18 replies to this topic

[ante__meridiem]

My cheeks are red/rosy and very warm to the touch.... I kinda look like a sunburnt raccoon. It stings like hell when I apply my moisturizer. The burning sensation lasts for a couple of hours, but the dry itchy feelings goes on for most of the day. My forehead is clear. My cheeks are getting cleared up. I have some post-acne marks on both my cheeks and they are fading slowly. I also have post acne marks on my chin. I'm hoping the BP will make them fade away in time. I have one small whitehead on the right side of my chin. The dryness is really killing me. I probably use twice as much moisturizer as I do BP and I am reapplying my moisturizer throughout the day to keep my skin balanced. I'm thinking about finding a different moisturizer. CeraVe PM costs too much for the amount I need to keep my face moisturized.

I'm pretty sure my boyfriend has noticed the redness, too, though I'm embarassed to admit to him that I'm still dealing with acne at the age of 24. I've been covering up my acne with makeup but I can't hide it from him forever. I want beautiful, clear, natural skin. If people at work ask me what happened to my face, I'll tell them I was out in the sun for too long.

It's been miserable but I will keep on trucking.

Keeping you and myself posted.

Morning and Night:
1. Cleanse with Neutrogena's Purifying Facial Cleanser (Natural)
2. Dan's BP (nickel-sized amount for entire face)
3. CeraVe PM (using 2x as much as BP)

Edited by ante__meridiem, 28 July 2011 - 04:32 PM.

[ohlizlove]

I'm experiencing the same exact thing! I'm not flaky or anything but my skin is red and it feels like i have a sunburn. Burns like hell when i'm putting the BP and lotion on. Skins tight and feels dry but when i touch it it feels lubricated. So weird. Dans lotion isn't really working for me as i go along with this Regimen. I'm also looking for a new lotion. Suggestions?

[ante__meridiem]

I stopped by Walmart to get a new moisturizer today- Cetaphil DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion for dry, sensitive skin. I put it on as soon as I got home and I am really happy with it! It took care of my flakiness very well (and I was flaking very badly, too) and I don't have to use quite as much as I did with CeraVe PM. It doesn't sting either!! It's alot more economical, too, per ounce. My redness is slowly going away as well


Updated regimen:
1) Neutrogena Purifying Facial Cleanser (natural)
2) Dan's BP (nickel-sized amount for entire face)
3) Cetaphil DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion for Dry, Sensitive Skin

Edited by ante__meridiem, 11 July 2011 - 07:30 PM.

[ante__meridiem]

Day 10:

Things are going well! My skin looks so much clearer and brighter. A couple days ago, a few whiteheads popped up on my chin and cheeks but they went away quickly. (It was getting close to that time of the month anyways.)

It's been less than 2 weeks and my skin seems to have adjusted to the BP already. My skin is not red anymore but slightly pink around my cheekbone area. My skin still feels dry but it's not as bad as it was when I first started the regimen. The flakiness is gone and I can thank my new moisturizer for that. My skin doesn't sting anymore but I do still have some itchiness from time to time. I try not to scratch but gently massage my skin.

My pimples may be gone but now I'm starting to look at the post-hyperpigmentation marks. I have a noticeably large patch of darkened skin on my right cheek, close to my ear. You can't see it looking at me face on. You have to look at my face from the side. I remember when I first got this mark. That part of my face felt very itchy one day and I started scratching at it. It kept getting darker and darker. About a month later, the acne started to appear.

I've been looking at Dan's AHA formula and wonder if it will clear my dark spot? If anyone has had experience using Dan's AHA, please let me know what you think if you are having the same problem as me.

Anyways, so far so good!
Thanks.

[ante__meridiem]

Day 15

My face is clearing up beautifully. The redness is hardly noticeable by now. My skin was itching like hell though around my jawline and mouth. My skin is not as dry anymore and I'm feeling more comfortable everyday. No active pimples. Just some leftover post-acne marks. I've noticed that some of these marks are getting lighter.

I bumped up the BP to two full pumps this past week. I really don't feel like I need any more than that. My results have surpassed my expectations. Today, I'm purchasing Dan's AHA. It will take about a week to get here...by then, I should be ready to use it!!

I'm really glad I stuck to the regimen and followed it exactly. Such a lifesaver! It actually works.

[ante__meridiem]

day 22

I received my bottle of AHA+ yesterday and I tried it. It brought on a tingly sensation. The odor is not that bad and after I put it on, I hardly notice it. I haven't had any major breakouts since I started the regimen. My forehead has continued to stay clear, but I will still get some small pustules on my cheeks. They go away pretty quickly though. I think I'm still purging. I have noticed that after I put on the AHA, it will tend to peel off my skin after a while. I'm not sure if that is just my skin exfoliating itself or if it is the AHA that is peeling off. The little bits that are peeling off are dark-colored? My natural skin color is olive.

Well, hopefully in another week I will see some good results and even better-looking skin!

[ante__meridiem]

day 29

It's been one week since I started using AHA. I started out using it twice a day and then I cut it back to once a day (at night). I felt like I might be over exfoliating. I like how radiant my skin looks after I put on the AHA. This past week my face has been "molting" like crazy. Don't really know what to make of it, so I'm going to personally e-mail Dan. My skin is clear but upon closer inspection, I'm seeing dirt-like particles that are rough to the touch. I think it might be dead skin.... and I know I'm breaking one of the golden rules of the regimen but.... I'll scratch at my face as gently as I can with my fingertip and those dark, rough spots will rub off. I'm glad I'm clear but I've noticed that my face has gotten slightly darker because of the build-up of dead skin. I don't want to risk irritating my skin by rubbing it to remove the dead skin, so I am going to ask Dan what I should do!

[joeyicecream]

you do not want to be using AHA twice a day i personally even think that it is too much every night although i know what you mean about that glow the AHA gives your face. I was using it every night then i went back to every second or third night and my complexion looks better. You have only been on the regime for a month so having some dead skin or flakes is just apart of the regime it will decrease slowly. Honestly i really believe your problem has just been caused by you using AHA too much i believe if you take it easy on the AHA your minor break out will go away

[joeyicecream]

also congrats on the regime working so well for you.

[ante__meridiem]

thanks

[ante__meridiem]

day 36

Wow, it's been a month already!

Since my last update, I've been using AHA once a day for spot treatments and every other day for full face application. That seems to have helped with the rough, flaky skin I had last week. Things are pretty much the same otherwise. It's getting close to that time of the month so I'm having some minor outbreaks- one papule on each of my cheeks and a couple whiteheads on my chin.My acne scars/post marks are bothering me but I can't really do anything about it.

Looking forward to my 2-month milestone....

[ante__meridiem]

day 42

Nothing new to report. I've been going to the pool practically every weekend with my bf and I'm always so conscious about putting on sunscreen since I'm using AHA regularly. I bought a bottle of Olay Complete for Sensitive skin, spf 15. It works nicely and it doesn't make me break out like other sunscreens....wish it was waterproof though

Edited by ante__meridiem, 22 August 2011 - 07:23 PM.

[ante__meridiem]

day 46

Not really an update but I just wanted to say that I picked up a bottle of Neutrogena pure & free baby sunblock, spf 60+. I know it says "baby" but babies have the most delicate sensitive skin, so I figured why shouldn't I treat my acne-prone skin the same way? I am really determined to find a sunblock that won't cause me to break out but is also waterproof at the same time. This sunblock only has TiO2 and ZnO as active ingredients. Well, I'll see how it works out.

[ante__meridiem]

day 49

Looking good. No break outs. When I reach my 3-month mark, I will probably stop reporting my results.

[ante__meridiem]

day 63 (2 months!)

The regimen has definitely done away with my acne. I am having some extreme dryness and redness on my upper cheekbones. Guess I need to put on more moisturizer. I have also been applying some aloe vera gel to treat the redness.

The acne scars on my chin have lightened up dramatically and the ones on my cheeks are slowly going away too.

[ante__meridiem]

day 68

Now that my acne is gone, I started looking for something to combat my hyperpigmentation problem. I have a dark spot (about the size of a quarter) on the right side of my face. You can only see it if you look at my face from the side. This past weekend I picked up a cream called Porcelana. It contains 2% hydroquinone.

I did some reading on hydroquinone and apparently it is a suspected carcinogen. FDA only allows OTC hydroquinone up to 2% (and up to 4% with a prescription). Hydroquinone is the most widely used skin-lightening agent in the world but it has been banned in several countries (still, it is relatively easy for someone to get their hands on it if they really wanted it). Hydroquinone has been tested on lab rats (via ingestion) and they developed cancers, tumors and a condition called ochronosis. I don't plan on eating my face cream, by the way.

I took what I read into consideration but it really didn't stop me from wanting to try this product. So many things are suspected carcinogens these days. When I consider what other people have done to have amazing, radiant skin like tanning beds, laser treatments, accutane, chemical peels I felt that my 2% hydroquinone couldn't be more or less dangerous. It's the risk I'm willing to take.

Porcelana was extremely inexpensive, too. I got a 3-oz. jar for only $5 and I use so, so little of it- like the size of pin head. It's more than enough to cover my dark spot. The product specifically says to discontinue use if no improvement is seen in 3 months. Marking my calendar...

[ante__meridiem]

I have not been reporting for a while but it has been over 3 months on the regimen now. My skin is totally clear and my scars have almost disappeared. I was looking at a picture I took of myself back in February or March and my forehead was covered in acne scars. The regimen made them fade away. Last time I said the BP burned my skin on my cheekbones but I was able to treat it with extra moisturizer and aloe vera. I reduced the amount of BP from 2 fulls pumps to 1 pump and that seems to be enough for my face to stay clear. I still use AHA but sparingly- maybe once a week or every two weeks. I didn't really care about the blackheads on my nose and it wasn't something I paid much attention to but I am nonetheless happy that the BP and AHA cleared them away.

I have gotten used to doing the regimen everyday but I still think it is a nuisance and I sometimes find myself annoyed with the process. I know my life would certainly be much easier if I didn't have to do it but my skin is looking so good and I'm afraid if I stop my acne will come back. Even my boyfriend will whine about how much time I spend putting creams on my face. Guess I should consider myself lucky that he still loved me even when my face was breaking out constantly.

[elliphant]

Hi!
I just wanted to tell you that reading your log has been very encouraging. Congratulations on getting clear and well done for persevering!

[Kaylei]

So I read your whole log and I am happy for you , I hope the regimen works as well for me like it did to you ! I'm on my 10th day and so far my breakouts that I had are a lot better but I'm still getting pimples . The most annoying this is the dryness though :s I look like a reptile and im flaking , thankfully I'm not really experiencing any redness or itchiness at all but well see