4 replies to this topic

[Buttsoup]

This is the first topic I've made and I'm not entirely sure if it is most suited for this sub-forum, but I wasn't sure where else to put it. If it belongs somewhere else, my apologies.

Firstly, if you're allergic to one of the ingredients in your topicals is it possible that you can just breakout in one place? Or should an allergic reaction be expected to occur over all the areas you put it?

Secondly, is going natural (e.g. African Black Soap) really better than using chemical topicals that are pH friendly? I have always gone with the latter because I believe that a lot of natural products just end up drying your skin, but I am always open to suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Edited by Buttsoup, 04 September 2012 - 09:03 AM.

[Green Gables]

This is the first topic I've made and I'm not entirely sure if it is most suited for this sub-forum, but I wasn't sure where else to put it. If it belongs somewhere else, my apologies.

Firstly, if you're allergic to one of the ingredients in your topicals is it possible that you can just breakout in one place? Or should an allergic reaction be expected to occur over all the areas you put it?

Secondly, is going natural (e.g. African Black Soap) really better than using chemical topicals that are pH friendly? I have always gone with the latter because I believe that a lot of natural products just end up drying your skin, but I am always open to suggestions. Thanks in advance.

A well-formulated chemical application can be just as good or better than a natural product. Some natural products are great, and some are very alkaline and just as drying as your drugstore Clearasil. Dr. Bronner's products are an example of a natural product that is 1) very alkaline and drying and 2) very comedogenic because it contains a high amount of coconut oil.

So really, you just need to look at each product as its own drug and look at the ingredients of each own. There is no way to generalize and say natural products are better or chemical products are better. It is very dependent on the specific ingredients and the formulation.

The one thing that SOME natural products have is simplicity. African black soap does not contain nearly as many ingredients as your typical bodywash. So you're less likely to mess things up, so to speak..

Edited by Green Gables, 04 September 2012 - 01:55 PM.

[Buttsoup]

I see. I always thought that the ingredients were the key element and not so much the fact that a product is natural. It's just that a lot of people on the forums swear by products being natural. So I thought that there might be some truth behind it. Thanks for clearing that out. Knowing truly is half the battle.

Another question (directed at you personally and might also be better suited for PM) regarding spiro. I've read that some women get really impressive results from taking it. Literally going clear after suffering from moderate to severe acne. No different from you I suppose (really happy for you btw ^^). Obviously I'm a male so spiro isn't something that I could take, but is there any kind of equivalent for men? I'm currently trying Saw Palmetto which isn't doing much for me. Well I thought it was working, untill I had a really bad breakout this morning (a bunch of some small cysts in contrast to the white heads which I normally get when I break out).. I'm going to stay on Saw Palmetto for a while, after all I've only been taking it for two weeks now give or take. So if you have any more information to share, please do.

[Green Gables]

I see. I always thought that the ingredients were the key element and not so much the fact that a product is natural. It's just that a lot of people on the forums swear by products being natural. So I thought that there might be some truth behind it. Thanks for clearing that out. Knowing truly is half the battle.

Another question (directed at you personally and might also be better suited for PM) regarding spiro. I've read that some women get really impressive results from taking it. Literally going clear after suffering from moderate to severe acne. No different from you I suppose (really happy for you btw ^^). Obviously I'm a male so spiro isn't something that I could take, but is there any kind of equivalent for men? I'm currently trying Saw Palmetto which isn't doing much for me. Well I thought it was working, untill I had a really bad breakout this morning (a bunch of some small cysts in contrast to the white heads which I normally get when I break out).. I'm going to stay on Saw Palmetto for a while, after all I've only been taking it for two weeks now give or take. So if you have any more information to share, please do.

Well I didn't see ANY results from spiro until the 4 month mark. Although obviously it's the most effective medication for me, it also required the most patience. With antibiotics or retinoids I would see a temporary clearing. With spiro I couldn't tell anything was going on for months.

Saw palmetto is a great choice, but it does depend on getting a quality brand that has active, standardized extract and a high enough dose. Unfortunately I have no idea how much saw palmetto corresponds to how much spiro. I do know that spiro is a lot stronger than saw palmetto. Many males are given 500mg-1000mg for health, so there's that. I also have no idea what good brands are. With herbal extracts...sometimes you get what you pay for, you know?

Some people get better results combining natural anti-androgens. Saw palmetto + stinging nettle + wild yam is a common combo.

By the way, males can take low doses of spiro. There have been many clinical studies with males. But to get a prescription you may require a doctor that thinks out of the box.

Edited by Green Gables, 04 September 2012 - 03:57 PM.

[johndoe1181]

Secondly, is going natural (e.g. African Black Soap) really better than using chemical topicals that are pH friendly?

What exactly is African Black Soap? I'm too lazy to Google it

Yulia))