WEEK 16 DAY 1

HELLO EVERYONE!!! I've finally reached the four month mark and I am sooooooo elated!!!! My skin is looking phenomenal!!! I barely have any hyper-pigmentation left from my wicked breakouts at the beginning of DKR and my skin looks better each day... I'm religious to DKR, making sure to apply sunscreen w/my moisturizer during the day and jojoba oil w/my moisturizer at night... I do not use Dan's cleanser as I realized that a lot of my initial issues with dryness were caused by the cleanser.... Since switching to CeraVe's Hydrating cleanser, my skin isn't nearly as dry as it has been in the past... I still can't use Alpha Hydrox's AHA on my entire face, however it is EXCELLENT as a spot treatment... Absolutely love it for that purpose... As soon as I see a spot pop up, I cleanse, let my face dry, then w/a Q-tip a dab a glob of AHA on the spot.. Within a few days, the spot is gone... I was getting a weird rash on my jawline for about a week, but that's disappeared... I think it was the residual effects of using AHA all over my face... Thank the Lord it's cleared and my skin is returning to normal... I did order Dan's AHA, so I'm hoping I can use that one in place of the Alpha Hydrox AHA as an overall treatment... I can really use the wrinkle prevention and mild exfoliating to give my complexion a boost but at the end of the day, I couldn't be happier with how my skin looks now... I'm still going strong with my healthy regimen, taking my supplements, healthier diet, exercising, drinking less alcohol, and I haven't smoked in weeks... I have to say that I now HATE SMOKING!!! I can't believe I did it for so many years... It really is a disgusting habit that I hope I never return to... I still take it all a day at time, but all in all, I'm making wonderful progress... I couldn't be happier!!! I just want to continue encouraging those that are struggling with acne and DKR... It's all worth it just to have your confidence, self-esteem, and getting your life back on track... I can't thank Dan enough for giving us acne sufferers hope in changing our lives around for the better... Well, if anyone has questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, I'm more than happy to help out!! Good luck all!!! LATER GATORS!!!!

I cannot wait till my 3 month mark!! Which will be June 30 lol

Finished my week 6 today and i feel like im on the right path and on my way to be clear finally!!

I still have small marks from when i started but right now i have a total of 4 actives..when i stated it was like 20

Im also happy that AHA is working for me and its curing my flaking

I hope it continues to work and i trust that it will get better!

ohh and btw its my birthday tomorrow

AWWWWWWWW... I'm sooo happy for you clearbyjune30!!! That's wonderful news and trust me it gets better each day... Around the six week mark is when I began to see improvements and by week 8 is when I saw a huge boost... Keep it up and let me know how you're progressing...

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUV!!!

Thanks for keeping this log! It's really encouraging. I'm restarting the regimen after having to be off of it because of an allergic reaction to something. I wish I never had to stop! I'm just about through week two and am definitely experiencing some initial purging breakouts. Reading about others experiences makes it easier to stay positive though!

You are such an inspiration. Today is my first day on the regimen and I started my own posts after reading all of yours and feeling hope... I def need to overcome my fear of people seeing me without makeup though, how did you do it? and any other advice? Thanks a ton! your awesome!

Jessica

WEEK 17 DAY I HAVE NO CLUE... LOL

HELLO HELLO EVERYONE!!! It's been a minute since I've updated so I thought I'd stop by and see how everyone is doing.... I haven't been updating much because I don't have much to report on... lol My skin is looking amazing each day... I'm elated and can't believe it all at once... I'm still sticking to my healthy regimen, recommitting myself everyday to improving myself inside and out.. I don't even worry about my face anymore, especially break outs.. These days they are so few and far in between that when I do actually get one, it's tiny and I just zap it with AHA and keep it moving.. lol @amygims and jessielynn007... Thank you so much for your inspiring words... You guys are the one's that motivate me to keep up with my acne.org family and help me to remain motivated... Keep up the good work and please please please don't get discouraged when you're feeling depressed and lonely about your face... Trust me, everything will improve given time and patience.. In the mean time, my best advise is to be exceedingly gentle with your face, don't rush to start DKR right away, give your face time to adjust and try and take care of yourself inside and out... Get plenty of exercise, try to eat right, and DON'T OBSESS!!! Knowing what I know now, I would've done that at the onset of DKR rather than waiting until my face cleared up... Positive thoughts begets positive results... Feel free to pm me if you want to ask any questions or just express your frustrations, fears, and triumphs... I'm always here checking the boards to see how everyone is progressing, so don't hesitate to contact me... Much love and happiness... LATER GATORS!!!!

PS @jessielynn007... I think that all the years I've suffered with acne, I stopped caring what others thought of how I looked... I knew that applying makeup and being overly aggressive with my skin was counterproductive, so I tried my best to be gentle... Honestly, I have an awesome support system in my personal life and here on the boards so it made the process so much better... I always had the days I wanted to cry and just feel sorry for myself, but I was lucky enough to have people in my life that showed me that they saw past my acne and loved me for me... Once I realized that, it made it much easier to love and accept me for me and not worry about the douches in this world that felt miserable about themselves and felt the need to judge others harshly... Have faith in God and yourself and things will change exponentially, I promise... Don't be afraid to reach out if you need support, you'd be surprised at the beauty of mankind to uplift their fellow man/woman when they are down...

Thank you so much! I am taking your advice and I am just going to be happy, positive and take it one day at a time. And I just don't want to waste my life and see it pass by me because of acne so I am not going to let it. I am so glad I read your posts and I can't wait till my skin is clear and I can help others on their journey. Thank you so so so so much, and I have a new outlook on life!

Jessica

WEEK 18

Hello Everyone... Just thought I'd give a quick update on my progress... Seems like everything is going well but I did have a weird breakout this past week or so... Nothing major, just two under the skin bumps that are red and irritated on my right cheek... I also got the weirdest white head near my lip that has been bothering me since last week... It popped after I brushed my lips (I do this to combat dry, crack lips) and left a hole in its place... The area is red and irritated after that and has been bothering me ever since... I hate getting breakouts near my lips because this usually happens... Hoping it goes away soon... I admit, I haven't been as vigilant with DKR and I know better than that, but it is what it is and its nothing that won't go away eventually... Anyways, hope everyone is doing well... LATE GATORS!!!

WEEK 19

Hey Everyone!! Just a quick stop by to say hello and say that I haven't done DKR in about a week... Lately I've been having a bad reaction to BP which came out of no where... I'm not exactly sure why my skin began to get extremely red, itchy, and irritated but it did... I'm guessing that BP just became too drying on my skin and caused an adverse reaction... Who knows... lol I decided to continue to spot treat with AHA as it does wonders on my spots and continue to wash gently and moisturize... Perhaps I'll use Dan's AHA at night as a moisturizer for breakouts but for now I'm skipping BP... I have to say my skin texture has improved greatly since stopping BP because I'm not dry and flaky, so I'm happy about that... Also, I don't have to wake up half hour earlier for work just to make time for DKR... I'm saving a lot of money, time, and clothing... lol I may go back to it but skip to just night application only... I know I'll still break out but hopefully not severely like I have in the past... Anyways, I'm still lurking around the boards, so if anyone has questions, feel free to contact me... LATE GATORS!!!

Dont tell me you gave up on the regimen???

I thought everything was going good!?

As for me im on my 10th week and im still clearing up with only about 1 real zit right now.

The dryness and flaking is driving me crazy though and i cant get rid of it, i still dont go out because of it! lol

I recently reduced my bp to less than 1 pump day and night so im hoping that helps! and hope u can stay clear too!

WEEK 20

Hey Guys!! Hope everyone is doing well and in good spirits... Just a brief update on my face... I'm still experiencing a minor breakout right now but nothing crazy... I have tweeked my regimen to better suit my skin's needs and to stave off the horrible rashes I developed from over usage of BP... In the morning, I wash w/hydrating cleanser, spot treat w/AHA, then apply Oil of Olay moisturizer w/a touch of Dan's AHA... At night, I follow the regular DKR steps w/a touch of Dan's AHA mixed into the moisturizer... So far the irritation has been minimal and I'm not experiencing the horrible dryness I was getting with full DKR application twice daily... It took a while for my skin to calm down from the irritation rashes but all seems to be returning to normal now... I will keep you up to date on how this new regimen works out... Hopefully I'll be back on track and sailing free... LATER GATORS!!!

@clearbyjune30th... Unfortunately my skin was not happy with all of the drying effects of full DKR twice daily... I developed great sensitivity to full BP application so I had to stop and let my skin rest... Slowly I'm incorporating BP into my skincare regimen again, just not at the same amount I was doing in the past... Hoping your dryness subsides soon, it really does suck to have dry, irritated skin... But overall DKR did work wonders for clearing up my cystic acne... Now I guess it's just a matter of maintenance... Fingers crossed this new regimen works better for my skin now... Good luck!!

KK well please keep me up to date

I also reduced my my bp to less than 1 pump morning and night and im continuing to clear with less dryness.

The hard part now is just figuring out how to keep my skin hydrated and flake free!

Ive came such a long way and now its time to finish it off lol at least i hope i can

HELLO EVERYONE!!! It's been so long since I've updated that I just wanted to stop by and say hello.. See how everyone is doing... Well my face has been interesting... lol I don't do the full regimen any longer... Had to stop completely for a while because the irritation was just too much... I decided to just ease back and recently got back to doing the regimen again, just a lighter version.... I still cleanse, BP, and moisturize, I just don't apply much BP any longer... When I took the break, my skin broke out with tiny clogged pores everywhere... Thankfully it isn't the crazy pustules I had before starting DKR but annoying non the less... I drink a lot more water than I use to, trying to slow down w/drinking and smoking (which I picked up again... UUGGGHHHHH) and taking multiple vitamins and probiotics again... I'm still exercising at least twice a week but want to increase that once again... I'm a beach lover come summer time and it's hard not to get out in the sun but tanning just breaks me out more so I've been trying to minimize it as much as I can... I'm using my trusty umbrellas and trying to remember to wear hats (that I hate) when I'm out at the beach... It's all a process in the end and I'm ready to take my journey once more... Now I'm not just using these journal entries as a marker for my face but as an overall lifestyle change.. It will be difficult at times but I'm confident that I can make it through... Time to get moving and make changes... And on that note... SEE YOU LATER GATORS!!!

Good morning everyone! It's a beautiful Saturday morning in NYC and I'm enjoying the clean fresh air after a day of rain... since I've returned to the regimen my skin is bouncing back nicely... I haven't increased my bp amount as of yet, actually I'm still debating whether or not I will do so this time around... Since my acne is milder this time around, I'm hoping it won't be necessary to do so but I'll just wait and see... I'm getting ready to head out for a nice jog in a little bit... I'd hate to waste the day inside, so I may as well get some exercise in the process... I'm still being vigilant about taking my vitamins and drinking plenty of water... I know now that a two prong approach too skin care is necessary to keep my skin in good shape.... I'm still struggling with my addiction to smoking and alcohol but I'm confident I will be able to overcome my demons soon enough... baby steps... well it's about that time for me to start getting ready.... later gators!

Love your log! Keep it up! Good luck getting back on the regimen!

Happy Monday Everyone!!! @nfamousjade... Thanks for checking out my log, hope it offers you encouragement and insight as much as possible... Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend... Mine went well, hung out with some old friends yesterday but paid for it this morning... lol Oh well, it's all in good fun... As for my face, things aren't looking bad at all... Still have a bunch of clogged pores but nothing too crazy... Since I've been doing the regimen again, they pores are beginning to loosen up and the texture of my skin isn't as bumpy as it was just a week ago... I've been trying not to pick, even though the way my pores are clogged, there isn't much room for picking (which is a good thing)... I'm still vigilant about my water intake and vitamin supplementation everyday like clock work... I know in just a few weeks I will begin seeing the benefits more and more.. Just have to remind myself that I can't quit once I start to see results... It's always my downfall, but lessons learned... lol Today is my first day of not smoking again... Feeling cranky but it's nothing I can't handle... The next week is definitely going to test me a great deal but I'm looking forward to the change... I just worked out three days in a row and rested Sunday.. Today it's back to the gym to get my workout on... Looking forward to getting back on track, one day at a time... Well, GTG... It's lunch time!! LATER GATORS!!!

Hey Guys and Gals!!! Hope everyone is doing well... Just finished breakfast and I'm getting my energy up... Had a great workout last night and slept like a baby... Too bad I still have a major case of the crankies from not smoking (even though I had one last night)... Just the fact I had just one is good as anyone with this nasty habit knows, it's a baby steps process.. Hoping today to get through the day without one at all... I'll see how that works out.. lol Still taking my supplements and drinking tons of water... I'm getting tiny whiteheads around my mouth, cheeks, and between my brows, but nothing crazy... Just a mild breakout... I decided to slightly increase my BP application but still taking it considerably slower than the last time I did DKR.. I'm beginning to experience some irritation, just hoping it doesn't stay like that for long... For a while, I would use AHA in place of BP when I was feeling lazy, I believe that's when I began getting the clogged pores all over my face... Since I've stopped doing that, I haven't experienced any new clogged pores and the one's I did have are decreasing everyday... My face isn't as bumpy as it was just a week ago and though I'm still breaking out, they are minor at best... Anyways, I have to get back to work... I hope everyone is doing well and thinking healthy and happy... LATER GATORS!!!

HAPPY TUESDAY!!! Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the ending of the summer... I haven't really signed in because I really don't have much to report... The breakout I was having is gone, with just a few clogged pores left... My skin is well on its way to returning its glory, thanks to DKR... Three weeks and I'm looking at beautiful skin once again... I'm still working with the BP amounts, actually I"m trying to see if I can stay at the current amount I'm at (about 3/4 a finger) and remain clear... I'm noticing the dryness creeping back up again around my chin, so I don't want to exacerbate the problem. The drying effect of BP is what caused ridiculous irritation the last time, which forced me to stop DKR for a short while. I'm hoping now that my skin has ready become accustomed to BP, I can lessen the dosage and remain clear... anyways, hope everyone is doing well and in good spirits... Feel free to contact me if you have any questions guys... I'm always lurking around the boards when I can... LATER GATORS!!!

Hello Everyone!!! I hope you are doing well and are happy... My skin is awesome, except the dryness is started again around my mouth/chin area... It's so annoying, I tell you its the least likable side effect from BP... My chin area is red, irritated, and dry.. I don't believe the Oil of Olay Complete is enough for me during the day for the dryness... In fact, its making the drying effect worse... Have to switch to using Dan's moisturizer mixed w/my Neutrogena Healthy Skin spf or add jojoba oil to the Oil of Olay until the dryness subsides.... Besides that, everything is looking really good... Still trying to keep up w/my water intake and the whole better care thing, but as I've said before, it all happens one day at a time... Anyways, have to get back to work... LATER GATORS!!!

Good Morning Everyone!!! I hope everything is lovely today... Just a quick status update on my face... I'm experiencing irritation on my neck again from the BP.... It's scaly, red, and itchy which is driving me nuts... I know it's another temporary side effect of BP, but I hate it none the less... The area around my mouth is extremely dry as well, so I decided to use Dan's moisturizer in the mornings and mix it w/Eucerin Daily Protection Moisturizer w/spf 30 and jojoba oil... So far, so good... Besides that, my skin is clear as a sunny day... Lately I've been putting a little eye makeup to play up my features, but no need to slather on foundation either... Unfortunately, I'm really beginning to experience the dryness and tightness from the BP that is annoying as hell... I hope that this time around, it won't stick around too long, now that I know what to do when the dryness occurs... Though I should have applied moisturizer to my neck area from the beginning, in order to minimize the irritation... I guess old habits die hard... lol Anyways, I hope everyone has an awesome weekend and enjoys these last days of summer... Until next week... LATER GATORS!!!

Hello Everyone and Happy Monday!! Just a quick update on my face.. Everything is going well... Just had a minor breakout over the weekend but that's to be expected... I'm in week three of restarting DKR and I'm glad to report that my skin is returning to normal... I'm still peeling dead skin from my neck and my skin tone is a bit uneven, but nothing too crazy looking... I'm crazy busy at work today but hopefully tomorrow I'll have a more significant update for everyone, until then... LATER GATORS!!!

Hi Everybody,

I am new to the message boards and I have been on the regimen for 8 weeks. I am still having some cysts come up and am getting so frustrated. I have been enjoying this thread and the updates are encouraging and give me some hope. I am going nuts and need some buddies to keep me motivated. I love the acne.org products and I use them religiously. I am sad because my skin was so great and now I have all sorts of marks and now I am so self conscious and I am not the same person I was. I am trying to find my joy again and I am hoping I will get it by talking to you guys. I wish everyone success and I can't wait to hear from you guys!

Hey @lovebug77... Welcome to the acne.org family!!! Eight weeks into the regimen can still be a rough time for your skin, especially if you get cystic acne... You have to keep in mind that DKR is a slow moving process that works with diligence and patience... From my own experience, I still had breakouts well into my third month on DKR but eventually they subsided and those I did experience were minor at best... Keep your head up and don't get discouraged, it's a long road with a few twists, turns, and bumps along the way, but like any exciting journey, it's worth it in the end... Do you exercise regularly and eat well? How often do you pamper yourself? I ask these questions because I believe it's important to focus on other matters outside your face that positively contribute to your overall health and happiness... I know acne is a debilitating disease but it only ruins your life if you allow it to... Focus on the positive things you do have and try not to focus on the negative... You will see over time, you stop worrying about your skin and your acne will get better... It's difficult but not impossible to redirect negative energy into something positive... Speaking in terms of your timeline to clear skin, I suggest throwing out Dan's recommended timeline... It isn't realistic for someone with severe/cystic acne.. (I would know) I would say that instead of looking at three months as your completely clear stage, six months is more realistic timeline in order for you to see significant results... You will notice that by your fourth month, you will experience significant clearing and from there your "scars" and red marks will improve... Don't worry so much and try to enjoy the remainder of your summer... Go out with friends, try new things, take good care of your body, and follow DKR religiously... You will reach your goal of clear skin in no time... Good luck and stay strong... You will defeat acne!!!

Hey @lovebug77... Welcome to the acne.org family!!! Eight weeks into the regimen can still be a rough time for your skin, especially if you get cystic acne... You have to keep in mind that DKR is a slow moving process that works with diligence and patience... From my own experience, I still had breakouts well into my third month on DKR but eventually they subsided and those I did experience were minor at best... Keep your head up and don't get discouraged, it's a long road with a few twists, turns, and bumps along the way, but like any exciting journey, it's worth it in the end... Do you exercise regularly and eat well? How often do you pamper yourself? I ask these questions because I believe it's important to focus on other matters outside your face that positively contribute to your overall health and happiness... I know acne is a debilitating disease but it only ruins your life if you allow it to... Focus on the positive things you do have and try not to focus on the negative... You will see over time, you stop worrying about your skin and your acne will get better... It's difficult but not impossible to redirect negative energy into something positive... Speaking in terms of your timeline to clear skin, I suggest throwing out Dan's recommended timeline... It isn't realistic for someone with severe/cystic acne.. (I would know) I would say that instead of looking at three months as your completely clear stage, six months is more realistic timeline in order for you to see significant results... You will notice that by your fourth month, you will experience significant clearing and from there your "scars" and red marks will improve... Don't worry so much and try to enjoy the remainder of your summer... Go out with friends, try new things, take good care of your body, and follow DKR religiously... You will reach your goal of clear skin in no time... Good luck and stay strong... You will defeat acne!!!

 

I am gonna try this "quoting thing" again (I did it wrong yesterday)! Hi nycqueen, I sooooo appreciate your encouragement and advice and thank you for welcoming me to the boards. You have so much good advise and I really appreciate you logging your progress and updates. At my worst, I would only have about 9-10 cysts on my face and I am now rocking 3-4 and they are coming up much slower, so I am seeing progress. From what I hear on these boards, most people are saying what you're saying about seeing a real improvement in the 4-6 month area. To answer your questions: Due to some health issues, I am disabled and don't do too much. I exercise several times a week and eat low fat throughout the week but on the weekends I do cheat some. I am married and have a dog (in the pic, and my screename is Lovebug, one of my nicknames for her). Lately, I have not wanted to see my friends much because I feel so gross due to my acne. I have been depressed because of my other health problems and now this acne thing, it's like one thing after another. That's why I finally decided to get on these boards. I do have a strong faith and do read a lot and keep in touch with my friends by email and text and my husband's support- those are the things that keep me going. Thanks SO much for your help and I look forward to hearing your updates and talking with you again soon!

Yay, my quoting worked! One victory at a time!

@lovebug... I understand your frustration but things will get better with time... Remember that your friends and hubby are there to support you and won't judge you based on your acne... You will notice around the 12th week mark that you get less and less acne and the deep cysts will rarely pop up... You will wake up one day and notice you barely have anything on your face... I suggest just maintaining your health regimen, perhaps adding yoga or some other meditative exercise to help center your mind and help with any anxiety you may feel due to your acne.. Remember that the board members, including myself, are more than happy to support you as much as you need but try not to linger around here too much, as that can be counterproductive as well... Try to focus on getting your health in order for the time being as it's critical to get your mind, body, and spirit aligned and everything else will fall into place... Take care and keep me up to date on your acne status... Also, it may help to take a photo of your progression so that you can have a visual aid to help you see how far you've come... It may be painful but you will come to appreciate the journey more once you are clear...