Hi everyone. I just recently found this site and started the regimen after using Proactiv for about a year to no avail. So far, I'm not using the actual products on this site - just the ones recommended:

Basic Sensitive Skin Face Bar
Neutrogena On The Spot
Olay Complete Sensitive Skin with SPF

I have also been using ACV for treating red marks, but I just read that you should clear up all active acne first, so as of my next wash, it'll just be the regimen.

I started on the night of May 29, 2009 and I have seen some improvement, followed by some letdowns - that second week thing some people seem to have, I think. My fiance said the other day that he thought it looked better and it's always nice for someone else to say it. I've been trying not to get my hopes up, but at the same time, I'm really hoping that this works. I was probably in 6th grade when I started getting acne and I've tried pretty much everything in the store since then (I'm 23 now). I'm pretty sure I took some sort of pill for it when I was younger, but it didn't help and I don't know what it was. What I am really hoping is that something will work and that I will feel better about myself. I can't help but think that I would be a lot happier in general if I didn't feel so ashamed of my face all the time.

I do often pick at my skin. It's hard to keep from it sometimes. I am trying to stop touching my face at all unless I'm washing it, but it's all about reminding myself not to touch it.

I've been doing the regimen as it says to do it so far. It does seem that some of the spots I've had went away a lot faster than they normally would have. I guess I would say that I have all of the types of acne considered mild to moderate, but I rarely have whiteheads. Mostly, it's the more painful types which surely just get worse because I can't leave them alone. I've gotta stop even looking in my little mirror!

I don't normally wear makeup anymore, either. If I'm going somewhere nice, I might wear eyeliner, but that's about it. Hopefully, I can post some pics which show progress soon!

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read!

Welcome to the site, and I wish you the best of luck on The Regimen. : )

I've been doing it for just over a year, and love it. It can be a little rough in the beginning, but just keep your shin up and stick with it. It's definitely worth it.

I just noticed your name and read your little post about grammar and whether you're female or male, I think I love you. (of course, I mean that quite loosely) I'm majoring in French starting this fall.

Hahaha, thanks. : D And I'm female.

Best of luck to you, welcome to the site.

Yeah, I saw that after I posted the message. Your face looks really clear in your pics - I hope that happens for me!

And on that note, here's my update.

Today is Day 14 and things do seem to be clearing up. I think that the ACV was slowing down the process of clearing up the existing acne, so since I've stopped it til it all clears up, my face is looking clearer. The only new spot that I've got is a small one on the side of my forehead that was looking like just a red mark for a bit. It's nothing too big. Not painful or anything.

I've been doing a bit better about not picking/touching my face. I just have to tell myself that if I don't do it, it will surely get better sooner and that helps. Most of what looks so awful in the pictures I took (will post at some point) are all the red marks. I really hope I can get them to go away once I don't have anymore active acne. I don't have any interest in starting back up wearing makeup, so it'd be nice to have a clear complexion and not have to ever consider hiding anything when I meet people. (I'm supposed to be meeting my bf's mom soon.)

Wish me luck!

Thanks! The Regimen's been really great for my skin. I hope you have as positive an experience as I have. : )

Just keep going, and remember that this is going to take time. It can take a few months to get your acne under control, and hyperpigmentation can take a while to fade.

Once your skin's cleared up, though, you'll feel so much better about things. And makeup won't even be a big deal. Before I was on The Regimen, I used to wear full foundation, then concealer, then powder. Now I just do a light dusting of powder when I go out, and a few dabs of concealer if I need it. I actually look better without foundation these days.

mlirhar,

Thought I would chime in here as I've just started my log ... albeit two months after starting with store products. Just today starting with the DK product line. Decided to give his products a try as I did the math and they really are more economical in the long run than the store products I was using.

Using the store products that I chose, I do feel my skin is clearer, and I've been struggling with varying degrees of the same types of acne as you from the sounds of it, but add white heads to the list. And I'm 43 yrs old, so I completely understand how you have felt about your skin ... been there far too long myself!! I am SO hoping this regimen works for you so you do NOT have to go through years and years more of the same.

Oh, and I have had to really work on myself on the pimple picking/popping, too. Old habits like that are incredibly hard to break. Not that I've totally broken the habit, but since I have fewer pimples, there's less for me to mess with. HA!!

A little advice regarding make-up... I recently discovered Physician's Formula (found it at my local Wal Mart) mineral make-up. I use the loose powder to help even out my skin tone as I not only have marks from acne, but also some hormonal discoloration after having twins 12 yrs ago.

I have to say, I really like the Physician's Formula. I don't wear it every day, but when I do, it usually does not even feel like I'm wearing make-up most of the time. It does not seem to irritate my skin and cause break outs, either. The only thing I don't like is the applicator brush that comes with it. I have a really good powder brush from a nice set of make up brushes I bought years ago, so not a big deal for me. Just as an FYI for you, though ... forewarned that you may not care for the brush is all.

But maybe this could be an option for you to try and give your skin just a little bit of a more even tone .... for that upcoming meeting with the boyfriend's mother. Though, I would hope she would decide she likes you based on who you are as a person, not on how clear your skin is.

All the best to you!!! Hope the regimen works really well for you!!!

Thanks for the input to both of you! I'm still doing the regimen and my skin is definitely looking better. I've sorta slacked off a bit with the last two steps (I know, very important!) for a few days and I think I may be getting a new bump on my cheek, but I plan on getting back on track at my next washing (in a few hours).

The meeting with the mom went well. My face was looking basically normal minus its hyperpigmentation that day. Plus, she said that she thought I was sweet, so yay! I'm attending a cookout with the rest of his family on the 4th, so hopefully it'll still look alright then, too. I'm going to be more worried about the rest of my body than my face on that day since he says I'm going to have to get in the pool!

Most of my other active spots are clear or getting there (perhaps stalled because of the slacking off). I'm really happy with the regimen so far, and I hope it continues to go smoothly (pun intended). It's definitely better than Proactiv ever was. Come to think of it, I need to go cancel that right now...

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I do have quite a bit of flakiness on certain parts of my face - pretty much the outer parts of my face all around except for my actual forehead. I usually try to compensate with moisturizer to avoid it when it's flaky at first and when I wash my face in the shower, I try to get any dead skin off with just gently using my fingertips under the water.

The Basic bar really makes my skin feel smooth without making it irritated in any way. If I do order from here, I may stick with the bar for the first step as it has lasted me quite a while.