15 replies to this topic

[rede4bed]

I have had bad skin since I was 13. I have always had problems with breaking out and it was a phase that I had hoped I would have grown out of when I hit my 20's. I'm almost 29 and still suffer from acne prone skin. For the past three years I have been on a regimen (Acne.org regimen, aka CSR, DKR, Dan's regimen) that consisted of:

Washing w mild cleanser
Waiting 5 to 15 minutes
Applying 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide
Waiting for it to absorb and then applying Cetaphil lotion
*If it was daytime, I would also add oil free sunblock

I would do this regimen two times a day and for the longest time, it seemed to control things for the most part. However, this regimen had its side effects: redness, extreme dryness/flakiness, and it bleached my fabrics. The past year, my breakouts have seemed worse - not as numerous but lately my cheeks have broken out and left dark scarring. I'm scared to continue on with this method because I don't want more scarring.

---

So I did a little searching on this site and learned of a new regimen: Lemon juice. Simple lemon juice. I read the reviews and 95% are positive (out of over 300 people). Lemon juice supposedly evens out skin tone, minimizes scarring and clears/prevents breakouts. All the feedback just blew my mind!

The regimen for Lemon juice basically is: wash your face with mild cleanser (not medicated), cut a lemon into slices and squeeze the juice from them into a saucer, dab cotton ball in lemon juice and apply on skin, leave on overnight.

On what I read, this is only done at night and in the morning, just wash, moisturize and apply sun block. The only con of the regimen is that users say the lemon juice stings like a bitch for a few minutes. Eh, small sacrifice for a greater good *shrug*

I want to try this new regimen. Tonight I washed my face, but instead of applying benzoyl peroxide, I only applied moisturizer. I'm going to wait at least 5 days before starting the lemon juice regimen so my face can get over the benzoyl peroxide regimen. I want my face to be hydrated and "normal" before I begin so I don't over irritate it.

I'm scared though. I'm scared of breaking out worse during this waiting period and ultimately, I'm scared of the new regimen not working and being disappointed yet again. I'm going to try this for a month and depending on the results, I'll either: a) continue with it or b) go back to the old regimen.

[rede4bed]

Pre Regimen 5/6/09

Today I continued to only wash my face and apply only moisturizer. I quit Dan's regimen last night and am currently trying to get the moisture back in my skin before I begin the lemon juice regimen. Hopefully things will normal out within a few days so I can start the new regimen.

Just before I quit the regimen last night I was already getting two more pimples on my left cheek, one on my chin line and one on my chin. Tonight, they are all still coming in. God, I hope I don't get more scars. I saw a few pics from two years ago and my cheeks were unmarked. Now they look awful IMO.

This time around I'm going to do things different. I'm going to keep up with this log and hopefully if I have good results, it will serve to inspire others looking for a solution. In addition to keeping a log on here, I also gave family, friends and co-workers a head's up about my regimen and that my skin may look worse in the beginning. I did this because I don't want people coming up to me asking what happened to my face or some other comment that will only hurt me unintentionally.

I will upload progress pics (would have tonight but my camera is being difficult) as I go through the new regimen from start to finish.

[rede4bed]

Pre Regimen 5/9/09

It's been a few days since I last updated. My skin is becoming hydrated again. The pimples that were coming in before I quit the regimen are pretty much here. Nothing new coming to the surface otherwise, I have a couple real small ones on my right temple but other that, nothing new.

With my skin pretty much balanced, I'll be ready to start the lemon regimen either tonight or tomorrow night. Guess I'll have to go to the store and buy some lemons

Now for a hideous site: my face XP
Just got done with my morning shower and put moisturizer on only. I took the pic in the bathroom and will do so with the other pics so I have an accurate account of any progress (I hope)

Attached Files

•  PreReg050909.jpg   55.33K   104 downloads

[ckko25]

BE CAREFUL, I read the same as you as many amazing feedback postings there were and lemons broke me out more than i've ever been . so so bad! I suggest trying it on one or two pimples to see if it helps before your whole face

[rede4bed]

BE CAREFUL, I read the same as you as many amazing feedback postings there were and lemons broke me out more than i've ever been . so so bad! I suggest trying it on one or two pimples to see if it helps before your whole face

Yikes, I'm sorry to hear about the breakout! Thanks for the advice!

[rede4bed]

Last night was day one of the Lemon Juice regimen. I washed my face with Johnson & Johnson Head to Toe Baby Wash, patted my skin dry and went to the kitchen to cut up one of my newly purchased lemons. I quartered the lemon, grabbed a bowl and squeezed two of the pieces into it. Afterward, I brought the bowl in the bathroom, washed my hands, dipped a cotton ball in and began dabbing the juice all over my face lightly.

I put just a thin layer of it on and surprisingly, I felt no sting nor burn. My face didn't turn red or feel like it was going to melt. My skin didn't itch like crazy, only a very slight itch sensation that was easy to ignore. After reading all the responses on the reviews, I was expecting to be cursing up a storm from the burn. I left my face air dry and proceeded to go about my nightly routine. Maybe I got a bum lemon *shrug* This morning I didn't notice any horrendous breakouts but my skin still looked the same. I'm not going to expect an overnight miracle like some on the boards claim. I'm going to stick this out all the way to June 10 (one month which is ironically, my birthday)

All I know is that even though Dan's regimen had worked in the past for me, I'm glad I'm off of it. It's nice to not wake up with flakes all over my sleep shirt and on my face. It's nice to not have red looking skin that appears raw and textured. It's nice not worrying about the collars of my favorite shirts bleaching anymore. The large pimples I currently have were coming in when I was still on the regimen so the regimen just was more of a hassle than a help.

[rede4bed]

Day 2 - 5/11/09

Tonight I washed my makeup off to discover two new blemishes on my face: One near my left temple and another of the same size on my right cheek near my nose. The other pimples are still there, though the one on my chin has gone down halfway. Now the question is: Are the new blemishes from either a) not being on BP anymore, b) the new regimen, or c) some other factor. Whatever the reason why, I'm going to continue with this regimen for an honest month.

When I applied the lemon juice, I encountered no stinging again. Slight itchiness but once again, nothing that I couldn't ignore.

Oh, and I broke up with this guy I was seeing tonight. While there were other factors, one reason why is that I don't want him to see me with shitty skin. If I don't have him to worry about, then maybe I can concentrate with confidence on my regimen and skin. Like I said, there are other factors why I had to let him go, not just the skin.

Now off to bed and here's hoping for success with my skin!

[SpeciousHope]

Good luck with your regimen! I hope the best! =)

[rede4bed]

It's been close to a week since I last updated. It's been rather hectic.

I have been on the new regimen for about a week and a half. I am noticing alot of small acne breakouts on my chin and some very small pimples on various areas of my face. However, I didn't expect this regimen to work "overnight" or instantaneously. I'm still going to hang in until the 10th of June - for better or for worse.

I'll post a pic up from this past Sunday later on (and when this coming Sunday comes, I'll upload a new progress pic)

Thanks to those who have commented with advice or words of encouragement!

[Black Beaute]

It's been close to a week since I last updated. It's been rather hectic.

I have been on the new regimen for about a week and a half. I am noticing alot of small acne breakouts on my chin and some very small pimples on various areas of my face. However, I didn't expect this regimen to work "overnight" or instantaneously. I'm still going to hang in until the 10th of June - for better or for worse.

I'll post a pic up from this past Sunday later on (and when this coming Sunday comes, I'll upload a new progress pic)

Thanks to those who have commented with advice or words of encouragement!

I tried lemon on my skin. Thank god I did not use it on my face. It burned my skin really bad.

[rede4bed]

5/21/09 - Day 11

Skin-wise, today has been pretty shitty. More pustules on my chin and one under my nose. My nose has some really small red bumps. My forehead is showing a few small signs of red which leads me to believe that they are small zits on the horizon. The old pimples on my chin do look dried out and pretty much gone, so I don't know.

I had college orientation today and one girl I met asked me about my face noticing the breakout on my chin area. She wasn't trying to be rude, and seemed honestly concerned. I explained my situation to her. Even though she was nice, it still hurt to hear about it. The rest of the day I couldn't stop looking in the mirror. Luckily I have great friends (as well as family) who have stood behind me. Tonight I was down in the dumps and one of my best friends met up with me. Me hung out and just talked. It helped cheer me up a little bit.

Some of the reviews of this regimen say that results can take upwards of three weeks. God I hope I see positive results soon.

It's been close to a week since I last updated. It's been rather hectic.

I have been on the new regimen for about a week and a half. I am noticing alot of small acne breakouts on my chin and some very small pimples on various areas of my face. However, I didn't expect this regimen to work "overnight" or instantaneously. I'm still going to hang in until the 10th of June - for better or for worse.

I'll post a pic up from this past Sunday later on (and when this coming Sunday comes, I'll upload a new progress pic)

Thanks to those who have commented with advice or words of encouragement!

I tried lemon on my skin. Thank god I did not use it on my face. It burned my skin really bad.

Luckily I haven't had much burning when I apply it. Some itching the first minute or so but after that, no other problem with the application.

Thanks for the reply!

[englebert]

hey.. i dnt see a post after 5/21/09.. has it worked?? incase it hsnt i've heard of people consuming vitamin B5 with a few side effects though.. have u heard of it?? .. ihvnt tried it my self so doing a lil bit of research..

[rede4bed]

Unfortunately it did not. I now have severe cystic acne in which I will be going on Accutane for. I don't know if the lemon juice caused it to get so bad, but now I need to seek stronger treatment. Good luck to you!

[Shum]

I used the lemon juice some 2 months ago but had a severe breakout after that... i wud not recommend any one using it..
Now im using calendula essence.. and sea salt

[rede4bed]

I used the lemon juice some 2 months ago but had a severe breakout after that... i wud not recommend any one using it..
Now im using calendula essence.. and sea salt

Thanks for sharing the info. What was your regimen prior to the lemon juice? When you got your severe breakout, did you get cysts or nodules from it? Just curious as my skin did a total 180 from how it looked on Dan's Regimen

[Shum]

I wasnt following any reg before that .. i had some red and dark sopts so i started lemon juice.. but after like 2 weeks i got a severeee breakout.. cysts and nodules..