I have been struggling with acne for about 3 years now but it has seemed like an eternity.
Within those years I have had some time periods of being completely or close to clear. Last summer I begin breaking out again after being clear for about year. (I had been on Tazorac and anti-biotics for the a year) but my body seemed to build a resistance to these medications. I became frustrated and looked for other ways to help myself that didn't involve greedy drug companies and brain-washed dermatologists that seem to push the latest pill or gel. Here's what I learned...

#1 Never take anit-biotics for along period of time (which is what will be expected of you if you take them for your skin) Your skin will clear most likely for a while but chances are acne will come back and come back even stronger.The bacteria becomes more resistant and the good bacteria is also destroyed.
#2 Don't always believe the commercials you see and the drug companies' promises. Many acne suffers are vulnerable and desperate, these cosmetic/drug companies know that and thrive off of it. Its a multi-billion dollar business and they don't want to cure you, they want to get you a little better so you keep buying their products.
#3 Food does have affects on your skin. Dermatologists all over will swear they don't but they defiantly do. Eating a vegetable, fruit and lean protein diet is good for you skin and overall health. Avoid processed foods,HYDROGENATED OILS, and dairy.(Among other things)
#4 If you have acne chances are your internal organs are clogged. The skin is an organ used to rid the body of toxins and if your internal organs aren't doing the job your skin will do it...aka ACNE!
#5 Don't be afraid to question the mainstream way of thinking. Not everything is solved with a pill or a cream. Sometimes it takes a little more on our part. Ask yourself: Why some countries don't have any occupants who suffer from acne? Maybe it has to do with the fact that we in the U.S, fill ourselves with foods and substances that aren't natural and in turn toxic.

But how do we unclog the internal organs? I'm guessing you mean the liver and kidney?

And why do they get clogged in us and not in other people? Are our bodies just genetically inferior/more prone to clogging?

No dairy? Ouch.

They are just as clogged in other people as they are in us.

There's very little you can 'do' to unclog them. As you live a healthy life, detox occasionally and so on your body will get rid of whatever is clogging them.

No, the tendency for skin cells and sebum to be sticky and not exfoliate properly is genetically influenced.

And it's also stimulated by IGF1 which is in dairy and production in our bodies is stimulated by elevated insulin levels. So maintaining stable blood sugar is the best thing you can do. This also reduces inflammation and androgen levels.

I don't see how we disagree here. Keeping blood sugar levels stable falls within the domain of eating and living healthy.

A ton of people's are. What we have that they don't are overactive sebaceous glands. If your sebaceous gland is overactive, you will get acne, but if it isn't you won't. Accutane is so effective because it shuts down the sebaceous gland, but dangerous to people who don't reduce toxins or clean out their systems because without the ability to purge toxins through the skin it all stays in the liver.

The typical "acne" diet is a great way to reduce toxins going into the liver, the water-soluble toxins. However the true cure is to rid the liver of toxins, the fat-soluble toxins. I suggest a herbal extract containing MILK THISTLE and dandelion root. Do yourself a favour and research those herbs.

And just for other people only skimming:

milk thistle milk thistle milk thistle . Also dandelion root, and burdock. They should be in pill form or liquid, NOT tea or raw herbs.

I love this website! so does that mean dairy's good or bad? does it stimulate our skin cells to exfoliate?

Zmffy, I already took milk thistle for ages and didn't notice any improvement, so I stopped. And it tasted bitter.

No. It stimulates an over proliferation of skin cells that do not exfoliate properly and instead clog pores. And that's in addition to all the various reasons people have an intolerance to it that leads to break outs. So even if you aren't intolerant, you should limit it.

Sorry. When I said no, I was referring to your statement about everyone being clogged. And I was referring to pores. I usually have a couple of threads open at a time and forgot the subject on this one was cleansing. So I saw a post about 'clogs' and thought pores. And our pores are not all equally clogged.

There are many people who have very oily skin but not acne. And people with dry skin with acne.

It's the tendency to hyperkeratinization and hyperproliferation that cause acne.

sometimes the quality of our sebum (and therefore the chances of becoming clogged and sticky with dead skin) has to do with the quality of our diet and health.

garbage in--->garbage out