52 replies to this topic

[Celeste]

Some background.

Got acne since age 11, now 21 and it has seemed to get worse. I remember years of just 1-2 zits and because I knew most teens got it, did nothing about it, heck, I think I only used water and soap and retained a pretty baby smooth skin. Then I experimented with things like clearasil and neutrogena OTC cleansers and lotions. My skin got oily yet dried out over the years and sensitive but only the face. I got a lot of little bumps and 2-4 zits. Only recently have I gotten 1 or 2 papule like things. Anyways, I've tried Proactiv and within 2-3 days, I was SO clear. By 3-4 months later of clear clear skin, I thought I might've outgrown it and so stopped using Proactiv (also, the cost plus s+h was horrendous). Well, my acne came back and was WAY worse. By the time, my next proactiv shipment came, right after putting it on, within half an hour, my face was burning and a crazy tingly sensation under my skin and my face exploded in little bumps. Apparently, they modified the newer Proactiv line and I got allergic to it. My doctor said my acne seemed half acne like and just very irritated skin. Anyways, I've tried things from a derm - Tetra, Clindamycin, sulfur + other antibacteria things with no difference. Actually one of them gave me a big papule thing on my cheek that is still recovering.

Discovering CSR

So I saw this site and started with 5% persa-gel and diluting it with equal amounts of lotion. It seemed to dry up my skin, peeling it and allowing new skin to arise. Yet, the zits seem to be deeper, although slightly smoother. I'd actually be able to peel large pieces of like one inch off all at the same time.

I finally found Neutrogena. That first night, no burning sensation and next morning a lot of bumps were flatter. Keeping up with the CSR for 2 weeks of that and my forehead became TOTALLY clear. My right cheek had two acne scars and my left cheek had 2 dot like spots and perhaps 3 little non-red bumps. All in all, with makeup, pretty good skin.

It still seemed costly tho, so I ordered BP gel. I got it last monday perhaps and after putting it on, it felt like a smoother consistency and disappeared quite nicely. However, it made my skin tauter, and a bit itchy at first and while lying in bed, a tingling sensation under the skin where you know a zit is forming. So low and behold the next morning, my skin was slightly rougher, redder for sure and two red things on my right cheek and seemed to raise my little bumps on my left cheek so they were bigger and redder. My skin seemed to have an oily sheen to it as well. My forehead remained clear but a bit rougher in texture.

Over the past few days, my skin got WAY drier even though I was applying lotion 2x a day (by the CSR) and dabbing every few hours. This time it seemed really dry around my nasal-mouth lines and chin. Little flakes would form all over if I just smiled.

So Today Day 7(+/- a day or so):

sunburnt look. Learned with the 5% not to put it near the eyes, so I look like an avid skiier lol.. stopped putting BP near mouth since I don't really get acne there. But it's still slightly flakey and dry. I still have 3 big red spots in the center of my right cheek and 3 little ones around there. The left side are about 5 smaller bumps and one near where the glasses would sit. Forehead's still clear, thank god.

Actually wondering if I should've stuck with Neutrogena until I got totally clear and then switch to BP Gel. Good news that I don't feel the tingly formation sensation 15 minutes after putting the gel on which means *hopefully* no new zits form.

-My regimen Morning and night-

Cleanser- Lancome Gel cleanser 10 sec
15min + pat dry
BP gel ( one thin full finger - I'm a girl with SMALL fingers! and also prev. BP usage)
10min
Aloe lotion (3/4 finger)

mm.. that's it, clarin's eye lotion (helps a lot with moisturizing the skin around the eye-luv it!)
I think I might put some Neutrogena-onthe spot on top of the zits before I head to bed.

Comments? I hope this works, but having some doubts as I'm getting worse acne while Neutrogena worked straight off.

[rakiebakie]

Maybe you should try the 2.5% rather than 5%, cause that might be what's causing the burning sensation as it's too strong.

[Celeste]

Maybe you should try the 2.5% rather than 5%, cause that might be what's causing the burning sensation as it's too strong.

I am actually using Dans 2.5% gel right now and haven't used persa gel 5% for awhile. Sorry bout the confusion, but thanks for your suggestion.

1 WEEK + 1 DAY - Feels better but FLAKEY and RED.

I think after reducing the amount to 3/4 of a finger last night, my skin doesn't feel so bad but is still red.
My skin seems to be 'hardening' as well as the newly formed zits, which perhaps means they are healing.
It didn't seem as bad as last night, but after puttin on makeup, the flakeyness and texture was VERY apparent as it just settled in all the little cracks. I actually skipped first class because I was SO distressed, but after, sucked it up and went to my other classes. It's the afternoon and I'm going to wash off the makeup and just apply some lotion. Going to do my pm routine later at night. Hope everyone else is having better luck!

[Celeste]

WEEK 1 + 2 DAYS - less flakey but still red

So today I was happy to see that no new pimples have shown up. Everything that was active has hardened and is flattening. I have small bumps on my left cheek, 2 seem like lil white heads and a few tiny bumps but seem deeper under the skin. My right cheek is now 3 flat red marks, and tinier old, old healing acne marks. My forehead is clear but not as soft as before. So it seems alright even though I stayed up until the wee morn yesterday studying for a test. That usually breaks out one or two ugly things the next day.. The only thing to complain about is the discolouration of places where I apply the BP and the fine sandpaperish texture it gives also. Seems like I lived in the arctic for awhile.

I got home today (afternoon) and used my lancome cleanser, St. Ives almond exfoliator (just to rid of flakes but BE GENTLE here), rubbed BP into problem spots and lots of lotion. I'm still going to do my bedtime routine but I need to get my makeup off when I get home or I feel dirty.

I've also wondered about sleep, my hours are pretty inconsistent and I average 5 hours of sleep/day. I've slept really well on vacations but it never helped my acne so I don't find a direct correlation. But perhaps it was other irritating products I was using.. I don't know..I wonder if routine is more important than number of hours though, because I never sleep at the same time.

[Celeste]

WEEK 1-3 DAYS - Slowly gettin there...* I think*

Progress. My face was not as red as before. But can still go under the "ruddy" complexion. Theres the faintest red bump on my nose (pentip size) but everything else doesn't seem to be active, still a few bumps on my left cheek (not red don't know what they are..) and right.. + some red scars. But overall clear to some extent. My skin seems to heal very slowly. I attribute it to being sensitive and thin- I bruise easily. Anyways, I used 1 whole finger yest night, so I'm going to do the same tonight. I woke up with flakes between my eyebrows and a bit on my naso-mouth lines, but during the day, not so bad so I can handle it.
I get worse acne in the winter than the summer, anyone experience that?

[Celeste]

1 WEEK-4 DAYS- minimal change..Less redness.. oneuninvited guest..

My skin seems relatively the same except I saw a small red thing on my right cheek, it's not much of a bump but its a brighter red than the dark red healing scars. I wouldn't mind things like this if my scars healed faster, but it just adds to the collection . The red on the nose got darker.. seems like a blackhead now. My skin has almost stopped shedding in the mouth line area after not applying BP there but has started to shed a lot in between my eyebrows and temple area.. seemingly more sensitive areas, I will stop applyin on the temple area but will continue in between the eyebrows since I sometimes get pimples there. Otherwise, not getting better but not significantly worse either. Finals are arriving so stress will be increased. We'll see how things go ^^

[Celeste]

ONE WEEK-6 days- SAME with new spot on forehead

Yes, smackdab in the middle of my once clear forehead. Fortunately, its 1mm across so quite small. But if more come.. hmm.. The new one on my right cheek is shrinking and all my big ones are now flat but dark so its hard to cover. I'm kinda concerned on the texture of my skin, very dry papery feeling but with a sheen of oil over it. It seems my face is trying to overcompensate for the drying up. I am at one finger of BP right now for 2-3 days, 2x a day . I want to try Eucerin but I think it will be way too oily for me. My face feels slightly itchy after the lotions try up.

[Celeste]

TWO WEEKS- more whiteheads

I used the St. Ives exfoliation yest and today and my skin got much softer. But now I can see that the lil bumps that weren't red are little whiteheads. So I've got a few of them on my left cheek, right cheek , 2 on my nose and one in the middle of my forehead. My skin still feels dry to the touch, but it is less red. I'm still not sure if things are working, it's just 'different' now. My red scars still persist. I feel like people look at me and want to ask whats up with the dryness/flaking, but everyone around me are really nice. I'm at a full finger day and night. I think the goal is two fingers for a full face.. I'm not sure how I'll be able to cope with that.. but we'll see.. I plan on adding more 5 days down if things get better and less dry. I can see crinkling in my forehead when I lift my eyebrows, heck, even when I don't lift them.

[Celeste]

TWO WEEKS + 1 DAY- one active pimple/whitehead thing still on forehead

So I only have one active pimple, the one that appeared a couple of days ago. It is really annoying to look at but things can be worse I guess. It seems like it'll take a couple of days to go away and weeks for the scar to heal. My face texture was still rough and my foundation has become too diff for my reddened skin colour that it looks like patches of white when I put it on The worst part is that my entire face is flaking.. really tiny flaps of skin everywhere.. I can't even begin to pick them off. They are really small but makes my face look bumpy in a weird way. Today, I was reading about Delna's egg wash and although I've done that before, I've forgotten what the results were- I should really start some booklet on the things I've tried! I don't think I noticed anything using it, but I'll try it again tomorrow. I've tweaked my regimen also. Well, just added Cetaphil cleanser. I got the mini travel bottle for 1.99, so I could test it out first. I also switched the Fruit of Earth Aloe lotion to Complex 15 since I read that one was good for oily skin. Since my skin became oily with the regimen, it might have been due to the Aloe lotion. Right now, my skin feels so much more soothed!! Well, I'm not aware of my skin because it's not tight, or itchy anymore.. I hope this will solve the flakiness.

[Celeste]

TWO WEEKS + 2 DAYS- No new news but same old, same old.

Same active whitehead on the forehead, it's hardening tho. Otherwise, Cetaphil and the complex 15 lotion are greeeeeeattt, they make my skin, well not soft but at least not itchy. I think I have this layer of dead skin (okay, keratinized skin is orig. dead but I mean, ready to come off dead) where I apply BP and that's why its hyperpigmented. I can even see the difference in an unlit room with a light in the room behind me. The skin texture at least isn't bumpy anymore, but it is the same roughness all over, I can only IMAGINE the smoothness underneath!! I don't want to force exfoliate either but I'll apply the lemon-egg mask again tonight. I also bought Dormer 211 SPF 15 for the daytime if I head out - I heard good things about it and it's on sale at London drugs right now. I think the thickness of the Aloe lotion is better on my body.. isn't it strange sometimes how the skin on your body can be perfect and supple and your face is a mess??.. (addressed to ppl without bacne). I actually anticipate the next day now, seeing if anything has happened...call it vain or whatnot!

[Celeste]

WEEK TWO + 3 DAYS - OMG.. Better than I had perceived.

Sorry, it's prob been only half a day since my last post, but I had to say that I just accidently checked myself out in a mirror in NATURAL light by the window... usually the most frightening thing ever, but the redness that I've described is hardly as noticeable!! it actually looks like a nice glow on my cheeks! and my skin looked SO much smoother (although it's not just by feeling it). But I can honestly say, I look 10X as better now then when I first started! I then rechecked myself in the bathroom light that contains those yellowish tinted lights and those heated lights and I look sunburnt there, but hey, if I really don't look that bad if I step outside... hmm. My whitehead in the middle of my forehead is taking forever to heal altho the white stuff has disappeared, its still this red bump.... having clear skin all around it makes it quite noticeable tho, like a focal point. So far, let's recap the tools I've been using:

My Regimen ( I try to stick to Dan's simple plan as best as possible!)

Lancome gel foaming cleanser (ONLY when I've worn makeup do I use this, since cetaphil doesn't remove the tough stuff)

Cetaphil gentle cleanser (even tho I do naturally have oily skin, the BP has dried me up so much, that this feels good altho lotiony)

OPTIONAL: Every other day at night, Whites of egg + lemon juice as a mask, wash off.

Wait 15min (do Clarin's eye cream and moisturize superdry areas that are flaking but don't get acne)

Apply BP gel ( I do a finger + a bit now for pretty much a full face)

Wait 10-15 min, (do other things, hair, brush teeth etc.)

Apply Dormer 211 + SPF 15 in the day OR Complex 15 lotion at night.

THATS IT. It does take a long time, but it's well worth it, I'll have to get more efficient too, but I could prob condense to 20-25 min.

Today is the first day I'm tryin Dormer 211 + SPF 15 so we'll see how it goes, it seems more thicker than complex and whiter which makes it harder to absorb but I think that's the sunscreen part. It's funny how the best products come in the plainest/ugliest containers tho. Cetaphil, complex, dormer, all have such simple logos, but perhaps all their money goes into the product that way!!

Cheers guys, happy BP-in, try not to change the regimen that much before the 3 month mark I say!

[Celeste]

WEEK TWO + 4 DAYS- Same, whitehead is replaced by a flat .5cm red mark

My skins gettin along fine I think and the new lotions are makin it shed less. BUT I was forced to go out today to do some errands and so I put on makeup for the first time in a few days. It's def a diff colour than my skin tone now and the BP and wind outside made my face flushed red, so there I was, red with patches of white (makeup)- beautiful lol..

On a side note. I'm the most tactless person ever. I was lookin outside at the cars at the parkin lot waitin for the elevator to go up. Out of nowhere, this guy come out (3m away?)and heads towards the door, but the elevator rang so I swirled around to make it. Then I didn't think he'd make the elevator (door has a lock) so I let the elevator close, but then I see this hand come in at the nick of time and he walks in. I then noticed he looks like this person who frequents the store that I work at with his g/f and german shepard. So I tell him that he looks familiar and that if he ever comes to the store. He looks at me and I think he had that pissed off look mixed with " uh.. okayyyyyy..". He said no, I don't think so.. But yeah, now to think of it, I must've seem like such a bitch for not openin the door for him (one) and not holding the elevator for him (two) and then out of nowhere, ask him this line that seems like a pickup line or something.

[Celeste]

WEEK TWO + 5 DAYS- just red and crinkly...

I don't know.. why are mirrors all so different??who's the real me ?! I thought I looked okay, but I had a party today and everyones face was soft and glowing and when I went to the washroom.. mine was.. well, so less than par, my pores are large, my face is 2 shades redder than my neck (I'm pretty pale normally in winter) and it was crinkly while oily on top of it. I look 8 years older than I am. I have no active acne but small red marks in a few places.

Otherwise, my skins relatively smooth, but it doesn't look healthy at all. It's like I've traded having more supple but dotted raised acne here and there to consistant but somewhat scaliesh red skin. hmmmm.....is there no other choice? haha...

[Celeste]

WEEK TWO + 6 DAYS- two little whiteheads on my lower left cheek

Yes. They are small however, I think they arised from the little bumps I head, and if that's so it's good they're finally comin up, but otherwise, I guess things are slightly going downhill. There are lots of marks on my face, most are very small, pentip size but there are quite a few- the only great thing is that they're all flat. I can't wait until the 2 month peak where I can analyse whether to go on trucking or to stop and go back to Neutrogena-OTS.
Annoyingggggg....

[Celeste]

WEEK THREE- a little softer, but red, white heads fading, larger red marks shrinking

Needless to say my face is still red, still a little flakey in trouble spots (areas that mostly don't get acne actually like my temples and around my mouth). I used St.Ives scrub yesterday so my face is much softer.
I'm using less makeup, which is a good sign.. or maybe I'm just exasperated on trying to cover up red haha. I don't know if I can blame the recent small flareup of whiteheads on the regimen. I'm in the midst of exams and I've been sleeping at 4 am and waking at 6-8am and then the next day I would nap during the day. That and my period should be coming, but it's kinda irregular so I'm not sure. Anyways, I've bought some flax seed just to suplement nutrition into my diet, I heard this is good for the skin and I'm not eatin so routinely/properly right now.It's not something I'll put on my face so I think it's ok with the regimen. Tell me if I'm wrong. Life is great tho, I somehow thrive on pressure.

[Celeste]

THREE WEEKS + 1 DAY- still flushed, still a bit dry.. but ok.

There isn't that much change, I see my large red scars are fading quite nicely. The whiteheads on my left cheek are going away too. My skins a bit more softer than before but I attribute that to Complex 15...I LOVE this lotion, the best one Ive ever tried.. the Dormer seemed a bit oily and gluey because of the sunscreen in it, so I'll wear it when it gets sunnier outside..it's all dark and cloudy most days. My forehead I'm still worried about because the consistency is still crinkly and I've notice a couple of small bumps, not acne, but uneveness. Otherwise, nothing to complain about.

The flax seed oil tastes very.. uh, oily but with a nutty aftertaste. I take a tablespoon per day in the morn, so we'll see how that goes.

[Brandy]

Hi Celeste,
just reading through your log here.
I know it can be frustrating, but hang in there, and be patient. You're on the right track.
I'd skip the scrub though, for me, scrubs always created more acne.
Otherwise, keep on keeping on.

[Celeste]

THREE WEEKS + 2 DAYS- 3 little bumps on the top left of my forehead

They're quite small but worrysome in a way. I think they'll turn into whiteheads. I'm not getting anything major anymore, although my face in the past would only get a big zit once a month or more. I have this big problem with whiteheads usually. Which brings me back to the ones still healing on my left cheek. Yes, they are STILL there.. the stuff hasn't come out and seems like they are going back down under actually lol.

Anyways, THANKS Brandy for the encouragement. I actually didn't use the face scrub yesterday, but my face is was twice as flakey waking up. I'll *try* not to use it too often but it's hard when every hour you notice your shirts all covered with flakes. I have my exam tomorrow so tonight I won't be getting much sleep.

[Celeste]

THREE WEEKS + 5 DAYS-mmm...acne marks turning brown?still red.. damn sensitive skin

Yesiree..all marks are shrinking a bit, but tuning darker s it's harder to cover up.I've got two clogged blackheads on my right cheek so that sucks a bit. I did some serious drinking for two days...bottles and bottles and lotsa shots were bought for us so..ehh free booze is hard to say no to. I think it's bad for my skin, yet Dan's is keepin it quite consistent so far. I don't have a prob with comin home at 5am and showerin and washing my face tho, so I guess it helps

[Celeste]

ONE MONTH MARK- softer, less red, two new small bumps

The texture and colouration of my skin has improved A LOT. I am able to absorb more BP too and it still feels somewhat supple. However, I got two new red bumps on my right cheek. You know they are new because they are a bright red and not like the brownish red marks left on my cheeks and forehead. Although I have to say the old marks are shrinking but also darkening. I've been doing the regimen religiously BUT I also have been eating super spicy stuff one day and then eating cakes and chocolates the next day, my sleepin has been poor and working everyday. On top of that, it's that time of the month. I that is why I got the new breakouts. Thank goodness they aren't big at all- nothing I can't handle ^^