4 replies to this topic

[po4emu]

Hi!

Erm, I wanted to ask whether it is possible to apply the retin a only to the affected areas - for me that would be cheeks and some scars on the chin, kind of hidden? I'd hate to see my forehead ruined due to initial breakouts /= (I have no acne there, only the occasional pimple near the eyebrow)

My derm also prescribed me Doxycyclin and aven clean ac (which i think isn't moisturising enough but oh well)

I'm on the Doxy for now as it's pretty sunny here and will start using the retin A once i come back to the UK.

And also, can someone suggest a good moisturiser with a sph of 15? I was using Olay, but I think I kind of got allergic to it.

thx

[unlovely2011]

Hi!

Erm, I wanted to ask whether it is possible to apply the retin a only to the affected areas - for me that would be cheeks and some scars on the chin, kind of hidden? I'd hate to see my forehead ruined due to initial breakouts /= (I have no acne there, only the occasional pimple near the eyebrow)

My derm also prescribed me Doxycyclin and aven clean ac (which i think isn't moisturising enough but oh well)

I'm on the Doxy for now as it's pretty sunny here and will start using the retin A once i come back to the UK.

And also, can someone suggest a good moisturiser with a sph of 15? I was using Olay, but I think I kind of got allergic to it.

thx

you're supposed to use a pea sized amount on your entire face, it isn't a spot treatment. (though avoid the area around your mouth, the folds of your nose, and your eyes) your derm must have told you that. any IB you're going to get is a bunch of zits that are going to need to come out at one time or another, so why not do it all at once quickly? the doxy will ease the inflammation. it's going to suck for a few weeks but that's just the nature of the beast.

[po4emu]

Ok!

To be honest I couldnt help myself and my fear of the initial breakout, so I am after all doing a lower face application.

I use the 0.5 % every other and then BP the next day + the doxycycline

Is it possible not to have an initial breakout?

It's my 2nd day of treatement (involving topicals such as the BP and the retin a as I was using the AHA solution Clean K by Avene before) and my face isnt particulary oily or dry or has any more pimples. In fact I can say it is smoother and the cysts on one of my chick have sank back in the skin.

In the mornings I apply clean ac (avene) and oil of olay moisturizer. At some point after I apply the foundation, I do feel it like a mask - oily and disgusting, but I thinks it's because of the foundation + its VERY humid here in Scotland (in comparison to where I live) so the whole moisture and oil just builds up.

So my final question is - am I just a victim of a pre - IB stage, or am I just going to pass through it unharmed : )

[melissa6980]

I used differin for a while and didn't have a super horrible initial breakout with that retinoid, maybe only a little worse, but I was also on doxycycline. So, the doxy and benzoyl peroxide should help you.

You don't have to put retinoids on your whole face if you don't want to. When I was using retinoids, I stopped using them on my cheeks after a short while and just kept on with my forehead and chin and my derm seemed to think that was fine. You do need to apply to entire affected areas, like your cheeks as you mentioned. Retinoids may help speed the resolution of pimples that do come out and it can help fade the red marks faster so once it clears you, don't despair over the marks, they may just disappear faster than usual.

Do you tweeze or wax your eyebrows? That can cause breakouts for me. So, I just try my best to wipe the tweezers down really well with rubbing alcohol and only tweeze after a shower because supposedly that helps the hairs come out easier.

I had one derm suggest purpose moisturizer (it has spf 15).

Edited by melissa6980, 01 October 2011 - 07:39 PM.

[po4emu]

So~ I still don't have an initial break put (whoop, whoop) but my pores look huuuge : D Especially on my nose...""Meh" At least they are clean!

I still have some cystic acne - it's not very bumpy, but when I press the place with my fingers, I know there is something there + the place has turned into one red nightmare T_T It resembles an island. + I get some skin peeling on the mark, which is frustrating. Very frustrating.

My face turned pinkish...obviously because I dont wear sunscreen, thinking that foundation alone and only a couple of hours outside would be enough...'Well, it's not! So I was thinking that I should get the Avene Hydrance creame with the 20 spf.

Olay stopped absorbing, so I cant rly apply it under the foundation as it makes me look like a shedding snake : D
Oh and I switched my whole makeup routine to Clinique - loving the foundation, concealer and powder <3 (Still, you can see I have a bad skin >.<)

I'll check the purpouse cream if I'm able to find it that is...

As for the tweezing of the eyebrows - I don't really have acne on my forehead and if I do get a pimple around the eyebrows its because of exercise and sweat => it disappears pretty fast and I'm not bothered. But thank you for the advise - I do need to disinfect them ^^""

Ps I have also noticed that the pimples don't really surface? They just disappear? I was expecting my cystic pimples to surface like zits filled with puss, but they never did. I am not complaining, I am just observing : )


PS2: I hope my abuse of alcohol these days didn't really affect the antibiotics....