154 replies to this topic

[kelsie123]

what are you talking about, I think it's a great hair cut!! Does your hair wave naturally like that? I got a similar cut but my hair doesn't wave in the right ways and it looks kind of funny on me unless I blow dry which I never get around to doing.

[Jambo]

Yeah your hair looks great asn6. Is it not growing on you yet....? (excuse the pun, lol)

Is it just no flush you are using? Or the inositol type?

Is there another name for it?

Crooked I: How are you getting on with the Holland & Barrett Niacin?

[asn6]

kelsie123: Thanks! I just was used to really long hair I guess. I got about 10 inches cut off, so it was a huge shock. The stylist also had styled it like...it was the 1980s or something so I freaked out when I saw it! Yeah, it does wave naturally. It's actually wavier than that but I blew it dry so it'd be straighter. Try hair wax -- I like bed head Headbanger (but they discontinued it). They replaced it with this stuff called Hook up which works pretty well too!

Jambo: Thanks Ha, yeah, I'm not really a big fan of it, but I feel better about it than I did a few days ago.
I'm using inositol. I have some of the flush kind too, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to work as well for me. I wish it did because it has other benefits, but oh well.


Update: I still haven't broken out, which is amazing because I ate cream cheese (fat plus dairy is usually the formula for me to get cystic acne). I also usually get hormonal breakouts around this time, but I haven't even gotten a single pimple. Let's hope this continues.

[Golden Slumbers]

I appreciate it, asn6. Day 6 and I'm happy with the steady results. It's always been nodulocystic; so I in no way expected the 24 hour miracle case. I started with a "calm" period and it's been a steady reduction in redness and size. On the front of my neck, it now appears as though I have mild to moderate acne (which is tremendous). Back of the neck and back are decreasing remarkably. It's vanishing from the inside out.

I gave the eviction notice seven years ago. Acne refused to vacate until Niacin trudged along and said, "Listen, my man said you gots to go; you got thirty days, you don't wanna make me ask again." You tell it like it is, Niacin.

It's awesome to hear you're clear. I bet it's like having a new lease on life. (What is it with me and the rental puns?) Keep the good news rolling.

[deleted10]

Wow! The hair is no issue, it looks great!
I am just like you, when I see hair being chopped off and when I feel like there is NOT a ton of bricks on my head, I just assume it was a terrible haircut! And it looks it to me too.

Your skin is absolutely fantastic too! Omg! I need to get some inositol version of it, the flush worked for a while (maybe by clearing out toxins) but then it stopped working. So my comments about flush being great, it is, but not forever.

[Crooked I]

Yeah your hair looks great asn6. Is it not growing on you yet....? (excuse the pun, lol)

Is it just no flush you are using? Or the inositol type?

Is there another name for it?

Crooked I: How are you getting on with the Holland & Barrett Niacin?

Ok mate, still on the BP as well so it's hard to say how well it's doing. I'm waiting until I get a sustained period of clearness before I start to reduce the amount of BP I use, and hopefully eliminate it eventually. It's certainly the best my skin has looked in months and months.

[Mr. Crab]

Amazing results! I actually haven't "broken out" ever since taking the Niacinamide, but I have still been getting one or two pimples in a week or so. I just have so many cysts and nodules that are not healing on their own, so I am going to a dermatologist to see if I can get them drained and we will see if my skin stays this calm after.

[DroseG]

Sorry, I've never actually heard of Niacin before, but what are their any after effects?
Like does the acne come back as soon as you stop using it? And is it very expensive?

[deleted10]

Sorry, I've never actually heard of Niacin before, but what are their any after effects?
Like does the acne come back as soon as you stop using it? And is it very expensive?

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Niacin-AM...0&start=280

[asn6]

Golden Slumbers: Glad to hear you are seeing some results. I still have to watch my diet while taking the Niacin, but not nearly as strict as I had been. An overload of vegetable oil or dairy will still give me a cyst or two around my chin or jawline. It is like having a new lease on life...amazing!

AcniBoi: thanks! Yeah, definitely get some of the inositol kind. I have had great results with it.

Crooked I: Congrats on your results. Keep us posted.

Mr. Crab: It took me about 2 weeks to get my old acne to heal to the point where it was no longer painful. I think the worst part was waiting, because I wasn't breaking out but the old acne didn't seem to want to go away. I didn't go to the dermatologist, so let me know how it goes!

Dr. G: There doesn't seem to be any side effects. I'm not sure about "after effects," but I have missed up to three doses of Niacin in a row, and I usually just get one or two pimples on my chin, not really a bad breakout or anything. It's not expensive at all. I think the brand I buy is around $6 for a 60 day supply.


Update: I am still clear. I went to Key West for a week and got a tan. It was so nice not having to worry about not sitting in the sun due to BP or other creams on my face. Sunscreen makes me break out a little though, so that was a bit annoying.

To prove that I am still clear, here's an updated picture. I look really greasy though because it was hot as hell in the keys, haha.

http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad298/asn6/IMG00358.jpg

[nu_wht]

for the niacin, are those the same ones i can get from vitamin B complex capsules??

[asn6]

nu_wht: Most B-Complexes have a small amount of Niacinamide. I use a 500 mg dose of the inositol version of flush-free niacin.

It's been about a month! I'm still clear. I seem to be having less and less breakouts due to diet, which is great. I feel like a normal person again, rather than being accused of being anorexic due to my ridiculous eating habits. Trying to explain that I was trying to reduce breakouts by avoiding food was like telling people there's going to be a zombie apocalypse or something.

Other effects I've noticed are that I've been having a MUCH easier time falling asleep and staying asleep. I've had bad insomnia my whole life, but that seems to have gone away. My hair and nails are growing really, really fast. My hair grows fast to begin with, but I'm already getting noticeable roots, and I just got my hair cut and colored. I had more digestive problems before as well. All of these effects are pretty good side effects, so I guess there's no issues.

[kenzo]

nu_wht: Most B-Complexes have a small amount of Niacinamide. I use a 500 mg dose of the inositol version of flush-free niacin.

It's been about a month! I'm still clear. I seem to be having less and less breakouts due to diet, which is great. I feel like a normal person again, rather than being accused of being anorexic due to my ridiculous eating habits. Trying to explain that I was trying to reduce breakouts by avoiding food was like telling people there's going to be a zombie apocalypse or something.

Other effects I've noticed are that I've been having a MUCH easier time falling asleep and staying asleep. I've had bad insomnia my whole life, but that seems to have gone away. My hair and nails are growing really, really fast. My hair grows fast to begin with, but I'm already getting noticeable roots, and I just got my hair cut and colored. I had more digestive problems before as well. All of these effects are pretty good side effects, so I guess there's no issues.

Your skin looks great. Might seem like a weird thing to say, but thank you for posting. I was one of those people that initially believed diet has nothing to do with acne and went on antibiotics that really screwed me up. My health is just getting better now. I noticed that diet definitely makes a difference. It's important that a lot of people post about this stuff because so many are disillusioned into thinking that lifestyle and diet has nothing to do with our image an acne. Most doctors believe its all genetics and the answer to all of our acne problems comes from taking antibiotics and harsh creams.

I do admit i am doing glycolic peels right now, but i think what is helping the most in my case is diet and healthier living. The problem is i think when you have been living unhealthy for so long it takes so time to notice difference by changing your lifestyle. Not enough people realize that. They think that by eating well for a week all of their acne will disappear and they will feel like superman. It takes a long time to fix health.

I wanted to ask you one question though. I already asked some people about this, but most stated no. Did you have any other problems with antibiotics? I was on mynocicline for 5 months and i definitely think it did some damage to my liver. The bags under my eyes got five times as big and got really dark, almost black. Only now are they getting better and i have been off the antibiotic for 5 months already.

I went to the doctors and they told me it might be allergies or just naturally sensitive eyes, but i can definitely tell the difference between the colour and that they got a lot worse when i was on mynocicline. I'm still debating whether i should wait more and hope they go back to normal or get bleaching under my eyes. If you had a similar problem maybe you can give me advice, if thats not a problem.

[zillamosnta]

18 year old male here...ive had facial and back acne for about four years now and it's at a pretty moderate state right now. I have been using BP/AHA for about a month now and I keep getting little breakouts so I might stop that and just keep using BP.

So last night I bought a bottle of the 500mg flush free niacin (yes ive read about a hundred forums and articles...this is the one you should be using for acne). I've taken one 500mg pill so far and that was before bed last night. I'll update with pictures each week and see if it's workin.


asn6- your skin looks awesome

[asn6]

Kenzo: Thanks, and I completely agree with you. It seems as if everyone would rather run to the doctor and be put on expensive medicine rather than just try to experiment with diet and supplements. I literally tried everything except Accutane, and I was so close to going down that path before I changed my eating, exercising, and sleeping habits. It does take a long time to fix from the inside out. I didn't see much difference until about 6 or 7 months into the process. Niacin supplementing worked fast, but I had also been following a strict diet plan for 6 or 7 months beforehand.

Minocycline and Dioxycycline both seemed to mess me up. Neither really seemed to help my acne, and I still to this day have weird blue-black bruise looking spots on my shins. They have faded with time, but they're still there, and I stopped taking antibiotics over 8 years ago. The dermatologist took me off Dioxycycline when I started complaining about them, but he gave me Minocycline then, and it seemed to only make them worse. I'm sure it could happen to other parts of the body, like the under eye area. Antibiotics may be good for helping a particularly bad and painful breakout, but I don't think it's the long term solution for acne control at all.


zillamosnta: Good luck! Let us know how it goes. I'd keep with the BP at first (that's what I did) just to help heal existing acne. In a few weeks, if Niacin works for you, you won't need it anymore except to spot treat a pimple here and there!

[randy123]

I have been on flush free niacin for alittle over 2 weeks. 500mg once a day with dinner. i havent broken out as bad as normal but i am still gettin like 2-4 new zits a week . did you still have zits come up after 2 weeks?

[alternativista]

Now, with everyone posting that Niacin is "just a fad" and doesn't work "long time" I'm getting really nervous that the cysts will come back.

Where do you see those posts? Because I've only seen posts of people taking it for a short time. And i've been looking for valid support on how niacin helps acne and the only studies I've found show only that it helps acne by being anti-inflammatory. However, high doses reduce insulin sensitivity which would not be good for you or for acne, which might be why it comes back after a while. Also bad for your liver which is also not good for you or acne.

You can try it topically for a safer alternative.

[Packerfan785]

Very attractive you are.

Agreed.

[asn6]

(This isn't directed mainly at you, alternavista. I got a few nasty PMs this morning claiming that I'm encouraging people to ruin their health for clear skin. I'd rather just deal with it all at once rather than acknowledging them individually, if it is indeed different people)

Not to be all argumentative, but I was in to see a doctor because of a sinus infection, and I asked him about the Niacin I'm currently taking (inositol). He told me 500 mg shouldn't be a problem at all. The "mega-dosing" these sites are talking about often refer to those using 1-3 grams at a time for high cholesterol/drug detox purposes. He said I shouldn't have to worry about getting blood tests for blood sugar/liver enzymes, etc. unless I notice some obvious side effects, which would likely be due to being hypersensitive. The bottle itself says to take one pill a day, with food, and not to exceed 500 mg.

I know everyone is just trying to be helpful, and I do think we definitely need to be careful about taking well over the daily value of a certain vitamin or mineral. Researching the negative effects of anything is important. This "cure" is relatively new, so I guess all we can do is wait it out. If anyone is seriously worried about side effects, I strongly suggest calling a doctor or asking about it during a check-up. I wouldn't ask a dermatologist, either, since they have a fairly good reason to bend the truth or scare you into taking something else, prescribed by them. Just ask your family doctor/gynecologist/allergist if you happen to go in for a different appointment.

I really am clear for the first time in my life. If there's a slight risk to it, so be it. Antibiotics, birth control pills, and accutane all have risks associated with them, too. If taking doses of Niacin really is bad for you, then I don't know what to do. I certainly don't want to go back to the life I was living before, at all. I do want to try not taking it for a week or so and see what happens, eventually. Maybe I should control with diet only (not fun, haha) and then just take the Niacin if I happen to get a bad breakout. Seems pretty crappy compared to having clear skin all the time, though.


Packerfan785: Thanks!

[stm1975]

Asn6,,, AMEN

I'm on Niacin and if it keeps working like it has. I'd rather die then go back to all the other diet, anti- biotics, creams, cleansers, and still deal with acne BS.


If it wasn't safe by the suggested amount written on the damn bottle, How could they sell it?
Bring on the liver damage