Something is finally working!!

Ok, so I have had pretty bad acne for the past couple months. It just kind of appeared all of a sudden. Go check out my pics from a few weeks ago (just click on my name and go to my page or whatever, you should find them). So I have tried everything : the regimen, Salicylic acid, moistureizing, not moisturizing, switched moiturizers, switched cleansers, I tried using nothing for a while, I'm on Diane 35 (2 months) and oral antibiotics (2 weeks), i tried clindamycin cream, i used asprin masks as well as other masks i bought. anyway, my point is nothing made it better. it either got worse or stayed the same. then in the past few days i have changed a few things and i am actually seeing results!! now i suppose the results could be the Diane or the antibiotics finally kicking in, but it could also be these other things. I just want to share them in case it can help someone else. About 4 days ago I started taking some vitamins. I now take a daily multivitamin ('one a day' for women), as well as vitamin C (500 mg a day). About 2 days ago i went to see an esthetician. I would have prefered a dermatologist but i'm on a 2 month waiting list for one so i took what i could get. she told me that all these over the counter acne products are crap for adults (im 25). they are made for teenagers who's skin is so oily that they can handle the drying products like BP, oxy pads, etc. That could be her opinion, or it could be truth, either way I know they didn't work for me so it made sense to me. She gave me some samples of a face wash and a toner by DerMed. I have been using them for a few days and I LOVE them. Yes, they are expensive, but they are so concentrated that you use next to nothing. She gave me a tiny samples (im talking a pop bottle top) and they are to last me for a week. so although they are expensive you don't use a lot so they last. Go google Dermed. Then the last thing I did some of you will laugh at me for...but I'm desperate and willing to try anything. I work in a bookstore and came across this book on the power of crystals to heal. I looked up what crystal is supposed to help acne and found out it was amethyst. It doesn't cure it, but it is supposed to speed up what your body will do anyway, so it will speed up any healing that your face is planning on doing I suppose. Anyway, I have been keeping an amethyst crystal with me for 2 days. I know, it's too 'out there' for some people. But I know a lot of people are at the end of their ropes and thought I would at least pass it along. So thats my story. Something is working, I'm so happy about that. I hope someone can get some sort of help from what I just wrote!

Look at my pictures

So I have attached pictures of my face now and one of my face about 3 months ago where I was clear (oh how I want that skin back!!). I would like to know people's opinions on what type of acne I have. Also, I always read all these posts from other people and wonder what their face looks like compared to mine. Is my face similar to any of yours?? I know it's bad, but is it really bad?? How did this happen in like three months?? Thanks to anyone who replies...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj208/katovas/methen.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj208/katovas/021.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj208/katovas/022.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj208/katovas/023.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj208/katovas/024.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj208/katovas/025.jpg

Anyone have thoughts on NEOSTRATA??

My mom swears by it. I'm hesitant to try something new. Has anyone had any really good results or really bad results with Neostrata?? Also, if anyone can tell me what it actually does and why it works (if it does in fact work so well). Thanks to anyone who takes the time to respond

Antibiotics as well as BCP???

Hi, I have been on a BCP Diane 35 for just over a month. I haven't seen much improvement, and I know I need to give it time. I think I am having an initial breakout as well. I have been using BP and moiturizer, but my acne isn't seeming to go away. I'm going to the dr tomorrow, but wanted to ask here...can you take antibiotics as well as the Diane 35?? I know antibiotics might interfere with the BCP, however I'm not worried about that aspect, I'll use another form of birth control. Do you think the dr will put me on both?? Of course I'll find out tomorrow, but I want to hear what everyone has to say... Oh, and I am thinking minocycline, doxycycline, or tetracycline....

It's taken over my life....

I think about it all the time. My face is the last thing I think about when I fall asleep and the first thing I think about when I wake up. I have to change my sleeping positions to keep my face from being pressed against my pillow at night. Every time I am in public I see people looking at my face. It's all I ever think about!! I am so depressed and tired of it. I know it could be much worse, but it still doesn't make me feel any better. I hate going to work, I hate going out in public. The only time I feel I can forget about it for a short time is at home. But the second I have to look in the mirror.... I just find it amazing how much it has taken over my life.