Acne.org Products
Got a pimple above my chin yesterday, not huge or cyst-like but it's still kind of annoying. I shouldn't be complaining though, this is like the first pimple I've gotten in almost two or three months since being on the Regimen. Noticed I might have a clogged pore on my forehead too today. I recently switched cleansers so hopefully that won't be an issue, thinking this is probably just a random pimple...I've heard even longtime Regimen users still get them from time to time.
On 7/30/2013 at 10:26 AM, Randall Flagg said:On 7/29/2013 at 9:01 PM, Ghostunit said:Not so great! I've been talking to this girl that I met on a vegan dating site and it seems like we like each other even though we haven't met, but we both shared out past. I told her about my acne, how i wasted 10 years of my life hiding because of it. Hopefully she understands that I am insecure and uncomfortable when meeting people since this is all new to me due to acne. I started to clear up like 2 years ago. I know I didn't experience a lot and I missed out a lot of things. I did let acne defeat me. Now at 26, I am ready to be social, meet people , and hopefully find the right girl in my life. I am glad I shared my story with her so she could understand.
I've been rejected by girls since I am too shy and uncomfortable. I've met a total of 6 girls and they all stopped talking to me. Sorry for this, I just don't know what to do if this girl stop talking to me after meeting up with her. If that happens, I will give up meeting people for a while. I have a lot of things to catch up. Maybe if I take psychology , it will help me understand more about humans in general
Hey bud, keep at it! It's tough as hell trying to approach the dating scene even if your acne has largely healed because the mental scarring is still there. I know how hard it is especially for males with acne/recovering from acne to try and get back out there because guys are expected to do all the approaching/showing of interest when it comes to dating and that just makes things so much tougher for us. I'm wishing you lots of luck!
p.s: if any girl rejects you for confiding in her about your past struggles with acne then she's a shallow human being that you would be better off not having in your life. Keep your eye out for girls that are caring enough to realize that guys struggle with confidence issues just like any other human being would...those are the girls worth pursuing, the ones that can be understanding and empathize with you. It's tough finding girls like that these days but I'm sure if you keep looking you'll have success.
Thanks for your reply! My skin has been smooth, I do get 2-3 small ones occasionally.. like right now, I have 3-4 active ones! They came out of no where. Sucks because I am meeting a vegan girl tomorrow , I hope she won't notice my zits.
PS: I have bed bugs because my sister's bf brought them when he stayed at our house. It is hard to tell whether it is bed bugs bite or just pimples. I am sure it is bed bug bites because I saw one on my pillow and I now have a new bump on my forehead. That bastard bit my forehead.
Feeling pretty good today. Apart from some light hp, a small spot by the corner of my mouth and one on my neck (which thankfully did not turn into a cyst), I`m all clear.
Still drinking a green tea every day instead of a cappuccino. Had to ditch the spearmint flavour though as it was rank. However, thanks to some good advice that I received on these forums, I am now drinking jasmine orange flavour instead and it tastes much better.
Someone at work today told me that I seemed to be happy. Liked the compliment but did wonder why they had made such a comment. Is it because I`m normally withdrawn and miserable? No one turns a positive into a negative quite like I do haha!
Those of you who are going through a tough time, keep hanging in there. I read lots of posts on this forum and I would love to be able to reply to all of you who are struggling but I don`t have time. However, my thoughts are still with you all.
Someone at work today told me that I seemed to be happy. Liked the compliment but did wonder why they had made such a comment. Is it because I`m normally withdrawn and miserable? No one turns a positive into a negative quite like I do haha!
This is most definitely a positive! It shows that 1. your work colleagues care enough to notice how you are doing and 2. that all this work you've been doing to improve your self-image during your CBT course is already becoming visible and noticeable to other people! You have every reason to take that comment as a compliment and evidence of the extent of your own improvement 
I am going into the Air Force in about 5-6 months, so I've been stressing about my skin lately. I don't want to go to Basic Military Training (BMT) with spots and hyperpigmentation all over my face. My active acne is actually subsiding due to not picking and using salicylic acid every morning, but I still get one or two a day (quite small, but still...). And then I get the wonderful idea of putting bp or tea tree oil on the actives (which I'm allergic to! ugh...), and so then I get a red, itchy face.
Anyway, I'm just nervous because I really want to get rid of my red marks because they make me look like I'm breaking out in active zits even though they're flat. I'm proud to be joining the military. I'm even enlisting despite being completely qualified to become an officer. I left my high school biology teaching job to enlist, so I know I shouldn't be worried about what my face will look like during the 8 weeks of Basic-- I should be focusing on serving my country and preparing for the challenges ahead.
But, it will be the first time that I've left the house without makeup on. Since I was 14. Now I'm 23. Oh good lord.
Feelin pretty horrible. Had some scary thoughts about ending my life, but those passed by quite quick. Glad to have my mom to speak to, she really helps because she knows what I'm going through. My cystic acne hurts, but what hurts more is the comments and glares. I'm not going to lie though, for the most part my school mates are very nice people who don't mention anything, but they see it; i see them looking at my ugly face. And it's not my fault, its hormonal acne. Every day I wonder if Accutane is worth it, as well as birth control; i'm just too scared to take it. If my acne gets worse, I don't know whether i'll be able to face the depression, because it's bad enough now (not sure if it is actually clinical depression, but it sure feels like it!). Thought that going the natural way (Cod liver oil tablets, multivitamins, lots of water, avoiding dairy and too much sugar) would help, but it hasn't seemed to have done much. Then again, I've really only been doing it for 3 weeks. I guess I was just scarred from the time when I had tried a set of products prescribed for me for 6 whole months when i was 14, and all it did was turn my mild acne into severe acne (yes, severe; not even moderate). I don't know what to trust and what not to trust. Crazy rant I got going on here, I want to be happy but its not always easy to keep that facade on. It hurts guys, really hurts.
Feelin pretty horrible. Had some scary thoughts about ending my life, but those passed by quite quick. Glad to have my mom to speak to, she really helps because she knows what I'm going through. My cystic acne hurts, but what hurts more is the comments and glares. I'm not going to lie though, for the most part my school mates are very nice people who don't mention anything, but they see it; i see them looking at my ugly face. And it's not my fault, its hormonal acne. Every day I wonder if Accutane is worth it, as well as birth control; i'm just too scared to take it. If my acne gets worse, I don't know whether i'll be able to face the depression, because it's bad enough now (not sure if it is actually clinical depression, but it sure feels like it!). Thought that going the natural way (Cod liver oil tablets, multivitamins, lots of water, avoiding dairy and too much sugar) would help, but it hasn't seemed to have done much. Then again, I've really only been doing it for 3 weeks. I guess I was just scarred from the time when I had tried a set of products prescribed for me for 6 whole months when i was 14, and all it did was turn my mild acne into severe acne (yes, severe; not even moderate). I don't know what to trust and what not to trust. Crazy rant I got going on here, I want to be happy but its not always easy to keep that facade on. It hurts guys, really hurts.
Hey first off keep your head up and dont let acne ruin your life. I know thats hard to do trust me. Also I understand that you are worried about the side effect from Accutane but look what you just wrote. Acne is affecting your health already mentally. I think you should really consider Accutane it was a life saver for me. Best of luck to what ever you decide and stay strong!
Feelin pretty horrible. Had some scary thoughts about ending my life, but those passed by quite quick. Glad to have my mom to speak to, she really helps because she knows what I'm going through. My cystic acne hurts, but what hurts more is the comments and glares. I'm not going to lie though, for the most part my school mates are very nice people who don't mention anything, but they see it; i see them looking at my ugly face. And it's not my fault, its hormonal acne. Every day I wonder if Accutane is worth it, as well as birth control; i'm just too scared to take it. If my acne gets worse, I don't know whether i'll be able to face the depression, because it's bad enough now (not sure if it is actually clinical depression, but it sure feels like it!). Thought that going the natural way (Cod liver oil tablets, multivitamins, lots of water, avoiding dairy and too much sugar) would help, but it hasn't seemed to have done much. Then again, I've really only been doing it for 3 weeks. I guess I was just scarred from the time when I had tried a set of products prescribed for me for 6 whole months when i was 14, and all it did was turn my mild acne into severe acne (yes, severe; not even moderate). I don't know what to trust and what not to trust. Crazy rant I got going on here, I want to be happy but its not always easy to keep that facade on. It hurts guys, really hurts.
Miss independent 95,
Your beautiful shhhhh
Feelin pretty horrible. Had some scary thoughts about ending my life, but those passed by quite quick. Glad to have my mom to speak to, she really helps because she knows what I'm going through. My cystic acne hurts, but what hurts more is the comments and glares. I'm not going to lie though, for the most part my school mates are very nice people who don't mention anything, but they see it; i see them looking at my ugly face. And it's not my fault, its hormonal acne. Every day I wonder if Accutane is worth it, as well as birth control; i'm just too scared to take it. If my acne gets worse, I don't know whether i'll be able to face the depression, because it's bad enough now (not sure if it is actually clinical depression, but it sure feels like it!). Thought that going the natural way (Cod liver oil tablets, multivitamins, lots of water, avoiding dairy and too much sugar) would help, but it hasn't seemed to have done much. Then again, I've really only been doing it for 3 weeks. I guess I was just scarred from the time when I had tried a set of products prescribed for me for 6 whole months when i was 14, and all it did was turn my mild acne into severe acne (yes, severe; not even moderate). I don't know what to trust and what not to trust. Crazy rant I got going on here, I want to be happy but its not always easy to keep that facade on. It hurts guys, really hurts.
Hey! Try not to feel depressed, depression only makes the situation worse. My doctor prescribed Vitamin D to help with hormonal acne (it's a pro-hormone) and depression, and I have only been taking it for a month but my mood has really changed. I don't get depressed that often now. Maybe you should go see a naturopath or a doctor who will try other methods (like testing for vitamin deficiencies and prescribing supplements) before putting you on hormonal treatments. When you take supplements, it really helps to get tested for deficiencies so that you are taking the right supplements for you. I tried diets and supplements that worked for other people, but I really had to find something that worked for me based on what my body needed. And as for hormonal acne, I call tell you from personal experience that the right supplements, healthy lifestyle changes (long term, not only a few weeks), and happiness truly work. If a doctor only gives you 2 or 3 options (accutane, birth control, antibiotics/ topicals), then you should go to a different one who has more options because trust me, there are plenty of options (check the lifestyle forum for ideas).
Feelin pretty horrible. Had some scary thoughts about ending my life, but those passed by quite quick. Glad to have my mom to speak to, she really helps because she knows what I'm going through. My cystic acne hurts, but what hurts more is the comments and glares. I'm not going to lie though, for the most part my school mates are very nice people who don't mention anything, but they see it; i see them looking at my ugly face. And it's not my fault, its hormonal acne. Every day I wonder if Accutane is worth it, as well as birth control; i'm just too scared to take it. If my acne gets worse, I don't know whether i'll be able to face the depression, because it's bad enough now (not sure if it is actually clinical depression, but it sure feels like it!). Thought that going the natural way (Cod liver oil tablets, multivitamins, lots of water, avoiding dairy and too much sugar) would help, but it hasn't seemed to have done much.
I'm so sorry that you feel this way. I know the feeling - I was/am feeling it too. I was so down that I had similar thoughts, felt sick to my stomach, had no appetite and just didn't want to do anything. Nothing made me happy. It's so hard to deal with and I'm so sorry you have to go through it right now. I HATE that feeling when you know you're getting a cyst. Your face just starts hurting (or itching) in a particular spot, and without even looking in the mirror, you know you have one and it's not about to go anywhere anytime soon. Man, it just sucks.
I tried the same thing as you: cod liver oil, zinc, ridiculously healthy diet, more supplements and did it for a month. NOTHING helped. When you're getting cysts, it's very difficult to correct it with natural supplements (I'm not saying it doesn't work for everyone, it may), and it sounds like it's not working for you. And if it really is hormonal, all the cod liver oil in the world is unlikely to help!
I completely understand the hesitancy to go on Accutane. I'm in the same boat. I did take it in high school, and it was great. No side effects other than dry, flaky skin. And if it's hormonal, there's not guarantee the Accutane treats it long-term. My biggest suggestion to you is go to a dermatologist. Cysts scar and the scarring can be permanent or take up to 12mos to clear. The good news for you is you're young! So you are still making plenty of collagen so your skin may heal more quickly compared to an older person.
Do you live in the U.S.? If so, find a good dermatologist who you can see relatively quickly (my old derm would have a 3-mos wait, which, when you're dealing with cysts, NO.). You can get cortisone injections and the cysts will go away anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours. Yes, some people get indentations, but I've had so many of them and my derm has been very careful and sometimes doesn't even inject the standard amount. Sometimes the injections can be expensive, but if you have a cyst in the middle of your face (me), it's worth it. Sometimes it worth it just to relieve the pain 
Cysts are the absolute worst. Taking a more aggressive approach can really help. I also suggest seeing a doctor for any depression. I know it's difficult, but sometimes seeing someone for depression medication (or be assessed for it) can make the pain just a little less. I hope it gets better for you soon.
Things that I think are working for me:
-Vitamin C powder, 6g or so per day
-Proper circadian rhythm
-Lots of sunlight
-8+ hours of uninterrupted sleep (so I have to take melatonin before bed)
-Exercise
-No cleanser, water only, once a day in the shower with medium-high pressure warm water directly on face for a minute
-No dairy, low sugar diet
-Fenugreek tea
-Turmeric and black pepper in meals when I can
6 new zits right before my period... Most of them are small and not inflammed all around my mouth, but one is deep and painful. It seems that no bcp or androgen blocker can prevent my super punctual break outs every month. But I'm to blame as well, I was crying and stressing like crazy these days, exams, distant relationship that is breaking apart, loneliness... Yesterday I cried out of such sorrow, that my heart started beating too fast and I had to drink some valerian. So no wonder my face reflects this inner turmoil.
I'm not feeling too bad about my skin today but knowing my general pessimistic outlook and stubborn skin this is sure not to last long! My face still looks awful with all the hyperpigmentation of course, but apart from one very small remaining cyst I am (at least temporarily) cyst free which is a good and unusual feeling for me 
It's so very nice to wake up and find that your face isn't actually hurting for a change. Please, please let it continue!!!
Feeling super anxious right now. On Tuesday I have to defend my bachelor thesis and I'm so scared that I'll fail. The only way to relieve the stress for me is to eat candy. I'm so scared how my skin will look after what I've eaten the last couple of days
love your signature!
Me, too. I saw it and thought it was perfect. It's what the people in this forum have done many times for me. Here's where I found it:
http://tissine.tumblr.com/tagged/my-art
This girl is truly talented. I wish I could draw like her. She also drew an amazing picture of Yue from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Feelin pretty horrible. Had some scary thoughts about ending my life, but those passed by quite quick. Glad to have my mom to speak to, she really helps because she knows what I'm going through. My cystic acne hurts, but what hurts more is the comments and glares. I'm not going to lie though, for the most part my school mates are very nice people who don't mention anything, but they see it; i see them looking at my ugly face. And it's not my fault, its hormonal acne. Every day I wonder if Accutane is worth it, as well as birth control; i'm just too scared to take it. If my acne gets worse, I don't know whether i'll be able to face the depression, because it's bad enough now (not sure if it is actually clinical depression, but it sure feels like it!). Thought that going the natural way (Cod liver oil tablets, multivitamins, lots of water, avoiding dairy and too much sugar) would help, but it hasn't seemed to have done much.
I'm so sorry that you feel this way. I know the feeling - I was/am feeling it too. I was so down that I had similar thoughts, felt sick to my stomach, had no appetite and just didn't want to do anything. Nothing made me happy. It's so hard to deal with and I'm so sorry you have to go through it right now. I HATE that feeling when you know you're getting a cyst. Your face just starts hurting (or itching) in a particular spot, and without even looking in the mirror, you know you have one and it's not about to go anywhere anytime soon. Man, it just sucks.
I tried the same thing as you: cod liver oil, zinc, ridiculously healthy diet, more supplements and did it for a month. NOTHING helped. When you're getting cysts, it's very difficult to correct it with natural supplements (I'm not saying it doesn't work for everyone, it may), and it sounds like it's not working for you. And if it really is hormonal, all the cod liver oil in the world is unlikely to help!
I completely understand the hesitancy to go on Accutane. I'm in the same boat. I did take it in high school, and it was great. No side effects other than dry, flaky skin. And if it's hormonal, there's not guarantee the Accutane treats it long-term. My biggest suggestion to you is go to a dermatologist. Cysts scar and the scarring can be permanent or take up to 12mos to clear. The good news for you is you're young! So you are still making plenty of collagen so your skin may heal more quickly compared to an older person.
Do you live in the U.S.? If so, find a good dermatologist who you can see relatively quickly (my old derm would have a 3-mos wait, which, when you're dealing with cysts, NO.). You can get cortisone injections and the cysts will go away anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours. Yes, some people get indentations, but I've had so many of them and my derm has been very careful and sometimes doesn't even inject the standard amount. Sometimes the injections can be expensive, but if you have a cyst in the middle of your face (me), it's worth it. Sometimes it worth it just to relieve the pain
Cysts are the absolute worst. Taking a more aggressive approach can really help. I also suggest seeing a doctor for any depression. I know it's difficult, but sometimes seeing someone for depression medication (or be assessed for it) can make the pain just a little less. I hope it gets better for you soon.
Ah yes, exact same thing happened today. I try so hard not to touch my face but it itches and when I itch it, it hurts not a nice feeling. I was suggested a visit to a naturopath but have not gotten to it yet. Have a wedding to attend in two weeks so i'm trying to look for a quick fix at the moment; heading back to my old regime of minocin pills and benzaclin (which worked the best for me, but eventually lost its magic).
I had one of the most amazing dermatologists in Toronto, but he retired and i moved to Montreal, so now i'm looking for the best one that I can find.
I'm thinking of seeing one of the counsellors at school; maybe I just need someone to vent to (and getting all this feedback on acne.org definitely makes me feel great so thank you!)
Feelin pretty horrible. Had some scary thoughts about ending my life, but those passed by quite quick. Glad to have my mom to speak to, she really helps because she knows what I'm going through. My cystic acne hurts, but what hurts more is the comments and glares. I'm not going to lie though, for the most part my school mates are very nice people who don't mention anything, but they see it; i see them looking at my ugly face. And it's not my fault, its hormonal acne. Every day I wonder if Accutane is worth it, as well as birth control; i'm just too scared to take it. If my acne gets worse, I don't know whether i'll be able to face the depression, because it's bad enough now (not sure if it is actually clinical depression, but it sure feels like it!). Thought that going the natural way (Cod liver oil tablets, multivitamins, lots of water, avoiding dairy and too much sugar) would help, but it hasn't seemed to have done much. Then again, I've really only been doing it for 3 weeks. I guess I was just scarred from the time when I had tried a set of products prescribed for me for 6 whole months when i was 14, and all it did was turn my mild acne into severe acne (yes, severe; not even moderate). I don't know what to trust and what not to trust. Crazy rant I got going on here, I want to be happy but its not always easy to keep that facade on. It hurts guys, really hurts.
Hey! Try not to feel depressed, depression only makes the situation worse. My doctor prescribed Vitamin D to help with hormonal acne (it's a pro-hormone) and depression, and I have only been taking it for a month but my mood has really changed. I don't get depressed that often now. Maybe you should go see a naturopath or a doctor who will try other methods (like testing for vitamin deficiencies and prescribing supplements) before putting you on hormonal treatments. When you take supplements, it really helps to get tested for deficiencies so that you are taking the right supplements for you. I tried diets and supplements that worked for other people, but I really had to find something that worked for me based on what my body needed. And as for hormonal acne, I call tell you from personal experience that the right supplements, healthy lifestyle changes (long term, not only a few weeks), and happiness truly work. If a doctor only gives you 2 or 3 options (accutane, birth control, antibiotics/ topicals), then you should go to a different one who has more options because trust me, there are plenty of options (check the lifestyle forum for ideas).
Thanks for the tips! When you go to a naturopath, is it a regular visit type thing or you see them once and they tell you what to get? I was considering a hormone test but apparently taking those are not very effective (so my dermatologist says). Also, do you have any idea whether taking antibiotics such as minocin would interfere with supplements such as cod liver oil/multivitamins/etc?
so bad after mono my acne is coming back ... i have a pimple a day, and before mono i had 1 pimple in two weeks, i feel so bad, i even cant sleep.. and i always looking on my closeup photos before mono and being so jealous on myself.. i hope it will be all gone sometime..
Thought I was doing ok until I saw myself in a public mirror today.
me 2 bro. me 2
Thanks for the tips! When you go to a naturopath, is it a regular visit type thing or you see them once and they tell you what to get? I was considering a hormone test but apparently taking those are not very effective (so my dermatologist says). Also, do you have any idea whether taking antibiotics such as minocin would interfere with supplements such as cod liver oil/multivitamins/etc?
It depends on what you can afford. A good naturopath will need to see you at least once a month to change the herbs they prescribe. They might also need to run some hormonal tests and tests for vitamin deficiencies to figure out the best combination of herbs and supplements for you. It's all customized, so you don't just get a pill that everyone uses. No hormone test is 100% accurate, but saliva testing is more accurate than blood tests for hormonal imbalances. No, it is not recommended that you take antibiotics with herbal treatments and supplements. The whole point in going to see a naturopath is to get on a more "natural" path, so if you are taking antibiotics you are essentially doing the opposite of what the naturopath will tell you to do. They will be able to suggest natural antibiotics if you have a viral or bacterial infection.
