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Thanks for your help!

Hello, I'm new to this site and excited about it. Looking forward to some wonderful conversations. I'm not new to soap, I'm a handmade natural soap slinger. I have soaps that will cure Psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, skin rash, facial redness, blackhead, and acne. Also, I specialize in Dead Sea Salts and Mud. All wonderful for your face!

Here are a few pictures for you to look at....

[attachment=15040:Detox.jpg] [attachment=15041:Acne_20B...ne_20Bar.jpg][attachment=15042:Israeli_...08_20lrg.
jpg][attachment=15043:16_20oz_20wrapped.jpg][attachment=15044:Facial_2...x5_20JPG
.jpg]

Hello, I'm new to this site. I'm glad I've found it. I am a school teacher and hate when I have break outs or when my concealer isn't hiding what I want to hide. I have been on Differin for about 3 months. My dermatologist noticed that I needed Duac as well. My skin has been peeling/drying really bad. My dermatologist told me to apply moisturizer before applying Differin and Duac. I use both Differin 1st and Duac 2nd every night. Am I using Differin too often? Should I alternate Differin and Duac? It's been the holidays so I can't contact my Derm. Should I apply my moisturizer after applying Differin and Duac? Please help.

my first encounter on acne was during my elementary days it started when im still on grade six wherein pimples grew out of my back and until now they were still happily livng here...all my life i havent tried to wear backless so when i do wear-thank god i have my long hair to hide them.. the real battle was when im on highschool i felt an ugly duckling i started to use different products .. undergone some facial but still they were on and off..there were days im flawles wnd there were days im on acne season..
so when im on college i started to use a cheap whitening brand from china since it was effective on mycousins im so xcited to use it but it was such a nytmare on me blackheads and whiteheasds grew up even on the areas where pmples dnt grew bfore so i started to undergo facial adn no matterwhat products i usedits getting worst..im so emotionally depressed and starting popping it out with my fingers..my mom really felt so pathetic with my condition..she sent me itnto a dermatologist..itwas a major facial.. i was crying with all the pain while the girl is extacticng my blakheads but im trying to tolerate it..my dermatologist presribed a set of medications..i had 3 consecutive faxal thank god it was our sembreak also i undergon intense pulsed light and had took a n antibiotic after a monthwhen i went back to school my clasmates was really surprsed and started to compliment my face then i stared my modelling career..

i realize that no matter what products i used it willnot b effective unless my blackheads will nt be extracted..
but now im graduating im starting to lose my confidence again after 2yrs i had my relapse..i had my faxal twice and completed my mdication but there had no changes my dr said myb it has smhing to do with my hormones damn im so pressured..im so embarased going out i dnt even showed up on my bf..oim pressured wt the poeple around me wand with my studies i dnt have my vacation to rest my face and even concealer can aggravate it..i had my last faxal this day i finished my intnsed pulsed lyt last saturday and today its my first time to have mesoacne.my problem is i had my duty tomorow i dnt no if i will attend it cuz if i dont i will my extension duty and i dnt wana serve it on decmber..cuz if i will go to my duy tommorw i will be really shy with the traces of extraction done on my face plus im sure they will get infected...hmm dnt knw what to do..until here..sry if it is too long..hehe.. hpe u guys can give me reply..gdbless everyone!1

hello everyone

i am 19 years old and have been suffering from mild/moderate acne for about 5 years now.
i have used all kinds of over the counter stuff, and none of it really worked at all.
the dermo has prescribed quite a few things that haven't really done much other than make my skin very sensitive to the sun (which sucks, cuz im always outside, and live in orange county). some of the meds include : doxycycline, minocyline, duac, clydimyacin, benzaclin, tazorac, etc.

i started dan's regemin a little over a month ago, and for the most part it has done pretty well. but just like any other thing i used, i have my good and bad weeks. i used to be a very active person, doin just about every sport out there, but all the sweating and irritation made me break out like no other. i basically just wanna be able to go back to my normal, active self and not have to worry about breaking out anymore...

Greetings all. I thought it would be most appropriate to start here for my first post, but have been tempted to post in a variety of other threads. This forum seems like a very good place to be, and I am glad to have found it.

History:
Dan's Regimen: I discovered DKR several years ago, but didn't decide to use it as described, or with Dan's products until about 3 weeks ago.
Skin type: Generally oily and sensitive. Dryness happens but tends to come and go quickly depending upon current treatment and practices.
Acne type and severity: Moderate overall. Acne began around age 13, puberty began about age 15. Acne was generally mild from 13-17, consisting mainly of occassional breakouts of 1-3 pustules, and maybe a cyst every other month that would last a while. Usually didn't have more than 3 active spots at any given time during this period of time and skin type/quality was generally normal to lightly oily. Acne became moderate to severe at age 17 and continued to increase in severity until age 20 when it was quite severe, close to accutane level. During these 3 years, acne consisted of at least 3 active cysts (mostly in the goatee area), 1-3 nodules, 5-10 active papules and pustules, 10 or more other spots in various stages of healing, such as scabs and red marks, numerous comedones and blackheads, and minimal yet present scarring. Treatments (to be mentioned below) brought acne to mild to moderate levels from age 21 to present, age 29. Currently acne is mild/moderate with one nodule, 2 healing cysts, 2 active pustules, 2-3 healing red marks, several comedones, and mild blackeads.

Treatments/Outcomes: Like many here, I have tried many many treatments. Before age 21, I had tried most formulations and dosages of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. I was pretty diligant with application and following regimens as directed, but tended to get frustrated and add or remove variables with some frequency, maybe one change every few months. Sometimes I would be using simply a SA wash and spot treat with SA or BP, other times I would use a non-medicated wash and treat the whole face with a leave on SA or BP. Numerous combinations and methods were tried, some more effective than others, but all only barely controlling acne, mostly just showing brief and minimal improvements that were immediately followed by worsening.

I saw a dermatologist once at age 20 and she recommended Neutrogena SA wash and Rx'd tetracycline. I didn't use the SA wash because I had tried it before. The tetracycline helped a little bit and I continued experimenting with other OTC regimens such as Proactiv, which actually helped after using it for a few months, bringing acne from moderate-severe to mild-moderate with significant flaking. After having a noticable difference with Proactiv, I adjusted the regimen a variety of ways such as only using the BP lotion a few times a week, and using the wash and toner only twice a day, etc. When I stopped using Proactiv, acne remained about mild-moderate. I used various maintenance treatments that kept acne in the mild-moderate range with regular breakouts, but general control. When I experiemented with very minimalist treatment (using only water, spot treating only, etc) things gradually got severe again within a few months prompting another dermatology visit.

Tazorac and minocycline were prescribed and Panoxyl 5% bar was given for back acne and Purpose bar for face. Acne went from severe to moderate-severe in about a month. The derm said something like "I didn't expect to see such an improvement, you were pretty close to needing accutane." I continued the regimen described above fairly regularly which brought acne back to mild-moderate within about 6 months. I stopped the Tazorac on my own and continued with Panoxyl 10% bar for face and back as a form of maintenance. Acne continued to very gradually improve to various levels in the mild to moderate range, with regular breakouts, but nothing as terrible as before, and controlled enough that I wasn't always thinking about my face.

My most recent regimen has been Clearasil SA scrub (I know, scrubs can be bad) which seemed to help and 10% Zapzyt gel all over face at night about 4 times a week. This had kept acne in the mild-moderate range, reasonably controlled, but breakouts continued and my skin hasn't ever really been clear. The best it has been is maybe 5 persistent red marks that are easily covered by concealer, and 1-3 active spots. I haven't really ever looked like I had clear skin.

BP has helped the most of all the OTC treatments and I wanted to fully use BP instead of just randomly a few times a week as I had been with Zapzyt. I wanted to see what would happen if I REALLY stuck to a regimen, without changing it after 6 months. I have the hope that I would then finally, after all these years, be able to see a completely clear face in the mirror. Until recently, I have been satisfied with having somewhat well controlled acne and a really lax and inconsistent regimen. Now I want to actually have clear skin. That is why I started DKR about 3 weeks ago.

Current Regimen:
Morning:
Dan's cleanser
Shave with Aveeno shave cream and Sensor Excel
Dan's BP (almost one full pump)
Dan's moisturizer
Night:
Dan's cleanser
Dan's BP (two full pumps, extra on active areas)

Back:
Dan's cleanser in shower once daily.
Two pumps Dan's BP at night only.

Neck:
Dan's cleanser AM and PM.
Spot treat with Dan's BP.
(I have a a few areas on the neck that have been breaking out lately, and want to work on clearing the existing comedones. Plan to start twice daily Dan's SA+ when it arrives. I would use the BP, but too much irritation for my neck.)

Beard area:
(I wear a goatee. It thankfully covers a very acne/cyst-prone area, but I still try to prevent/treat acne there. I wish I could use DKR there, but as we know, BP bleaches hair.)
3 sprays Organic Root Stimulator Tea Tree Anti-Bump spray AM and PM. It contains SA in addition to Tea Tree oil, but the % of each is not listed. Seems to be working OK. I intend to try Dan's SA+ in the goatee area to prevent and treat.

Results:
So far I am very pleased with the results and with the quality of the products. I was able to start with pretty much the full dosage because I had been using 10% quite a bit without much dryness or irritation. I use just about one pump in the AM because it takes less time to absorb. No significant dryness or irritation, some very mild whole-face pinkness that is subsiding. Significant initial breakout that is subsiding, although I suspect other purging may occur within the upcoming weeks.

Conclusion:

Finally, I end this extensive introduction! Thanks for taking the time to read a little about me and my story. I know the hell that is acne and I am glad this place exists. I am also grateful to Dan for sharing his regimen and creating these products for those who suffer with this terrible condition. I hope to share my progress here, but also help others with support in any way I can.

Kind Regards,

D

Hello everyone

I'm new and have had acne for well over 4 years.
I'm 20 years old and am suffering severe acne.
I am using Celestone G, and Neutrogena Power Cream Wash 2x a day.

Hey! I'm so glad I found this website! My name is Ces, I've had acne for about five years. Throughout high school, my acne had been pretty mild, but once I hit college, I suddenly broke out like crazy! It's really taken a blow on my self-esteem.

I've used Ziana, Retin-A Micro, Differin, BenzaClin, and I even ventured into using ProActive and Murad's acne treatments. Doxycycline did work well for a very very short period of time. Amoxicillin did nothing. : (

Currently, I take fish oils and exfoliate once a week with a mint clay mask prescribed my dermatologist (which works wonders!) I'm looking for a new dermatologist, since I transfered colleges this semester. I don't let acne run my life, but at the same time I just want it all gone! : )

I've been dealing with acne for a couple years now, it's finally improving, but there's certain questions I have. You guys seem very knowledgeable, and hopefully I can share what I know, too. See you around. :]

Just wanted to drop in to say hi. My name is Christina. I have been plagued by acne since given up methamphamtamines in 2002. I ruined my ordinarily beautiful complexion. I have since quit drugs and went back to Nursing School and became an LPN. Due some other health problems, I have not been working since 2007, and most recently been told it will be will a little while before returning to the same career which was in the psychiatriatric field.

I really just wanted to say "hi" and introduce myself to everone. Hit me up anytime!!

Hi everyone. It's nice to find a place like this on the internet, where we can share our stories with other acne sufferers from all over the world.

Let's help one another and zap those zits!

Greetings to everyone from the Philippines.

Mabuhay!

Hi everyone! i'm new to accutane. I'm finishing my first month's course now, 60mg a day. One down, four to go. I plan on posting some pics. Feel free to check em out and let me know if I have a chance :/ I'm very very dry as I expected. That I can deal with. My face isn't really improving dramatically yet... but it isn't getting worse either (knock on wood.) In the first week, it seemed like it was getting better....... then it was like "SIKE" lol. Anyway.. i'm really concerned about hair loss. It isn't a problem yet but anybody have any take on that... things I can do to prevent it before it starts? My hair is half way down my back and I'd be horrified to lose it. I'm open for any suggestions, warnings, and heads up. Also would like to know others stories. Good luck to everyone on the same road I'm on. Can't wait to see the light

I'm new here and want to find out more about acne. My girl had large cysts on her face and went to an acne specialist. He gave her some meds and she broke out in small white pustuals all over he cheeks, chin and forehead within a week. She went back and he put her on antibiotics which don't seem to be doing too much. He suggested she might have a yeast infection or foliculitis. Could the meds be doing this I wonder.

Well im a nube to this site. i've seen it before and i really want to share and relate my acne problems with others here. i'm hoping i can achieve a sort of support group if people are willing/if its allowed.

Hey everyone, I'm new to this place. Actually, I had checked this site out many times before to read the comments but never signed up until now. lol But I'm glad I found this place, I really am.

I've been using oxy face wash and the oxy lotion for the past couple of day....Face wash in the morning and at night and the lotion at night...I was wondering...should I be using both of these products at the same time? I didn't know if it was too strong for my face. Also, can anyone recommend a good face moisturizer?

Hey all,

well i'm 19 and i'm a guy and my acne is like a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. I go to the dermatologist but she isn't that good. Currently this is what i'm doing for it and it doesn't work that well

Ampicillin Pills
Purpose Cleansing Bar
Tretinoin Gel
I haven't found a moisturizer that doesn't clog my pores

I need to find something that works with very little effort and money. I have spent a lot of money trying over the counter stuff as well as prescriptions from her. Also I had eczema as a child but have since grown out of it but around my eyes, my eyelids mainly, stay very red and around my mouth...what should I do about that?

First and foremost i only say wowza's cause ive never seen an open community like this that actually talks about their acne problems openly.

This is definitely my first step to being open about my acne problems, as i never liked to talk about it to anyone, not even my family much.

I am an 18 yr old Student and Musician, and i basically started having acne when i was about 13 or so. It was at it's worst my freshman and sophmore year of high school and left me with literally no self-esteem. I finally went to the dermatologist, which helped slowly but surely, and now it's not as bad as it was before but i still have the off and on break outs and now im just completely frustrated. The derma put me on this crazy and enormous regimet, and well if you knew me im not one to follow such a crazy regime like this. It consisted of Linda Sy Acne Cover (which make me look like im dead sometimes cause it make me look pale) An acne topical lotion called "Sulfacetamide", a foamy cleanser lotion and a pill called Clindamycin and some other topical crap. When i first started out with this regimet of night and day, only using certain things in the morning and in the night it just drove me nuts, it felt like my face couldnt freakin breath cause their was so much crap put on it all the time, and my face was still irritated as hell. So i sadly just quit after awhile, it would get worst then better, just off and on. Now im just using the Acne Cover, Foamy cleanser, and a equate lotion. I just wanted something effctive and simple ya know? Now its still of and on, even with this regimet, im afraid to go back to the derma and have me on all that crazy stuff again. So i dont know what to do now, im sorta at a stand still really.

Even though i know it's gotten a little better over the years, it hasnt helped my social life at all. I play live shows, which always makes me nervous about people looking at me and just my acne, cause that pretty much all i think about when i play in front of a crowd. So i havent done a show for quite sometime trying to revamp myself really. Sometimes ill break-out and i wont even wanna go out with my friends, ill just come up with some dumb excuse, but in the end i really wanna go out but all i can think about is people staring at me. Ive been wanting to get into a relationship (as i havent been in one for about half a year)and with the low-self esteem i have it isnt helpin. Im always to shy because of the way i look. I think it's just crazy how much acne can take over one's life and im now trying to fight the battle, i mean im not even out tonight, and it's a friday night! Im just jammin some tunes and just wishing for a miracle i guess lol.

I found this site by just browsing the internet about acne and beards lol. Ive been growing facial hair for quite sometime and it's caused some irritation with my face cause i do use razors when i shave, i swear if it isnt one thing, it certainly another, and now im trying to make sure that my facial hair looks at least clean cut and not all patchy and shit cause that just grouses me out lol and it was like this before. As ive read this forum ive heard things about "Accutane" but im hesitant to try, and id like to get my face at least managble and slightly cleard to look decent for shows and the outside world lol by at least march or april, although im well aware you can never give a timeline for the work of the body unfortunately. Ive pretty much tried everthing, neutrogena, oxy, just pretty much whatever in the past, now im just looking for solution for this and hopefully build me some confidence along the way. So i just wanna thank the creator and all you guys for your future help, advice, and knowledge about acne.

So any suggestion when it comes to shaving?
And should i really go for the Accutane??

Hello everybody, it's red_devils4life from Singapore! Any other Singaporeans user out there?

Hi everyone!

Just thought that i should introduce myself here.

I am 19, female. I've been having acne since i was in my teens, and it worsen (SERIOUSLY) when i was 17. Frankly speaking, i never thought that my skin was good since i was 13, but looking back, things doesnt seem that bad... It's only until I am 17 that i started using products and my acne kinda became a DISEASE and not some hormonal teenage thing anymore.

Now I am on roaccutane, but I wish to stop it asap as i know that it's bad for my health. I am very depressed upon looking at my skin in my mirror. There's just tons of red marks, rolling scars, and big pores.

hi everyone. im a newbie to the site and would like to know all the little secrets you people have to having better skin. i have moderately severe acne and am willing whatever it takes to finally get rid and keep it gone so i can have my self esteem back.

Hiya.

I'm 25, live in the UK and like many of you acne has totally ruined my life. I was a happy child, everything was cool I had friends, confidence, and then one day at school a boy said "do you wash?" (I must've been 13) then I realised something was wrong with me. Gradually I became reserved, skipped classes, hid in toilets, walked with my head down (so much so that I almost walked into a pole once) because I couldn't bear to be that girl that had that problem while other girls seemed to have perfect skin and no worries. I become such a shadow of my former self. Many remarks were made about my skin, even from adults, "oh she's so disgusting", "look at that girls skin" I dreaded lunchtimes because I felt I would make people puke. As I went through high school, I tried different cleansers like clearisil, clean n clear with my allowance money, whilst my mum nor my sisters seemed to notice I had a problem and I wasn't myself anymore. Things got so bad once I even drank the damn clean n clear, and shampoo, but I made it through. at 16 the crap was still on my face. By that time i was more used to my fate" i was just supposed to be the girl with acne, and have people cringe, not make eye contact and call me disgusting". I wore makeup and I hid underneath it well. I wasn't more confident but it made me feel better. I thought to myself, ok, it will disappear someday, surely. 25 years old now and the crap seems to only be getting worst;along the way it's had major psychological effects on me, I don't go out, havent had a social life, never had a boyfriend, I have been in and out of so many colleges, wanting to achieve something but never having the strenght to go through the stares every day and the self dislike. When I told my mum and sisters what I was going through 18 yrs old or so (more seriously), they kept saying i'm exagerating, i'm shallow, it will pass, you can't not have a life because of this...it pissed me off, I was like do they not see what people see and cringe at everyday. :>( their answer was always there's nothing there. why would I inflict self dislike and sheltered life for no reason. they got angry that I didn't have life, stayed home 24/7, 8 months out of a year when I stopped colleges, got angry that when my mum asked to go to the store to buy a can of tomato so she can cook but i cried like an imbecile and hid in the bathroom or my room because i couldn't bear to go out,but somehow that's how we've lived for years. It's only at 24 that they began to take me seriously. They actually feel sorry for me now, even though there's still the odd, you're imagining it, it's not that bad. I think they maybe thought too that it would disappear but it seems worst. My sister actually wants to help me get rd of it now, when I talk to her, I feel that she feels my pain, my mum even recently bought me some creams to try. My dad had never seen me without make-up, prompting him too to believe that I was exagerrating and not living life for no good reason, until recently I took off all my makeup and he realized, oh I see what you're talking about and he feels for me too. I just want my acne scars to go. :'( I literally have just 2 friends that I luckily made at 16, although we rarely see eachother. I can count the amount of times I went out in the last 15 years. I managed to finich one college, but I ddn't attend very much so I don't know how I passed. I am now attempting to go the full lenght at UNI, and I really want to finish, but even in my student room I am sheletered, only go out the 3 days my lectures are. My flatmates probably think I'm a complete weirdo, wouldn't know because I avoid talking to people at all cost. i've tried so many foundations with my never ending chaging skin tone (because of products). Many makeup assistants kept sayng over the years oh it's not that bad, at least it's not bumpy....well now it is, and I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that for once a little part of me was thankful that yeah, at least it's not bumpy.. I don't recognize myself anymore, as a person. I'm like a psychopath, i'm afraid i'll end up in a mental home one day because sometimes random images of times past would pop up in my head, where I was insulted or whatever and I let out a little scream to block it out or make faces without realizing. Now I'm more depressed than ever, cry about it more than ever, because deep down I wished it would be gone by now,but it's still here and getting worse, on my chin too. I also cry too now because I think f-where have all the years gone. The days I do decide to show up for lecture I wear a scarf up to my mouth, and I feel so dirty because I leave it like that all day long. All the makeup I pile on doesn't do the trick to make me feel better anymore, (doesn't even hide much judging from shallow people's reactions thtat act as if they've never seen a spot in their life and they're absolutely perfect) I might aswell go without makeup.

I just want it to go away so I could live the life I dream of. I've lost my teenage years and early 20's don't want to lose the rest of my life.

sorry about the long introductory post. All the stuff I feel inside I can't say it all to my family you know, better to post it on a board full of strangers.

the end.

now where do I begin on the board...
oh yeah the scars aren't just on my face, they're on my chest, back and upper arms too. On top of all that I have crazy hormones. I'm as hairy as heck and have ingrown hair.....never ever worn a short sleeve top outside my room....life is just..

truly the end now.
just bared my soul..be nice.

waz up gys u can call me lee im 20 yr old nursing stud from philpnes..well im a newbie here and im so xcited using dis syt cuz this will really help me a lot on my battle on acne same with others..lukin frwadr to meetnew budies.. ill gna make some posts soon..this syt make me feel i have a family supporting me so its really awesome,..gdbless evryone mwah...[/font]

Uhm... just a hello... going to be posting roaccutane posts probably
lol... i said posts twice kind of
hmmm

well i'm off now just a wee hello

=D

Hi all, found this site last week, ive been finding it pretty usefull. Im 22 english male at uni, had moderate to severe acne through teens. Went on ro-accutane and for me it did a gd job at clearing it up. The effects seem to be fading which is a bit worrying, ive got an appointment with a dermotologist on Monday regarding scars from teen acne and a general talk. Gd to meet you all x

I shall introduce myself.

You can call me Christy. I'm turning 14, very soon, and I have horrid acne. Well not horrid but bad compared to all the other' flawless faces at my school. And unfortunately I started getting these pesky zits since the 4th grade. At least I hadn't been teased by them yet. Yet.

Anyways, I been lurking around here and the forum looked cool so I joined!

-Enterjunksion.

Hello,
Just introducing myself- am a UK user, been on the Regimen for two weeks now. Really hope it works, as my skin really gets me down. Didn't have any skin problems until my twenties and it has got worse over the last year to the point where I never have clear skin anymore. Fingers crossed!

A-uk
x

My name is Millon, Im 18 years old and have been struggling with man boobs and mild ance for 2 years. I am very insecure about the way I look and worry about how I will look in the future. Im 6'1 and weight 150lbs. Id say I eat healthy and exercise regularly, But im a late-bloomer and my Hormones are off balance. The reason I have joined this site is because I need both advice and support on how to deal with my problems. So I hope that some of you can help assist me along the way Thank you and I will try to help others too.

Hey Everyone

Just want to stop by this board to say hi. I was an often visitor here couple years ago when I had really bad acne. I got many tips on this board regarding how to treat my acne. I'm now mostly clear for almost two years, mostly due to the tips I got from here. So I just want to say thanks.

My regimen:
1) Proactiv Renewing Cleanser
2) Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture SPF 15
3) Proactiv Repairing Lotion

I use my regimen twice a day, once when I wake up and once when I go to bed. I wash my face with the cleanser, then apply the Neutrogena moisturizer, then finish off with the lotion. I have oily skin, so the cleanser helps with the washing. The reason I use the moisturizer is to keep my skin from drying out and a little sun protection because I'm often outside during the day (I live in sunny LA ) ). The Proactiv lotion is for the benzoyl peroxide but it dries the heck out of your skin.