Day 73 - Start of Week 10 : Smooooth as a baby's behind!

So I've officially hit double figure weeks! Huzzah! I was thinking last night as I drifted into the Land of Nod how awesome it was going to be to post for the first time without having one active pimple. It was not to be - one small pimple high on my left cheek. Gargh - but I'm not complaining, its my first active one in over a week or so and the others are fading into Gary Glitter obscurity.

I havent actually made the jump to more than one full pump of BP - I'm still a little dry in places and it seems to be working, so once that settles down I may move to 1.5 pumps.
I've only been using the AHA+ maybe 2 times a week now - although the itching doesnt last nearly as long as it used to, sometimes it just seems like a hassle.

I was excited the other morning when applying the war paint before going to work. Putting on my concealer, I realised I'd been working on the same pot for almost as long as I've been on the regimen - and THAT's a big thing.
I've been actually going to get the papers on a Saturday/Sunday morning at the local supermarket and NOT covering my face with my hair or dipping my head down when approaching the register - EXCELLENT!!!
I went to lunch at La Porkies (La Porchetta - for those in Aus-land) on the weekend and whilst stuffing my face I looked up and one of the friends I went with asked my if I'd either a) had botox or b) had a massive chemical peel - he's just one of those friends. He couldnt believe all I'd been using was the DKR regimen.

Its just those little things that make you grin and pat yourself on the back (therefore patting Dan's back in spirit) for being so astute and buying DKR.

Anywho - enough waffle, here be the pics:

Front : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090427001.jpg
Right : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090427002.jpg
Left : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090427003.jpg

Thanks for reading - happy acne-free trails!
xx
Marti

OMG you look fantastic!

Congratulations on everything going so well! I'm really excited this is working for both of us so well. And hey, if 1 pump of BP works for you, I'd say stick with it. You might heal a little faster if you used more, but in the long run, this way the BP won't run out as fast, either.

Thanks halon2 - I started 1.5 pumps last night and I'll trial that for a week and see how I go, I'm figuring you're more than likely right, because if I've gotten to a point where the results have slowed - thats probably what I need to do.
I was using just the one pump for economic reasons, but after 10 weeks I'm still using my first 8oz bottle and have only just started running out (got my 16oz in the cupboard for when that happens!).
Thanks again - I cant believe, looking back at both our photos how far we've come!!

Day 80 - Start of Week 11 : The Global Acne-nomic Crisis - Stocks in pustules and pain have plummetted...

Its almost been 3 months since I started this rollercoaster - I've clocked up 3 weekends in a row going to get the papers on Sunday morning by myself and actually getting out of the car and going to the counter. I've yet to combat actually going into the city sans makeup - but I assume that will come with time.

Under halon2's guidance, I have upped my BP to 1.25-1.5 pumps and I'm nearly at the bottom of my first 8oz 'pumper'. I dont know if I can see much of a difference, but I DID notice that the ones that were taking ages to clear have started to clear up quicker - thanks halon!

I've been trying to get on here and read through other peoples' progress, sometimes its hard because I'm on a computer from 8am to anywhere from 3pm-5:30pm.

A couple of happy things I've noticed since my skin has been getting better:
1. I can look at my face without frowning/crying/picking;
2. Flow on effect from this - my frown lines are going away!
3. Flow on effect from this - I've had so many people notice my eyes a lot more (less distraction from the state of my face???)
4. I'm not scared to have my partner touch my face (but the whole fact that he likes to moosh my face with his at night when we're in bed and he only washes his face in the morning has me going all Howard Hughes sometimes)
5. I'm using much less makeup - by that I mean I'm going through less, I still wear it 6 out of 7 days.
6. My hands/nails are fabulous - all that hand washing has made me moisturise my hands every night, I use The Body Shop Hemp Hand Cream (FYI)
7. I'm watching what I put into my body food-wise - which means that since I've started I've lost 3-4kg (which I think means 2.2 pounds per kg, thus 6.6-8.8 pounds or something)

All these flow-on effects are pretty awesome - I dont know if it has anything to do with anything, but since I've been happier and bouncier at work, my team leader has suggested I put in for a few higher up positions and even that I might be too qualified for what I'm doing! Huzzah!

Anywho - again I've let my ramblings go on (as I normally do). So here are my Day 80 photos:

Front : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090504003.jpg
Left : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090504005.jpg
Right : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090504004.jpg

Thanks for reading - you deserve a medal for getting through this post!!

xx marti

congratulation!!! It is realy working!!

I'm going to start with DKR too...and see your results is motivative...! Good Job

Day 87 / Start of Week 12 : Just call me puff daddy / kanye...

Err, so 3-4 days ago (on 8 May) at 9:30am I had ALL 4 of my wisdom teeth out - hence the clever title of today's post, and which you'll see in my photos.
I promised myself prior to surgery - the silly things you think about lying in a hospital bed, waiting for the anaesthetic to kick in - that I was NOT going to take photos of myself looking like I'd just gone a million rounds with a pro wrestler. But, this is a true to life log of my journey, warts, swelling and all, so here are this week's instalments:

Front: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090511003.jpg
Left: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090511005.jpg
Right: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090511004.jpg

And I also took a shot prior to washing my face to show you guys what I look like when I go to work or at least face the day -
War Paint : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090511001.jpg

I'm on an awful lot of painkillers at the moment, so if I look like I'm away with the fairies - I most likely am!

I forgot, the last time I posted, to update on active accer's that I had - I had one, on my right chin just below my jaw line which even at the time was not really that active, sort of half dying out even at that stage. To this day, that's been my last active pimple. No bull.
So even after all the drugs that have been pumped into me, the copious amounts of jelly and ice cream and I had to cut back on the bp (couldnt use the full 1.5 pumps as it took too long to rub in on my swollen face), the hormones that attacked me the week prior - I havent had one truly active pimple.

Now, I dont want anyone to think I'm gloating about this, I'm certainly NOT going to sit here and say "Hooray for Marti, she's cured and as if I need to blog on my log anymore!!" - because I do. I'm well aware this battle is far from over. I've got scars I still have to work on, and who knows, a couple of weeks down the track and all that ice cream might decide to have a party on my face - but its doable to have CALM, not necessarily CLEAR, skin. That's EXACTLY what I want.
I really think we all lose hope at times because we're not CLEAR - isnt it just enough for your skin to be CALM?
If you think about how awesome you feel when there's just one day where you have calm skin - it doesnt hurt, you dont feel scabby bits or angry sunburn deep pain when you smile or frown.

Again - I've waffled, but I blame that on the codiene (blessed, sweet, pain-numbing codiene),
but I guess I wanted to get my point across - yes clear skin on models, actors, celebrities, blah blah blah is desirable, BUT - calm skin is achieveable.

End.Transmission.
xx

Congratulations bronzeneo!
doesn't it feel great when you can finally "tame" acne? lol

wow you look amazing!!
its def working for you!. with make-up on you would never even be able to tell that u had spots!!
well done you!
i have been reading stories on here from people on the regimen but im allegic to BP which is sooo annoyin as i cant try it!
but well done you!! i hope that it carrys on working for you!!

I like your bit about CALM skin I think far too many people get hung up on achieving perfect skin and if we are all realistic, it wont happen for many of us. But after years of painful lumps, bumps, redness and scabs, I can proudly say that I too am on my way to being happy with CALM skin. Yeah I am going to end up with scars from my years of picking but hey, thats what makeup is for Covering up mild scars is easy peasy in comparison to trying to dsiguise cysts!

xxx

thank daisy, kimmi and gabriel for your comments - much appreciation!

yeah daisy, i guess i said that because it seems that we can all get soooo hung up in the pursuit of clear skin that we lose sight of the fact we may NEVER have it.
I guess its my own little psychological booster too - and yes, covering up the scars (and even if you ever had the money to do it, have treatments to get rid of htem) with concealer is a LOOOOOT easier than having to disguise a cyst - much like throwing a tiny blanket over the elephant in the room! lol

Are you still using antibiotics? I don't see them listed in your sig anymore, but your first post stated that you were on mino.

I ask because I am curious to know if that might be what cleared you up and not Dan's regimen. I was on his regimen for a little over a month and I developed cystic acne because of it, my IB was TERRIBLE and because of the cysts I now have red marks galore. I'm taking minocycline now, and it's helped with my acne, it flattened most of my active lesions. I am happy with my results, but I have a long way to go, I still have red marks and clogged pores. Your progress is great though, keep it up!

Day 94 - Start of Week 13 : Feeling Blergh.

Apologies to all, first and foremost, electric_feel was right, i did have mino written in my initial sig and when i updated it last i'd forgotten to put it on there. So it has now been corrected! Oops!
I dont believe its the mino that has cleared me, I've taken it in the past and it has never completely cleared me ever - i used to be on 4-6 tablets a day in my very early 20's, it did help initially, but after I stopped taking them i all turned to pooh again.
I'm about to fill my last script this week, so once I go off them I'll update on if there's any significant changes to my skin. I initially got them as a last ditch attempt at anything other than roaccutane (which I cant actually take without monthly blood tests and more monitoring than normal people), but they may have helped clear me up on the inside at least, so we'll see how I go!

With the photos I'm posting you'll also see how nicely my post-operation swelling has gone down. I'm eating crunchy things now, which is awesome because I DO love food and eating only ice cream and soup was getting on my nerves.
I still havent had a new pimple come up, I've had a couple of blackheads but I dont consider them anything to write home about. Plus its hormone time, and usually I have a nasty one starting round about now, but I've noticed since using DKR that it usually comes afterwards, so we'll see!

I've also started using new foundation as of last Tuesday too - rimmel lasting finish w/minerals.
It's stacks better than revlon cs and I havent had a breakout yet. In saying that, I've only been back at work for 2 days and because I work in a giant office wiht no natural light or air (unless i go out for my ciggie breaks), it'll be a test to see how I go with something different on my skin.
Surprisingly, my face actually feels MUCH better with it on and I also feel a diference in my skin when I wash it off - which is a nice bonus. Will keep you updated on how I go with it.

Anywho - I've been having a pretty crap time of it lately, so I'm not going to dilly-dally with the usual rants and post my photos and get out of here so I can shove my face in another bowl of ice cream (comfort eating is nice sometimes):

Front: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090518001.jpg
Left: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090518003.jpg
Right: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090518002.jpg

See you next week!
Marti

No apology needed!

I think what I did wrong with Dan's regimen is that I used too much BP, since my skin is ultra sensitive, I should have stayed at 1/2 a pump for longer than 3 weeks. I was at the full 2 pumps by week 6, and my skin was so irritated and raw that I developed cysts everywhere. If you go to my gallery and check out the image where it says 6 weeks on Dan's regimen, horrible break out you'll see what I mean.

Anyway, the mino helped flatten most of my cysts but I know I don't want to be on it forever. I'm currently being weaned off I went from 100mg to 50mg. I want to try Dan's regimen again after i'm done with the antibiotics and this time do it the right way. Your progress gives me hope just like another poster commented.

You're doing great, bronzeneo!! Your left cheek, especially looks really good.

Keep it going, darlin!

Day 101 - Start of Week 14 : TRIPLE FIGURES!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who commented - this site is definitely one of those places where people that count give you their opinion and you know they're not mum, dad, boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend telling you "hey, its not THAT bad". Means a lot *tears up* :*)

Excitement! Since beginning of Week 12 (day 84) I have not had one active pimple. I am more ecstatic than when I got engaged (but SHHH , do NOT tell my partner!!!!)!!!!!
It's still that weird feeling when you're washing your face or putting something on it, waiting for your fingers to glide over the sore lump or glide over a smooth part and feel something brewing. Gargh! Its just awesome. It's even hormone time and even that's almost over and I usually have at least one beast.

One downer though - and I know it's only been 3 months since I started using DKR - but I feel like I cant move the red marks. I'm not over sensitive about them, but it'd be nice for them to start fading into the background. BUT, I'm hopeful, I've been looking over my last pics and it seems they're slowly (VERY slowly) fading.
I've noticed though, that with DKR my spots take longer to fade, even the ones that dont erupt actually take MUCH longer to go... has anyone eles experienced that?

In other news - my partner's just completed his security course (pretty much regaining it as it used to be his career pre-marti) and looking to get work in the near future. I'm so excited (in case you cant tell, I've been excited this whole post) - finally we MIGHT be able to start dreaming again : about weddings, houses and babies. We've been engaged for over a year and together over 4 years, Im not rushing by any means - its just finally nice to start thinking about THINKING about planning stuff

Anyway!!! Here are photo updates from this week - I'm starting not to see many chnges anymore, but I think that's because I'm the only person who looks at my face as much as I do (apart from the creepy petrol guy) - but here goes!!

Front: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090525001.jpg
Left: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090525002.jpg
Right: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090525003.jpg

Thanks again for your support everyone - and halon2, its not natural to be smiling so much in your photos!!! (jokes!!) You're progress keeps me going with mine too

Cheers!
Marti xx

Great log and keep it up! Your skin looks SO GREAT! It definitely is working - I read your whole log tonight and looked at photos - HUGE IMPROVEMENT!

CONGRATS on the wedding plans!

Hey katmae24! Thanks so much for the support - makes a big difference when you know people can see something too. Keeps you inspired to keep going!

xx

Day 110 - Week 15 - Just a bit late this week...

I know I usually post on a Monday, its now Wednesday - have had a rough week and really just didnt want to go near the computer at all.

Have taken different photos tonight to try and get a closer look at my scarring and may use the same shots to monitor the fading progress methinks.

During the weekend I noticed a little sore lump forming on the left side of my chin between my jaw and lip. I put on some aha before bed and in the morning - zap! gone! yes!
I dont know whether then you could technically say that I havent had a pimple for a while, or just a really active one...

Anywho, no waffle this week, just the pics (Law and Order SVU is on *nerd*):
Front: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090603001.jpg
Forehead: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090603004.jpg
Left: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090603002.jpg
Right: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090603003.jpg

xx
Marti

Day 115 - Start of Week 16 : Questions...

So, I have been having total debbie downer moments for the last few weeks - if this log was somewhere else, I would waffle a whole lot more about what's been happening. But I wont - probably be too much for me to write anyways.
With the amount of stress I am under, I've been really lucky - I admit, Saturday morning (6/6/09) I washed my face and FELT a pimple emerging with redness and a head on my lower lip near the corner on my right. As for the last 15 weeks, I washed as per usual but when I applied the BP I gently massaged a little bit more and paid attention to that area.
I even showed my partner when it was emerging - that night, washed my face of makeup and looked at the offending area. Nothing. You couldnt even see a red mark or anything.
I just wish I'd taken a photo or something to prove it was there.
If that's the only thing I get for stressing - I'm bloody stoked.
And I'm also really impressed that after almost 4 weeks of using rimmel's lasting finish topped with almay's tlc pressed powder that I havent broken out at all.
Hooray for paying half than what I used to for foundation!!! And no more mineral powder all over the bathroom (fiance very happy about that lol).

So, when I mentioned questions above - I have a query for anyone who's in Australia (doesnt have to be, but it would help) : If you run out of DKR cleanser - what do you use in its place that works? We have cetaphil here (limited range compared to America though), and we have Aveeno, but nothing like what anyone uses on the website.
Things are tight financially, and until they improve the cleanser levels are going down to less than half at the moment.
Suggestions would be great - I have garnier stuff, but I dont like the smell or how it makes my face feel (when using prior to DKR).

Anywho, here are this weeks' photos -
Front : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090608001.jpg
Forehead : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090608004.jpg
Left : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090608002.jpg
Right : http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/bron...o/090608003.jpg

I dont know whether its the lighting (or me just looking for changes), but I think the scars have faded a little since last week - which is really heartening!

I'm so happy with the way things are going at the moment with my skin - really, at the moment it would have been the LAST thing I wanted to stress out about.
AND it's my birthday in less than a month - so this will be the FIRST birthday I've had since I was younger that I will have nice skin! Gargh!
I'm turning the big 2-7 and celebrating with a few other friends (4 of whom along with me have our birthdays between 1-4 July - we're all moody cancerians lol) by doing karaoke at one of the local dives. Its just how we roll .

Anyway!!! Hope everyone is doing well - I've been stalking a few logs and its so good having this community here to encourage us all to keep going. Whether it's our first day, first week, first month or its been 6-12 months since we began the journey - I know this sounds corny, but I'm so glad I found this place. In some ways its saved my face, my sanity, my relationships... in more ways than some people can understand.

xx Marti

I think you've posted one of the best logs I've ever read on this site. Thank you so much for taking the time to post this. I'm on my fifth week on the DKR, and my progress has been very similar to what you have displayed on your log. Seriously, reading this log gives me confidence I'm doing the right thing for my acne.


Thanks again! I can't wait to see your next update.