The Acne.org Regimen in Printer Friendly Format

A step-by-step program to clear skin
using only over the counter products

What is the Regimen?

The Regimen is a simple three step process, using inexpensive over- the-counter products. You may have even experimented with these products before. But while the products themselves are important, the quantity you'll be using is equally important. Also vital is reducing irritation. This means applying the products gently, and leaving your skin relatively untouched the rest of the day.

To get started you'll need a mild cleanser, plenty of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide and a good moisturizer. Once you have the products you need, follow the step-by-step instructions. It is simple yet incredibly effective. I wish someone had shared this with me years ago.

How I discovered the Regimen

I suffered with acne for all of my adolescence and early adulthood. I experimented with every conceivable treatment, including retin-a, antibiotics, cleocin-t, sulfur, salicylic acid, and several others. Some cleared me up a little bit, but not enough to satisfy me. The best of the products I tried was benzoyl peroxide, but it still didn't totally clear my skin. You can read more about my treatment history at www.acne.org/acne_treatment.html.

Roughly 10 years ago, at my wits end one evening, I stood holding a tube of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide while looking in the mirror at new pimples that had shown up that day and I felt pretty desperate. I decided "what the heck--I'm using a bunch of this stuff". I had nothing to lose, so I applied a lot more than usual, in a vain attempt to rid the new spots. I went to bed and hoped for the best. I woke up the next morning and my skin looked much better. I thought it must have been a fluke but day after day of using plenty of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide my spots faded. Over the following weeks, as I perfected the process, my skin finally cleared completely.

Eager to share my success, I made this website. It's been very cool watching the Regimen work for so many other people.

How the Regimen works

Gentle face wash: A gentle face wash will help prepare your skin for benzoyl peroxide. Removing surface oils allows the benzoyl peroxide to penetrate more easily. Washing very gently helps avoid irritation. While scientists and doctors do not know exactly what causes acne, we do know that irritation alone can make it worse.

Plenty of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide: Benzoyl peroxide oxygenates skin. Acne bacteria cannot live in oxygenated environments. Benzoyl peroxide is also a mild drying and peeling agent which is thought to help keep pores from clogging. On the Regimen you'll be using 2.5% benzoyl peroxide because clinical studies have shown it is just as effective as 5% and 10% but much less irritating. Remember, irritation alone can aggravate acne. I found that using lots of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide is incredibly effective. Why apply so much? Nobody knows for sure why this works so amazingly well but myself and thousands of others have had great success using this method. My theory is that applying more simply allows it to penetrate more deeply into the skin.

Good moisturizer: Because you'll be using lots of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, your skin will most likely be dry and a little flaky. Applying a good moisturizer will help keep your skin in balance and allow you to go out into public with non-flaky, normal looking skin.

Step-by-step instructions

Important: For best results, the Regimen should be performed twice a day, preferably 12 hours apart. Follow the steps below precisely as outlined. I cannot make this point strongly enough. Maybe even print out this page or the checklist and take it into the bathroom with you. Also, avoiding irritation is of paramount importance. Try to keep your skin relatively untouched as you go through your day.

Wash Gently

Important: I've said this before but I must say it again. It is important not to irritate your skin. Your fingers should gently glide over your skin.

Do not use soap on the Regimen; it can be harsh and extremely drying to the skin. A tell-tale sign of soap is when there is no list of ingredients on the package.

• Splash your face and neck and any other problem areas with warm water from your sink or shower.
• Lather up your hands with your chosen mild cleansing wash or bar.
• Gently wash problem areas with your bare hands. This should take no longer than a few seconds. Do not use a washcloth. It is too irritating. All you are trying to do is get the area prepped for the BP. Rinse gently.
• Gently pat dry. Do not rub.
• Wait until your skin is completely dry. It takes around 5 minutes after washing my face in the sink for it to dry completely and about 10-15 minutes after a shower.

Medicate

Important: Because benzoyl peroxide can cause redness and itchiness it's vital that you start with only a small amount. These effects should subside within a few weeks. Swelling and/or crusting, which is rare, is a sign of allergy. In this case, stop using BP immediately and consult a physician.

Tip: after you have squeezed out everything in the tube, you can still cut it in half and get quite a bit more out with your finger.

• Wash and dry hands. If you're just starting the Regimen it's important to start off with a smaller amount of BP to help avoid irritation. Over a 2-4 week period slowly increase the quantity of BP you use until you're using the full amount. View how much Benzoyl Peroxide to apply at www.acne.org/finger.html.
• Squeeze out the required amount of BP and spread it on to your face very gently with your fingers. Don't rub. Just allow your fingers to glide over your skin. Carefully avoid the area around the eyes; the thickness of the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the skin) near the eyes is about 1/10^th as thick as the rest of the face and can be very sensitive to benzoyl peroxide. If you are new to the Regimen, start out with about 1/4 inch of BP, then work up to the full amount which is roughly 2 inches. See www.acne.org/finger.html to view the pictures on how much BP to use.
• If you're using a cream such as Neutrogena On-The-Spot rather than Acne.org Treatment Gel, apply to smaller areas of your face at a time to prevent the cream from drying out before it has absorbed. With a gel it is safe to apply to the entire face all at once. Watch a video of how to apply benzoyl peroxide medication at www.acne.org/video.html.
• Wait 5-15 minutes for your skin to dry.

Moisturize

• Wash and dry hands. Apply moisturizer. I use slightly less moisturizer than BP. Apply enough so your skin isn't flaky and you can go out in public with normal looking skin.
• After a few minutes if your skin is still flaky, apply a bit more moisturizer. Do not skip this step. Begin moisturizing twice a day from your first day on the Regimen.
• Carefully avoid the area around the eyes with the moisturizer as well. The moisturizer can pick up some of the underlying BP and may irritate the sensitive area around the eyes.

Finding your Regimen supplies

Now you know all about the Regimen, how it works, and how to apply it, so it's time to get your supplies. For years the Regimen consisted of only drugstore brand products, but they can be expensive. I lobbied the large brand names to make us larger size products, and got friendly responses but little in the way of action. So I decided to make larger, and more cost effective products for us myself. While I was at it, I made them higher quality and less drying so they would work specifically for the Regimen. You should see faster and better results with my products. However, not everybody can order online so I've made sure to also recommend some good alternatives. Go to www.acne.org/findingsupplies.php to view recommended Regimen products.

Good luck everybody!