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able to make my observations. I’ll be honest, I don’t expect anybody to read this. I'm doing it for myself.
I will continually update this when I find it necessary to add something important. This will be an ongoing evaluation.
In order for me to really know my acne, I HAVE TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH MYSELF.
MY HISTORY
Late 1998 – Acne Enters my life. Generally Small Whiteheads
June 2000 – Proactiv. - CLEAR SKIN.
May 2001 – Proactiv stops working. Acne gets worst, start getting big cysts. continue using Proactiv
May 2002 – August 2002 - Joins Cross Country Team. Begins RUNNING a lot. Face gradually clears up over summer.
August 2002 - CLEAR SKIN
Sept 2002 - Enjoyment for Clear skin does not last long, Muscle in Thigh gets torn while running. I stop running. A week later my face explodes. I have the absolute worst breakout in my life. I have over 70+ CYSTS on my face, particularly on my jawline. YES. I HAD OVER SEVENTY CYSTS AND PIMPLES ALL OVER MY FACE.
November 2002 - December 2002: I visit one of the best dermatologist / aesthetician
surgerons in Taiwan. I start having series of my "Acne Surgery" Sessions twice a week "Acne Surgery" is a process in they "pop" your pimples the "right way" with all their professional instruments, devices, and utensils, so the bacteria doesn't spread. This becomes the undoubtly the most
physically painful experience of my life.
I am also put on antibiotics. (I don't remember what)January 2003. After continuous skins of "Acne Surgery" sessions, acne is finally stopped. My skin is battered and bruised redness, blemishes, and hypertropic scars.
May 2003 - ACNE COMES BACK
June 2003 - Begin taking Zenmed Dermacleanse System. Face gets worst. Pimples and Cysts Galore. it gets so bad that I stop after a month.
Aug 2003-January 2004 - I begin taking ACCUTANE. The reason
why I take it for a long time was for safety concerns. My dermatologist put me on a lower dosage for
a stretched amount of time. BY September, the ACNE HAD STOP COMING.
May 2004-August 2004: I begin having chemical peels biweekly and applying the Obagi Nu-Derm system.
August 2004: - CLEAR SKIN for the first time in two years. GOOD LOOKING SKIN.
November 2004 - ACNE COMES BACK. *SIGH* Accutane's effects have worn off.
The acne is not severe and is not that bad at all - medium sized cysts. However, the fact they are persistent
they are able to gradually destroy my beautiful face over the next months. I assume accutane's effects begin wearing off.
June 2005: Had a series of bloodtests to determine any imbalances body and I brought my results to a endrocronologist. From my results, he was able to that was GLUCOSE INTOLERANT. This is no doubt the most significant discovery.
http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...topic=59976&hl=June 2005: CLEAR SKIN REGIMEN. Works on smaller pimples but is unable to prevent big cysts.
June 2005 - January 2006. Face gradually improves with more experimentation and modification to diet. Breakouts greatly reduced. Diet almost perfected.
February 2006- Begin taking Green Cream Lvl 6 By the middle of month. I have an initial breakout of several whiteheads and pimples and my face is flaking all over
March 2006 - Initial Breakout over. Flaking Over. Redness reduced. Hopefully it's smooth sailing from here.
It's been one month, and I have to say that I have had improvement on my face. My complexion is gradually getting better.March 2006 - Started taking Vitamin Shoppe's Sugar Control Support capsules. This plus my diet, I have no more pimples.
April 2006 - Started taking Vitamin Shoppe's Broccoli capsules. I started taking them at a time I started slacking off from my regimen completely. I was lazy and I indulged like mad, and the only supplement I took were these Broccoli capsules because I left them on the dining table. However NO MORE BREAKOUTS. They are SOMEHOW working. I
CURRENT SITUATION
THE GOOD NEWS
- I believe that I am winning the war, but I am not there yet.
- I predominantly have my acne under control through diet and exercise. I know most of my sources that cause my acne.
- When I do break out, its only a few small whiteheads and maybe a cyst or two. The nightmare days of of having 40-60 simultaneous cysts and pimples are long gone.
- For the most, part I no longer have oily skin problems. My skin is predominantly dry.
- My back-acne is completely gone.
THE BAD NEWS:
- I still acne-prone
- Sometimes, I still feel that I am don't have as much control as I can. I can be clear, by if I deter from
my routine and I can easily break out. I am looking for best effective, less costly ways for maintenance.
If it exists, Still looking for the permanent solution
- My skin complexion is ugly and terribly uneven from all the battles.
- When I do get a pimple, it further destroys my already- battered complexion, further emphasizing the need for strict discipline in my skin regimen.
- I have blemishes and hyperpigmentation
- I have hypertrophic scars along my jawline
CURRENT TOPICAL REGIMEN
Morning
1) Basis Bar Soap
2) Green Cream Lvl 6
3) Emu Essence Therapeutic Mousterizing Lotion
enriched with Emu Oil
4) Obagi Nu Derm Sunscreen SPF 35
Night
1) Nivea Baby Cleanser
4) Green Cream Lvl 6
My Topical routine is primarily based on GreenCream, after hearing rave reviews from makeupalley.com and other members.
SUPPLEMENTS
(Morning + Night)
Vitamin C w/ Bioflavonoids - 1g x2
Vitamin E - 400iu
Acetyl-L-Carnitine - 500mg x2
NAC - 500 mg x2
Selenium - 200 ug x2
Probiotics - 1 capsule
TOTAL EFA - 1 Tp
MSM - 2 tps x2
Vitamin Shoppe's Sugar Control Support 1 capsule
FOODS THAT BREAK ME OUT.
VEGETABLE OIL
CORN OIL
CANDY
SWEETS
CORN
CARROTS
PEAS
BANANAS
WHITE RICE
WHITE BREAD
CURRENT DIET MOSTLY CONSISTS OF
Lean Ground Chicken / Turkey
Ground Turkey Breasts
Chicken Breasts
Tuna / Salmon
Egg Whites
Oatmeal (Slow cooking)
Whole Wheat Bread
Brown Rice
Apple
Spinach
Broccoli
Tomato
Lettuce
Green/Red Peppers
Onion
Celery
Mushroom
Cabbage
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
+ My Acne
- 80% Internal
- 20% External
+ I believe that most of acne is mostly caused from internal causes with regards to diet as opposed to external factors such as dirt. From my observations, I think that the internal factors cause bigger pimples - (unpoppable cysts + bigger whiteheads), while the external factors cause smaller problems (small whiteheads)
- In mid-high school, when I started running long distance, my face cleared up tremendously. In my senior year, after I got a tore a muscle in my thigh and couldn't run, that same week, my face exploded. Now when I remember it and think about it, at that time I had diet very high in simple carbs but the fact that I was exercising controlled it. When I injured, it was not longer being controlled so eventually my face exploded.
+ I know that running prevents my acne, but the reason I don't run long distance anymore even if it is
fit for my metabolism is that: (1) it is easier to decipher the "causes" of my acne. I know that running works, but I kept on running, I would never been able to tell whether a product is efficient or not, or foods
are the really causes of my acne. (2) I would rather gain weight.
+ It has been discussed about the correlation between being skinny. I, believe in it. As I mentioned, I am skinny and have a very fast metabolism I know that RUNNING prevents the acne. However, I don't want to be skinny, pathetic fool anymore. My goal is to gain weight and have a muscular body.
+ By far, finding out that I was GLUCOSE INTOLERANT has become the most important piece of knowledge.
+ Another important thing I have learned is the difference between eating healthy for your body and eating healthy for your skin. They are NOT the same. I was eating foods such as carrots, corns, peas, bananas believing they were "healthy." The moment I stopped eating these, my face cleared up.
+ My endocrinologist, aside from finding out that I was glucose intolerant, was also able to determine that I have very high testosterone levels and claimed that i have "the potential to gain lots of muscle". Hmm...
Product Reactions / Observations
+ There is something in a Centrum's Multivitamin that breaks me out, but I can't figure out what.
I just remember that I was I was taking Centrum before and during of my worst breakout,
and it only made it worst. Currently, I am blaming it on Vitamin Complex. I have readabout how an imbalance of B vitamins can ruin my face. Instead, I take vitamins just by themselves and without any problems. I've read about B12 being the possible precipitator
+ Dan's BP Gel Works mostly on the smaller to mild acne. I like this product and I commend Dan for this, but the truth is, Dan's BP Gel tends to make my skin look so tired, damp,
and depressed. It works and it doesn't irritate, but it a tired looking skin. Also, I don't want to depend on using BP for the rest of my life - I just want to explore and learn about other methods. Lastly, since I wish to treat my scars, it seems very hard for me to incorporate the scar treatments while I am still on BP. They don't seem compatible.
Questions I always asked myself.
+ Is my diagonosis of carrots breaking me out accurate?
+ If I had persistented and used Zenmed longer, would my face have cleared up? You could say that the Zenmed Dermacleanse system is a multi-herb supplement,
cause that's what it's composed of.
+ Since I am Glucose Intolerant, is there a supplement that I can take there that will act as a "shield" to
prevent / lessen the chance of me breaking out? I mean, I admit I do want to indulge every now and then.
+ Some threads have referred to acne as "Skin Diabetes", So should I think of myself as a diabetic instead?
If I took supplements that diabetics took, would I be all right? I know that I still have to follow
a strict diet, but would I still have a lesser chance of breaking out if took supplements
for diabetics? Should I buy insulin sensitizer supplements or something like that?
+ My hairline started receding the same time my acne started getting worst. Male Pattern Baldness. Does this have to do with Dihydrotestosterone??? Is there a connection?
+ Dr. Perricone recommended Thymic Peptide Supplements. in his book, the Perricone Promise. I was wondering if anybody has taken this supplement. I haven't heard much
about it.
+ As I said, I don't take B complex because it breaks me out. However, after doing some research, I think that specifically, it is B12 that breaks me out, not B5. I think taking B5 would be Ok. If I really want to gain weight, I know that B5 would be very beneficial. I know that when taking B5, there is an initial breakout, but the last time I took B complex - it was more than just an initial breakout. It was destructive.
GOALS - COMPLETE PHYSICAL METAMORPHOSIS
SKIN:
+ Reduce, eliminate, all scars, blemishes, marks, and other hyperpigmentation
+ Improve my complexion and uneven tone.
+ Since I am still acne prone. Continue searching to find a permanent solution. At the meantine, find the best way to keep acne at bay. For maintenance:
- Find the most proficient and efficient topical routine
- Find the most proficient and efficient diet routine
- Find the most proficient and efficient supplementation routine.
Having clear skin is a LIFESTYLE, so I need to be able to find the right "formula" that not only clears my skin to my expenses, time, and other factors.
+ Have flawless clear skin!
BODY:
+ Have a muscular, attractive body. No more skinny guy. Time work hard on the weights!
+ Find the most proficient and efficient diet and supplementation routine that is beneficial to bodybuilding but that doesn't give me 20630492734 zits. Yes I know this sounds difficult -
but ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
(well.. I'll be extremely hard in the gym with or without supplements)
The perfect formula for my skin and body EXISTS. That's a FACT. It's just a matter of find it.
HAIR:
+ Stop my Hairline from receding. Grow hair from my front.
OTHER:
+ remove dark circles from underneath my eyes.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Let food be thy medicine.
- Eating "healthy" for your body is not the same as eating healthy for your skin.
THE DEFINITION OF HEALTHY - http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...topic=55996&hl=
- There is a difference between being consistent and patient with a product and waiting it for it to work
and being consistent with a product that never worked to be begin with. Sadly, the only way to find out
is to be consistent and patient with the product.
ATTITUDE MINDSET
- MY LETTER TO ACNE - http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...topic=78581&hl=
- DECLARATION OF METAMORPHOSIS - http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...topic=75089&hl=
- You can't "buy" clear skin. You have to EARN IT.
- Most people desire instant gratification and don't realize
how much they have to work and give to get clear skin.
- Clear skin is a lifestyle.
- Change is Gradual.
- Believing IS Seeing.
- Beauty will come from inside-out, not the other way around.
I WILL CONTINUALLY BE UPDATING THIS THREAD.
