I'm getting a little bored with writing the same advice over and over again in this forum, so I'm starting this thread to put down everything I know.

UPDATE: This thread kind of wandered off course over time, so I've decided to close it. If you have questions about the products I recommend, please feel free to PM me.

For those of you who don't know me: I'm 42 and have had acne since I was 12 or so. Information I came across on this board has enabled me to clear up my mild/moderate acne to the point where no one ever realizes I have acne at all. And after spending a lot of time and money trying out various products, I'm finally down to a pretty simple regimen that is working well for me.

So ...... if you have primarily comedonal acne (clogged pores, whiteheads & blackheads), here is what I have found to work:


PAULA'S CHOICE BHAs (available at www.cosmeticscop.com)

I only started using this product recently, but I am a total convert. I think this should be your first line of defense. I never thought salicylic acid would work on my face -- I've had horrid reactions to other SA products -- but this stuff is awesome!

I use the 2% BHA gel. The 1% isn't strong enough for me; I think it's probably for people with highly sensitive skin. The 2% liquid was messy to use, and my skin didn't like the 2% lotion at all.

I recommend trying this product first because it is CHEAP -- about $15 for a 4 oz bottle, which will last you for months. You can get sample packets extremely cheaply if you want to try out the different formulations before placing a full order.


GREEN CREAM/DIACNEAL/Other mild OTC retinoids, such as Jan Marini and Vivant products

If the BHAs aren't quite enough to purge your pores, or if you want to improve the overall quality and radiance of your skin, I recommend these products. They are not cheap. GC goes for $40-50 per bottle, and a bottle lasts 4-6 weeks .... but it is one of the best products I have ever run across. It really works. There's a long GC thread in the OTC forum, and here a couple of useful websites: www.greencream.com, www.lindasy.com

I buy my GC from Linda Sy because their customer service and shipping are just amazingly good. Most people with normal skin can start with Level 6; if you have very sensitive skin, you may want to start with Level 3.

I am currently layering GC on top of the BHAs at night. After cleansing, I apply a thin layer of the BHA 2% gel all over my face, wait 30 minutes, then apply a small squirt of Green Cream. I usually use Level 9 (I've been at this for awhile) but sometimes dial back to Level 6 if my face seems to be getting sensitive.

I used Diacneal for awhile, and found it effective as well ... but GC just made my skin look prettier. If you live in Canada or Europe, Diacneal may be easier for you to get your hands on. It is made by Avene.

EDIT: Just wanted to add that for people with mild acne, these OTC retinoids can actually be more effective than the stronger prescription products because the irritation factor is so much lower. I used Retin A for awhile, and although it cleared my pimples, it made my skin look horrible .... red, oily, and irritated. It's great for moderate/severe acne but I think it's overkill for mild.


MANDELIC ACID

If your skin doesn't like BHAs ... try mandelic acid. It is awesome against blackheads especially, and there's a long mandelic thread in the Blackheads forum if you want more information.

If you have oily skin, the best mandelic product is probably the 15% Vivant mandelic serum, available at www.dianayvonne.com (I think she sells samples). If you have dry or sensitive skin, or are using topical retinoids, you are better off using the 10% or 15% alcohol-free serums from www.gardenofwisdom.com.

I was using mandelic with Green Cream all summer (I combined the 10% and 15% GoW serums) and just loved it .... but now that winter has set in, my skin can't take the drying effect anymore. When the humidity sets in again, I will probably go back to using mandelic.

Thanks for the post. I just wanted to mention I ordered some of the samples of 2% BHA Gel to see if it'll help with my clogged pores/blackheads. Those are about the only things I have left now.

Can I buy any of these products in common stores or locations, that is, instead of the internet?

30 years of acne?



I hope I outgrow my acne before then.

Most people do outgrow theirs .... but comedonal acne is notoriously stubborn. It just doesn't go away.

If I stopped using these products, mine would be back in a month ..... or less.

Not really ...... sorry.

You can get SA-based products in the drugstore .... Neutrogena makes an SA gel, for example .... but they are generally not well-formulated. The Paula's Choice products are all pH-balanced, which is critical to maintaining healthy skin.

You can experiment, of course, everyone's skin is different --- and maybe you will find a product that works for you.

The drugstore products that contain retinol are too weak to be effective, so don't waste your money. And I don't know of any drugstore products that contain mandelic acid.

Keep us posted, I hope it works for you! I am liking this product more and more all the time.

I'm just wondering... I read a small bit on paulas website that when you stop using BHA's, the pores will get clogged again. Is this a sure thing that the pores will go back like they used to be or only for some people? Right now i probably have... an estimated 6 or 7 clogged pores and it'd be annoying if they kept coming back. I'm getting this product regardless.

I just wanted to put in a second vote for mandelic acid - I use the 15% Vivant (mostly just around my nose, but also as a spot treat sometimes) - the blocked pores I had on my nose became non-existent after using mandelic for a few months. During a recent facial I had from my esthetician (who specializes in treating acne), she said the pores around my nose looked very tight (this said while she was looking at my skin under a magnifying instrument). The pores on my nose used to be very visible - they are much less visible now. I will add that this product is VERY strong though. I am currently testing out a new mandelic from my esthetician's line, which I may use to replace the Vivant.

I also wanted to add a recommendation for another over the counter retinoid by Vivant. I have been using their Derm a Gel product for several months now and I really like it. It is one of the gentlest retinoids you can use. Vivant uses a slightly different formulation of topical Vitamin A. It is supposed to be less irritating than other formulations. It keeps my pores clear and gives my skin a nice glow.

Great thread, LionQueen.

The advice I'm giving isn't really recommendations for specific products, but how to get the best results when using recommended products:

In case anyone reading this doesn't know already, you shouldn't use bar cleansers in conjunction with chemical exfoliants and other treatments needing an acidic pH because bar cleansers typically have alkaline pH's, which will negate the effectiveness of these pH-sensitive products.

Actually, it's ideally best not to use bar cleansers at all because their alkaline pH's encourage bacterial growth, they contain harsh cleansing agents (which prematurely kills skin cells and impairs the skin's ability to function normally, both of which can lead to breakouts), and they leave a potentilly pore-clogging residue on the skin.

Make sure to use lukewarm water when rinsing, which is the gentlest.

Also, a broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher sunscreen is a must. Broad-spectrum sunscreens are sunscreens that provide sufficient protection from both UVA and UVB rays; sunscreens are only required by law to protect against UVB rays (which are the rays primarily responsible for causing tans and sunburns) even though UVA rays have been linked to causing malignant melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, and other problems like premature aging. If your sunscreen does not contain titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, mexoryl sx, or tinosorb, it is not broad-spectrum and should be replaced with a broad-spectrum sunscreen immediately.

How does wearing a sunscreen specifically relate to treating acne? Sun damage causes the skin to thicken and prematurely kills skin cells, which makes it harder for the skin to slough off normally and increases the risk of clogged pores. In addition, sun damage weakens the skin's ability to protect itself from bacteria, which can also be problematic for acne sufferers.

There is no true cure for acne as of now, so treatments that cleared you in the first place should be used to help keep you clear continually.

Many people who don't suffer from acne like to use chemical exfoliants like Paula's Choice BHA products (which are fabulous, by the way) because they help the skin look and feel healthier.

Thanks, although the only thing that has "cured" my acne is not using soaps/cleansers or anything on my face. I'm hoping that maybe once I get rid of the clogged pores/blackheads that I currently have, they wont come back... but reading from Paulas website it almost sounds like they will come back for sure. I guess I'll just have to play the waiting game and see what the end result is.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say that your acne has been "cured" by eliminating the use of products on your face since you still experience comedonal acne. Do you mean that eliminating the use of topical products stopped inflammatory acne? It could be that the soaps and cleansers you used to use on your face were much too harsh for anyone, and aggravated a worse inflammatory response than what you would have experienced otherwise. Why not try a facewash like Eucerin's Redness Relief? It's very mild, and cleansing your face with a mild detergent-based product rather than just water will more thoroughly remove surface debris and help improve the penetration of the BHA product; not to mention the fact that just using a gentle cleanser alone can help prevent clogged pores in the first place.

It could be that you'll outgrow acne, but until then your comedonal acne will come back once you stop using treatments which have worked to clear it.

Well what I mean is... I have gotten any acne, whether its inflammatory or clogged pores in over 2 months of just water. I only have the clogged pores/blackheads that have been there for a few months, when I had been on CSR(DKR).

Allright. I still say that you would get better results with the salicylic acid if you used a mild cleanser first, but I understand why you're against using one. If you don't mind my asking, which specific cleansers were you using when you were on the CSR? Some of the cleansers recommended, especially the bar soaps, can cause problems. Also, even though it looks like discontinuing the use of all products stopped your acne, it could just be that you experienced hormonal/environmental changes. Even when it's likely that someone cleared up from a certain treatment/regimen or lack thereof, this possibility should still be taken into account.

How long have you been clear for?

I've been totally clear for 2 months... err where I didnt have any new things surface. About a month and a half ago is when all my old acne disappeared also, minus the few clogged pores I had. I've used tons of different cleansers, including a Dermatoligist Prescribed "Rosula", Cetaphil Gentle, about 4 or 5 different Neutrogenas, Purpose bar and liquid, Clean Pore, and a few others. I did try to stay away from bar cleansers after reading they can be harsher. If I dont see great results with Paulas Choice 2% BHA Gel then I'll gladly give the cleanser you recommended a try.

The thing is, I started using cleansers after I got my first spot ever because my dad was yelling at me "YOU GOTTA CLEAN YOUR FACE" and so I started overdoing it and my acne got worse. Sometimes i'd wash 4, 5, or 6 times during the day. This went on for 2 years, along with retinol use(differin, retin-a, tazorac). I then went on the CSR and learned to only wash 2 times and it got me in the habbit of that. The CSR worked decently, but not that great. After I dropped the CSR(where I am now...been off for a good 3 months) I decided to go without a cleanser to see what would happen, and so far the results have been more than I could have imagined.

What I have kind of gathered from all of this experimenting is, maybe my skin isnt meant to use a cleanser, seeing as that's where all of my problems started.

Now I know 2 months of being clear isn't that long of a time, but it's definately an improvement over what I had seen.

Thanks very much for the tips and i'll definately keep them in mind.