6 replies to this topic

[Scoot]

Well, I ordered Dan's BP gel last Thursday, and amazingly it arrived on Saturday, so I started the regimen in earnest Saturday night (9/16/06). I've tried so many things over so many years that I was understandably skeptical of Dan's regimen, but a combination of reading people's success stories and good ol' desperation convinced me to give it a try.

About me: in a month I'll be 28, and I've had acne of various severity since 10 or 11. I've been on more prescriptions than I can remember, including a stint with Accutane. After reading Dan's website I decided to give up what I was on most recently: Dioxycycline (oral antibiotic), Differin, and Benzaclin. Not hard to give up since I've pretty much lost my faith in dermatologists. Right now my skin isn't terrible...a smattering of active pimples, blackheads on my nose, and the occasional cyst. My biggest issues are the red marks from so many years of moderate acne, and the scarring on my forehead. I don't even know what best-case scenario would look like for me. I'm hoping that if the regimen can keep away new pimples, my skin can have a chance to heal. I've read some of the posts about apple cider vinegar and using it on red marks, and I'm intrigued, so I'm hoping to add that to my regimen after a while.

My biggest challenges on this will be patience and not touching my face all the time. Patience because I'm used to washing my face and slapping on some stuff. Not waiting, washing my hands, gently massaging on gel, waiting, washing hands, gently massaging on moisturizer, etc. It's really going to have to be a conscious thing for me to slow down and take it easy. As for the other, I'm a horrible face-toucher. Chin in my hand, or wiping oil from my face, or seeing if that cyst is still there, damn it. Again, just something I'm going to have to be more conscious of.

Anyway, that's where things are right now. I started last night, and while my husband said this morning that my face looked better, I know it's just because all the slick from the moisturizer evened things out a bit. I am, I would say, guardedly optimistic right now.

If anyone else is starting up around this time, please drop me a note. It would be great to get and give support and share progress updates.

Thanks!
Scoot

[tikvica]

willkomen, bienvenue, welcomeeeee....
guess you already know this: there has to be a lot of patience and devotion involved. all this gentle rubbing and waiting is a lot of hassle in the beginning, but us humans can get used to anything
as ffor touching your face, try always playing with sth, at least while you're at home, like those chinese balls, or you can do as i did and start playing with your hair instead
so, good luck to you!

[Brandy]

Hi Scoot!
Welcome!
I just wanted to wish you luck with the Regimen.
Remember to be super gentle applying your products!
Holler if you need any help!

[Scoot]

Well, end of the second full day. No real change in pimples or anything, though I have a large swath of flaky skin off to one side of my chin, and under my jaw/ear on both sides. Not real sure what to do about that...I know I'm not supposed to scrub it (right?), and it's too soon to use AHA moisturizer, and the stuff I'm using now doesn't cover it up fully. Ah, well, here's hoping it's just a phase. Also, my face is soo greasy. I'm using Oil of Olay oil-free for sensitive skin with spf 15, but in doing my best to not touch my face the oil is just sitting there, ugh! While I'm at work I blot a couple of times a day with those lovely school-grade paper towels that are more paper than towel, and that seems to help with the slick.

My plan, at least so far, is to go for three full months. I have an appointment with the dermatologist in the middle of October (to check on my progress with the oral antibiotic that I've since quit), but I'm hoping to be able to cancel due to success on the regimen.

Thanks for the supportive words, jasmina and Brandy! Jasmina, you have a good point about keeping my hands occupied, it's actually something I've noticed about myself a while ago. I'm always fiddling with something, my earring, hair (when it's long enough), paper clip, string on a jacket. Maybe I should just keep a supply of paper clips and pen caps in my pocket.

[Scoot]

Oh, my.

The areas under my ears/jawline are red patches of scaly horror. They have an odd, almost soft texture to them (especially after slathering them with moisturizer), but when I turn my neck it's easy to see how finely creased and inflamed it is. It's only been in the past year or so that I've gotten breakouts there, and I never know if whatever I'm using at the moment is helping or not. Does medication irritate it, thus making it break out more? Or does it help, keeping it from breaking out further? Why have I started breaking out there in the first place? It had been clear and trouble free since high school. Well, I will try to be more gentle with that area, only applying bp sparingly until it seems to adjust. I know that scaliness and flakiness are to be expected, but this has made me more self conscious than I have been in quite some time.

Also hard? The peeling, red, wounded look I have in the lines running from my nose to my mouth. I look like I've had an allergic reaction. (No, I'm not allergice to bp. I've used it in some form or another for years.)

In truth, I am very surprised that I am having these reactions. I really feel as though my skin should be used to bp, especially since the concentration of Dan's gel is less than anything I've used before. Maybe it's the sheer volume I'm applying (which, since it's only my first week, has only been about a thick finger-joint length)?

Definitely more whiteheads appearing than is usual for me. Very small ones, too. I've been trying very hard not to A) touch my face, and B) pick at the spots. I noticed that when I am stressed I do a lot more unconscious touching and picking, and caught myself quite a few times.

Anyone have any suggestions about the patches on my neck? Has anyone had neck issues before and can reassure me that this is only a phase? I know the skin there is thinner and so it makes sense that it would have a stronger reaction...I just want to know whether I should tough it out or give up that bit.

[Scoot]

I've gotten through my first week!

Yesterday was my first test - having company stay over and having a couple glasses of wine. I still dutifully did my whole CSR routine - in my situation at least, there are no excuses for not doing it very morning and night.

Also, I switched moisturizer yesterday, from Oil of Olay Sensitive Skin to Aveeno Ultra-Calming with spf15. I had read a couple of people on here saying they liked it, and I really needed something to help with the nasty flakes under my jaw. The Aveeno is a lot thicker (which could be positive or negative, but I need it right now for the dryness I'm getting) and feels really smooth, though I did experience a bit of sticker shock at the store.

Speaking of the flaky patches, the redness has gone down some, to a more peachy-pink, but the flakes are coming out in full force. I've lessened up on the bp I put in that area, and also try to control where I put it. I suspect that before I had been applying the bp, and then the moisturizer would pread it out to a larger area - an area that had not been exposed to bp from my earlier medications. If that's the case, then the irritation seems understandable.

In terms of breakouts, I haven't had any major problems, just a few very small spots. One did start coming up under the skin right between my eyes (great), but started going down before it came to the surface. Also, the dryness/redness around my mouth has almost gone away.

Looking forward to less flakiness in week 2!

[Brandy]

Hi Scoot,
I've not used that Aveeno product, but if it doesn't get that flaking under control, please consider trying Cetaphil Moisturizing lotion. Dan feels it is the best one available right now, at keeping the skin hydrated and flake-free while on the CSR.