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I discovered Dan's regimen about 4-5 years ago, the time before acne.org spawned Daniel Kern products. I used the BP regimen faithfully for about 4 years with great success. Then got on BC (Yazmin) and cleared up my skin even more. For a good while, I had pretty much found a consistent, useful routine to keep my skin relatively clear with no major breakouts (my acne has always been mild to moderate) and quick fading of brown marks. That is until a year ago. The year when I had the most stressful experience in my life that not only wreaked havoc mentally and emotionally but re-ignited my battle with acne. I immediately just went back to vigilant and precise use of Dan's method to no avail. After about 5 months or so, I literally through my BP away. I had to start from ground zero with my anti-acne experimentation which included, many OTC products to no avail including AHA lotion, African black soap, salicylic acid pads (Oxy) and apple cider vinegar (these did help with small forehead bumps and a few deeply ingrained marks).
I was getting desperate and finally went back to the doctor to get put back on Yasmin. The BC helped some but didn't get my skin back to normal. Not wanting to continue to pay co-pays for every derm visit to do the same kind of experimentation on my face, I went rogue. I finally opened up a now expired tube of 0.05% tretinoin cream (at least by 6 months!) my dad had brought back from a trip from Mexico nearly a year before. I think it costs him about $15-20 in US dollars for the tube (40g). I never really tried it because I never needed it and then by the time my acne had resurged I forgot about it. I had read some studies that said most meds don't expire and that you can use any drugs that you don't necessarily have to work at 100% effectivity. So, I went for it. And started using the cream as most derms direct: Gentle face wash 30 minutes prior, pea-size amount, every 3 nights, then every 2, then every night once your face acclimates to the drying factor.
It's been about 3 months and my face is FINALLY started to return to normal. I experienced the intial purging at about week 3 but nothing abnormal just a moderate acne breakout on my cheek and chin that dried and faded rather rapidly. And then week after week, a few little bumps would come to head and then heal and fade quickly. The process still seems to be happening with much more time in between the mini-breakouts and the pimples drying up faster and faster each time. At this point now, I have 5 tiny little whiteheads that are already drying out. But the most noticeable difference is that my skin feels generally smooth to the touch with none of those pesky, deep bumps that usually recur on my face. I only have dry patches when I use too much medicine. I have quite a bit of cream left in the tube and won't expect that it will need to be refilled for a quite sometime (about 9 months) unless I notice a decline in its effectiveness as time marches on. So far so good though so keep that in mind if you have left over prescription. Once my breakouts end completely I plan on adding AHA lotion back into my routine in the mornings as I hear that the one-two punch of glycolic and retinoid acid does wonders. Good luck to you all who are starting a retinoid acid regimen. I hope you have similar success! Here's my log:
Morning:
Wash with Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash Clarifying Cleanser using the soft side of the Sephora Ultimate Dual Exfoliating Face Brush
Tone with Apple Cider Vinegar-Water (1:3 ratio)
Wait 30 minutes
Pea-sized 0.05% Tretinoin Cream
Wait 30 minutes
Moisturize with Rosewater-Glycerin Spritz
Protect with Coppertone Faces 30 Spf Lotion
Night:
Wash with Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash Clarifying Cleanser
Tone with Apple Cider Vinegar-Water (1:3 ratio)
Wait 30 minutes
Pea-sized 0.05% Tretinoin Cream
Wait 30 minutes
Moisturize with Rosewater-Glycerin Spritz if normally dry or The Body Shop Nutriganics Night Cream if extra dry
Edited by yummit, 06 January 2012 - 02:39 AM.
