Hey there,

I'm a 27 year old male, have dealt with my mild/moderate acne since about 8th grade (my shining moment was while changing out after a PE class - the acne hit my chest first and my best friend saw a bright red spot smack in the middle of my chest and asked, "Hey, is that a third nipple!?" .

At various times I've gotten serious about getting rid of it, lots of topical stuff, some Retin-A, Accutane. I've never noticed an appreciable difference with anything - it would reduce my acne, but not totally get rid of it. Actually, I do have to say that the biggest difference on my cheeks/chin/forehead, where I'd get 2-3 big, red, painful zits every couple of weeks, came from a reduced version of "the regimen" where I was using Cetaphil bar soap and BP twice a day. After a couple of months, I had nearly no facial acne and that has continued for the past two years after stopping the BP.

My big problem is my back and, to a lesser extent, my chest. I'd try BP, but it's hard to reach my entire back and there's the whole issue with bleaching shirts. I really, really want it to go away as it really, really affects my self-confidence and I would like to feel comfortable taking my shirt off at the beach, you know? I'm in great shape, but all the red spots are very embarrassing.

I'd heard something about vitamin B helping with acne, so I started taking a B-complex once a day with my multivitamin. I don't know if others have experienced this, but the acne on my back actually worsened with the B-complex. As someone mentioned here, perhaps one of the B vitamins actually increases oil production?

Anyhow, I plan on trying the B5 plan starting tonight. I will post an update in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the opportunity to post (sorry if it ran a bit long) - it feels good to share this, since I've never really talked about it to friends, family, etc.

I've asked this twice, but no one answers me. If I slowly reduce my b5 dosages, will my acne come back?

I've read that this happens to many people. Does it happen to everyone? If this is true I might stop using b5 now.

I've asked this twice, but no one answers me. If I slowly reduce my b5 dosages, will my acne come back?

I've read that this happens to many people. Does it happen to everyone? If this is true I might stop using b5 now.

I made a decision today. I quited b5 only after using it about 3 weeks. I'm gonna cure my acne for good now..

Wow. This whole topic is amazing.

I never understood why it isn't good to eat processed/sugary foods. Now I get it.

I want to start taking b5. I'm going to a whole foods store tomorrow. Hopefully I can pick some up there.

So, along with b5 I should also take:

*b-complex

Is this all? What do I need to take for maximum absorbtion?

I already take a woman's once-a-day multivitamin.

What are some quality brands of vitamins? Are they sold in whole food stores?

...

My big problem is my back and, to a lesser extent, my chest. ..

Anyhow, I plan on trying the B5 plan starting tonight. I will post an update in a couple of weeks.

Just ordered 6 bottles of B5 with....300 in each of 500 mg! Time to get on the B5 no matter stomach pain diarrhea or w/e may try to interfere with my mission. Cant wait to start popping them

Okay, I am here to state that B5 has been a pretty good success so far. I started taking it on 9/18/07, when I started taking it, I knew immediatly that it was doing something to my body, I had some eyelash loss for the first two months, broke out, not inflamed, but just inflamed pores around the inside of my eye between the nose and eye, and around the bottom of my nose. It was red bumps I had never seen before, they were annoying for a while, and almost threw me off course. DON'T STOP! I kept going from november through the next months at 10g. And then my face looked really bad at the middle of december, breakouts were minimized and scars looked more red, but I kept with it. Keep in mind I was washing my face twice a day with dans DKR face wash, sometimes once a day, and moisturizer with his moisturizer (DON'T FORGET THIS, It will save your face and flakes)Forward to 12/27/07, the breakouts basically had stopped for a few days, I noticed the red bumps go away, it helps to be extra gentle on your skin. So, on 12/30/07, I was, I want to say, CLEAR! Or at least as clear as I have been in months. Scars still there but they are fading now, and I have kept with it. I also want to say the B-Complex makes a difference. I noticed that you get more of those red bumps if you don't take it, because they are essential to saving the rest of your skin.

Now, on 1/1/08, I dropped down to 7g a day, next day, 6g a day, and have stayed there til today, breakouts are the same, which are none. I still get old poors that might breakout when I put to much moisturizer overthem, but those don't leave scars and are super small and can be pressed out on their own and you'd never notice them really. I'm hoping by the end of January to even clearer skin.

Oh, and I have been eating like a pig for the last three weeks, going to fast food:

McDonalds,

Taco Bell

Burgers, tacos, milk stuff, you name it.

Breakouts are non existant. Life is starting to become good again.

Just posting here to say that i have noticed a difference while taking B5 and it's only been 4 days. I bought the Vitamin Shoppe brand of 500mg pills and i took 2 the first day, 3 the next and i'm up to 4 now. I also take one B50 Complex a day. When i wake up my face is not oily at all and the pimples i had on my chin started to go away. I have no stomach pains or any other side effects i've heard about on here. I may up my dosage by 500mg every other day just to see what happens, but i'm happy where i'm at right now. Hopefully my face clears up in a few weeks and i can finally start my life.

This works. Immediate oil reduction and pores became more refined. Don't need to take so much for mild cases. Helps synthesize oil.

do you need to take B-Complex with b5? or can i take super b complex?

do you need to take B-Complex with b5? or can i take super b complex?

Not been here for a long time!

A few quick questions that i'd be very grateful for anyone to take a look at:

I started my B5 quest with Holland and Barretts Pantothenic acid, 500mg.

I slowly worked up to the 10 grams a day. I can't say it did much for my oil production if it even reduced it at all. I didn't become disheartened as i was sure it would kick in soon. However, due to a bottle of 100 tablets being !!!8.99!!! i stopped buying it from them and ordered some on ebay.

Now these are called 'vitplan power pak' off ebay. They are capsules as opposed to tablets. The powder inside is kinda gravel looking as opposed to fine white powder. So basically i concluded they were different in some way or form to the Holland and Barrett version.

I have been taking them for only 2-3 days. I started on 10 grams as i had worked up to that with holland and barretts.

At the start of taking holland and barretts i got a bit of hairloss in shower but that went away quickly.

My actual questions, finally! Is the Holland and Barrett version known to be ineffective/effective?

Is the ebay vitplan version known to be ineffective/effective?

This works. Immediate oil reduction and pores became more refined. Don't need to take so much for mild cases. Helps synthesize oil.

Not been here for a long time!

A few quick questions that i'd be very grateful for anyone to take a look at:

 

I started my B5 quest with Holland and Barretts Pantothenic acid, 500mg.

I slowly worked up to the 10 grams a day. I can't say it did much for my oil production if it even reduced it at all. I didn't become disheartened as i was sure it would kick in soon. However, due to a bottle of 100 tablets being !!!i8.99!!! i stopped buying it from them and ordered some on ebay.

 

Now these are called 'vitplan power pak' off ebay. They are capsules as opposed to tablets. The powder inside is kinda gravel looking as opposed to fine white powder. So basically i concluded they were different in some way or form to the Holland and Barrett version.

 

I have been taking them for only 2-3 days. I started on 10 grams as i had worked up to that with holland and barretts.

At the start of taking holland and barretts i got a bit of hairloss in shower but that went away quickly.

 

My actual questions, finally! Is the Holland and Barrett version known to be ineffective/effective?

Is the ebay vitplan version known to be ineffective/effective?

 

This works. Immediate oil reduction and pores became more refined. Don't need to take so much for mild cases. Helps synthesize oil.

Actually doesn't do anything for oil or pores.

Its for acne not oil production!

How about GNC Pantothenic Acid 500? Anybody tried this one?

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?produ...gkw=b5&sr=1

How about GNC Pantothenic Acid 500? Anybody tried this one?

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?produ...gkw=b5&sr=1

I started with the GNC brand since I wanted to start right away but I ordered 800 500-mg pills from Amazon which are Twin Labs brand.

I'm hoping the switch from brand to brand won't cause too much of a problem... They should essentially be the same thing.

I'm almost a week in and up to 10 g per day. I've noticed a small difference so far. My skin is a little more dry and so are my lips. Other than that, I haven't really had any of the other side effects so all is well! I'll try to update somewhat often with my progress.

Good luck, everyone who's trying this!

How about GNC Pantothenic Acid 500? Anybody tried this one?

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?produ...gkw=b5&sr=1

You can go with GNC if you're willing to pay $10.99 for 100 pills.

or

You can get 200 pills for $12.47

http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/twinlab-pan...n_b-5_500mg.htm

Your choice

When it comes to vitamins, you can't beat prices at www.allstarhealth.com. And in case you're wondering, Twin Labs is a VERY respected brand. I'd say even better quality then GNC.

I started with the GNC brand since I wanted to start right away but I ordered 800 500-mg pills from Amazon which are Twin Labs brand.

 

I'm hoping the switch from brand to brand won't cause too much of a problem... They should essentially be the same thing.

 

I'm almost a week in and up to 10 g per day. I've noticed a small difference so far. My skin is a little more dry and so are my lips. Other than that, I haven't really had any of the other side effects so all is well! I'll try to update somewhat often with my progress.

 

Good luck, everyone who's trying this!

Hey neighbor 😉

 

I don't think the brand is so important, same ingredients (or close). I guess I'm gonna wait for skinB5, and it is a powder! I hate pills - hard to swallow. Almost all of my vitamins are chewable

Well clindamycin didn't work for me.. Have u tried it yet? Mine wasn't a gel though, some kind of a lotion (I still have it somewhere..)

I started with the GNC brand since I wanted to start right away but I ordered 800 500-mg pills from Amazon which are Twin Labs brand.

 

I'm hoping the switch from brand to brand won't cause too much of a problem... They should essentially be the same thing.

 

I'm almost a week in and up to 10 g per day. I've noticed a small difference so far. My skin is a little more dry and so are my lips. Other than that, I haven't really had any of the other side effects so all is well! I'll try to update somewhat often with my progress.

 

Good luck, everyone who's trying this!

Hey neighbor 😉

I don't think the brand is so important, same ingredients (or close). I guess I'm gonna wait for skinB5, and it is a powder! I hate pills - hard to swallow. Almost all of my vitamins are chewable

OMG! I hope I will survive )) I'm gonna definitely switch to pills after that