27 replies to this topic

[chicky1]

My first log... how exciting. Ive been batteling acne since i was 10, and now that i am 25 i have gotten the control over oilies and zits. Yet the clogged pores and blackheads are still there... im seriously considering going on a low-dose accutane, but im going to give this a shot first. Ive been using avene diacneal for the past year, but that did not do a thing.

Ive been using retin-a cream for a few nights, but last night i applied retin-a gel 0.025. My pores looked very black this morning - not sure if i should try and extract blackheads or not. I didnt have any flakes either, so i think im going to try 0.05 gel tonight. I also have 0.1 gel and 0.05 taz gel.

Im pretty sure i have to use taz or retin-a 0.1 on my nose and forehead. Im just so frustrated. I also forgot to mention that im on diane-35, which has really helped in oil reduction, but has done nothing for my pores.

Ive ordered PC bha 2% liquid and aha 8% gel. Will try to apply those at night before retin-a and in the morning.

Im putting up pics of my nose and forehead.. i apologize for the disguisting pics you are about to see:p

[didi78]

WHOA! great close up pictures! quite shocking but great detail. based on my experience using differin, your blackheads will come out easily and naturally if you continue using retin-a regularly. good luck!

[chicky1]

WHOA! great close up pictures! quite shocking but great detail. based on my experience using differin, your blackheads will come out easily and naturally if you continue using retin-a regularly. good luck!

Thanks:p i used a "super close up" feature on my camera and then I enhanced the pics on my computer... im really hoping retin-a will work - even though it might take a while. hopefully ill see slight improvements in a few weeks time. still tempted to try accutane though.

[MichaelMorgan]

i may be wrong but those simply look like enlarged pores

[chicky1]

I guess they are enlarged, clogged pores:( My nose is looking pretty good today. I did an aspirin mask last night and applied retin-a gel 0.025 before bed. My forehead is my worst area. It's really bumpy and the clogged pores are so deep that i cant extract them myself. I never get any flakes or peel on my forehead, so Im thinking about applying taz 0.05 gel there and retin-a gel to the rest of my face. Still waiting for my PC order.

[chicky1]

ops - i just wrote a long post, and it just disappeared... not sure what happened. Guess ill just have to write it again:

Anyway, thought i should update with a pic. im now applying retin-a gel 0.05 every night. Im still waiting for my bha/aha order from paula's choice, but in the meantime im using olay total effects+ for blemish prone skin cleanser and moisturizer. The cleanser has 2% bha and the cream has 1.5% bha.

My nose is looking a lot better than when i was using diacneal.. and it has only been a few days. My forehead is still looking bad, but I guess i just need to give it time. I have a question though. There are these white plug like things i can see in the clogged pores on my forehead. Should i try to extract these or let them be?

I just wish my PC order would arrive so I can get a good routine going. Im also looking for a new cleansing oil. Any suggestions?

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend:)

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[chicky1]

got my Paula's Choice order yesterday, so last night i used 2% bha liquid and 8% aha gel under retin-a 0.025 gel. I just wanted to try that combo. Today my clogged pores are very visible and looking very black. Not sure why. I got a bit more peeling than i normally do, so I dont think ill do this combo again.

I cant decide how I should incorporate these products into my routine though. Im thinking I should use 2% bha and Neostrata smoothing cream 10 aha in the am and PC 8% in the pm, before retin-a.

Any suggestions?

[calla lily]

got my Paula's Choice order yesterday, so last night i used 2% bha liquid and 8% aha gel under retin-a 0.025 gel. I just wanted to try that combo. Today my clogged pores are very visible and looking very black. Not sure why. I got a bit more peeling than i normally do, so I dont think ill do this combo again.

I cant decide how I should incorporate these products into my routine though. Im thinking I should use 2% bha and Neostrata smoothing cream 10 aha in the am and PC 8% in the pm, before retin-a.

Any suggestions?

I think that sounds good. What are you using to wash your face with? Do you ever manually exfoliate your skin?

I want to suggest going to an esthetician for facials and extractions regularly, but good ones are hard to find, I think. Do you happen in live in the Bay Area in California?

[chicky1]

Thank you. I normally use avene cold cream cleanser at night and avene soapless cleanser in the morning - seems to work pretty well. I also use Queen helene facial scrub once in a while - that really helps with the flakes. Unfortunately I dont live in California, but I guess getting facials regularely would be good.

My skin is pretty tough, but i dont want to overdo anything and irritate my skin.

[calla lily]

Yeah, I know what you mean about keeping it simple! I don't like using a lot of chemicals and creams myself but it seems to be the only way to stop my stubborn acne.

Hopefully all goes well with your new regimen!

[chicky1]

Thank you, Calla Lily:)

Tried retin-a gel 0.1 gel last night, buffered with olay total effects+. My forehead seems to be able to handle anything - not a dry patch in sight. My nose was a little red this morning, so I might have to alternate 0.1 and 0.05 every other night. I am also going shopping today and thinking of checking out the clarins santal oil. Anyone tried this? The Lotus one is supposed to be good too, but Im not sure if it is moisturizing enough.

But I am really seeing improvements in my nose. The blackheads are less visible and softer looking... i guess i should try and wear some makeup and see if they disappear completely:p My better half is coming home this weekend (havent seen each other for a week+), so Im hoping for compliments:P

Anyway - take care everyone.

[chicky1]

Happy today:) Went to the store and i was actually able to look at myself in a mirror - without a feeling of disguist. Complexion seems a lot more smooth and even... and no oily shine anywhere. Also started using Neostrata ultra smoothing cream 10 aha - but ive only used it twice, so too early to say anything.

Still baffled by the stuff popping out of my pores... at least i know retin-a is working:)

[chicky1]

not feeling so confident today. My forehead is making me depressed - it's covered in deep, clogged pores. Maybe i should do a low dose of accutane and get it over with. Hate this.

[colourblock]

aw, don't give up! i know it's frustrating and slow, but your skin has already shown improvement and it will just get better!
you can do it

[chicky1]

thank you, colourblock. I think Im going for a facial tomorrow - so hopefully that will make my skin look a bit better.

[chicky1]

yay! Im finally able to extract some clogged pores on my forehead.. which means they are finally coming to the surface. I also decided to remove a blackhead on my nose today, and I ended up tearing off a huge piece of dry skin... so my nose is looking like a tomato at the moment.

Current regime:
Morning:
avene cold cream cleanser
PC 2% bha liquid
Neostrata ultra smoothening cream 10 aha (if I have time)
ss

evening:
fancl cleansing oil
cetaphil cleanser
PC 2% bha
retin-a gel 0.05%

Not sure if the bha at night is necessary, but at least it's keeping my skin from drying out completely.

Ill be going to Northern Europe in a month or so, and I am really worried about my skin getting too dry. I live in a humid climate, and my skin is already pretty dry here - so i cant imagine what it will be like when we go. But Im sure Ill survive the month we're there.

[chicky1]

This is great! Some of the blackheads on my nose seem to have "opened up" and are now yellow instead of black. Other than that my skin is looking awful today - seems like the clogged pores on my forehead have multiplied... but i guess that's just part of the process. Im guessing it will take about a year before my skin is clear. Have a lovely day everyone.

[chicky1]

So Ive been on retin-a for a while now, and it's definitely working. White plugs are still popping up around my mouth, and clogged pores are looking "cleaner." Ive been using retin-a gel 0.1 for a while now, and that really makes a difference. My forehead is looking a lot smoother. It's not babyskin smooth, but it's a lot better... Those deep, clogged pores that I couldn't extract by myself are no longer there. My nose is also improving. I do get some clogged pores at times, but I just extract them really gently. I cant use liquid foundation because of dry skin, but I find that I dont really need that much makeup anymore.

Today Im peeling a bit on my nose and around my eyebrows... might be because I didn't exfoliate this morning. Im addicted to the queen helene scrub. It's very gentle.

Im going on holiday tomorrow. Im not sure how it will affect my skin though, as the country im going to is a lot colder. But we'll see:) Ill update pics when I get back. Have a great week everyone.

[annakarenina83]

hiya!
you and I have similar skin issues with the blackheads and clogged pores (except my skin is V oily naturally, not dry). Have you considered trying low dose accutane?

I started a month ago and it has improved my clogged pores a lot as well as (seemingly) closing up some of my enlarged pores so they are much less noticeable

Good luck..and judging from the photos you have posted I think there is some improvement in your nose area

[chicky1]

I want to try a low dose accutane, but I just have to build up the courage first... in some way it's less scary using creams and gels rather than taking pills:) But Im going to see if I can get my hands on some accutane...

anyway, I've just come back from my loooong holiday, and my skin is pretty much back to where it started. The humidity is very low in Western European countries, and so even retin-a 0.025 was too strong to use every night. I also used up a huge can of that blue nivea cream (a skin saver, that's for sure). Im going back to my 0.1 now that - and sticking with it (unless I pick up the courage to try accutane).

Good night, guys:)