2 replies to this topic

[Little Nikke]

Allright, so I've been lurking on the boards here for the past few weeks and decided to take the plunge and try the CSR. I started 5 days ago and am cautiously optimistic. But first, my skin history!

I acutally had pretty good skin growing up with just the occational break out, but watched my older sister stuggle with moderate to severe acne her whole life (different antibiotics, stuggling to find a cleaning regimen, etc). I thought I was the lucky one! Right around when I turned 23, I developped moderate acne. I freaked out. I tried the skin regimen that worked for my sister, but found it way too harsh and had seriously flaky, dry skin and it did nothing for my acne. Next step the doctor: he started me on topicals (8% BP and 0.5% tretinoin + 4% erythomycin), and I had moderate success but again it was really drying. Then I went on tetracycline and my skin was great! Everything was under control, and when I went off the drugs my skin stayed pretty good. Then, I moved from a dry climate to Nashville for graduate school and my skin went nuts (I started geting deep, painful lesions, almost cystic acne, which I'd never had before), and I gained 15 lbs.

I was so depressed - between the weight gain (15 lbs. may not seem like a lot, but I'm a wee thing and went up 3 sizes!) and my horrible skin, combined with the stress of grad school, I'd never been so miserable in my life. When I went to see my doctor that Christmas, he was shocked by what I looked like. It turned out that my allergy medication had a weight-gain side-effect, so he switched that, and put me back on antibiotics (minocycline this time) and things improved quickly - I dropped 10 lbs in 2 weeks and my skin was great again. The boost in confidence made me take control of the rest of my life, and eating habits and I lost another 20 lbs over the next year. My skin, however, has been a struggle ever since (now 4 years later, and now in Colorado for my PhD). If I'm not on antibiotics, it just goes back to being bad. I don't like the idea of consantly being on drugs (I already have to take an antihistamine every day), but nothing has worked. I've tried scrubs, I've tried creams, I went on the Pill, I've tried every topical ointment out there, I tried Murad most recently (did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!), but nothing worked. I've been resigned to going back on antibiotics, but decided to look on the net for alternatives first and found you guys! I remembered my early success with BP and I think the CSR may be the answer I'm looking for. The problem the first time was the dryness which was probably due more to the high BP % and the other ointment which had an alcohol base and the idea of finally treating my skin gently makes sense.

So, before I started I had moderate acne. I had several papules on my chin and whiteheads around my mouth and along my lower jaw. I had two large papules on my forhead and lots of little bumps on my forehead and cheeks as well as small red scars from old acne everywhere. It's been 5 days and the whiteheads are gone and the papules on my chin have shrunk dramatically. One of the lesions on my forehead came to head yesterday and I popped it by barely touching the sucker. The other one also seems to be coming to head, and will probably be resolved pretty soon too. And, the best news is that nothing else has come up, and my red spots have really faded! I think its the gentleness of the CSR that's helped the most - I'm no longer picking and scrubbing at my face, inflaming my skin, as I have very sensitive (but oily) skin and am prone to allergic skin reactions.

So my regimen to date:
Morning:
Cetaphil for normal to oily skin
2.5% BP
Neutrogena oil-free moisture with SPF15
Body Shop Vitamin E night cream around my eyes
Everyday Minerals makeup
Night:
Cetaphil for normal to oily skin
2.5% BP
8% BP spot treatment
Neutrogena oil-free moisture with SPF15
Body Shop Vitamin E night cream around my eyes

The only part I'm not thrilled about is the cleanser - it has a smell that bothers me, and I think I want to find a more moiturizing night cream that doesn't have SPF - My skin is starting to feel a bit dry. However, I'm a bit reluctant to use the night cream I already have because it doesn't say expressly that it's non-comedogenic. Whish me luck!

[Brandy]

Hello and welcome!
We can all relate to your struggle. I'm glad you stumbled upon us!
I use the CSR myself, and have been on it now for a year and a half.

Being gentle is a BIG part of it (as you have already figured out). Alot of us grew up thinking we needed to scrub the heck out of our skin, and then were surprised when the breakouts continued! Irritation=more acne.
Anyway, it sounds like you are off to a good start. If you want a better moisturizer for night, try the Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion (or Equate version at Walmart for half the price!). I've been using it lately and really like it, and Dan feels it is the most moisturizing product out there currently. Also, you mentioned not liking your cleanser very much, you might consider trying Purpose Gentle Wash or the CSR gentle cleanser.
Good luck with the CSR and holler if you need any help!

[Little Nikke]

Hello and welcome!
We can all relate to your struggle. I'm glad you stumbled upon us!
I use the CSR myself, and have been on it now for a year and a half.

Being gentle is a BIG part of it (as you have already figured out). Alot of us grew up thinking we needed to scrub the heck out of our skin, and then were surprised when the breakouts continued! Irritation=more acne.
Anyway, it sounds like you are off to a good start. If you want a better moisturizer for night, try the Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion (or Equate version at Walmart for half the price!). I've been using it lately and really like it, and Dan feels it is the most moisturizing product out there currently. Also, you mentioned not liking your cleanser very much, you might consider trying Purpose Gentle Wash or the CSR gentle cleanser.
Good luck with the CSR and holler if you need any help!

Thanks for the welcome and the advice! I'll probably stick with the cleanser for now - It works well, I jsut don't like the smell (I have a very sensitive nose!). I'll switch once this bottle is done. I'll pick up the Cetaphil for night though and see how it goes.