Hi everyone,

My name is Jayne, and I'm a 21 year old accounting student from Canada. I'm going to share my skin story with you guys so that I have a place to log my progress and hopefully help somebody who has a simmilar story to mine.

So, I'm always hesitent to say that I did not suffer with acne when I was growing up as a teenager. I did, however, get 1-2 cysts every 6 monthes from the time I was in junior high up until I was 20/21. My face would be entirely clear, and then all of a sudden I'd have 1 huge cyst show up on my chin randomly from time to time. That, I could totally deal with, no problem.

This is where my story actually begins.

It all started almost exactly 4 monthes ago. I moved to a different city about 3 years ago for school, and I hadn't gotten around to getting a new doctor in that time (I know, I'm bad, I have one NOW!). So one day, 4 monthes ago, I went to a medicenter in my city to get another 12 monthes of ortho-tricyclen. The doctor asked me how I liked my current BCP, and I told him that I'd been on it for over 4 years and loved it, had no problem with it, didn't have cramps or pms EVER. He said, "Well then why don't you try ortho-tricyclen lo? It does the exact same thing as orthotricylen but with lower doses of hormones". Okay, I obviosly trusted a doctor and got a one year perscription of ortho lo. That was such a huge mistake.

After 2 weeks the taking ortho lo, my skin had broken out more than it ever had in my entire life. I continued to take it for the duration of the month, at which point my skin had cysts on an ongoing basis, clogged pores, whiteheads, blackheads. My skin looked like crap, and I was just starting off a new semester (yay). During the month of hell, I discovered acne.org. I read sooooooooooooo many posts, mainly on cleanser, makeup, and moisterizer recommendations.

One day, I read a sticky saying that the St. Ives Apricot scrub was one of the worst scrubs you could use because of the uneven texture of walnut shell and the possibility of creating microtears in your skin.

A quick note for you here, I had been using St. Ives Apricot scrub with 2% SA for FIVE years (since highschool) before I read this.

The same day I read that it was bad for your skin, I stopped using it. I started to use strictly cetaphil.

After one month of tricyclen lo, I went back to the medicenter and told him I hated it, and I got a year of orthotricyclen.

Let's fast forward to the week of March 25. After 3 monthes of taking my regular orthotricyclen, my skin was still as crappy as ever. I had changed my diet, stopped drinking milk, started to excercise every day, and try to drink up to 8 glasses of water a day. Still, skin remained the same. So I sat down, and I thought to myself, what the hell am I doing differently NOW than I was before this whole ordeal? My bcp is now the same as before, my lifestyle is even HEALTHIER than before...

...Then I had a moment of realization. I realized that the only thing that had changed was that DAMN St. Ives Apricot scrub with 2% SA. I said to myself, I really don't care what peolpe on here say about it, I'm at my last straw, and I used it for SO long before and had such clear skin.

So on March 25, 2009, I went out and brought the same scrub I'd been using for so long. In almost two weeks of using my old scrub, my skin has literally done a 180. The tone and texture is AMAZING. I have only gotten one tiny cyst in the 2 weeks I've been using this scrub. (I got it this morning - I'm blaming this on the entire bag of fritos hoops I ate last night while watching movies). Everything has cleared up on my face, and I'm left with some red marks on my chin, but I have a great toner with hyaluronic acid, tea tree oil, and vitamin E that fads red marks seriously fast.

I got really upset at myself for trusting only one source of information (acne.org). I stopped using a product that has worked for me for years because of a few bad reviews on here. I decided to check my favorite site for reviews, makeupalley. My scrub got 80% on there, with almost 1000 reviews, mostly those of which had acne prone and/or oily skin.

So, to conclude, this is my holy grail scrub, it was before, I let it go for 4 monthes, and saw the havoc that wreaked on my skin. I'm kicking myself because if I would have known that my skin would clear up in less than 2 weeks, I would have never stopped using it in the first place!!!

The key to using this scrub is TO BE GENTLE. Don't exfoliate like you would your body. Be super gentle and lightly cleanse with circular motions.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub with 2% salicylic acid, I f*cking love you, no matter what some may say.

I'm going to post pics up until my skin is back in it's original state (knock on wood).

So far, my face has hyperpigmentation on my chin, and one small cyst that has shown its head this morning. The rest of my face is very clear, no clogged pores, and a very even tone and texture.

I'm sorry to go against some of the negative things said about this scrub, but 5 years of clear skin before this ordeal, and how quickly my skin cleared up after using it for only 2 weeks, is enough for my to say that I can't recommend it enough.

Pic 1 - March 25, 2009
Pic 2 - April 4, 2009
Pic 3 - taken last semester
Pic 4 - January 3, 2009
(pic 3&4 are on the next post)

Anyways, I just wanted to share my story with you guys.

Have a great weekend

- PL

Wow.
I've had the exact same history (though it's because I decided to quit the pill and never gone back).
I've also tried lots of things and so far loved SA and gentle peeling. Everything that has SA and peels without that "scrubbing" effect works wonders on me.
I love Tea Tree oil so much that I've put a drop in all my face creams =)
Keep logging, it's really cool!

What i use on my face-

(Cream cleanser) Salicylic acid
Benzoyl Peroxide
(Moisturizer) Salicylic acid


I also have Salicylic acid + toner in a more liquid form, also a Mask i use once a week manly on sundays so i don't get confused.



-My Progress-

I've had and have been using these produces for months, and like most ppl its an on and off thing one day it'll be ok and the next i'll look like crap. I also used some scrubs and washed my face with a wash-cloth more and more.. I thought that the more i do for my face the faster the results. The only result i got was more ACNE... So over the months before i came to this site it just got worse and worse... I really ,wish like all things, i would have gotten some instructions on how to use the product correctly as in how much to apply and how long to wash my face with it.. Reading in most of this its best to use ,less pressure on the face ,and less of the product.. it doesn't matter if you use the whole tube in one night your face isn't going to take it all in.

I've had the WORST skin, it wld peal and and i'd have dark spots all over, if your wondering im African American, having darker skin and acne DON'T go together. Anyways my skin has gotten much better using these products day and night and now that i do less to my face im getting the results i've been looking for!


-My Type Of Acne-

I have really sensitive skin and i scar easily.. At fist i had it all black and white heads, cysts, zits, dry skin you name it. Slowly but surly i started to get my face back to where i could stand to look in the mirror without crying like a lil BIA!! LOL, NEways, What im dealing with now are dark marks, and acne on the back of my jaw-line a few spots here and there, also on my cheeks. I now deal with white heads a lot and im trying my best not to touch them as much... I always had a question about white-heads if you don't pop them... WHERE THE HELL DO THEY GO.... RIGHT???!! Well like i said not touching them... and they seem to be going away, i apply a little more of the Benzoyl on those areas and it seems to be working just fine!


-For Scars-

I use Ambi fade cream. This cream is made for ppl of color, i did use bleaching cream but it just seem to kinda make it worse... With Ambi you get more of a natural skin tone then just bleaching that one spot out. I used it for about a week in a half and it worked wonders, BUT at first it was leaving me with pinkish marks around the dark marks so i stopped using it for a few days and it's going away, i think it might be beacuse of the Benzoyl (BZ)... from my stand point i think BZ renews damaged skin or i should says heals it. for my skin...



______________________________________________________________________



I was trying to do to many things at once, clearing up my skin and trying to take away the dark marks, also i was having some health issues... You can read this on adult acne. i'll be telling my story in hopes that someone else will learn from my mistakes That i made last year... Im not sure what else to put but if your using Sy- acid and you have dry and sensitive skin try a Cream form of Sy acid it should work the same just less harsh on the skin. Also while i used the AMbi my skin cleared up but im guessing because i stopped touching my face all the time i wanted to make sure the product was working its magic!!!


If you have any questions please let me know!

I rec'd the SA today and am eager to see how it works.

Background:
I have used Dan's BP for around 2 years, and his moisturizer for almost as long. Ideally I use both of these twice/day, though sometimes only in the morning or (very rarely) none at all. In the mornings I wash with store brand Cetaphil (Meijer, to be specific), then use BP (a lot!) followed by a 5-10 minute wait, then the moisturizer (again, a lot). At night, I wash either with the same generic Cetaphil or, if my skin is doing pretty well, with St Ive's Gentle Apricot Scrub. Occasionally I use a Queen Helene mask - Mint Julep, Moisturizing Apricot, or Grape Seed. The mint and apricot I usually leave on overnight - my skin is very oily and as long as I don't use these masks more than once or twice a week, they don't dry out my skin. (I rarely use them even that often, though...more like once a month or so.)

To be honest, I don't know how severe my acne really is, because I've had a fairly severe picking problem for the past couple of years (at least...maybe more). It has been worse when I'm stressed or depressed, and it became a coping mechanism that felt addictive and almost automatic at times. Since I know picking exacerbates skin problems horribly, I can't really say what my acne is like at this point. However, prior to it becoming a serious issue, I was being treated by a dermatologist or GP at different times for acne, but I think it was fairly mild. Usually I used 10% BenzaClin in the morning and a retinoid (not sure which one or which concentration) at night.

That's where I'm coming from...

Why I'm interested in Dan's SA+:
Over the past month or so I've been much better about not picking, though I still do it sometimes. I think that one thing that helps is not having as much to pick at in the first place. Even when I've left my face alone and there are not really any serious problem spots, I still have tons of blackheads and some tiny comedones. After doing some reading, I think BP + moisturizer have helped diminish serious acne (and helped keep in check the effects of picking on my skin). However, I still have blackheads and little white comedones and I would like to diminish these because then I'd have even less to pick at. My understanding is that SA will help clear my pores of the dead cells that turn into stuff that I continue to pick at.

So, this is where I'm heading with trying this new product.

I'll update this thread as I have time, since I want to help out and provide some feedback on the product, in addition to keeping track of whether it helps me or not.

Good luck, everyone!

My history:
1.) Acne started @ 13. Currently 28
2.) Been on 3 cycles of Accutane @ 6months each - acne goes away during regimine but returns a few months after.
3.) Tried multiple sessions of Photodynamic Therapy - acne is burned off, but it doesn't last.
4.) Have tried Dan's regimine

My findings:
1.) Acne prone. A daily regimine and vigillant habits will prevent new acne flares. No "quick fixes.
2.) Dan's regimine wasn't enough for my face. Didn't do enough to prevent. Caused issues:

a.) Wearing a light coating of 2.5% BP during the day caused some expensive shirts to go tyedye. I refuse to coat my face with BP during the day or when active.

b.) Wearing BP all over the face all the time causes pre-mature skin aging. Was not satisfied with the moisturizer.

Solution I've discovered:

Habits to prevent acne:
1.) When shaving, soak razor in 70% alcohol for at least 5 minutes prior to shaving

a.) Gillete Foam for Sensitive Skin works best. A lot of the "made for acne" ones are useless marketing gimmicks (ie. Clearasil's foam = useless)
b.) After shaving, wash with 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Soap. Let it sit on face for a few minutes.

2.) Pillows

a.) Flip pillow to different side each night.
b.) Wash pillow cases at least once per week
c.) Use anti-microbial pillow sleave if you can get one

My regimine and products:

Over the Counter Products:
J&J's Clean and Clear product line has been THE best for me. Buy them @ Walmart for the best prices.
1.) Clean and Clear 10% BP Soap
2.) Clean and Clear 2% Salicylic Acid Wash
3.) Clean and Clear Oil-Free Daily moisterizer with .5% Salicylic Acid

Prescription Products:
1.) Oral Anti-biotic. For me it's been doxycycline. Kinda helps with keeping cysts to a minimal swelling. Kinda. Maybe you guys have better.
2.) Benzamycin or Benzaclin. Maybe a 5% BP may work if you don't want to get a prescription for these spot treatment topicals.
3.) A retinoid. I'm using Tazorac.

My Regimine:
1.) Wash face with 2% Salicylic Acid Wash to open the pores
2.) Follow with 10% BP Soap and let sit for a few minutes to let it kill off some of the bacteria and declog some more pores

During the day: I layer on retinoid (tazorac in my case), layer on the Oil-Free Daily moisterizer with .5% Salicylic Acid. If going to be in sun a lot, add a layer of mineral sunblock.

At night: I spot treat with Benzmycin or Benzaclin. If it's an "acne active" time, then light layer with thicker spot treatments.

Using this regimine, I've kept my skin pretty damn clear! I'm amazed!

However, from time to time, there are rogue "Juggernaut Cysts" that are unresponsive to everything I throw at it over the counter + prescription. For those type of zits, which are guarenteed to leave a pit scar, I immediately try to get an appointment with my Dermatologist to get a diluted steroid shot - this usually works in shrinking the zit and preventing scaring.

It's pushing everything too da surface but I dunno if I should use a scrub or not cus it will irritate my skin and probably cause more acne I need help!!

Hi, guys! I figured it's about time for a post, since I've been using about the same regimen for a few months now. Here's what I've been using:

AM: -Aveeno Ultra Calming Cleanser OR Dan's Cleanser, depending on how dry my skin feels
-Dan's Salicylic Acid+ or Dan's AHA+, alternating every day. Wait 30 minutes to sink in
-Olay Complete for Sensitive Skin, SPF 15 on top and around eyes

PM: -Aveeno Ultra Calming Cleanser OR Dan's Cleanser with Clarisonic (delicate brush head) for 1 min.
-Alternating nights, Differin gel / Dan's AHA+
-If my skin feels dry, Dan's Moisturizer

My problem always has been non-inflamed acne, although I'd often pick at that and it would become inflamed. Dan's SA+ is the newest addition to my regimen. Before I added it, I would still get lots of clogged pores on my forehead, and I couldn't figure out how to make them go away. I tried Paula's Choice products, MaMa Lotion, etc. and nothing ever did much good. The Clarisonic helped a little on its own, but not much. Here's me now, wearing NO MAKEUP:

[attachment=16949:Aly.jpg]

I have to say, Dan's SA+ is a saving grace for my skin. I pray that he makes it part of his full line! Over the last few months, my comedones and blackheads have pretty much diminished. I think right now I have two teeny, tiny clogged pores, but that's it. I have NEVER had skin this good.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I'd be happy to answer them. I'll keep updating as the weeks go by to let you all know my progress.

hi guys.. i've just figured out that multi vitamin is no longer produced...

Since it is a part of my daily skin care routine....

I need to find out a sub for this!!!!!!

I know I still can get it online.. but what about one year later????? I'm so frustrated...

please help me to find out any good combination of BHA and AHA like multivitamin!!!

Good afternoon!

I'm a graduate student in a communications program and I'm working on a project about skincare. I'd love to have anyone's input on a survey that I'm circulating. I don't want to break the forum rules by posting the link here, but if you're interested in taking a skincare survey (should take no more than 5 minutes), please send me a message and I'll reply with the link.

Thanks so much!

Ok here we go....

I have what you might call mild acne with lots of tiny non inflamed bumps and congested skin on my forehead and cheeks. They usually stay on the skin for a long time and usually, as i ve come to realise, gets inflamed at some stage. I have lots of dark marks from previous acne, if i didnt get these my skin would actually look decent. So yeah im basically trying to prevent inflammation and get rid of these damn bumps. I also do think the reason that i got acne in the first place was because i messed around with my face too much, what with me being a product junki and all. And yeah here i am again, but this time i have some research on m side.

I ve been using the AHA+ for 3 weeks now and I think it has helped a lot. I only got the SA today.
So here's my plan

AM:
Wash with just water
Apply Salicylic Acid+ (Wait 15-30 minutes, getting ready etc.)
Neutrogena oil free SPF 15 (i need to find a better UVA sunscreen though because a good sunscreen is absolutely necessary because i am exfoliating a lot and man it is scorching hot out here!) I dont wear makeup

PM:
Wash with Acne.org cleanser
Apply lemon juice (wait 10 minutes or more)
Apply AHA+ or SA+ (alternate everyother day)


Important note: I have super tough skin, so putting lemon juice and aha on skin will most likely burn the hell out of ya. I am alright with it though.

That's it for now folks. Wish me lucK!

Hey I've been using the phisoderm facial wash for about 2 weeks now and I am still getting mild/moderate breakouts. Im pretty sure this is purging but I would like to know anyones experience with 2% salicylic acid and/or phisoderm anti-blemish facial wash. Thanks!

I have had acne for years, and the worst part is my back/shoulder area. It has kept me from wearing anything strapless. I am supposed to be in a wedding in two months as a bridesmaid- and guess what? Shoulders and back must be exposed. I am terrified.

I have gone through periods where I get really serious about my acne and want to get rid of it for good, and then get discouraged and stop trying as hard. Finding this site has inspired me to try again. I have to admit however that I have recently been going to a tanning bed. Yes, this is terrible for your skin and body. This is the first time in my life I have gone consistently, and it has been for one month. I plan to stop at the end of this month since I am finally all one color (goodbye farmer's tan!).

And this is what I have been doing about my acne for the past week.

AM:
Clean and Clear Acne Control Cleanser (it has Benzoyl Peroxide in it) on face and back.
Apply Murad Clarifying Body Spray to back. (0.5% SA) <-- I got this before finding this site and reading more about acne; once the bottle is done I may not get more, it's ridiculously expensive!
Apply Clean and Clear Acne Control Moisturizer to face (0.5% SA)
Apply Olay moisturizer for sensitive skin to particularly dry areas of face.

PM:
Clean and Clear Acne Control Cleanser on face and back.
Apply Noxzema Anti-Blemish Pads to back (2% SA)
Apply Clean and Clear Acne Control Moisturizer to face (0.5%SA) in higher quantity than before.

*If* I get home early enough in the day, I will go ahead and reapply SA using the Noxzema Anti-Blemish pads to my back/shoulders.

*If* I have a particularly nasty one looking like it might be starting to come in, I will zap it with a 10% BP cream, which seems to work fairly well.

I am using SA because I have ruined WAY too many clothes with BP and it's bleaching havoc it wreaks with them.

I used a trial kit from Philosophy last weekend to 'peel' my face and treat it. Lo and behold, I broke out with 3 or 4 horrible zits in two days time. I don't know if I'll ever try that again. But for the most part since starting this regimen, the small bumps on my face have cleared.

As for my back, I took a picture near the first day of treatment. I am continuing to take a picture every two days to see if there is improvement. I have also ordered, after reading reviews, Dan's AHA+ and Jojoba oil to try. I hate how when I moisturize, I still flake- it seems the oil is the answer. And I hope the AHA+ can help with some of the old red places on my back. I have also ordered his SA+ and will definitely provide feedback on it. Will update as I change my regimen and if things seem to be clearing for me.

Future plans also include going back onto birth control, Ortho Tri Cyclen specifically. I am not convinced about Spironolactone, though... maybe one step at a time for the long term hormonal control.

hi, i recently went to the dermatologist asking to please be placed onto roaccutane, but of course he didn't give it me as he thought my skin wasn't "bad enough" for it as i mostly have scarring.

So he instead gave me a night treatment cream that has 2.5% SULPH and 1% AC SAL (which i'm assuming is salicylic acid) and was wondering if anybody here on the forum has used the same treatment as this and has had any success with it?

i did research and the ingredients looks similar to the Bioelements Amino Mask treatment.

But yeah i'm still not sure if it is working..

Uh, I want to find a good product for BHA/Salicylic acid. I don't know what to buy. I thought that dan sold some, but i cant find it in his store.

Recommendations?

I want one i can apply like dans aha+

Anyone care to give me their recommendations? I have been taking 50mg Zinc Gluconate and Flax Oil lately as well. Feel free to give me advice!

AM
1. Acne.org Cleanser
3. Acne.org Benzoyl Peroxide
4. Olay Complete Sensitive Skin Moisturizer SPF 15

PM
1. Acne.org Cleanser
2. Acne.org Salicylic Acid (BHA)
3. Acne.org Benzoyl Peroxide
4. Acne.org Moisturizer

Using the Salicylic Acid in the evenings would slowly peel away at the pore. Initially, there is usually a small flare up but that is only cause it slowly peels away at the pores. By using the BHA, it penetrates exfoliation into the pore, ends up being less irritating than AHAs, which would also smooth the skin, improve texture, unclog pores, and give the appearance of plumper, firmer skin. If you stop using it, it will go back to the condition it was in before you started.

Hardly ever entirely clear, always have one or two blemishes existing. It's quite irksome!

After 1st Use:

Wow, my skin is so red and feels like it is burning! Ah! I hope it's worth it!

.

I am in my late 30s and had a HORRIBLE breakout on my chin about 8 months ago. It was so cystic that they thought I had some sort of secondary infection. And my skin was perfectly clear everywhere else on my face!

I used to have a great derm but I moved and found that the Derms in my new state were not addressing the obvious hormonal component to my acne outbreak. After trying a slew of meds that were expensive and not working, I stopped going to the dermatologist other than for antibiotics. I am definitely not recommending not going to a Dermatologist but thought maybe some component of my regimen would be helpful to others....

[list]

[*]Solydyn (Minocycline) for 12 weeks now. Takes 8-10 weeks to see a difference. I want to stop these but want to wait until I am acne free for a few months.
[*]Birth Control Pill: on my fifth month (Ortho-Cyclen which is a monophasic). I saw results at 4 months but did get better with each month that passed. I was also going to try Yasmin, Paz but wanted to start with one that I had already been on in the past.
[*]Bi-weekly facials (medical not spa): I found a medical esthetician who is extremely knowledgeable and patient. We tried a few different peels and this is where we are after a few months: Bi-weekly Salicylic Acid peels, Microdermabrasion (started this only when my skin was closer to healing) and Ultrasound. I use Rhonda Allison products exclusively: Beta green tea wash, Pumice scrub with Blueberries, Zinc Protection Cream and Cleansing pads after workouts when I can't wash my face right away. I also use the Skin Smoothing Gel and Blemish Serum. It is not a cheap regimen but it is working so it is worth it.
--I also started using these products that don't contain bismuth which is very acnegenic for some people....www.beautyblisscosmetics.com. I was previously using Bare Escentuals but stopped.

I also tried red and blue light treatments but it made it worse...from what I read these treatments seem to work better on mild to moderate acne and mine was too cystic...

After about 5 months of the Pill, almost 4 on the Antibiotics, and about 5 months of facials, my acne is 99% gone. I get an occasional very small cyst around the 2-3rd week of the Pill but I welcome that compared to what I looked like 8 months ago.

I hope this info helps someone out there!

stats:
14 years old, female
oily skin in t-zone
dry cheeks sometimes
sensitive-ish skin
black heads all over nose
occasional pimples on nose
black heads on chin
occasional pimple on chin or forehead
red areas of the face (nose,etc)


DAY 1 - more like night one since i bought it at 8 PM
-take off make-up with neutrogena make up remover sheets
(i only wear pressed powder and eye make-up)
-wash face with the clean and clear blackhead clearing scrub
[left skin feeling soft and smooth, looked like some blackheads even faded]
i scrubbed gently for about 30 seconds.
-a dab of spot treatment benzoyl peroxide 2% on tip of nose where there is a pimple

DAY 2 - morning
wash face again with the C & C blackhead clearing scrub
[left skin soft and smooth again, no dryness. i see a little improvement, nothing major]
that's it. no make-up today because just lounging and bbq'ing.
i will report night, after i wash my face at night.

ANYONE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SCRUB?
TELL ME YOUR STORIES PLEASE?

Just got Dan's wash, moisturizer, and new SA+ today.

First off, let me say that I have weird combination skin. Dry and flakey, but gets very very oily throughout the day. Currently, I use a extra gentle face wash, non como oil mattifier throughout the day, followed by a neutrogena moisturizer with .5 SA in it that has seemed to slightly help since using it a few months ago. Because of the amount of oil that can build up, I cannot just leave my face with simple medication during the night, and i've found calamine lotion to really help reduce the oilyness overnight. It's about the only thing that prevents me from getting a breakout each night.

Because of that, i'm going to continue with the calamine at night and incorporate the new stronger (dan's) SA throughout the day. I'm also going to switch over to his wash and moisturizer. If my sensitive skin adjusts to the SA over the course of around a week, then I will consider putting it on at night too and then only use calamine to apply small amounts to problems areas before bed.

So, my regimen will be:

NIGHT:

Gentle Oil cleanse (gets plugs out of my forehead), followed by wiping some of the excess off with tissue paper or a blotter.
Wash with Dan's wash in shower.
Put on mattifier to help with oil.
put on dan's moisturizer.
put on calmine lotion to a large amount of T-zone area and to wherever else I feel I need it.

MORNING:
Gently wipe off calamine with cotton ball and Nuetrogena alcohol free toner.
Wash with Dan's wash during shower.
Apply the new SA from Dan.
Apply mattifier.
Apply Dan's moisturizer.

I'll update it with how much time in between things as soon as I get a better hang of it.

I think that I could be a real good person to test this on because I have not used any BP in years since it causes extreme dryness/irritation for me, and i've only used a tiny amount of .5% SA in my moisturizer, so this is the first normal strength medication i'll be applying in quite a while.

In terms of my current skin (just took pics...i'll upload on a later date), my main flare up problem is my forehead. That's where I can get some tricky inflamated cysts, and I have 3 fairly small (but still noticeable) ones right now. My neck and the sides of my face are doing alright (only a few scars), but i'll still apply the SA everywhere so nothing is uneven. My nioce is full of tiny blackhead that I can pop out every morning, but they aren't noticeable unless you are literally eye to eye with my nose. Normally, nothing to bad on the nose except for oil. My other flareup spot is right under my mouth and around the chin/jawline area, but they are usually not as bad as my forehead. I get a lot of plugs in tihs area (as well as my forehead), and that seems to be the main cause of it, so we'll see if the SA can help.

I'm hoping these items can also soothe my skin a bit, since the calamine does dry it out some (but again, I can't live without it otherwise i'll break out terribly from the oil build up when sleeping).


I'm going to start tonight with the wash and the moisturizer (along with my needed calamine etc), and then will apply the SA for the first time tommorrow. Can't wait!

PS: If I get the initial redness like people are reporting with the SA, i'll try and snap a pic so others can see what it's like. I'm hoping i'll be alright since i've got class at 11, but honestly I can give a rat's ass since i'll only be there for an hour.

hi guys!

i have just got my hands on dan's cleanser, sa+ & aha+. so far i have only used them twice, once at night and once in the morning. at night i used the cleanser floowed by the sa+ and then the aha+ and in the morning just the cleanser and aha+ but i was wondering if anyone had any suggestion of how i could improve the regimen (or if it does need improving) such as moisturiser ( i get really oily skin during the day) or anything else that people highly recomend. just to note that i live in the UK so only looking for products i can get here as importing dans magic remedies has burned a whole in my pocket!

First off I'd say I have moderate acne.

Washed my face and used the SA+ for the first time. I got the slight redness that I see has occurred with other individuals, but it only lasted about 30-45 minutes.

After washing with the cleanser and letting it air dry, my face seemed to be a little tight, probably due to not using anything while waiting for Dan's products to arrive. After the SA+ application though, it seems that I don't even need to use any moisturizer.

Along with this I'm taking Vitamin C, A, E, B5, and a B complex and taking 2g of Omega 3 after eating. I've been using the Omega 3 for about the amount of days I went without washing (3) and it seems like I wasn't getting any new bumps, just some were coming to the surface.

I've used about everything. Proactiv, Murad, several Neutrogena products, exposed skin care and the list goes on. I saw some improvements with some, but in the end they all stopped working. Hopefully my new list of products will finally get me clear.

I'll update as the days go by.

Has Dans SA had any affect on your red marks at all?
Just curious, thinking of giving it a go!
Thanks.

Well, the SA+ turned out to not be the answer for me. I used it on and off for about three months. Although my skin is smoother and better moisturized when I use it, it ultimately does nothing for my pimples.
I've thrown out the SA+, and my regimen BP lotion and face wash, since those never worked very well for me either.
I'm on prescription Retin-A cream now. It's only been 3 days so far, but I'm hoping that this will work for me when nothing else has.
This will be my last post on this message board.
(By the way, Olay Gentle Foaming Cleanser is AWESOME.)

anyone here using this product? coz i want to use SA and this is the only product i know that is available here in our country. is this effective as an SA?

Hello everybody, I am new to this so am not sure how it all works. A little backround information, I am 18 years old and in the Army, suffering from Acne (yuck).

- Anyways, I have a question concerning a new possible daily skincare regime, combining my perscribed topical ointments with an OTC salicylic acid product. My current regime looks like this.
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Morning & Night
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1: Spectro Jel Cleanser
2: Rosula Aqueous Gel (Sodium Sulfacetamide)
3: Clindamycin "Phosp" Lotion (1%)
4: Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion
5: Additional "Cerave" moisturizing lotion if needed

- I have began using the Murad Clarifying Cleanser lately, to be more precise within the last 3-4 days. And it seems that it has caused me to break out even further. Well, this is not to my immediate suprise as I have heard about the whole "purging process" (Bogus or what? I am not sure). However, I do like that it has "shrunk" my pores, specifically on my nose, and reduced the number of blackheads within the area (at least I think their blackheads?) white stuff comes out when you squeeze them lol. Well, anywho'm, the Murad Clarifying Cleanser dries out my skin a whole bunch therefore, I do not want to use it both morning and night. Not to mention, I love Spectro Jel Cleanser. It's just that my current regime doesn't really do as much as I would like it to. By that I meen, cleansing my pores enough. So adding this new cleanser to my daily skincare routine personally seems reasonable.

However, I am unsure if applying both topical (RX) treatments (Rosula & Clindamycin) following the use of another medicated product such as Murad's skin clarifying Cleanser (salicylic acid) is such a good idea. I was instructed specifically by my dermatologist, to apply my two Topical medications both morning and night, and to stray away from medicated cleansers. So I am unsure if the combination of these products back to back would do more harm than good.

My dermatologist did not specifically suggest an adequate preperational facial cleanser to use however, but he did vaguely mention Cetaphil as a good product. I previously used the Cetaphil (SPF15) facial moisturizer for an substantial amount of time, yet I found it to make my skin look "greasy". Therefore I set out in search of a new moisturizer, and found Murad's Skin Perfecting Lotion to be fantastic. Previously, using Spectro Jel and Cetaphil moisturizer together did not agitate my skin. But, when I substituted Spectro Jel cleanser for the Cetaphil Cleanser, just for the hell of it really, my skin became aggitated and red (under the eye area) and further application of my topical medications, along with the Cetaphil "SPF15" facial moisturizer burned my skin, making it look somewhat sunburned. I researched this, and found many different posts regarding claims of which the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate within Cetaphil Cleanser caused this reaction to occur.

My question is, what would be a good (safe) way to add Murad's clarifying cleanser into my current routine? Taking into consideration that I was constructed to use Rosula and Clindamycin twice daily. Honestly, since this Murad Cleanser dries out my skin and causes flaking (I suppose until it adapts to the salicylic acid?) I would like to use it only at night time.

1: Should I keep my current day & night routine (topical medications included)
And at night time substitute spectro jel cleanser for murad cleanser? (topical medications included)

2: Or, should I keep my current routine (topical medications included) for the morning.
And for night time only use Murad Cleanser/Murad Lotion? (Without the RX Topical Medication)

Thank you for reading this post, I know it was long, but I wanted to be as detailed as possible in order for the viewers to aquire a more direct sense at where my confusion is coming from. If you have any other routines I could use for night time, keeping my current products, I would love to hear them. Thank's again, goodbye!

I am almost 30 and, after trying several acne products over the years, I had settled on salicylic acid being the most effective over the counter treatment for me. Benzoyl peroxide proved too irritating and drying on my face for anything more than a spot treatment. I never liked worrying about the BP bleaching my colored clothing/sheets. Also, the SA seemed to leave my face looking and feeling better as a whole. I typically suffer from a bit of inflamed acne with several blackheads on and around my nose. My face tends to be oily on the forehead and around my nose.

After a brief return to BP to see if anything had changed after reading about the regimen, I found my skins reaction the same and planned to return to SA. This happened in the midst of a recent road trip where several factors could have contributed to a massive breakout. I wasn't in my routine, I was stressed, I wasn't eating properly. I returned to find Dan's SA had arrived for me to try.

I started that Monday night with the SA and a bit of the alpha hydroxy for the t-zone. It did seem to refresh the skin a bit, but I had around 7 spots of inflamed acne. I didn't expect much when I got up that morning, so I was surprised to see what a difference the first treatment had made. Inflammation was down, my skin looked healthier and nothing new had cropped up. Those who had seen the state of my face when I returned and the look the next day even commented on the difference.

I've now been using the product for a week, and the change has been amazing! I have no inflamed acne. The old spots are fading or gone. Blackheads are diminished as well. My skin looks very healthy and has a smoother appearance. I was convinced that I was going to have to see a dermatologist if I couldn't get things under control, but my current routine seems to be doing the trick.

At morning and at night I am using the acne.org cleanser followed by the SA+. I also use the AHA+ along the t-zone. Light moisturizer with SPF when needed.

If my face continues to respond this well at the end of the month, I really hope the SA+ becomes a permanent part of the product offering. Knowing that it might not be has me scrambling to find a decent substitute. I'm not sure one exists!

Another update after week 2.