I rec'd the SA today and am eager to see how it works.

Background:
I have used Dan's BP for around 2 years, and his moisturizer for almost as long. Ideally I use both of these twice/day, though sometimes only in the morning or (very rarely) none at all. In the mornings I wash with store brand Cetaphil (Meijer, to be specific), then use BP (a lot!) followed by a 5-10 minute wait, then the moisturizer (again, a lot). At night, I wash either with the same generic Cetaphil or, if my skin is doing pretty well, with St Ive's Gentle Apricot Scrub. Occasionally I use a Queen Helene mask - Mint Julep, Moisturizing Apricot, or Grape Seed. The mint and apricot I usually leave on overnight - my skin is very oily and as long as I don't use these masks more than once or twice a week, they don't dry out my skin. (I rarely use them even that often, though...more like once a month or so.)

To be honest, I don't know how severe my acne really is, because I've had a fairly severe picking problem for the past couple of years (at least...maybe more). It has been worse when I'm stressed or depressed, and it became a coping mechanism that felt addictive and almost automatic at times. Since I know picking exacerbates skin problems horribly, I can't really say what my acne is like at this point. However, prior to it becoming a serious issue, I was being treated by a dermatologist or GP at different times for acne, but I think it was fairly mild. Usually I used 10% BenzaClin in the morning and a retinoid (not sure which one or which concentration) at night.

That's where I'm coming from...

Why I'm interested in Dan's SA+:
Over the past month or so I've been much better about not picking, though I still do it sometimes. I think that one thing that helps is not having as much to pick at in the first place. Even when I've left my face alone and there are not really any serious problem spots, I still have tons of blackheads and some tiny comedones. After doing some reading, I think BP + moisturizer have helped diminish serious acne (and helped keep in check the effects of picking on my skin). However, I still have blackheads and little white comedones and I would like to diminish these because then I'd have even less to pick at. My understanding is that SA will help clear my pores of the dead cells that turn into stuff that I continue to pick at.

So, this is where I'm heading with trying this new product.

I'll update this thread as I have time, since I want to help out and provide some feedback on the product, in addition to keeping track of whether it helps me or not.

Good luck, everyone!

I tried the SA+ for the first time today. Washed my face (in the shower) with store-brand Cetaphil, afterward used a generous amt of Dan's BP, waited about 10 min, then used a generous (but slightly less than of the BP) of the SA+ all over my face.

It smelled unpleasant, and about a half hour later I can still smell it but it's more faint now. It's something I am willing to put up with if it helps me reduce blackheads/whiteheads.

It stung like a mofo for a while after I applied it - for at least 20 minutes I'd say. But now it doesn't sting at all. Again, it's something I can deal with. I am wondering whether that would happen less if I used it every day.

It definitely has a different feel to it on my skin than the BP. The BP usually dries pretty completely as it is absorbed by my skin, but the SA still has a sort of matte feel to it. A really light tackiness to it when I touch my face, I guess you could say.

I don't know if it's going to dry any more than this, so I'm going to add Dan's moisturizer now anyway.

(By the way, I don't really wear makeup in case anyone wants to compare this to their own experiences.)

You can't use SA + BP at the same time. It cancels each other out..

Hi Languages - thanks for your comment. You make a good point, and so far I have read stuff that says what you say, but also that they can be used together without any "canceling" effect. I definitely want to find out how these two products work (or don't work) in combination, so I'm going to search the scientific/medical literature sometime soon. I'll definitely report back and let people know what I find.

Thanks again for raising an important point.

Did the same last night as described earlier in the day. The SA burned for about 10 minutes (I may have overestimated the amount of time it did that the first time.)

Unfortunately I did pick last night. The stuff I picked at definitely seemed to come out of my skin more easily than normal, but this could be my imagination.

Also, a few hours after I applied everything the first time, there was a raised white spot at the edge of a larger, covered spot that has been there for a couple of weeks and has been very stubborn about going away. It feels smaller, too.

So far I am liking this combination and it does seem like it is helping move things along faster in terms of problem spots getting smaller and going away or in the case of blackheads, "loosening" from the pores.

I'm going to keep using these products together like this for now since it seems to be going well.

Will also do the literature search described in my previous post, because I definitely want to know more about how BP and SA work or don't work together. I have actually found contradictory information from Dan on this website, so I feel like I need to take this into my own hands and investigate further. I am definitely liking the BP + SA so far, though.

I'm a little confused with that comment. Did you mean it should not be used at the same time like apply on top of SA+ or apply SA+ on top of BP. Or I should not use like BP in day time, then SA+ at night on it's own?

Still waiting for my SA+, should have arrived 3 days ago

Keeping up with the same routine, except I missed the last two nights. / Today it seemed like the SA burned less, and for less time. Will pay closer attn the next few times to see if it really is diminishing.

One big problem that I hope Dan can address as he refines this product: the SA balls up when it's on my face. Or at least I think that's what is happening. Will continue to pay attn to that, too.

Other than that one small issue, I am love love loving this product! Since I started using it I have picked less - I think partly because my skin is looking better. Hopefully things will continue this way.

Sounds like you might be using a little too much of the SA, based on the burning you're reporting. I've noticed balling up when I use too much, too. I definitely suggest using less of it.

Sorry for never responding to this, but I only noticed it earlier this week!

Anyway, I guess that would be the obvious thing to do, but I never thought of it. Thank you for the suggestion! I really hated the balling up and I think that was why I didn't use the SA consistently.

I am sick and tired of the bleaching effect of bp. I am now going to try using that only at night (but my poor sheets hate it...), and SA in the morning.

I REALLY REALLY hope Dan continues to make the SA and that he'll make it a regular part of the product line. I haven't tried the AHA so I don't know how it compares with the SA, but I know that the SA is really key for me.

I've mentioned before that I have problems with picking. SA seems to be the most important thing in helping me combat that. It really makes my skin look much better in such a short time that I am less tempted to pick. Awful spots I've made heal more quickly and there's less to pick at in terms of blackheads/clogged pores.

I am going to order more of both the SA and the BP, and force myself to stick more closely to the bp/night sa/morning routine. My skin is looking better again, much better, than it was when I went back to bp only. It's not a miracle, and my skin's definitely not perfect, but I almost feel human again. When my skin looks this decent I have so much more of a reason to pick less, and to be more strong-willed about controlling that behavior.

PLEASE, Dan, please don't stop making your SA. I need it to feel human in a certain way. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. I'm 30 years old and my skin is 100x worse than it was at age 18 and I'm so tired of what has turned into a definitely obsessive compulsion, and your SA is helping me so much. Please don't discontinue this product.

I'm a believer with you. I use BP and SA together as well, and it has worked wonderfully. Morning and night, I use the Proactiv cleanser, toner, and repairing lotion (which cleanser and lotion contain 2.5% BP). But after I cleanse and tone in the morning, I apply Clean&Clear 2% SA and then lotion just like Dan explains in the regimen to apply BP and moisturizer.

I was really skeptical when I picked up the Clean&Clear SA and read on the tube, "100% of people showed clearer skin in one day," but I told myself that J&J had to at least have some clinical trial to display that on their product, and I didn't expect miracle results from one day. But even still, clearer skin in some remote way is definitely better than it getting worse. But I'm telling you, wow. I actually bought this during the day, so the first time I used it was that night after I cleansed and used toner, then followed the SA with the repairing lotion. I've had a horrible sudden problem (started in June 2009) with oily skin and inflamed bumps all over my forehead, and the next morning after using the SA it was cleared by half. No joke. Not to mention, my oil production was almost a normal dewy look. So, I had the same results as you with skin looking better in a short time.

This is the fourth day of adding SA into my morning regimen of Proactiv, and my face is just getting clearer and clearer by the day. To give you an idea, I had too many bumps on my forehead to count, about half of them inflamed. On the fourth morning, I count ten barely noticeable (slightly raised, not inflamed and may be leftover whiteheads) bumps, and three inflamed bumps that are noticeable. Even with the inflammation, it's slight in comparison to what it used to be.

I'm not sure if it's the combination of SA+BP we're using, or if our skin likes what we're doing to it, but something about this works for us. And, I also had a tingly feeling when I first applied SA. I think that's why I stick to using SA in the morning and let my skin rest and do it's renourishing thing while I sleep.

Good luck with your SA+BP! Keep us updated, as I'm glad to have someone I can compare my results with and the possibility that we may have found something that works for us.