Long time moderate acne sufferer - Finally under control

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
3.) From time to time, clean the inside of nostrals with the 10% BP soap to reduce the chance of Gram-Negative Bacteria from causing acne

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.

Finally found the regimine that's right for me

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.

Retinoid Usage Has Cleared My Face

Hi guys, I've been suffering for Acne for 15 years now - age 12-26.

I've been on 3 cycles of accutane in my life @ 80mgs each cycle. I've used all sorts of stuff. Photodynamic therapy, all the retinoids and anti-biotics.

6 months ago my face was covered in cystic acne and acne in spots I've never had before along with places it always comes up in.

Layering in Dan's 2.5% BP did nothing. I might as well have used nothing. I have tubes of tazorac that say to only use in spots where acne is coming up as it would irritate normal skin. After talking to more dermatologists and reading a report about effective retinoid usage - I finally understood - I need to use layer it on. Just like it was sunblock.

I cleared my acne by using "Benzymicin" - a prescription that mixes 5% Benzoyl peroxide with an anti-biotic called Eurethramycin. It works very well at killing off active acne. I used it at night as it leaves white power all over your face when it dries. During the daytime, I slapped on a generous amount of Tazorac then layered on moisturizer and sunblock over it (if I was going out).

After 1 to 2 months, most of my acne cleared up. I then stopped using the Benzamycin and started slapping on the tazorac morning and night. This has kept the acne away for the most part.

If I start running low on the tazorac and start layering less or missing areas of the face, the acne does return fast, so I always make sure I'm getting new stock of tazorac. I also keep the Benzamycin in the fridge as it is a great spot treatment medicine.



I now realize what moderate-persistent acne suffers like me need: A Retinoid needs to be covering our faces 24/7. Retin-A, Differin, or Tazorac. They keep the skin from getting blocked up. A retinoid needs to be on 24/7, 365 days a year. Spot treatment with Benzamycin.

Benzamycin being phased out

I heard from my dermatologist that Benzamycin being phased out, because the antibiotic in it, Eurathramicin (or however it's spelled) has become useless against most acne bacteria. They're going to start a mix of BP and clindimycn (or however it's spelled).

I was wondering, why don't I just mix Bactrim and BP and use it topically.

Doxycycline Generic vs Dorxy Time Released

For the past 2 years I've been taking 100mgs of Doxycycline per day. 50mg pill every 12 hours.

I still had breakouts, but they were controlled and not many cystic nodes appeared.

I seem to tolerate most medications well, and do NOT have any of the negatives from Doxycycline at all. I could even take it on an empty stomach or with milk and no problems come up.

A few months ago, I saw a different dermatologist do to Photodynamic Therapy on me. She also recommended I try Dorxy brand doxycycline. It's "time released" and I only need to take 1 per day. After 3 sessions of PDT, my skin looked great after, BUT it's been about 6 months since my last session and the acne has come back with a vengence. I've been taking 100mgs Dorxy for the past 5 months as well, and have noticed that it does much much less than me using generic doxy two times a day. I currently have multiple cystic legions, and patches of zits around my jaw areas. Zit squadrons. My face is blotchy and is at it's worse.

Along with either types, I do topical treatments. Tazorac cream during the day. Benzoyl Peroxide coating my face at night.

I'm thinking about stopping Dorxy Brand ASAP and going back to my generic regimine. I think it works much much better.

I'm going to take pictures of my current face and compare in 3 months after switching back. and update you guys.






Here is my acne and acne treatment history:

Acne started @ age 12. Full bloom @ age 15. Currently age 26.

Over the years, Acne treatments have included:
1.) Retin A gels and creams. Results: minimal
2.) Benzoyl peroxide facial coatings. Results: moderately good. Great when paired with oral antibiotics.
3.) Minocycline. Results: OK
4.) Doxycycline. Results: Good using generic. 50mg pills every 12 hours.
5.) Tetracycline. Results: minimal
6.) 3 different accutane courses. Results: Excellent. Clear. Results only last a few months after ending a treatment run. Triglyceride levels and LDL Cholesterol levels spike by alarming numbers however. And stay at those numbers after treatment. Great for face, but fear for my long term health.
7.) clindamycin phosphate. Results: No effect. Weak.
8.) benzamycin (5% BP and 2% Erythromycin mix). Results: Very good. Only issue is with aesthetics and refrigeration.
9.)

Hmm......note to self......get back on benzamycin......I'm going to make an appointment.

Update you later.