271 replies to this topic

[tim12]

Clear, radiant skin, here I come!

Hi there, if you're reading this then you've come across my regimen log somehow. Thanks! My name is Tim, and I've had mild, moderate, and slightly severe acne throughout the past 9 years. I'm 19 now, and my skin is getting clearer and clearer on this journey. I've picked up a lot of helpful information from amazing members and I'm thankful to have internet met them. There's so many to name now! I'll save my obnoxious shout outs for the end of the log.

This regimen is largely figured out & refined, but please feel free to contribute and critique it! I love talking to people on here, this board is full of great members who contribute great information. With that said, my regimen is aimed towards the Emotional/Psychological, Nutritional/Internal, and Topical aspects of acne, as well as the type of Lifestyle that ties in a bit to each of those pillars. If you'd like for me to explain my reasoning for any particular part, please feel free to ask!

Emotional/Psychological v1.0

So I've done some homework and reading, I think I have a pretty solid plan in this area.

TL:DR version - Believe in yourself. Be happy, it's a choice! Figure out what your bad habits are, and replace them with good habits. If you're a skin picker, you probably won't be clear, even if you do everything right. Take the time to do things that build self, like writing in a journal, self help books, meditation, social events. Think of how your skin will look down the line when you're doing everything right, don't get fixated on how you look today. Minimize and avoid stress as much as possible, but don't do this in a state of stress!

Detailed Version to come later today

Diet/Supplements v2.0

TL;DR version - Green smoothies 2X a day (Romaine lettuce, Spinnach, Wheatgrass, Chia seeds with chia gel, berries of choice [usually strawberries]. 80-90% of the time, anti-inflammitory, nutrient dense foods. Eat organic as much as possible. Tea 2-3x a day (green, roobios, cinnamon, dandelion, and probably more). I avoid oranges, as they give me cysts in the days following their consumption. Oatmeal+Hemp+Spirulina+berries &/or banana+coconut milk for protein smoothies. Eat sulfur containing foods especially, like broccoli, garlic, and onions. Avoid gluten and soy 90% of the time, though I'm looking for a place to get raw goat milk to make goat kefir. I indulge every now and then with friends, I still very much love food, but I love healthy food even more!

My main supplements are Spirulina and Chlorella. I also supplement with a fish oil high in EPA, Evening Primrose Oil, MSM+Glucosamine, a well balanced multivitamin, digestive enzymes, ACV occasionally, Curcumin+piperine, and am looking into krill oil and astaxathanin, sea buckthorn oil, as well as reseveratrol.

Supplements

Are they necessary? No. Can they help? I think so! I'm still finishing this section up

1. Spirulina and Chlorella. Spirulina is a blue-green algae, and chlorella is a green algae. They have overlapping benefits, with studies showing that they help rebuild nerve tissue throughout the body, inhibit cancerous growths, protect against environmental toxins and safely detox them out of the body, improve digestion, and other benefits. They are packed with vitamins and phytonutrients, with chlorella containing a high amount of chllorophyll (part of the reason why it is such a powerful detoxer), Chlorella Growth Factor (which helps the body build and repair healthy tissue). Spirulina contains things like GLA (a healthy anti-inflammatory Omega 6), phycocyanin (which gives it's blue color, boosts the immune system), and they both possess a host of vitamins and minerals. If someone asked me what supplements I could not live without (well, would choose to not live without), it'd be these two.
2. Fish oil. My favorite brand is Carlson's. I don't eat fish every week, and this is a great way to get your omega 3's in. Things like flax seed and walnuts aren't the same kind of omega 3 btw, they contain ALA, which is converted to EPA in negligble amounts.
3. Evening Primrose Oil. There's evidence that sebum quality plays a part in acne, and that thinner sebum = less clogged pores, in theory. This oil is high in linoleic acid, as well as GLA. Highly anti-inflammatory.
4. MSM+Glucosamine. Helps to keep bones and joints healthy, MSM helps with skin softness and health, hair health, and a bunch of other things that slip my mind right now. I find it helps with post workout recoveries as well.
5. Curcumin. Curcumin is anti-inflammatory, .....
6. Astaxanthin. Currently trying it out.
7. Digestive enzymes with meals & supplements.

Detailed Version to come later today

Lifestyle v1.0

TL:DR version - Go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day, preferably 9-10 PM and 6-7 AM. Exercise at least 3-5 times a week. HIIT for main cardio. Yoga and meditation are very important for me. Be around positive, encouraging people. Be organized and clean. Be productive. Keep a planner. Spend time in the sun every day, 10-20 minutes with no sunscreen (more if you are naturally darker, you can look this up). Get fresh air every day, crack open those windows! Take care of your body, and don't abuse it. Love yourself!

Detailed Version to come later today

Topical 2.0

Everyone's skin is different, you've heard that before. For me, I need a good amount of exfoliation to prevent blackheads and clogged pores, while the other aspects of my regimen keep my inflammatory acne at bay.

Cleansers
- Hydrating Cerave Cleanser
- GoW 5% SA fruity exfoliating cleanser

Toners
- GoW CocoBasil Toner

Serums & Gels
- GoW healing Banana Serum
- GoW 5% Mandelic Acid Serum
- GoW 99% Organic Aloe Gel

Moisturizers
- Carley's Anti-Aging Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin (Sea Buckthorn Oil, Brocoli Extract as key ingredients)
- Mychelle's Clear Skin Balancing Cream

Peels
- MUAC 15% SA/ 15% MA Peel
- MUAC 25% MA Peel

Misc Treatments
- Apsara Sulfur Clay mask
- Secret Aztec Healing Clay mask

Detailed Version to come later today

Summary

My skin's come a long way! Most of my old PIH/PIE is gone, and I'm dealing with the ones from my picking habit. I wish I would have realized what picking had done to my skin a lot sooner! When I was younger, my skin would heal really fast, no matter what. I don't have much scarring, it's really negligible. It seems that the peels are taking care of my clogged pores, and my skin responds well to the rich Carley moisturizer, which contains great, high quality ingredients. I'll update with more pictures sometime int he near future, probably in a couple weeks once most of my PIH/PIE clears up. I still get the odd pimple every now and then, but it's much smaller and heals much quicker! Also, my skin is soft and healthy looking, and not just on my face! I feel great, and my health is great. Acne was a blessing in disguise, as I wouldn't have taken care of my health if it weren't for Acne.

What my skin looked like about 4-9 months ago constantly (these actually aren't so bad compared to most days lol)
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UPDATED PICTURES 4/4/11

The latest and greatest of what my skin looks like. Pretty darn happy, everything from here is awesome skin imo!

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 IMG_20110404_171428.jpg   699.09K   221 downloads
 IMG_20110404_170818.jpg   337.4K   258 downloads

__________________


Changes to my log

- revised supplements 2/4/11
- teh nasty acne pictures 2/7/11
- new current pictures 3/2/11
- revised supplements 3/2/11
- revised topical regimen 3/2/11
- revised supplements 3/11/11
- cleaned up log and updated various things 4/1/11
- changed up supplements 4/11/11
- changed up supplements 5/16/11
- revised majority of log 8/7/11

Edited by tim12, 24 August 2011 - 01:51 PM.

[tim12]

1st post

Hey there guys, so I decided to keep a log of what I've been doing to treat my acne. I've had acne since I was about 11 or so, and I'm going to be 19 in a couple of weeks. about 3 months ago or so I read The Water Secret by Howard Murad(yes, that Murad) and it really encouraged me to start working on the internal causes of acne such as stress, diet, lack of sleep, etc. I was a huge believer in their products until Murad just suddenly stopped working for me after about a year of use. I didn't use their acne line surprisingly, that stuff made my face red and dry like crazy. I loved their AHA/BHA exfoliating cleanser, hydrating toner, and (non acne line) skin perfecting lotion, and pure skin dietary supplements.

I got in touch with one of their skin care specialists, and they were really kind, and sent me products to try out. still, nothing was seeming to work. My skin would fluctuate from good to bad it seemed like, but then it just started getting worse. I was getting cystic acne, which I never really had a problem with, every day, about 1 or 2 per zone of my face. I was getting hyper-pigmentation marks once they cleared, which I never got in the past when my acne cleared up. I was hardly stressed( if I was, it was because of the acne). I was eating good, at least 5 fruits a day and 2-3 servings of vegetables, and lots of water. Desperate, I looked to Acne.org for some natural/cabinet remedies.

My skin responded extremely well to aspirin and honey masks. In about a week of using it, most of my whiteheads on my forehead were gone, but I still had some cystic acne on my cheeks. When I would try Murad again, my face would just get irritated. I decided to stop using Murad completely, except for the dietary supplements. It's been a week or so since I stopped using dairy products, and I've been working on cutting out food with gluten as well. I might eat out with friends every 2 or 3 weeks, but other than that there isn't much unhealthy food in my diet.

Another thing I cut out is protein shakes for a while just because they have milk derived stuff in them. I'm still exercising, but I really want to add this back in after 6 or 7 weeks once I find a nice detox. It really helps with gains from lifting. I'm honestly not sure if my acne is related to my dairy or gluten diet, but it seems like it's been getting a lot better. this might be from ceasing the use of Murad, but I'll see later on in the future.

As for my skin type itself, I would say that I have moderate acne, but I'm not exactly the tannest fellow under the sun so hyper pigmentation marks can be a bit unsettling for me. I have eczema as well, and am generally sensitive to most skin care products. I have somewhat oily skin, but that's been balancing out well with diet and topical treatments. I have larger pores in the t-zone area as well.
________
2nd post

I've been staying with my relatives for about 2 days now in SoCal, and my diet hasn't been as good as it is at home I'm going to go shopping today to get more healthy foods to put in their fridge for myself. They eat out almost every day, and I just know that it'll eventually have a toll on my skin.

I've been reading around the forums as usual, and decided that I want to give Niacin in 500mg a try, alpha lipoic acid in 500-600 mg, higher doses of vitamin C, and I'm still looking for a good liver detox supplement. Right now, I'm drinking tea that has burdock, ginger, milk thistle, dandelion, and some other good liver stuff. I was thinking of just taking the contents out of the bag and ingesting it all orally with water, but the texture is less than desirable.

As far as restructuring my idea of acne and reducing stress, I decided that I am glad that I've had acne. Yes, I said that I was happy to have acne at this time. If I didn't, I probably wouldn't have ever changed my diet and would have never became so health conscious. Of course having the acne now isn't so great, but in the end I'm thankful, especially since my family has a history of type 2 diabetes, which is associated with a poor diet essentially.

Also, I've noticed that when I ingest too much aspirin in a day (more than 1 gram total), then I get really dry mouth and dry nasal passages. I'm not sure if this can happen when using it topically, but I'm going to stop using it completely, but I really liked the anti inflammatory properties. Oh well, hopefully finding more vitamins and foods that are anti inflammatory will be better anyways.

Have a good day everyone!

Edited by tim12, 17 January 2011 - 07:37 PM.

[tim12]

So I've been doing more research and reading on the forums etc, and I'm interested in a bunch of herbs and supplements. I'm going to stop taking my B-Complex, because of the whole b6 and b12 in extreme doses causing acne (which most b-complex's have, anywhere from 3000-10000 times the recommended daily value). I've been using vitacost to try and find a good multivitamin that has reasonable amounts of the B vitamins in it.

The proprietary blend of ingredients in the Murad pure skin dietary supplements are in higher doses when bought separate, and it might end up being cheaper in the end too. Basically, these are the things I'm looking to add...

Herbs
- Burdock Root
- Yellow Dock Root
- Horsetail grass
- grape seed extract
- milk thistle
- dandelion root


Other stuff
- GLA
- ALA
- Zinc
- probiotic formula
- b5
- colostrum

Still have a lot of research to do before I make a purchase, but I'll see if cutting out the B-Complex makes an immediate difference.

[Thehoper]

Great thread. Your going up a very similar alley that I am. That's smart to stop taking that multi-B. I was doing the same thing, and within 2-3 days had bad pimples coming up. I started cutting them into 1/4ths, which then you get a mild dose of everything. But now I just take Niacin, Biotin, and B-5. All the other B's I get plenty of in my diet.

I think liver cleansing/kidney cleansing is great for acne. Do yourself a favor, get the Yogi DeTox tea. It has everything in it that you want. I have a massive vitamin store near me, but if you don't, they sell it on Amazon cheap. They sell it in packs of 6 for like 18 bucks. So worth it. Drink two cups a day, great stuff.

Probiotics are great to take, I used to and stopped just because I have been tight on cash. Colostrum is a big iffy one. I don't know if I want to hop that fence. Colostrum is high in IGF-1 which is a hormone known to cause acne. So some people erupt and others are cured. I believe those who are cured is because the leaky gut syndrome. Just like chicken broth, it coats the lining of the intenstines, making the liner stronger and more protected. Not allowing big particles to pass through and forces them to be broken down before passing.

Good luck bud.

[tim12]

Thank's man, I'm still on the fence too about the Colostrum, especially since I'm probably dealing with hormone related acne, being 18-19 and all. The big worry that I have is that I'm going to be like a lot of acne sufferers, where in contrast to say 50-100 years ago where adult acne was pretty darn rare, it's becoming more common. My pops said he had cystic acne when he was younger, but it cleared up by the time he was 20. Also, my aunt had pretty severe cystic acne when she was young, so I know I have the genes on both sides .

As far as an alternative for Colostrum, I've been reading that berbine, which is in goldenseal and oregon grape root, has been used for a long time for people with intestinal issues. I remember reading about guggul as well, and some research has concluded that it's just as effective as tetracycline. I'll have to do more research on these to make sure they aren't antibacterial.

I used to take GNC branded probiotics, 25 billion bacteria per capsule, but that stuff was expensive, again even when being a smart shopper. Since my uncle referred me to vitacost, I've already saved a bunch of cash and found a bunch of great herbs at good prices. Right now they have a deal of the day going on with the Florell Probiotic Formula, and it also has prebiotic fibers in it as well. for 30 caps at 10 billion bacteria per capsule for six bucks, it seems like a great deal to me! It's the Florell probiotic formula.

For the tea, thanks for the reccomendation! I looked it up on vitacost(I know, it seems like I'm endorsing the company :3), and they even had a formula specifically for skin cleansing. I'll be ordering both, since one doesn't have caffeine and the other does. I'm glad they have a caffeine free formula, because I love to wind down at the end of the day with some form of tea. I used to drink green tea religiously when I was in high school, but I stopped because of how dependent I was becoming on the caffeine.

On a side note, I finally woke up at my regular time between 7-8 am. Good god, I never realized how unhealthy my SoCal's lifestyles were until I was trying to correct mine. Of course I'm in no place to judge them, but they have stayed up watching a movie the past 3 nights until 12 or so, including the little kids. They've got a nice surround sound too, very loud :[ but now I should be able to fall asleep at my regular time too, so hopefully my sleep cycle.

Hope you all have a great day!


edit: I just decided to edit this post instead of posting again in my own thread There seems to be a lot of talk about brocolli and brocolli extract pills being extremely good for acne, but then they stop to work after 3-6 weeks for some people. This does not make much sense to me, because if it's derived purely from brocolli, how can a food's contents become ineffective? I have been eating more brocolli lately, and because my skin was fluctuating a lot from the topical treatments I was using when I started eating more brocolli, I'm not really sure if it helped or not to be completely honest. But now that I've been using a skincare line that doesn't irritate my skin, I'm going to eat more broccoli in the meanwhile before I place another order for supplements, I already bought 100 dollars worth last night

Edited by tim12, 19 December 2010 - 05:37 PM.

[Thehoper]

Cool site just checked it out. Looked at the skin cleansing tea, the ingredients are almost identical to the liver cleanse haha. It's not even 3 bucks though so whatever ya know. Over 100 bucks? Well I can't talk I have spent over a 100 easily now on my supps. Supplements can get so addicting! You think you need more and more lol, it's hard to know when to stop.

That probiotic formula sounds good, cheap too like ya said. I'm gonna go to my vitamin store tommorow and pick something up for probiotics. It's good that your on a good sleep schedule, I definitely think that has a lot to do with acne. Always need the proper rest.

I've been looking into that Ryan V's topic on Candida, and the things he said kill Candida. Forgot what the supplement is called but I googled it and it actually seems really beneficial I'm going to try it out. It is suppose to heal leaky gut and cure candida.

I seen that you say you use honey. I use honey too. Dude, you gotta try manuka honey. I tried a lot of different honey masks, and the best results I got was from a mask of 16+ manuka honey and hemp oil. Major results.

[tim12]

Cool site just checked it out. Looked at the skin cleansing tea, the ingredients are almost identical to the liver cleanse haha. It's not even 3 bucks though so whatever ya know. Over 100 bucks? Well I can't talk I have spent over a 100 easily now on my supps. Supplements can get so addicting! You think you need more and more lol, it's hard to know when to stop.

That probiotic formula sounds good, cheap too like ya said. I'm gonna go to my vitamin store tommorow and pick something up for probiotics. It's good that your on a good sleep schedule, I definitely think that has a lot to do with acne. Always need the proper rest.

I've been looking into that Ryan V's topic on Candida, and the things he said kill Candida. Forgot what the supplement is called but I googled it and it actually seems really beneficial I'm going to try it out. It is suppose to heal leaky gut and cure candida.

I seen that you say you use honey. I use honey too. Dude, you gotta try manuka honey. I tried a lot of different honey masks, and the best results I got was from a mask of 16+ manuka honey and hemp oil. Major results.

Yeah supplements are pretty addicting, but I should be good for like the next 3 months, and the teas shouldn't be too expensive. It was way more expensive when I shopped at GNC, practically all of my money went to supplements and protein, but now it's not too bad. I used to be hooked on trying different skin products from Murad when I was talking to their skin care professionals, mostly because I was so sold on Murad's book, but that too had flaws in it (recommendation of daily use of a b-complex). Turns out his pure skin acne supplement has 1200% of the dv for b6 and 750 for b12, or something like that. So taking that along with the b-complex was no bueno.

I'll take a look at the Candida thread since it's pretty foreign to me, and I'd like to address as many possible causes of acne as possible (and really, there are so many -_-) If it helps with leaky gut, I'd definitely like to try that in addition to the other non colostrum supplements/herbs when I get the chance. Where would I find the manuka honey from, any health food store or trader joe's or something? I definitely like how honey is antibacterial, antiinflammatory, and hydrating. I've read good stuff on hemp oil too, and this carley stuff uses it in some of their stuff, but I'd like to use it in a pure form.

For now, I'm drinking Dr Stuart's detox caffeine free tea. Found it at Marshall's (You can find tons of health food/supplements there, I found my first goji drink there for like 10 bucks for 32 ounces), and the tea has dandelion root, burdock root, corn silk, milk thistle, bearberry leaves, liquorice root, peppermint, spearmint, ginger root, sage, galangal root, and artichoke leaves. Hopefully this'll make a big impact since my body hasn't been exposed to this stuff before.

[Thehoper]

1. How long have you been taking b5? Any results?

2. Candida thread is in the Nutrition Forum, started by Ryan V.

3. I found manuka honey at Vitamin Shoppe. But I buy mine from Amazon. I have Amazon Prime and get free 2 day shipping on mostly everything. So it was the way to go, and best price.

[tim12]

1. How long have you been taking b5? Any results?

2. Candida thread is in the Nutrition Forum, started by Ryan V.

3. I found manuka honey at Vitamin Shoppe. But I buy mine from Amazon. I have Amazon Prime and get free 2 day shipping on mostly everything. So it was the way to go, and best price.

Still waiting for the B5 to come in the mail, and I also got the flush kind. I've been reading up on it and it seems to be used in detox + weight loss programs as well. I'm curious(perhaps slightly worried) how the flush will interact with the blood/liver cleansing supplements, but I'll let you know how all that goes.

Since cutting out the B complex, I haven't had any of those annoying eventual cycstic bumps on my temple, and the ones I have are receding. I must have picked my face when I was sleeping though, since two of my pimples are red and irritated scabbed blah blah nasty nasty.

I'll have to look up buying the honey when I can! I'm not sure if there is any concrete truth to this, but I read an acne theory before that said that because of the antibacterial stuff we use on our face, the bad bacteria becomes resistant to the products which would explain why acne can reoccur, but I'm sure it's a bit more complicated than that I'd think. Still, I'm cautious about using anti bacterial stuff too much.

speaking of bacteria, I am more and more intrigued by the candida link to acne. I have some of the symptoms, and I did go on anti biotics somewhere towards the end of senior year I think, which was 6 to 8 months ago. I did take a months worth of probiotics since then, and my acne has also improved, but I wonder if that was what caused my spike from clear skin to chaotic cysts and such.

I'm considering posting older pics and current pics, but man looking at "good" pictures when I considered my acne bad, I can definitely see a big improvement. It's also interesting because the skin around my acne looked very healthy.

So as far as new research, I was looking at all the supplements and herbs on web md to check for interactions, side effects, and the like. I came across two things that really caught my eye, guggul and saccharomyces boulardii. My immediate thought was "(promising acne commercial narrator voice) Do you have acne!?! GUGGUL it!" Anyways, straight from web md...

Guggul

Guggul is made from the sap (gum resin) of the Commiphora mukul tree, which is native to India. This tree has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and Ayurvedic texts dating back to 600 BC recommend it for treating atherosclerosis. Today guggul gum resin is used for arthritis, lowering high cholesterol, “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), acne and other skin diseases, and weight loss.

Guggul contains substances that lower cholesterol and triglycerides. One of these substances also decreases the redness and swelling that occurs in some types of acne. Guggul seems to work about as well as the antibiotic tetracycline in the treatment of nodulocystic acne. Both treatments decrease pain, swelling , and redness (inflammation), and the number of acne outbreaks.

Saccharomyces boulardii

Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast, which is a type of fungus. Saccharomyces boulardii was previously identified as a unique species of yeast, but is now believed to be a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast). Saccharomyces boulardii is used as medicine.

Saccharomyces boulardii is used for treating and preventing diarrhea, including infectious types such as rotaviral diarrhea in children, diarrhea caused by gastrointestinal (GI) take-over (overgrowth) by “bad” bacteria in adults, traveler's diarrhea, and diarrhea associated with tube feedings. It is also used to prevent and treat diarrhea caused by the use of antibiotics.

Saccharomyces boulardii is also used for general digestion problems, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBD, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), Lyme disease, a bowel disorder called relapsing Clostridium difficile colitis, and bacterial overgrowth in short bowel syndrome.

Some people use Saccharomyces boulardii for lactose intolerance, urinary tract infections (UTIs), vaginal yeast infections, high cholesterol levels, hives, fever blisters, canker sores, and teen-age acne.

Saccharomyces boulardii is called a "probiotic," a friendly organism that helps to fight off disease-causing organisms in the gut such as bacteria and yeast.

So as far as treating the causation(s) of acne, it seems that Guggul helps with the cholestoral/sugar levels aspect of acne, while SB helps with the candida/bacteria aspect.

So essentially, my plan of action looks somewhat like this
- continued topical skincare products
- detox/cleansing with b5 and liver fortifying herbs, colon cleansing, blood cleansing
- digestive/bacterial correction with enzymes, probiotics (accidophilus + SB), and a restricted diet
- no junk food + guggul
- continued use of omega 3, multivitamins, etc
- continued exercise and other stress reducing techniques.

I'll be sure to give a more specific guide once all the vitamins come in the mail, but for now my regimen is still the same.
Sorry for all the long posts btw

[tim12]

Going to fly back into my city, but my flight has been delayed for a couple of hours. That means it's time for acne.org!

So the status of my skin has been pretty good. Those marks that I scratched are still healing, and my forehead is pretty much clear. I notice that acne on my forehead clears up WAY faster and heals faster as well compared to my cheeks. The Tamanu oil has really helped to even out my complexion, which is another major plus. My greatest obstacle I think right now is picking. I seem to picking at my face when I'm sleeping, or I wake up picking my face and immediately stop. It adds like another 2 weeks to my healing time. Good news is that I haven't had any nodular cysts or anything close to that! It makes me wonder if I should bother with all the vitamins and supplements that I bought specifically for cleansing. I think the Dr.Stuart tea has been working very well, it's been about 5 days since I've been drinking it.

I'm really interested in the manuka honey now because of the healing properties that it has. Tamanu oil also has healing properties, but I credit honey with being the major catalyst for change in my face as far as undoing the damage that the Murad products were doing. I'm also thinking of going on the paleo diet since it doesn't seem to far off from what I've been doing anyway, plus I love seafood. Finally get to head back to the gym too and that should pair up nicely with the detox supplements and tea.

As far as topical products, I love the night time acne moisturizer that I've been using. I know a lot of people are anti carly's clear and smooth, and that honestly made me hesitate to buy them. I'm just glad that I did and that it's working well for me! I don't know what exactly it was that I am sensitive to that was in the Murad, but I'm almost sure that it made things a lot worse than they would have been had I not used their products. I'm also going to go in for acupuncture Thursday or Friday.

Can't wait to have a nice bowl of pho with my family when I fly in!

[tim12]

Haven't posted in a while so here's a reminder and an update for you guys and myself :]

I got a lot of compliments on my skin this Christmas! I'm not 100% clear, but I have few active spots and mostly hyper pigmentation which has been fading nicely. I've been taking a concoction of researched supplements and herbs that seems to be working really well, and I drink a ton of tea and water. I also mix chlorophyll, goji berry, and resveratrol drinks into my fruit smoothies in the morning. My sleep schedule is almost fixed from my vacationing with socal fam. It seems like gluten had no immediate affect on my acne, or at least nothing drastic that I could see (I had a pb&j sandwhich the other day after working out).

I'm not sure if it's allergies or the vitamins/supplements, but I've been getting a runny nose and itchy throat every morning and towards the end of the day, but it fades away when I'm active. It could be the cold air, I'm not sure, but I'm going to double check the side effects and interactions of the supplements that I'm taking. I also had a small slice of pumpkin pie with my family since they all pressured me, and I did want a bite too . I took some glucomannan before eating the Christmas dinner to see if that makes a difference tomorrow. I don't really ever have sugar cravings or anything like that, but I'd like to feel confident that I won't have an insane breakout the next day from the occasional splurge.

For the next 6 weeks or so, it's nothing but healthy foods. I really think the supplements and new skin care products are making the biggest difference ( I was eating healthy for a while, but now I'm also more focused on detox) on my skin. I look forward to posting tomorrow

[Thehoper]

Hey bud, I forgot about this thread. Just read through your posts, your plan is awesome. Definitely looks like you have done your fair time of research. Your plan is very similar to mine. The detox/plaeo is the way to cure acne IMHO.

Guggul looks very interesting! Definitely going to have to look into it myself. Thanks for that tip. Something I would definitely try. Where are you getting it from?

[tim12]

Haven't posted in a while,

I take Source Naturals Guggulsterone supplements since they have 37.5 mg of guggulsterones, in 1 pill for 1 serving which is the most bang for the buck. It's been working great on my cystic acne, it's like they all started to deflate! This is great because almost all types of acne cleared up except for cysts, and now all my actives have turned into post hyperpigmentation marks. I still need to update with my exact routine is, but I've been using my college's database to research articles on alternative methods of treating acne, such as herbs. I've been staying away from the junk food too!

[tim12]

Alright, I REALLY don't want to jinx myself here, but I can't believe how much my cheeks have cleared up. It seems like my acne might have commuted just a little bit to my forehead, but those are clearing up nicely too. My scars are fading pretty darn fast with a combination of msm and vitamin c like I read in one of the topics here. I've been drinking yogi detox tea, skin detox tea, night time tea, and dr stuart's detox tea as well, with a tad bit of almond milk for fancyness :3 Carley's isn't irritating either.

For the emotional/psychological aspect of treating acne, I've been listening to "feel good" music a lot more, and try to watch a show a day that makes me really laugh, or find funny things on YT. I've been telling myself throughout the day that my skin is clear, healthy, and radiant, and that I'm also happy. At first I felt a bit silly, but I honestly think it's been working great!

Supplements... I feel like I'm popping a lot of pills o.o but they seem to be helping! Guggul, probiotics, Tumeric/cucumin, msm, vitamin c, murad pure skin multivitamin, fish oil, gla, skrullcap, sarsapilla, other stuff I can't think of right now, and BCAA supplements when I workout. I wonder if it's some type of placebo affect (the idea that taking all these pills will make my acne go away), but I definitely think guggul and the cucumin have been working great. I noticed acnescript also sells them as boosters, and it seems like people have good results with them.

Diet wise, I'm still eating lot's of vegetables and fruits, red meats 1 or 2 times a week, lots of chicken and seafoods, and I mix goji berry juice and chlorophyll in my fruit drinks. I've been following a pretty good sleep schedule as well. My protein powder contains milk and wheat in it, and it hasn't been making me breakout as far as I can tell, besides the little bit on my forehead that is fading. Exercising in some way every day for at least 30 minutes, whether it's lifting or cardio.

I'll post a very detailed guide if my results keep progressing the way they are, I don't know if it's for everyone (especially all the supplements), but if it helps at least 1 person out there who has suffered with acne, it'll be worth it!

[tim12]

Bahh,

I've been really lazy lately with posting and the such. I think I'm getting a bit lazy because the supplements seem to be working so well :3 My skin is almost completely clear sans for scars, so I might be posting ze dramatica before and after pictures. The problem is figuring out which supplements to keep, not just for price, but to figure out what to recommend to people. I let my friend have some guggul, tumeric, grape root, gla, fish oil, balanced multivitamin, msm, glucosamine, and vitamin c to see if it's going to work for his skin, which was mild to moderate. Murad worked great on his forehead acne, but he still gets some new actives, and hopefully the supplements will help out, and if it does I'll let you know.

Also, I really like drinking tea with all my meals now!

[moonchild706]

hey! wow seems like you're doing quite a lot! If you think that you will be using many of these herbs for long term, it may be cheaper to buy raw herbs and make a tincture (if there is a co-op near you where you can buy bulk herbs that would be ideal because otherwise you may have to buy a whole pound of each herb...it may still be cheaper though). To make a tincture you just put the herbs in a large jar about 3/4 full and then fill up the jar with 80 proof vodka, shake it up every day for about 6 weeks then strain. The standard dose is 1ML 1 or 2 times a day, in some water. I made myself a tincture of milk thistle, burdock root, dandelion root, and nettles, and about 25 oz of tincture looks like it will last me for a whole year!

but i'm glad your skin is better, good luck with figuring out what supps to keep

[KeithaM]

Honey is great! for the past 2 months i have been using a 5% sulfur soap (dermacleanse-found at whole foods and online). i lather up really good and leave it for 5-10 minutes morning and night, and sometimes more if i have had a "dirty" day (too much make-up and sweat build up). then i use ACV as a toner. it's mixed with honey and green tea as well. i use Cetaphil moisturing lotion (a full pump, and i take the extra time to make sure that whole amount is absorbed into my face and neck). then i use a tea tree cream from dermaE. thats during the day. at night, after the cetaphil, i use a spot treatment that includes honey (1-3 drops), ACV (about 1/2 a cap full), 1 325 mg asprin that i allow to dissolve in the ACV before i mix it in, and i use powder Bentonite clay. i mix this all up to make about 1/2 tbsp of spot treatment. i just mix it to my own thickness. i have been doing all this ad my skin is looking better and better each day. i have been having horrible break outs for about a year and now its amazing how much better its gotten in just 2 months. i get compliments about how good my skin is now!!! the scars are going away too. slowly but surely this routine is helping. when i get some extra money im wanting to add in supplements. i want to try neem (tried the oil, and it helped, but the smell was unbearable-so im trying the supplements next), royal jelly, Sulfur or MSM, ACV supplements, and pycnogenol (supposed to be way better than vitamin E). if you try any of these i hope it helps. it feels wonderful to have smooth skin again!!

[tim12]

hey! wow seems like you're doing quite a lot! If you think that you will be using many of these herbs for long term, it may be cheaper to buy raw herbs and make a tincture (if there is a co-op near you where you can buy bulk herbs that would be ideal because otherwise you may have to buy a whole pound of each herb...it may still be cheaper though). To make a tincture you just put the herbs in a large jar about 3/4 full and then fill up the jar with 80 proof vodka, shake it up every day for about 6 weeks then strain. The standard dose is 1ML 1 or 2 times a day, in some water. I made myself a tincture of milk thistle, burdock root, dandelion root, and nettles, and about 25 oz of tincture looks like it will last me for a whole year!

but i'm glad your skin is better, good luck with figuring out what supps to keep

I'm only 19, so I can't do the vodka thing :3 But otherwise I think actually buying the herbs myself could be a great idea, there is a local farmer's market within 30 minutes of my house and there is a neat little shop that has a bunch of herbs, but it doesn't look so clean so I'm a bit sketchy! But you're definitely right, If I keep the herbs long term I need to find alternative methods. The herbal teas may be enough on their own once I clear up. Thanks for the advice, it's definitely something to look into!

Honey is great! for the past 2 months i have been using a 5% sulfur soap (dermacleanse-found at whole foods and online). i lather up really good and leave it for 5-10 minutes morning and night, and sometimes more if i have had a "dirty" day (too much make-up and sweat build up). then i use ACV as a toner. it's mixed with honey and green tea as well. i use Cetaphil moisturing lotion (a full pump, and i take the extra time to make sure that whole amount is absorbed into my face and neck). then i use a tea tree cream from dermaE. thats during the day. at night, after the cetaphil, i use a spot treatment that includes honey (1-3 drops), ACV (about 1/2 a cap full), 1 325 mg asprin that i allow to dissolve in the ACV before i mix it in, and i use powder Bentonite clay. i mix this all up to make about 1/2 tbsp of spot treatment. i just mix it to my own thickness. i have been doing all this ad my skin is looking better and better each day. i have been having horrible break outs for about a year and now its amazing how much better its gotten in just 2 months. i get compliments about how good my skin is now!!! the scars are going away too. slowly but surely this routine is helping. when i get some extra money im wanting to add in supplements. i want to try neem (tried the oil, and it helped, but the smell was unbearable-so im trying the supplements next), royal jelly, Sulfur or MSM, ACV supplements, and pycnogenol (supposed to be way better than vitamin E). if you try any of these i hope it helps. it feels wonderful to have smooth skin again!!

That's great! I've been loving the MSM, and I also give it to my dad for his back along with glucosamine and it works great. My friend is also taking some for his scars as well, and I'll have to look into the pycnogenol! I've heard a lot of great things about ACV internally and externally, so when I switch back to a "normal" amount of supplements I might consider adding it. I want to try and get some bentonite clay for my own masks as well, it sure is fun mixing things together to make your own facial concoctions Honey really helped me a lot in the beginning when I started to look towards natural methods. I may or may not end up getting the sulpher since my skin is already clearing up, but when I used Murad's sulpher mask daily in highschool I had pretty clear skin, so I think it's a matter of finding one that won't irritate my skin. Thanks for the info! And it definitely feels awesome to have clearer, smooth skin!

[tim12]

Better results evey day! I've added turmeric into my home remedy cabinet. I mix honey, uncoated aspirin, and turmeric for a spot treatment or mask. It’s great for scars, is antimicrobrial, antiinflammitory, hydrating, andthe aspirin is a mild exfoliant. A great all in one mask!

[Thehoper]

That's awesome. Really need to pick up some turmeric myself. Everyone says it is great for red marks and scars