3 replies to this topic

[bradyclock]

I have been battling acne for years and I can say with just a bit of confidence that I think I have finally found the balance for my face. I am on doxycycline twice a day, tazorac at night, sulfacetamide and sulfur cream in the morning, and I cleanse with a tea tree oil soap and apply witch hazel using noxema salicylic acid pads 3 times a day. I am also on several supplements. This has kept my face mostly clear for a while now. It's not perfect but it's to a point that I can live with and not feel embarassed.

That said, the trouble lies with my back, chest, and upper arms. I still have moderately severe acne in these areas that has improved slightly over the last few months but has not resolved to the point. I have a feeling that the fact that almost 24 hours a day some kind of topical product is on my face is the reason it has remained so clear. I just can't seem to do that for my body. Does anyone have any recommendations of what I can put on my back and chest /arms all the time that can just stay there that will effectively keep my body clear or mostly clear for a long time?

I am considering accutane, but I want to wait and see if any last ditch efforts work instead. I feel like it must be possible since my face cleared so well (yes I am aware that body acne is more stubborn, but I still have hope)

Any suggestions? Thanks guys

[LiveLaughFart]

Do you go to the gym? Because I think sweat can cause acne on the body.

I used murad's body spray before, I had upper back acne and upper arm acne but, not chest acne..it got rid of it in like 2 weeks and my upper back stayed clear for almost 3 years (I only had to use the product for 2 weeks) but once i started working out at the gym my upper back acne came back. But the arm acne never came back.

[steven m jacobson]

What do you use on your body right now? I highly recommend not using soap. The surfactants in soaps are harsh for the skin, the only way to allow your skin to heal is by allowing it to provide the natural oils and acidic mantle to protect itself. Soap strips these two main factors and leaves the skin dry and defenseless to bacteria. Hot water can also be a very bad thing (as it is for me, I take short cold showers personally). Hot water can strip oils from your skin that are there to moisturize it, it also leaves the skin flaky and dull. Dead skin build up is a breeding ground for bacteria, which leads to clogged pores. Cold water just rinses your skin without causing any effects to the oils, acid mantle or skins integrity, does not dry out the skin. Best of luck.

[whatthekell]

you're probably going to have to experiment a little bit before you find what works for you. in the past, i would wash everything with Dial spring water antibacterial soap. then cleanse my whole back, arms, and chest with Neutrogena 2% salicylic acid. at night i'd wipe same areas with clearasil daily cleansing pads. sometimes apply 10% BP on problem areas. this worked great and made it disappear. then all of a sudden this past summer, it flared up on my back again. i think because i stopped using the Dial body wash and switched to a scented soap that probably wasn't good for my skin. i also have a very physical job and sweat. so now my solution is: wash problem areas with Dial bar soap (spring water scent) with .60% triclosan (antibacterial) then when i get out of the shower i apply Dan's AHA+ on upper arms and all over my back. I don't smear all over my chest but put it on any spots i get and if no spots, i use Clean and Clear dual action moisturizer on my chest instead. I love Dan's AHA! It's my hero. It's pretty expensive and you'll go through about a bottle a month applying it twice a day... but it's worth it to me. P.s. I shower twice a day now and do that routine. I love it because i don't ruin any clothes with BP. hope this helped and wasn't too much to read!