7 replies to this topic

[Lilly75]

I was hoping to find some advice about treating my acne and hyper-pigmentation marks (which I have a lot of). Am I able to do something to treat these marks at the same time as treating acne without causing more acne? I don't really know what to try for it so suggestions would be great.
I've noticed stress does make my skin worse and I'm getting into exams at uni so the stress is building. Any tips on dealing with stress?

At the moment I cleanse with a gentle cleanser most days but occasionally with a 5% BP cleanser that I don't mind. I also use a green tea/sea salt toner and a MSM soothing/moisturising cream as a moisturiser. I also take either ground flax-seeds or flax-seed oil every day and drink rooibos tea also.

This is probably the best my skin has been in a while actually... No big cysts which is good - just a lot of post-acne marks, acne that doesn't come to a head and blackheads on my nose. It upsets me when I focus on it. I'm trying not to though. Negative thinking doesn't help anything. I just wish I could feel better about myself and my skin more often. I'm just so sick of dealing with acne and the emotional toll it takes.

Any help/advice would be really appreciated.

(edit-removed photos)

Edited by Lilly75, 02 January 2013 - 07:52 AM.

[Randall Flagg]

I don't see much active stuff at all right now, mostly just the hyperpigmentation marks. My cheeks look a lot like yours in terms of the red marks that take awhile to fade. The one product I can't recommend enough (it gets rave reviews from just about everyone on this site) is aloe vera gel. It seems to do a really good job of smoothing out skin texture and fading post-acne marks. Most people swear by it straight from the plant, but I use just a regular bottle of aloe vera gel and seems to do the trick too.

p.s- I always see your posts on the forum, and I just want you to know that you're a gorgeous girl, Lilly! People who meet you for the first time are sure to notice the shape of your face and your pretty eyes first, and I'm sure they don't even notice any hyperpigmentation. That's my problem where I'll think people are examining every inch of my skin for flaws, when in reality they don't even notice or care...it's just a mental habit I have.

[Murph89]

Yeah you're skin isn't bad at all. You don't have many actives which is good. Red marks as you know take time to fade. Exfoliation and whatever product you choose will work, but takes time. Stick stick to something very genre, yet effective. You're a very cute girl girl and I wouldn't be turned off by the qualitify of your skin if I met u for the first time. Good luck with whatever treatment you choose. and also, I'm extremely jealous that you live in Australia. I'll trade countries any day!

[Lilly75]

I don't see much active stuff at all right now, mostly just the hyperpigmentation marks. My cheeks look a lot like yours in terms of the red marks that take awhile to fade. The one product I can't recommend enough (it gets rave reviews from just about everyone on this site) is aloe vera gel. It seems to do a really good job of smoothing out skin texture and fading post-acne marks. Most people swear by it straight from the plant, but I use just a regular bottle of aloe vera gel and seems to do the trick too.

p.s- I always see your posts on the forum, and I just want you to know that you're a gorgeous girl, Lilly! People who meet you for the first time are sure to notice the shape of your face and your pretty eyes first, and I'm sure they don't even notice any hyperpigmentation. That's my problem where I'll think people are examining every inch of my skin for flaws, when in reality they don't even notice or care...it's just a mental habit I have.

Yeah I'm lucky at the moment by not having much active acne. Some of it though are shallow bumps still - not completely flat yet but not really active I guess - and they don't really show up in pictures.
Actually I do remember hearing some good things about aloe now that you mention it. I might try it out. Where do you find bottles of the gel? And it's probably best to get one as natural a possible right?
Thank you for the reply and kind words too - that's nice of you to say. I think that as people with acne, we're so focused on our skin that we've convinced ourselves its the only thing other people notice because often it's all we see when we look at ourselves. We're also often our own worst critics. I'm going to try and not be so hard on myself and try not to worry so much of what others think. (Having said that though - I feel ridiculously exposed by having added photos here... :-P)

Yeah you're skin isn't bad at all. You don't have many actives which is good. Red marks as you know take time to fade. Exfoliation and whatever product you choose will work, but takes time. Stick stick to something very genre, yet effective. You're a very cute girl girl and I wouldn't be turned off by the qualitify of your skin if I met u for the first time. Good luck with whatever treatment you choose. and also, I'm extremely jealous that you live in Australia. I'll trade countries any day!

Thank you, also, for the reply and kind words Murph.
I haven't had much luck in finding an exfoliant that doesn't break me out. Do you know of any good ones?
Being gentle and having patience is good advice. As with anything skin / acne related I think patience is key!
Haha if it were possible I might take you up on that - you're in NYC right? I've always wanted to visit there. But Australia is beautiful so I'd probably be coming back :-P

[Peck]

There's really no point trying to do anything for your red marks while you still have active acne, regardless of how severe it is. You'll keep getting red marks if you still have acne, and it's just a losing battle trying to fight them. Believe me, I've been down this road, and it's a totally fruitless one.

So, my advice? Get your acne under control. Go see your doctor, because through my experience with acne the majority of over-the-counter washes and techniques are just marketed scams and do nothing for anyone with more than the occasional spot. They get your hopes up until they ultimately crush them when you realise they've done nothing but bleed you of money. Don't be afraid to try medication (offered officially of course, don't go down the self-prescribe route on that). It's the only thing that ever cleared me up. I've never understood why there's such a taboo with treating acne, there's this ludicrous perception that it needs to be treated 'from within', i.e. that it's about a clean and happy living, and that you have to forfeit an 'easy' lifestyle and deal with it by sacrificing loads of the foods and activities you love. Totally stupid in my opinion. But anyway, I'm just ranting away like an old man now.

All the best anyway

[Lilly75]

There's really no point trying to do anything for your red marks while you still have active acne, regardless of how severe it is. You'll keep getting red marks if you still have acne, and it's just a losing battle trying to fight them. Believe me, I've been down this road, and it's a totally fruitless one.

So, my advice? Get your acne under control. Go see your doctor, because through my experience with acne the majority of over-the-counter washes and techniques are just marketed scams and do nothing for anyone with more than the occasional spot. They get your hopes up until they ultimately crush them when you realise they've done nothing but bleed you of money. Don't be afraid to try medication (offered officially of course, don't go down the self-prescribe route on that). It's the only thing that ever cleared me up. I've never understood why there's such a taboo with treating acne, there's this ludicrous perception that it needs to be treated 'from within', i.e. that it's about a clean and happy living, and that you have to forfeit an 'easy' lifestyle and deal with it by sacrificing loads of the foods and activities you love. Totally stupid in my opinion. But anyway, I'm just ranting away like an old man now.

All the best anyway

Thanks for the reply
That's a good point - and a question I had meant to ask - about whether to wait until my only issue is red marks before treating them. I can see how treating them while still having an issue of acne would turn into a near endless cycle...

Funny you mention the medication road to clearing skin as the taboo one as I always thought it was the lifestyle/diet one that was more taboo. I have seen my doctor about this a few years ago and I've tried prescription topicals and different oral antibiotics. I don't like the idea of taking antibiotics long term for my skin and I don't see the point either because once you stop you're acne will return - you're just going to end up back at the beginning and disappointed. That was the case for me anyway when I used antibiotics - acne returned shortly after I finished the prescription. I don't agree with some of the diet/lifestyle/hollistic approaches either so I guess I'll be trying to find a balance between the two for whatever ends up working for me

Thanks again

[Peck]

Thanks for the reply
That's a good point - and a question I had meant to ask - about whether to wait until my only issue is red marks before treating them. I can see how treating them while still having an issue of acne would turn into a near endless cycle...

Funny you mention the medication road to clearing skin as the taboo one as I always thought it was the lifestyle/diet one that was more taboo. I have seen my doctor about this a few years ago and I've tried prescription topicals and different oral antibiotics. I don't like the idea of taking antibiotics long term for my skin and I don't see the point either because once you stop you're acne will return - you're just going to end up back at the beginning and disappointed. That was the case for me anyway when I used antibiotics - acne returned shortly after I finished the prescription. I don't agree with some of the diet/lifestyle/hollistic approaches either so I guess I'll be trying to find a balance between the two for whatever ends up working for me

Thanks again

Oh fair enough. Yeah I know exactly what you mean about antibiotics, they're just a damage limitation excersise in the long-term. The only thing that cleared me up properly was accutane, although it would be insanely irresponsible of me to sit here and recommend that you go for that, that's something you need to decide yourself if you ever do consider it.

No worries, always nice to repay advice on this site

[Lilly75]

Thanks for the reply
That's a good point - and a question I had meant to ask - about whether to wait until my only issue is red marks before treating them. I can see how treating them while still having an issue of acne would turn into a near endless cycle...

Funny you mention the medication road to clearing skin as the taboo one as I always thought it was the lifestyle/diet one that was more taboo. I have seen my doctor about this a few years ago and I've tried prescription topicals and different oral antibiotics. I don't like the idea of taking antibiotics long term for my skin and I don't see the point either because once you stop you're acne will return - you're just going to end up back at the beginning and disappointed. That was the case for me anyway when I used antibiotics - acne returned shortly after I finished the prescription. I don't agree with some of the diet/lifestyle/hollistic approaches either so I guess I'll be trying to find a balance between the two for whatever ends up working for me

Thanks again

Oh fair enough. Yeah I know exactly what you mean about antibiotics, they're just a damage limitation excersise in the long-term. The only thing that cleared me up properly was accutane, although it would be insanely irresponsible of me to sit here and recommend that you go for that, that's something you need to decide yourself if you ever do consider it.

No worries, always nice to repay advice on this site

Yeah - I don't think accutane is something I'd use unless my acne got very severe. I know some people use it for milder cases but I'm not comfortable with doing that for me.
Glad you found something that worked for you!