What I use

People sometimes ask what products use and what I think is essential. Below is a pictoral representation of what I wouldn't be without. Hover your pointer over the items below for an explanation of each.

  1. A towel system. I don't wash my hair every day, so oil most likely builds up. In order to keep the oil localized in one area, upon exiting the shower I use the middle of my towel for drying my hair. Then I use the edges of the towel for my face. Since my body is clean at that point I don't pay a lot of attention to which part of the towel I use for my body. I change towels maybe every 5 days or so.
  2. A cleanser that doesn't overdry. Since I use benzoyl peroxide twice a day in generous amounts, my skin can get dry. So it's important to me to use a cleanser that doesn't add to this dryness. I use my own cleanser (DanielKern.com) because I designed it to be exactly what I want. It is extremely mild and it's a liquid so it can achieve perfect pH balance and not overdry. It's also unscented which is important to me. If I was broke I would likely use Basis Sensitive Skin bar. The Basis bar is nice. It's mild, lathers well, lasts for a while, is unscented, and isn't very expensive. If I was really in a pickle and had to get whatever was at the store, I would settle for the Purpose Bar. I think the Purpose Bar is a little drying, but it served me well for a few years and I know it will work fine.
  3. A 2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel. Quite honestly I would hate to go back to using a cream based benzoyl peroxide. A gel is easier to apply and doesn't turn white when you perspire. I don't really understand why they make it in cream form. I use my own gel (DanielKern.com) and I'm in love with it. It's unscented, feels good going on, isn't tacky afterward, and does the job. If I didn't have access to mine, I would probably switch my insurance from Blue Cross and go over to Kaiser Permanente, which is an insurance carrier out here in San Francisco. They sell a 2 ounce 2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel in their hospital store and it's not bad. If I absolutely had to get whatever was at the store, I would use whichever 2.5% cream was available, but I really don't like using them now that I've experienced the superiority of a gel.
  4. A nice 10% alpha hydroxy for spot treatment. Part of the reason I decided to make this page of Acne.org was to let people know some of my little secrets. 10% alpha hydroxy is one of them. I love this stuff. If I see a zit forming, I will glob on the benzoyl peroxide as usual, but then once the benzoyl peroxide dries, I'll glob on a little 10% alpha hydroxy acid as well. More often than not the combo of BP and AHA will stop the spot in its tracks. Catching it early is key though. I am always very careful to apply the AHA as gently and carefully as I apply the BP.
  5. A moisturizer that takes care of flakiness. I finally perfected a moisturizer. This is the one that I currently use. I am excited about it. It goes on light and works incredibly well. If I were to use something over-the-counter in stores I would alternate between Neutrogena Healthy Skin with AHA and Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion. I like the Neutrogena because it's got a healthy dose of alpha hydroxy acid and it makes my skin look nice and even, but it's pretty harsh so I'd only use it probably every other day or every three days. Cetaphil would probably be my staple moisturizer, but I have to admit I wouldn't be happy about it. It's too thick for my taste. But, it is great for the lips. My lips have been dry ever since I took Accutane years ago, so I need lip balm. I use a little bit of Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion on my lips instead of lip balm at night. This prevents the oily lib balm from coming into contact with the pillow and thus the rest of my face as I sleep.
  6. Fresh pillow cases. I don't get crazy about it, but I change my pillowcases every week or so. If I had long hair or more initiative I might change them more often. We know that prolonged exposure to oil can aggravate acne, so theoretically if your hair's oil gets on your pillowcase you can be in contact with it. It might even just be a psychological thing, but I like sleeping on clean pillowcases.
  7. An organic jojoba oil. I use a few drops of jojoba oil for my lips at night as a sort of nighttime lip balm. I also use a few drops of it in whichever SPF moisturizer I am trying out. Most of the SPF moisturizers I've tried tend to not take care of flakiness well enough, but with a few drops of jojoba oil it's usually good to go. Also, although my hair is too short to really care, I'll sometimes use a few drops as hair conditioner as well.
  8. An open mind. I look forward to the day when we can find easier ways of handling acne. I also look forward to researching the topic as much as possible to get to the root of the issue. If it's possible to prevent acne with a diet that is doable I am the first in line. I remain open to any and all future possibilities.
  9. Zinc, fish oil, vitamin D3, multivitamin. Zinc in particular has been shown in several studies to help with acne. I take one 30-50mg tablet per day on a full stomach to prevent nausea. Zinc can be toxic in high doses (above 100mg/day) so I make sure that I do not take more than 50mg per day. Omega-3s are fantastic at reducing inflammation and acne is at least in part an inflammatory disease. I take 3 fish oil pills with breakfast and more with other meals if I remember. I also take one 1000iu vitamin D3 pill per day. Humans only make vitamin D through sun exposure, and my sun exposure is limited. Because I am lactose intolerant I also do not ingest vitamin D fortified dairy products, so taking a vitamin D pills is good insurance. Lastly, I take a multivitamin. There is scant evidence to show that it is actually beneficial, but I take one just in case, especially if I haven't been eating lots of fruits and veggies. Please note: If you have a medical condition please consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
  10. A two blade razor. I have tried pretty much every razor around. Single blade razors irritate and I tend to cut myself a lot with them. Triple or Quadruple blade razors are terribly irritating to the point where I feel like I'm ripping at my skin. Electric razors seem like they should be smooth and non-irritating, but in my experience they are rough, irritating, and don't do a good enough job on the neck area, no matter how much they are advertised to be specially designed for the neck. But there is a shining beacon in the two blade razor. My two favorite razors are the Gillette Sensor Excel and the Gillette Trac II, both of which are vastly superior to their competitors. Two blade disposables would be my next choice. When I forgot my Sensor Excel on a recent vacation, I picked up a couple different two blade disposables and they both worked well enough.