10 replies to this topic

[Lorrie]

Hi Ami! I have been reading some of your posts and I am pretty sure that my acne is now only hormonal acne since its primarily on my chin and jawline. Do you mind sharing your regimen? I am interested to know what you did to get clear skin. I was looking at your pics and your skin is beautiful. Lorrie

[A-Shizzle]

Hi Lorrie - of course I don't mind sharing it!
AM
-wash with alpha hydrox hydrating cleanser (I'm switching to Paula's Choice because they do NO animal testing)
-apply Paula's Choice 2% BHA lotion
- take an Aleve if I'm ovulating within a week

During the Day
-drink 6 cups of tea. Green tea/Yogi Hormonal Balance tea

PM
-wash with Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub - it's very gentle so I use it daily (i'm also wanting to stop because of the animal testing so i'm looking at other products)
- apply Paula's Choice 2% BHA wait 30 minutes then apply Mandalic Acid (MaMa) or Green Cream (alternating nights)
- take an Aleve if I'm ovulating within a week
- take 1/2 teaspoon Borage oil
- 3,600mg of letichin


The moisturizer I swear by is Complex 15 found at www.drugstore.com

I've modified it a bit because I'm taking out the biore pore unclogging scrub and replacing it with the AHA cleaner but this is still fairly new so I hope my skin likes it.

I guess I should also mention that I get facials monthly now. It use to be twice a month by that's really expensive and my skin still seems to be fine.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.

[Lorrie]

Thank you so much Ami! I am going to stick to my regimen for now and give it a chance to work but if I dont continue to see results, I definitely want to try your regimen. I have a few questions for you.

First, I had never heard of taking Aleve for acne until I came to this website. I find that very interesting.

I am interested in the tea you drink. A year ago I started having night sweats and I figured I was premenopausal. I am only 38 but my mother started experiencing symptoms at 36. I started taking Estroven for the night sweats and it helped. I havent taken it in about 6 months because the night sweats stopped but I recently started experiencing other symptoms which I wont post since this isnt a private conversation. I was thinking about starting back on the Estroven because of these syptoms but I wonder if the tea will work. Can you tell me what is in the tea? Do I have to purchase it some place specific or do health food stores sell it?

Is Paula's Choice products only available online?

I have taken Primrose Oil, Flaxseed Oil and Fish Oil? What do you take the Borage Oil for? Same for the Lecithin? What are you taking that for? Acne? Hormones? I have taken it before but not for either of those things.

I dont think I would try the scrub either but probably the AHA cleanser. I have ultra sensitive skin and I would be afraid to use a scrub on it.

And lastly, can you tell me the difference between BHA and BP? I actually have no idea what BHA is.

Sorry for all the questions but I want to educate myself before considering trying your regimen but obviously it worked for you because your skin doesnt look like you ever had acne. Thank you so much for all your help! Lorrie

[A-Shizzle]

Thank you so much Ami! I am going to stick to my regimen for now and give it a chance to work but if I dont continue to see results, I definitely want to try your regimen. I have a few questions for you.

First, I had never heard of taking Aleve for acne until I came to this website. I find that very interesting.

I am interested in the tea you drink. A year ago I started having night sweats and I figured I was premenopausal. I am only 38 but my mother started experiencing symptoms at 36. I started taking Estroven for the night sweats and it helped. I havent taken it in about 6 months because the night sweats stopped but I recently started experiencing other symptoms which I wont post since this isnt a private conversation. I was thinking about starting back on the Estroven because of these syptoms but I wonder if the tea will work. Can you tell me what is in the tea? Do I have to purchase it some place specific or do health food stores sell it?

Is Paula's Choice products only available online?

I have taken Primrose Oil, Flaxseed Oil and Fish Oil? What do you take the Borage Oil for? Same for the Lecithin? What are you taking that for? Acne? Hormones? I have taken it before but not for either of those things.

I dont think I would try the scrub either but probably the AHA cleanser. I have ultra sensitive skin and I would be afraid to use a scrub on it.

And lastly, can you tell me the difference between BHA and BP? I actually have no idea what BHA is.

Sorry for all the questions but I want to educate myself before considering trying your regimen but obviously it worked for you because your skin doesnt look like you ever had acne. Thank you so much for all your help! Lorrie

1. You can read about Aleve in this post: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...87&hl=Aleve

2. I'm not sure what effect Green Tea/Yogi Hormone Balance Tea would have on your (possible) premenopausal symptoms but for me the green tea helps with my skin and I believe the hormone tea helps with my skin/cramps/pms. I believe all the antioxidants in the green tea have helped with my skin. I drink loose leaf green tea because it's suppose to be more potent and it's actually quite good. The specific brand I drink is Rishi Mint Green Tea. All that's in the Green Tea is green tea and mint. This is the link to the Yogo tea that I drink. http://www.yogitea.com/Organic-Tea/Tea.asp?Tea_ID=WT01

3.I believe Paula's choice is only available online but they have great prices and great customer service/fast shipping.

4. I started out taking EPO but found that I would still break out a little. Then I added borage oil - see this thread as to why: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...0primrose%20oil

EPO is for hormone health and Borage is for skin health and I remember it has something to do with GLA - but I've been taking Borage for quite awhile so I can't exactly remember why I switched other than it works a lot better for me than the EPO did. I take the Lecithin because it helps the Borage absorbe better.

I have never taken Flaxseed but I did take fish oil and didn't see any difference.

5. Well, the Biore is hardly a scrub because there is very few scrubbie beads in int. I have very sensitive skin as well and I'm allergic to most face products. You can get the Alpha Hydrox at any pharmacy. Open the boc while you are there because they all have coupons for either $3 or $5 off. I just got 2 boxes of the cleanser for $4 when normally they would of been 14 - so I was pleased!

6. I have a bad reaction to BP so I don't know much about it but BHA basically cleans out your pores and keeps them cleared out. This thread will explain it in better detail. I have a subscription to this thread lol..I read it everyday. http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...&hl=bha+aha


I can't tell you how much this reoutine has changed my skin and my self esteem. I use to go 2+ weeks without leaving the house because I felt so bad about myself. I would have 5 or 6 huge cysts on my chin almost constantly.

Just read up on all those threads and let me know if you have anymore questions.

[acne_battle]

Ami I just ordered my Paulas Choice BHA samples 1% and 2% in gel form. Im so excited to receive it in the mail! When you put it on, are you supposed to put it all over your face or only where the blackheads are, like on my nose since thats where my blackheads are

[Lorrie]

Thank you so much Ami for all the information. I am on my way out the door for work but I will defintely read up on all the info tonight when I come in. You are awesome for taking the time to put all this together for me. I really appreciate it. Lorrie

[A-Shizzle]

Ami I just ordered my Paulas Choice BHA samples 1% and 2% in gel form. Im so excited to receive it in the mail! When you put it on, are you supposed to put it all over your face or only where the blackheads are, like on my nose since thats where my blackheads are

I hope you like the gel molly. It's very sticky and just seems to sit on the face. I liked that least out of the gel/liquid and lotion. I wash my face then put the BHA all over - not just on problem areas.

[acne_battle]

Oh so you dont think the gel form of BHA works well or you just dont like how it feels?

[A-Shizzle]

I'm sure it works fine - i just hate the feel of sticky stuff on my face.

[Lorrie]

Ok. I read a thousand pages on the GC thread you gave me and another 500 on the Borage Oil thread. Whew! If nothing else I am very educated (I think, maybe just confused lol) on both. I learned that BP is good for inflamed acne but does nothing for comedonal acne. The BP has done wonders clearing my active acne but I still have small flesh colored to pinkish bumps all over my face and my pores are huge. From what I read, the BHA gel/liguid could do wonders for this and I can still spot treat with BP any active acne that might appear. That sounds great! It took reading all those posts to figure out the difference between BHA's, AGA's and SA's and ABC's. LOL

As far as the Borage Oil goes, I think I will try this also. I told you before that I had taken EPO and Fish Oil and Lecithin but I think the mistake I made was that I wasnt taking the Lecithin with the oils. I cant remember for sure though but I am willing to try it again and combine the two.

I am going to start the Borage Oil and Lecithin on Thursday and order the PC BHA Liguid. By the time the liquid arrives, I will have been on the supplements for a week. That should be enough time between adding 2 new things to my regimen to allow for side effects. I was going to get the Lac Hydrin 5 lotion but LionQueen didnt recommend using a BHA and AHA together so I'll ditch that idea.

I am due to start my cycle this week so I will also start taking the Aleve. I havent had a chance to read up on the Aleve but if nothing else it will help my cramping so no harm done there.

Thanks for all the info and I'll let you know how it goes! Lorrie

[A-Shizzle]

I'm sorry I gave you so many pages to read. I'm in the middle of moving so I'm trying to paint/spakle/box up etc so I've been a little short on time.

I take my oils and Lecithin together every night at about 10. I also get the actual liquid for borage oil but I take the gelcaps for the Lecithin. I just could not stomach trying to drink it. Borage oil is no picnic either but I've gotten use to it.

Do you have oily skin already? If you do you might not to try to BHA liquid. I have really dry skin so the lotion works best for me.

Yeah, try the Aleve..I really hope it works for you.