314 replies to this topic

[celebration]

EDIT april 10th, 2006:
This is my hard and fast regimen. The key is to NOT VARY from your regimen. Your face needs to get used to it. Be gentle.

Wash: Basis or Purpose bar soap
Apply: Dan's CSR BP
Moisturize: Cetaphil Facial Moisturizer

[Edit--added history]

Some history about me:
I've tried Accutane twice. Both times the acne came back worse. I have had mild acne since my last round of accutane about 3 years ago. In October of 2005 I started breaking out...I went a little crazy with trying to get rid of the pimples and it just got worse.
Other past meds: Tetracycline, Minocycline, Clyndomicine (I know that one is spelled wrong. lol); retin-a and retin-a micro, differin
My diet: Yes, I drink milk. Back in July I started dieting to lose weight so I cut out most sugar and all breads and cheese. (though I still eat those occasionally) I usually eat whole grain cereal for breakfast, salad for lunch, fish or chicken with a veggie for dinner. I'm not big on sweets or deserts, but occasionally.

Keep in mind that I just started this regimen on January 14. Before that, I was scrubbing a lot, using Proactiv, picking incessantly, generally aggravating my face. Now, here's what is working for meeeeeeeee!! :

AM
Wash for 10 seconds with Basis Bar ... gently...final cold rinse
Clinique Anti-gravity firming eye lift around eyes
1.5 - 2.0 fingers of 2.5% BP, currently using Neutrogena On the Spot Treatment
2 fingers of moisturizer, currently using Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle w/ SPF 15
2500 mg Pantothenic Acid, a.k.a. B5 vitamin
B-Complex 100
Centrum Chewable
juice of 1 lemon with equal part room temp. water (drink, not apply to skin)
on 1/30/06 began taking 100mg Minocyclen morning and night

PM
Wash for 10 seconds with Basis Bar ... gently...final cold rinse
Clinique Anti-gravity firming eye lift around eyes
1.5 - 2.0 fingers of 2.5% BP, currently using Neutrogena On the Spot Treatment
2 fingers of moisturizer, currently using Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle w/ SPF 15
2500 mg Pantothenic Acid, a.k.a. B5 vitamin
on 1/30/06 began taking 100mg Minocyclen morning and night

Lots of rest and exercise. No makeup if possible. No scrubbing. As of today I'm going without cow's milk for a while to see if that help.

See my progress:
My Progress
Note: Today 1/24, I am bumping up my B5 megadosing. Will be taking another 2500 mg at noon for a total of 7500 mg= 7.5 g *I've been very inconsistent with this. I don't think it's making any difference one way or the other . tp 2/2/06

[Sixx]

hey Celebration, just checked our your progress pics and damn girl!! its working awesome!!! YAY!!

p.s...how do you like the Eucerin for the dryness? Im using Cetaphil, but I think Id like something a little thicker? maybe?

[celebration]

Hi Sixx---thanks for checking out my progress! Today is the first day that I can really tell a huge difference. It's also my 3rd day taking B5 vitamin, so I kinda wonder if that's kicking in and controlling the oil a bit.
The Eucerin I am using is not the recommended one because I couldn't find it at the store. It's okay for now, but I definitely want to switch to one with AHA soon. I'm getting dry brown patches that need to go away pronto! I'm already old, don't want to look older. Am thinking about switching to the Neutrogena moisturizer with AHA.

[Sixx]

I dont know if the B5 would kick in that fast...my bet would be the BP doing its thing =)
which is good either way!
I couldnt find the Eucerin Dan suggested either, Im afraid to add AHA right now because Im new to the regimen, I dont want to overdo it and get too dry.
Im gonna check out CVS and Walmart today and see what i can find =)

again, I can tell you've got some real progress happening and I know how good that makes a person feel!
congrats!!

[celebration]

I dont know if the B5 would kick in that fast...my bet would be the BP doing its thing =)
which is good either way!
I couldnt find the Eucerin Dan suggested either, Im afraid to add AHA right now because Im new to the regimen, I dont want to overdo it and get too dry.
Im gonna check out CVS and Walmart today and see what i can find =)

again, I can tell you've got some real progress happening and I know how good that makes a person feel!
congrats!!

Yeah, I'm afraid to start with the AHA quite yet. I cannot recommend this Eucerin Q10 because I feel like it sits on top of my dry skin, no matter how much time I spend working it in. Makes me look shiny but still feel dry Good luck today! I hope you find a good moisturizer. And I hope the regimen works out well for you too!

[Sixx]

tell ya the truth, its working great, Im clear at the moment and only have a couple pinkish spots left =)
I just ordered Dan's BP gel not only because of the quantity and price, but its in a gel form that sinks in nicer than the Neutrogena that I have been using.
my thread is in the "Clear Skin Regimen" forum...but I just started so its not very long lol
but I am thoroughly impressed by how this is keeping my acne at bay!
best wishes for you too!

[celebration]

Sixx--I couldn't find your thread,,,
Could you possibly reply with a link?

[celebration]

Okay. Here's something that I'm going to add to the list. I'm giving up milk and soy milk. Which means no more Dunkin Donuts coffee.....errrrrrrgh......
I also started working out with my friends who do Jazzercise again today. Those classes, the music, dancing, being with friends all lift my spirits and make me forget about my skin I highly recommend Jazzercise IF you get a good instructor who chooses good music and good routines.

[celebration]

I have jury duty tomorrow I hope I get excused for some reason...
Anyway, my acne hasn't changed much since yesterday. I have been on the regimen for 9 days now. This breakout is different than anything I've experience before because I many many many little blister-like things on my cheeks. It's weird and I don't know what to make of it. The regimen is helping, though. I'm going to keep going for at least another week to see how it goes. If the blister-like things don't go away soon I'm going to make an appointment with the doctor, I think. Maybe just some short-term antibiotics would help?

[Sixx]

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php?showtopic=81169


There ya go! hmm...blister type things huh? maybe a reaction to the BP? like a burn blister? I know that Im only applying the BP once a day for the first few weeks because I didnt want to over load my skin.
oh and just get some non dairy creamer for your coffee...voila! problem solved!

ewww...jury duty? well...Ive got a couple tips for you...show up on time, first of all lol, when you are in the court room and they are explaining the details of the crime make sure you have a look of utter disgust on your face ESPECIALLY when the defense attorney is looking your way. (tsk tsk criminal!! )
I know you can get off the hook if the crime in question is something similar to one you have experienced or have close family or friends that have had the same experience.
HOPEFULLY, they will pick their 12-14 whatever before they even get to you

[celebration]

OMG!! Why didn't I think of non-dairy creamer? I'm going directly to dunkin donuts to get my coffee!
hee hee Thanks.

The blistery things... I dunno. I don't think it's actually burn blisters. Actually, I think I've been staring at my face so much that my objectivity is getting distorted. They are probably just pimples, but a little redder and shinier because of the BP. You are right, I should probably try putting a little less on.

Thanks for the link. I'll follow your progess too.

And yeah, I hope someone else gets picked for jury duty. For one thing, they are going to pay me a whole $15 for a whole day of work. That's all I'm gonna get, too, cuz I work for myself.

[celebration]

This is Day 10 on the regimen, and the first day that I haven't taken pictures. Reason being: I had to get up extra early to fulfill my civic duty as a juror. What an exhausting ordeal!!! The thing that really sux is that we had to convict the guy of a whopping FELONY. It was agonizing and I am so glad it's over... sheesh....
Also, and this is relates to our topic here, I had a bit of a panic attack in the bathroom today. Ya see, I work at home so I've been able to go for the most part without makeup since being on the regimen. If you are a woman, and you are on the regimen, you probably know that the regular makeup routine doesn't work so well when you are globbing BP on first. So, not only was I in a hurry to get ready this morning, I didn't have the 'right' makeup for my new face. I did the best I could before heading to the courthouse.

After about two hours of sitting in the jury assembly hall (basically a big recreation room), I had to use the restroom. OH MY FRIGGIN G.!!! When I walked out of the stall and looked at my face under the flourescent lights, I wanted to die. For about 30 seconds I stood frozen, heart in my throat, aghast at my red splotchy face. I thought "I can't go back out there." But, what could I do? I couldn't hide in the bathroom. So I touched myself up as best I could with the powder I had brought with me, and braved it. GRRRR. Acne ... must ... die...

Thanks for letting me vent...

[Brandy]

awww Celebration, what an ordeal.
Yea, regular makeup just won't go on right with all that bp and moisturizer. I think you're better off with a powder that you can dab on, or maybe some mineral foundation, alot of women really like that to use with the Regimen.
glad your jury duty was over and done with fairly quickly. I don't know how some people keep sane having to be in a jury for several months at a time!

[celebration]

Thanks, Brandy. I do want to check into get some mineral makeup. The other day I tried putting on regular liquid foundation and that was a total disaster. So this morning I used a little bit of concealer on the reddest patches, then brushed on loose powder. That made my face ghostly white, so I added bronzer all over. I thought it looked okay, but not so once I saw it in the flourescent light. Turns out I had a mottled white and red and bronze disaster area. Ummm. I guess I'm still not over it! Anyway.... that was more venting, sorry. I will do some research on the makeup message board

[starlogic]

I know what you mean hun. Even if I do my makeup in my bathroom where the light is good, as soon as I get into my car or I look at myself in a mirror at work or at school or anywhere else for that matter, I want to DIE.

[celebration]

Today is Day 11 and definitely a good face day!! 2 days ago some of you suggested very lightly pricking a pimple that was full of pus and begging to get out. I was hesitant because #1 I thought it would hurt. And #2 I didn't want to damage my skin. However, I decided to try it. I got mixed results. This is really graphic, so stop here if you don't want to read about it.

Pimple A: was a biggie. It was on my cheekbone, near my ear. I had two spots there, one a cyst for sure, and this other one. Pimple A was not a cyst (I would never try this on a cyst). Pimple A was raised and full of pus. The skin over it was very dry, stretching, painful. I ran a needle over a match, wiped the black stuff off with a tissue. Then I set the tip of the needle against the head of the zit and turned it ever so slightly in a clockwise motion. Note that I didn't push it in, it just went in a little with the drill - like motion. Well, about 3mm of hard cakey yellow stuff jumped out. I put a tissue to my face and kept sopping up yellow pus. With tissue on fingers, I pushed gently on either side of the bump and then a thinner reddish oily gunk came out. It crusted over and seems to be healing!

Pimple B: was a small cluster of little pimples near my nose/cheek area. These were oily, not dry. But they were painful. One of them had a white head on it. I gently pricked Pimple B. A tiny bit of white stuff came out, followed by a tiny bead of blood, and that's it. The next morning this little cluster felt as though it was on fire, swollen, and crusted with yellow. I think it's infected. Ouch.

My conclusion: I'm going back to the NO PICKING UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES rule of Dan's Clear Skin Regimen. This experiment was gross and had mixed results and I'm not keen on the possibility of having an infection.

Also, I had a really disgusting dream about acne last night that is too awful to share. I think it's because of this gory experiment!

I'm really looking forward to Jazzercise class tonight! Gonna dance my ass off (literally) and forget about my skin!

[Sixx]

Yeah, I have to really hold back from not picking my face!
I swear if Id just LEAVE IT ALONE my face would look 95% better all the time. Have been doing better, however, I only picked once, a mistake of course. But its healing now.
I think we need to put post-its on our mirrors that remind us not to pick!
Sorry to hear about your make-up debacle at court...UGH, believe me, Ive been there...in public...no where to crawl into a corner and hide.
BUT! glad to hear it was a short jury duty and its OVER!!! back to being in your safe place well, at least until Jazzercise! =)

[celebration]

Even if I do my makeup in my bathroom where the light is good,

What can we do? Install flourescents in our bathrooms?

I think we need to put post-its on our mirrors that remind us not to pick!

The post-its are a grand idea, Sixx. We should also sign a contract with ourselves.
"I, Celebration, do solemnly swear that I will not pick my face."

[celebration]

Today is Day 12. I'm very pleased with how my skin is clearing up. I had a lot of acne, was very swollen. The BP has worked overtime to dry stuff up. Even though I still have a ways to go, I can see that I've come a long way and that feels very good. Right now I feel like scrubbing my face though, cuz I know I have a lot of dead stuff lying on top of it. But I won't of course, because I know what that does to me.
The little cluster above my lip (where I tried to pop Pimple B) is a little painful still. I'll probably take some aspirin for that. Reminder: DO NOT PICK. Not worth it.
I only had the juice of 1/2 lemon today because I ran out of lemons. Oh well. Not sure I understand how lemons help, anyway. I'll drink some orange juice---that should have a similar effect, right?
Jazzercise was a lot of fun last night. I'm feeling good about doing all this positive stuff for myself
Oh, and I'm going to stay with my parents tonight, so I won't be posting pics in my album tomorrow morning. I'll post some this morning and more on Friday. Maybe there will be a miracle between now and then.

[Sixx]

I know how ya feel about wanting to scrub your face...it always seems like such a good idea until afterward when you are all red and blotchy...and you think "WHY did I do that??!!"