Ok so i have gym first period every other day. We run the beep test now, and for those of you who don't know that that is, it requires a lot of running and causes a lot of sweating. My doctor gave me duac to use every morning, and I'm just wondering should i keep putting it on? would it make a difference if i put it on a long time before school to let the medicine work? Please give me your advice.

I eat nothing but good-for-you, anti-inflammatory, organic, gluten-free food and wash with a mild, all-natural cleanser with a few drops of tea tree oil and jojoba oil and use a clay mask every other day and I'M STILL OILY AS HELL AND BREAK OUT.
I'm TIRED OF THIS and am getting close to ENDING IT ALL.
It seems EVERYTHING causes acne and there's NO WAY TO STOP IT
I've been dealing with this !%$& for NINE YEARS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've even spent THOUSANDS on laser treatments with ZERO SUCCESS


!%$& THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, im 13 year old boy from finland if you have ever heard of such country.
I've been suffering acne for maybe two years now, and im only 13! I know thats very
early for boy hitting the puberty. When i began to get pimples my mom took me to
dermatologist and s/he gave me skinoren product. It helped for a while but then it really stopped helping. Acne didn't even really bother me then. Maybe a month ago i began to use clinique three step which appears to be really harsh product, doesn't really do anything else than just get my skin dry. Acne began to bother me now since i've got a girlfriend and i just want to get rid of it. I told my mom to take me to the dermatologist again to get these cleared up. Today when i came from school she told me that i got a dermatologist time 2:45 P.M tomorrow, im really excited what the dermatologist is going to bring up. I think my acne severity is moderate/mild, my nose has alot of blackheads on it also, and some big pores.

Sorry for any missunderstooding caused by my english, but i think i speak english quite well being finnish and just 13. And the reason i made this thread was to share my feelings.

I'm 16 now and since I've been 14 I have always had acne from below my nose to the top area of my neck. I see lots of threads about his for females and they simply go on the pill and it usually works for them but what does someone like me do? I've been to the dermatologist and he put me on this:
morning: Benzol Peroxide wash (irratates my skin)
100mg of Minocycline
night: differin gel and a lotion with sulfur and salicylic acid.

I eat healthy and i am very fit, i just don't get why my acne only appears on the lower part of my face? If anybody has had this sort of thing please help, its annoying how out of nowhere a pimple will pop up somehow through all the chemicals the derm prescribed me.
Thanks

My brothers and sister do have acne but mild, when they reached into their early 20s they seem to outgrown their acne, hmm...my dad outgrown his acne in the 20s too..


genetics?lol

Morning

dans cleanser/ dans 2.5% bp / dans moisturizer

Night

dans cleanser/ Ziana/ switch between dans aha and sal acid every other day

Is the switching between aha and sal acid too much, or should i be able to handle it?

Ive been on Ziana for a while now so my skins used to it.

I've always had very oily skin, and now and then, I'd get blackheads on my forehead, chin, or nose.

But in the past few days, I'm getting these clusters of tiny, hard, flesh-colored bumps all over my forehead. If I try to squeeze them, the only thing that happens is that they get redder!

Are these whiteheads? They don't look very white to me! It looks so bad... what should/can I do? I think what I really need to know first is what these are so I can start some research on how to fix it.

[img]http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/9137/forehead1ue0.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/3238/forehead2db9.jpg[/img]

Please, any help would be greatly appreciated!


EDIT: I don't know why my picture aren't showing up, but here's the link for them (of my forehead):

Forehead Pic 1

Forehead Pic 2

Can someone tell me what the differences are between foaming cleansers or cream cleansers? Are cream cleansers more hydrating? I know Dan reccomends a foaming one, but I was wondering.

Topic is pretty explanitory

Witch Hazel or ACV

Past experiences with both would be GREATLY appreciated!

Cheers!

Alright so, im first going to start off and say, i got my first pimple when i was in like the 7th grade ( i was made fun of none the less!) and from there my acne has begun... over the years it has gotten worse.. then cleared up over and over countless times. (its like it goes with the seasons, around the winter time my acne gets way worse, i live in northern Wisconsin and in the summer it gets way better! not because my skin gets red! it acculay clears up) now that im a junior in high school, im really sick of having pimples. i mean i have bad acne. im a vegetarian (have been for more than 2 and a half years) does acne worsen when your a veggiehead?..... i wear makeup probley only half of the time because i really dont want my face to break out worse... oh yeah and my face is somewhat oily, but dry..
i get white heads(papules,pustules),black heads (on the nose and under the bottom lip)
sometimes but rarely lesions and small cysts but mainly the the first two...

now to the real point, in the past 2 weeks ive started to do this.
i wash my face with clean&clear and i use a moisturizer everyday
i exfoliate like once a week and after i get done with that i put a astringent/toner on my face to balance out the PH...
am i doing this right?.... or am i doing to much?
should i not use a astringent on my face after exfoliating or should i use a moisturizer?
i need advice?


oh yeah and i forgot to put, ive been to the dermatologist and used that stuff that he gave me but that never really worked.

Hi this is my first post on acne.org!

from my freshman year to mid-junior my skin was really flawless, i never had acne problems of any sort besides maybe tiny blackheads on my nose that were not visible unless seen close-up.

here is a short list of what i have been on so far:
in the past: doxycycline and clindamycin topical gel
recently: cephalexin, erthomycin+benzoyl peroxide topical gel (for about 3 weeks)
currently: erthomycin+benzoyl peroxide topical gel, hydrocortizone 2.5% cream (WTF??)



firstly, i'm on HMO insurance so i need to find doctors within my medical group in order for my insurance to apply for the consultation fee. i am also from an asian background, so my family doctor and my current dermatologist are chinese.

so about a month or more ago, i had an appointment with my family doctor to request a referral to a dermatologist, she was very understanding of my situation and referred me.

okay so i'm excited to see this dermatologist of mine for the first time to get my acne situation in check! turns out he wasn't very caring to my situation. i described to him that i have acne on my jawline and chin area and sometimes they are deep and painful i also made him aware of my moderate upper back and chest acne, he simply nodded and took notes he explained or said almost NOTHING. after being prescribed cephalexin and erthomycin/BP gel i just went home and faithfully applied my topical gel and took my antibiotic x2 a day (set phone alarm helps a lot).

he sent a letter a few days later and diagnosed me with: ACNE NEC, DERMATITIS, IMPETIGO

so after 3 weeks it seems like there has been no improvement, i have also noticed an increase of pustules around my chin and near or beneath my nose (they're quite painful to the touch). so i returned to my derm for the 2nd visit. this time he really pissed me off, i asked him questions as to why acne is prominent on my chin and jawline in particular and he literally replied this is chinese, "it's just like that". i also asked him what acne necrosis, and dermatitis were and he literally gave me one word answers and/or a very rushed explanation.
okay, !@#$ he prescribes hydrocortisone 2.5% cream (this is an over the counter drug.. christ). he then tells me to stop taking the cephalexin apply my erthomycin/BP topical gel along with the hydrocortisone cream.

so i have faithfully applied both because after all he is an "expert" in this field. its been 2 weeks and i have seen no improvements, maybe more painful pustules but thats about it.

i've read dan's regiment and have been apply my erythromycin gel in that manner along with moisturizer after it has dried. i've stopped the use of my hydrocortisone cream because i really think its complete bulls@#t.

here are some pictures of my problem
[IMG]http://i35.tinypic.com/sdz09y.jpg[/IMG]
theres a painful (i'm assuming a cyst) near my nose
[IMG]http://i37.tinypic.com/qxpg07.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i35.tinypic.com/1juvb7.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i34.tinypic.com/1zo7qiu.jpg[/IMG]

so i'm thinking of a new dermatologist... i'm usually a very calm person who rarely gets angry, but whenever i think about my derm it just makes me so angry! i have a problem here and he really doesn't care!

by the way, judging from the pictures can anyone tell me the level of severity? and can anyone tell me about how much it costs to get a consultation with a dermatologist without insurance?

i also have had thoughts on accutane. is the severity of my acne eligible for accutane use?

Hello!
I went to the doctor the other day and she prescribed me Dalacin T (I think it's called Cleocin T in the US) solution.
And I've been using tea tree oil+ spots gel+jojoba oil+ antisepctic cream for the inflamed ones for the past few weeks and didn't seem to be making THAT much progress.
So as of last night I've switched to the Dalacin T solution...and I don't know what moisturizer to use!
I was thinking I could just put on jojoba oil using a cotton pad just to keep it simple but I wear makeup so I don't know how that will work...
Please let me know if anyone has suggestions!
One more thing: I use an organic gentle cleanser and only water to wash my face in the morning.

Thank you!

i am so annoyed, every month i break out in medium to large size pustular acne on the sides of my chin. every month i am left with red/purple marks, my skin never looks completely good because i either have pimples or red/purple marks because the marks havent faded from my last break out. so far there is nothing i can do to break the cycle coz i think bcp and other hormone treatments will make my acne worse once i come off them. there are no creams to stop u breaking out around 'that time' and i have tried a lot!!!

So lately I have been getting a lot of pimples on my cheeks that are filled with white puss. I don't pop them and eventually the white puss pimple turns into a scab. However, the scab always falls off prematurely when I take a shower, leaving me with an open pimple. My cheeks scar easily so I’m wondering what to do with an open pimple. I was thinking either putting retin a or vitamin e directly on it. I was wondering which would be betting in terms of preventing a scar. Also, can I put these on the open pimple or do I have to wait till it heals?

Hi, new to the forum, Acne def only moderate but there all under the skin and red. was prescribed Doxcy 100mg and Clindamycin.Ive read some good things about the Mycin & Bp combo so I was wondering if you can put on the clindamycin let it dry then apply the BP?

Also for the ones under the skin, would it help to apply a warm rag with pressure on the spot to draw out the white head or would an ice pack help?

I live in Finland where it's normal to enjoy a night or two of moderate drinking per week. One thing I've consistently noticed that my skin is almost always at its best/clearest the morning after nights out. Hungover and dehydrated but my skin is usually very clear overall and hardly ever are there any new zits. This despite the fact that when I come home after a night out I usually never even wash my face, let alone apply benzoyl-peroxide or any of my usual routies - I just brush my teeth and go to bed.

On a similar note I just got the flu and have spent the last four days feeling super sick at home. I've washed my face ONCE in the last four days, haven't applied BP or any other products even once, haven't gotten any sun/fresh air and just generally have lived like a dirty slob. And yet when I look at the mirror my skin is again very good: hardly any new zits and in general the tone of the skin is very even, like I can hardly believe how small the pores are and how uniform the skin on my cheeks looks. One denominator to the hangovers is the dehydration - body screaming for water all the time and when you do drink you still don't pee huge amounts.

Any theories on what could be behind this effect?

Hi guys,

I've had decently stable skin for the last 2 years after starting on ProActiv; immediately prior to that, I was having crazy whiteheads popping up everywhere, which was awful (especially since I was 22 at the time).

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism this spring - it's been present for a while, but I had never seen an endocrinologist before then. My mother (who developed/overcame thyroid cancer after living with hypothyroidism) told me that her skin never really settled down until she started taking thyroid medication, which provides the hormones that her (and my) thyroid no longer make.

My endocrinologist put me on Armour Thyroid in June, which is a natural medication derived from pig thyroids. It addresses both your T-3 and T-4. I took it for about 4 months, while continuing to maintain fairly clear skin. Unfortunately, due to problems with Armour's manufacturer, the medication became widely unavailable in October; it's extremely hard to get at the moment.

My doctor switched me over to generic Cytomel and Synthroid (one for T-3, one for T-4), both of which are synthetic. After three or four weeks, I had what I can safely say was the worst breakout in the past 2 years. There were't many, but the few that came were huge, open zits that have since left dark red marks - and all on my cheeks and along my jawline, which leads me to believe it was hormonal.

Of course, I freaked out and immediately assumed it was due to the switch in meds. I scoured New York City and found a pharmacy that could provide me with Armour. I've been taking it for about three weeks, and the breakouts have mostly subsided. No huge ones, at least.

Has anyone had any similar experience with thyroid hormones?

posted a while ago bout using oatmeal soap. I used it 3 times a day for like 3 days. i was amazed at the moisturisation. then bam. i broke out like never before. accept my pimples were like more liquid in consistency. my theory is the different detergents binded to my skin, since oatmeal binds to the skin. i have rosacea as well confirmed by eye symptoms. i know this isnt the rosacea section but i think some people could benefit by trying gentler soaps. anyways, ive been using oatmeal and glycerin mixed in a blender for only one day. so i will report back in like a week and see if it does me the same as the oatmeal soap i got from the store. so i would be interested if anyone else has or would try this as well and also report back. I think there could be something here, I dont think it will help with cystic acne but I have some of the most sensitive skin so im a good test bed.

talk to ya in a week.

Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser isn't really working for me. Anyone have some suggestions of good cleaners? Ones that leave your skin feeling smooth, clean, and not oily.

I've had acne for years and years and nothing seems to work, I've been using BP and other stuff for months on end with no results and it's really affecting me.

I was told by someone to go to the GP and ask for antibiotics but I'm a little unsure on whether I should go because I see people with worse acne than me who don't care but I really hate the way I look. I'm scared the doctor will just laugh at me or something, and it will be a waste of time.

can any of you guys recommend OTC mud/clay masks to reduce redness/inflammation. Or anything that is suitable for congested skin?

thankss^^

Ive had this little patch of redness/bumps on my forehead for almost a month now, just wondering if you guys have any tips to get it to go away (pic attached)
[attachment=23238:Photo_2.jpg]

I always brokeout during the ovulation period. Usually2-3 big cyst.
I am now taking diane35 and apply retinoid cream every night for 3 months, but I still get acnes during the middle of menstruation cycle.
Anybody can help? Is there possible way of getting rid of the big pimples during ovulation time?
Thanks

I would just like to admit to everyone how VERY wrong I was about Lush's Fresh Farmacy soap.

I have been using Nature's plus beauty cleansing bar for about a year. it has worked wonders for my skin. I love love love that stuff!!

I got a small breakout around my chin so I decided to use FF over the weekend to dry some of it up.

Big mistake!! It was as if I erased everything I worked for with my skin. I broke out in huge cyst like pimples again....( which i have not had in about a year and half )

So my advice now is to stay far away from Lush's FF!!!

I have been following the regimen strictly for about 2 months now and still am getting "hard" pimples along the jawline and around my mouth. I have tried eliminating several things from my diet such as eggs, certain protein powders, and creatine but nothing seems to help eliminate this. I pretty much get one or two new pimples daily. Any suggestions?

The irritation from my helmet and chin-strap cause me to get acne on my chin. I can only loosen it to an extant because it still has to stay tight, of course.

Any advice regarding chin straps and preventing breakouts along chin and along the cheeks?

i had my first acne when i was 13 and now i'm 25 yrs old. i can remember it was at the tip of my noise. every since, acne has been breaking out everywhere on my face, mostly on my cheeks, and less on my forehead. recently, when i shave my beer and muststash i get a breakout around those places. i always clean my face with warm water, dry with a clean towel and put lotion on.

i try to stay away from soda, eat healthy, shower everyday, wash my face when i feel earation, overall i try to stay clean, but i still get a lot of breakouts. i try all the lotion, cream and prescription drugs. acuntain for 6 months, benzoyl peroixide and so on. any help would be appreciated

Ok so I had a pretty bad breakout of Acne last year, was mainly just around my mouth area, back and forehead, so I started taking Lymecycline once a day from about October 2008 - February 2009, which cleared up my Acne pretty well. I stopped taking the pills and I was fine for about 3 months or so, not a single spot, pimple, cyst, nothing, my skin was completely clear.

Then around about May/June 2009 I noticed a lump under my skin around my mouth, which then turned into about 3 or so cysts, which then turned into more and more and I inevitably gave into defeat again and went back on the Lymecycline.

Now 5 months down the line; i've gone from having like 5-6 spots a week, to maybe one a month, and i'm talking about a little one, that doesn't usually even form a head. The last spot I can remember was on the 10th of October when I was at a concert and I didn't wash one night and I think that's probably what caused it.

It's now November. 5 Months since starting treatment and once again my acne has completely gone... but this time i'm scared of coming off the Antibiotics...

What do I do? Just continue taking the treatment for another few months? Has anyone else experienced this? I'm trying to think maybe last time I came off the treatment a bit too soon, it was only 3 months, maybe this time after 6 months i'll be free from this crappy acne for the rest of my life...

Your opinions please?

Ive been on the dkr for about 7 yrs now. I dont have flaky skin like I used to. However my face always itchs! And its in the spots that Im most prone to break out in. I know im not supposed to touch my face. So its like my bodys cruel way of messing with me. if i dont itch it, ill start twitching and ill get very frustrated! What should i do. I didnt have itchy skin when i didnt have acne. Yet im 99% clear now and I ALWAYS have an itch.
Any tips?

p.s. im not alergic to bp

ive never had them before now ive got red bright marks on top of my nose and side of my nose with big lumps under the skin aint got a clue how come im using

10% GA cleanser
15% GA serum
10% GA moistouriser