it affects so many people on a daily basis. Sure there's research, but not nearly enough to really answer questions regarding causation and proper treatment.

 

[modern buddha]

^ Ah, yes. There will always be outliers, like the guy that smokes two packs a day but lives to be 95.

And yeah, it's pretty silly how little research is done on it. Most people think of it as a "teenager" thing because yes, they are going through extreme hormonal changes. I've heard it happens a lot with women when they hit menopause, too.

In general though, it is helped, not cured altogether, by a good diet. Of course you'll still get zits. You get them when you sweat and the pore is clogged.

I'm sure, on average, people with healthy diets have far fewer pimples (even teenagers) than those with shitty diets. So it's still helpful advice, even if it can't be "proven".

 

[CHiLD-0F-THE-BEAT]

Merged with mega-merged thread.

 

[shimazu]

I never really got acne in the traditional sense, maybe like a pimple once every 1-2 months maybe. and it was usually in the same spots. I used to eat a lot healthier too but I still dont get acne.

 

[Bomboclat]

^ Ah, yes. There will always be outliers, like the guy that smokes two packs a day but lives to be 95.

And yeah, it's pretty silly how little research is done on it. Most people think of it as a "teenager" thing because yes, they are going through extreme hormonal changes. I've heard it happens a lot with women when they hit menopause, too.

In general though, it is helped, not cured altogether, by a good diet. Of course you'll still get zits. You get them when you sweat and the pore is clogged.

I'm sure, on average, people with healthy diets have far fewer pimples (even teenagers) than those with shitty diets. So it's still helpful advice, even if it can't be "proven".

Ya sure being healthy is great, and youll experience less health issues the better you take care of yourself (I think we can all agree on that), but relating what you eat directly to acne is rather dumb seeing as theres no proof to it, just mere speculation.

Im not saying youre wrong, im just saying theres no evidence to back up where youre coming from other than observation and speculation.

By all means, please everyone start eating healthier, I hope it helps your acne, but in truth we just dont know that forsure.

 

[Giog]

Ya sure being healthy is great, and youll experience less health issues the better you take care of yourself (I think we can all agree on that), but relating what you eat directly to acne is rather dumb seeing as theres no proof to it, just mere speculation.

Im not saying youre wrong, im just saying theres no evidence to back up where youre coming from other than observation and speculation.

By all means, please everyone start eating healthier, I hope it helps your acne, but in truth we just dont know that forsure.

I completely disagree with this. Food has an enormous impact on your endocrine/nervous/circulatory system. Acne or not, what you eat does affect your bodies physiology both short-term and long-term. I have had moderate acne since I was about 15. I can't SEE the affects that food has on my skin directly very often unless I eat extreme junk. Nevertheless, I know that by eating healthy I am facilitating the battle. This entire belief that food doesn't affect acne (or many other conditions like IBS, Chrons, Arthritis, etc. ) is utter crap.

Psychologically, it is easy to understand that an individual will depend on his control of food in order to cope with a visibly uncontrollable condition. I do think that I am conditioned in such a way, unfortunately. Nevertheless, simply haven taken a few college courses in biochemistry, physiology, and endocrinology has provided me with enough understanding that one really is what he eats.

What you say really bothers me because I hear similar things in the context of cancer. A number of factors contribute to it and yet people don't dare point the finger at the shit they eat and the lifestyle they chose.

 

[Bomboclat]

I completely disagree with this. Food has an enormous impact on your endocrine/nervous/circulatory system. Acne or not, what you eat does affect your bodies physiology both short-term and long-term. I have had moderate acne since I was about 15. I can't SEE the affects that food has on my skin directly very often unless I eat extreme junk. Nevertheless, I know that by eating healthy I am facilitating the battle. This entire belief that food doesn't affect acne (or many other conditions like IBS, Chrons, Arthritis, etc. ) is utter crap.

Psychologically, it is easy to understand that an individual will depend on his control of food in order to cope with a visibly uncontrollable condition. I do think that I am conditioned in such a way, unfortunately. Nevertheless, simply haven taken a few college courses in biochemistry, physiology, and endocrinology has provided me with enough understanding that one really is what he eats.

What you say really bothers me because I hear similar things in the context of cancer. A number of factors contribute to it and yet people don't dare point the finger at the shit they eat and the lifestyle they chose.

Again, show me the medical journals.
I never said food doesnt affect your acne, I said it hasnt been proved and therefore is just a shot in the dark.

Forgive me for being skeptical at something that hasnt fully been proved yet.

 

[Giog]

Again, show me the medical journals.
I never said food doesnt affect your acne, I said it hasnt been proved and therefore is just a shot in the dark.

Forgive me for being skeptical at something that hasnt fully been proved yet.

Ha, stop putting science and the scientific community on a pedestal. I don't need a group of researches looking at acne and food to tell me that X food causes acne...partly because that day will probably not come. You use the knowledge that you have about other aspects of metabolism/hormones to make a sensible hypothesis that food does affect acne.

You said you never said food doesn't affect acne.....so are you saying it does? Im confused. Shooting in the dark is making the assumption that eating eggs on a tuesday at midnight will give you migraines on a sunday at 7:30am. Food affecting acne is no shot in the dark.