13 replies to this topic

[cheers2tommy]

Alright. I'm going to start this topic to try and help people with their acne problems. I've spent a lot of time dealing with acne and trying every product. More so than most people also. I don't buy products oblivious to what they are. I research every product and every ingredient in the product to the fullest extent before I purchase it.


La Roche Posay -- My topic name. Also a name brand for skin care. The reason i named it that was to get the company out in the open. They are VERY VERY well known...every dermatologist in my area sells their products or recommends them. They are a company based out of France...so yes the products are imported. The price is generally around the same as over the counter Neutrogena which i found not to work. They make their products directly for dermatologists. Also unlike many companies....neutrogena, clean and clear, etc.....they dont make tons of products for money purposes. They solely base their products on intentions to help people. A quality hard to find in companies today.

I mean no disrespect towards the creator of the clear skin regimen or those whose use it in this section. Benzoyl Peroxide is BAD for your skin. Regardless of what you might think or think you know....it is. Every dermatologist i've been to uses that as a last resort and many of them will tell you its bad. On a higher level, many researchers have done studies on BP to show that it is bad. I've never found it to work. It made my face VERY red VERY dry VERY irritated and VERY peeling. Almost everyone i've spoken to who use it have said the same. Regardless of whether or not this is a phase, it is bad for your skin.




What I recommend. I've been through every medication possible, prescription, over the counter, everything. I found one system that has worked so far.

Number 1..........Use a gentle cleanser

Number 2..........A salicylic acid cream

Number 3..........A retinol cream


A gentle cleanser.....One that has no chemicals or harsh additives, soap-free, oil-free, non-comedogenic, no fragrance is the best. The reason for this is that all of those things can irritate skin and make acne worse. A gentle cleanser with the above qualities will not irritate skin or dry it out and at the same time cleanse the skin and help clear it of acne.

Salicylic acid (SA) cream......SA was rated very low on the what works better section between BP and SA. Why? I dont know. Salicylic acid IS...I repeat IS the most recommended acne fighter by dermatologists. It is a beta hydroxy acid. Not a alpha hydroxy acid. What makes this better? Well, beta hydroxy acids are oil based...meaning they can sink into your skin and pores and fight on the spot. Alpah hydroxy acids are water based, meaning they lay on to your skin and the slightest touch or water drop can sweep them away. SA is used to clean the pores, get rid of dead skin cells and bacteria the causes acne. Also SA is non-irritating for most people.

A retinol cream.......I never NEVER myself would of thought to use retinol for acne. I actually accidently found it during acne research. I tried it and i must say i will never NEVER use anything else. Retinol is one of the best products you can use for acne. Retinol os actually a form of vitamin A. What it does is keeps your cells reforming right and pores clear....the bacteria and build ups that cause acne, it prevents that rom happening. Also retinol is a GREAT GREAT alternative to Benzoyl peroxide. You will not see any of the harsh side effects and if you do...they wont be harsh at all and only last a day or two.


The mixture of salicylic acid and retinol is GREAT. The SA clears dead skin cells and bacteria while the reintol helps keep them away and keeps the skin growing that way.


Also you can mix other products in with those steps if you'd like. I use those 3 day and night. BUT during the day you need to wear a sunscreen, retinol makes you skin sensitive to sunlight. If you feel you need a moisturizer, you can add that step in there. Its a very flexible regimen. Some people may only need the retinol at night and not the day, or both times. Experiment and find out os all I can say.

Now my products.
Cleanser....I use La Roche Posay Effaclar Deap Foaming Cream
Salicylic.....I use La Roche Posay Effaclar K
Retinol.......I use La Roche Posay Biomedic Retinol .60%




I am not a spokesperson in any way for La Roche Posay although i wish i was. Their line of skin care is the best. ALL non-comedogenic (wont clog pores) and made for sensitive skin to all other skin types. Many of their products are soap free, oil free and have no fragrance. Please Please check them out, their products actually work unlike many others.





If you have any question, please feel free to ask....and on the other hand, if you have anything rude to say, DONT. I'm here to help people with acne and express my opinion...you may do the same, but not in a disrespectful or harsh way. Thanks.

[lookingforsunlight]

I'm glad you've found something that is working for you. So can you get this specific skin care line only at a derm or can you get it online?

[cheers2tommy]

I'm glad you've found something that is working for you. So can you get this specific skin care line only at a derm or can you get it online?

No, I get mine at a Laser and skin care center. But there are many websites that sell it.

[Contained]

Sounds like spam

[scootingscooter]

You can get it at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. I tried one of the cleansers...but it didn't really do anything because I wasn't using it as part of a regimen.

[jhonyguy04]

iam sorry, but my dermatologist did not say that benzoyl peroxide is bad, and i dont think many derms use it as a last resort. they use accutane as a last resort.this is definately a spam.

[cheers2tommy]

haha I love how its a spam because i said the benzoyl perozide is bad. If you've ever used it and it worked, great i give you 3 cheers. But i used it and I know very many people that used it and it messed up my face and their face pretty bad. When i used it above my chin area, it cracked and bled it made it that dry and irritated. My nose area where i get blackheads a lot, i had skin peeling off everyday and it was very sensitive. BUT if you think that good for your skin, then good for you, please use it. But i believe that cracked and irritated bloody skin isnt the best thing in the world. As for the dermatologist comment. I've been to almost everyone within a 100 mile radius. I explained to all of them my situation, and regardless of what you say, unless you have your MD????? they all told me that benzoyl peroxide is bad for skin and can be very harsh at times....thats why there are alternatives that work just as good without the problems.

[cheers2tommy]

haha I love how its a spam because i said the benzoyl perozide is bad. If you've ever used it and it worked, great i give you 3 cheers. But i used it and I know very many people that used it and it messed up my face and their face pretty bad. When i used it above my chin area, it cracked and bled it made it that dry and irritated. My nose area where i get blackheads a lot, i had skin peeling off everyday and it was very sensitive. BUT if you think that good for your skin, then good for you, please use it. But i believe that cracked and irritated bloody skin isnt the best thing in the world. As for the dermatologist comment. I've been to almost everyone within a 100 mile radius. I explained to all of them my situation, and regardless of what you say, unless you have your MD????? they all told me that benzoyl peroxide is bad for skin and can be very harsh at times....thats why there are alternatives that work just as good without the problems.

Also, considering im a spammer, and bezoyl perozide is great for the skin unlike i said...."Some people use tea tree oil because they find benzoyl peroxide too harsh on the skin. In a study comparing tea tree oil gel to benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil had fewer side effects than the benzoyl peroxide, which was associated with itching, burning, stinging, and dryness."

taken from this website.... http://altmedicine.about.com/od/teatreeoil...treeoilacne.htm


My purpose for that is just one article out of many that state the same thing i said, benzoyl peroxide has many harsh side effects. I didnt start this page to bash other types of medications, i started it to tell people there are alternatives to benzoyl peroxide that arent bad on the skin. But if you find itching, burning, stinging, and dryness fun then be my guest

[jhonyguy04]

ok, that article said that tea tree oil is less effective than benzol peroxide, so that article of yous does not help.yes, i don't have an md, but do you? the thing that bothers me with your post is the overgeneralizing statment that all dermatologists say that benzol peroxide is bad and they leave it as the last resort. first of all, if it was that dangerous as you make it sound, it would be a controlled substance.but guess what??its over the counter. and sacylic acid could be just as irritating as benzol peroxide. maybe it was you case(even though i dobt it, since i strongly believe your a spammer) that the benzol peroxide was harsh on ur individual skin, but benzol peroxide has never made me bleed. yes it has dried the hell out of me, and thats why it itches. but after i put moisturizer, iam good to go. you make it sound like benzol peroxide is some stron acid that eats ur skin away.how many dermtolotist have you been to???because i dobt everyone of them said, omg benzol peroxide is baaaaaaaaaad, lets start with something more gentle, because actually, benzol peroxide is used for mild acne, and its actually used as the FIRST RESOURCE since there are only mild side effects associated with them. and i got this from wikipedia.org, just seach acne vulgais and ull see. and btw, retinols are controlled substances, so there must be a reason why benzol peroxide over the counter and retinols are not, and that is because retinols are actually harsher on the skin. so yeah, thank you for advertising your product. maybe you should have included the website or something.

[Wu Tang]

Their moisturizers are quite good!

[acnethedevil]

I've used La roche-posay's Effaclar K for about a month after being prescribed by my dermatologist, and I must say that it helped with my skin complexion. I just don't use it anymore because I'm just not into long term use of unnatural medications, and besides, it's not a cure for acne.
A question to cheers2tommy though, in what ways did the retinol help with your acne? I have really moderate acne, just alot of small whiteheads, I have large pores, and very bumpy skin. Would using retinol help with the bumpiness of my skin and make it smooth??

[cowboy101]

Just to update and let people know, Retinol is NOT a controlled substance. You can buy some neutrogena products over the counter with retinol in, also l'oreal. I used retinol for awhile and i bought it at the skin care center, but you can just walk in and buy it, no prescription or viewing. Sorry but I hate when people talk but dont know what they are talking about, i get enough of that at school and work. Also i have never ever had a derm give me benzoyl peroxide as a first resort, now i use it and love it, but i figured that out on my own. Ive been to quite a few derms, i probably have a tab, lol, and they started be out with evoclin and minocyclin and every damn cyclin or tetra god knows what. But never anything i could purchase over the counter which pissed me off, i needed expensive prescriptions. haha ok i did my rambling. I just get mad when people are rude, oh this is spam, this is bullshit. If you dont want other peoples point of views or what they have used, then go the hell away. Get off the site and dont come back.

[maddy001]

Well my derm also doesn't like benzoyl peroxide because she says yes it does help zits but may have an after effect like worsening your acne marks and in the long run especially if you apply it all over your face can result in quickening the ageing process of the skin so you will develop wrinkles. Spot treating might be a good option if you use benzoyl peroxide. I'm not a fan of benzoyl peroxide because I develop a reaction to it.

I find his regimen quite good, salicyclic acid and retinol are good weapons against acne. Better then benzoyl peroxide and people should consider doing something like that. Not necessary need to use La Roche products. I think LionQueen is also using both salicyclic acid and retinol to treat her acne but she uses Paula's choice. Salicyclic acid unclogs the pores while retinols help with the formation of new cells, that's why besides helping acne, it can also make your skin younger. Retinol is also use sometimes to reverse ageing skin. Both salicyclic acid and retinol will help in all kinds of acne, inflammatory and non-inflammatory as oppose to benzoyl peroxide which only helps inflame spots.

The FDA has changed benzoyl peroxide from being safe to unsure. Some places I think UK has kept all their benzoyl peroxide products behind a counter and you have to ask the pharmacist for it. Dan also seems to be in the process of making a salicyclic product that might replace benzoyl peroxide. There might be something in benzoyl peroxide that you don't know.

[NoSubstance27]

The use of retinol and salicylic acid sound incredibly drying, Plus, you're not suppose to use retinoid creams for extended periods of time.