@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...
NYCqueen, thanks again! Great advice. I agree with you on everything. I will keep you posted and let you know how things are going. I get on here once a day just to check things out, I don't think I would want to be on here more than that, anyway. I agree how it can also be counter productive, some people are negative and I don't think it's helpful to think about this acne thing 24/7. I just don't know anyone in my life who has had cystic acne or who has done the regimen, so all things in moderation! As for yoga, I have tried it several times and it's just not my thing, but I believe in meditation and cardio and I have a few dvds I do regularly that re-charge me. Thanks again and talk to you soon. Hi everybody else! I hope everyone is grrrrrrrrrrrreat:)
HEY EVERYONE!!! Hope you guys enjoyed your weekend.. 
Just a quick progress report on my face... So far, so good... I don't have much to report (Thank God)... Still having tiny little breakouts but nothing to be concerned about... I'm considering added AHA to my night regimen, now that I've been doing DKR for a month now... I need something to help with exfoliating, but I'm apprehensive... I didn't react too well to AHA the last time I was on DKR, so I'm going to try and be extra vigilant this time around... I figured I can start tonight with a tiny amount mixed in with my moisturizer and jojoba oil and do that every three days until I get use to it... Then I'll see about incorporating AHA more into my routine more frequently... I don't want to have the same reaction I hate last time... It wasn't pretty to say the least... 
Anyways, time to get back to work... LATER GATORS!!!
Good Morning Everyone... Hope all is well... Just a quick update on my face... Everything is going well...Still having trouble with some tiny breakouts but nothing special... Just annoying is all... I used a bit of AHA last night with my moisturizer (just a tiny bit)... I woke up this morning with some irritation around my chin (my dry area)... I know I have to be extra careful about irritating my skin further now that I'm incorporating AHA into my regimen... I'll apply AHA again on Friday night and see how my skin reacts... I switched sunscreens again and now use Eucerin Daily Protection spf/30 which contains Lactic Acid... I actually prefer this spf over Oil of Olay because it contains Lactic Acid and isn't as greasy as Oil of Olay... I haven't noticed any significant difference regarding my skin tone and texture since switching sunscreens but I know the changes are gradual... I'll make a better judgment call once I've been using Eucerin for a month of so... I've been applying vaseline to my eye area for about a week now only at night and using Palm's Cocoa Butter Eye Renewal during the day to protect my eye area from BP irritation and help a bit with the fine lines and crows feet... I have to say that my eyes do look a bit healthier and moisturized since doing this.. The lines do look minimized and my dark circles have lightened a bit more.. Besides that, everything is going well... As a matter of fact, someone actually complimented my skin the other day... Felt good to know that strangers are noticing my skin... lol Anyways, time to skedaddle... LATER GATORS!!!
HAPPY THURSDAY ACNE.ORG!!! Hoping everyone is doing well... Regarding my face, everything is going well... I'm still a bit irritated around my chin area but I realized today that I am entirely too rough around the part of my face... I tend to rub this area excessively (I don't know why) when applying BP and moisturizer here... I'm getting better at not rubbing my skin when washing, I definitely need to be more vigilant about being gentle using DKR... I tend to forget that especially around the drier areas of my facial skin... That may explain why I feel irritation when using AHA and the excessive peeling that tends to happen around my mouth and chin... The tiny breakout I was getting is disappearing quickly and was barely noticeable, just tiny red marks that are fading fast.... I'm pleased more and more each day with the improvement I see in the mirror and gain confidence more and more... I look forward to putting makeup on, pushing my hair back from my face without worrying if my breakouts are exaggerated or too noticeable in sunlight/florescent lighting... I worry less about acne and focus more on other things and not obsess about my skin... Well it's time to wrap this up... Have a great weekend everyone!!
Happy Monday Everyone!! How did everyone enjoy their weekend? Hope all is well... Things are looking good on the face front... The breakouts are gone and my skin is clear, even though I'm red at the moment... I just finally worked up to a full finger of BP but I'm kind of red and flaky at the moment... It's nothing serious, just annoying... I have to ask, what benefits does AHA have on your skin using DKR? Though I've only used it twice this time around, I don't see any difference in skin the next morning with my skin... It doesn't feel any smoother nor do I have less flakes after using it... Let me know what your opinions are... I'm curious to see how well AHA has worked for others... Anyways, time to go back to work... LATER GATORS!!!!
Hey Everyone!!! Nothing much to report today... Everything is looking good and I really don't have any complaints.. I still have some dryness and redness but I figured it's because I'm finally up to a full finger of BP... So the irritation is to be expected... I'm trying to find something that works for my lines and bags under my eyes... I noticed that they are getting more lined and darker than they have in the past... Now that my skin is under control, I want to start working on other preventative measures now that I'm in my 30's... It's so much easier to focus on other aspects of your appearance once acne is no longer a big issue... It's actually kind of liberating... 
Anyways, hope all is well with everyone, time to get back to work... LATER GATORS!!
@AyeAye... OMG... Isn't it crazy that you start to see the signs of aging marching across your face now that acne isn't much of an issue anymore? I was flabbergasted when I realized that my eyes were aging so quickly, I really began to freak out... lol The biggest issue I have is the dryness and lines... I've decided to try doubling up on the eye creams, using Boot's licorice e ye cream and Vaseline at night and the Boot's licorice eye cream with Palmers eye cream in the morning... I haven't noticed much of a difference as of yet, but I'm hoping it will help with the dryness over time. One thing I have noticed is that my broken capillaries on my nose are less noticeable then they were when my acne was bad. I guess it's because I really don't pick at my skin much anymore, like removing the blackheads from my nose, so the skin is healing. I do know that only way to completely get rid of them is with laser treatments, but I'm trying to address each issue I have one at a time. Anyways, enough with my rambling... LOL Not much to report with my skin today, still a little dry and red, but nothing else is going on. #thankyouJesus... I am still flaking around my mouth and nose but nothing too serious... I decided to leave the "oily" look I get from applying jojoba oil during the day, that way I can minimize the flaking... I can deal w/being a shiny.. lol Well, time for lunch.. LATER GATORS!!!
HOLA!!! Hope everyone is doing well.. I don't have much to report today regarding my face... I'm still a bit red and flaky but that's all... I did make a mistake last night and I think I over did it... I washed per usual and decided to use my Clarisonic to get some of the dry skin off my face.... I BP'ed then decided to use a bit of AHA with my moisturizer and jojoba oil... HOLY CRAPOLY my face burned!!! I knew I was going to wake up redder than normal and a bit sensitive in the morning... Of course I was right and now I have red, itchy skin... I cleansed as normal but decided to apply half a finger of BP and two pumps of moisturizer, spf, and jojoba oil... I'm hoping the redness will die down as the day moves on... Lord knows I won't be doing that again... lol #lessonlearned... Anyways, I have a jam packed weekend in store, so I have much to look forward to... Hopefully the dryness and redness will continue to subside and I can wear makeup without worrying about being a flaky/red mess... lol Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!!! LATER GATORS!!!!
PS... How long does it usually take for AHA to have an effect on your skin?
@AyeAye... OMG... Isn't it crazy that you start to see the signs of aging marching across your face now that acne isn't much of an issue anymore? I was flabbergasted when I realized that my eyes were aging so quickly, I really began to freak out... lol The biggest issue I have is the dryness and lines... I've decided to try doubling up on the eye creams, using Boot's licorice e ye cream and Vaseline at night and the Boot's licorice eye cream with Palmers eye cream in the morning... I haven't noticed much of a difference as of yet, but I'm hoping it will help with the dryness over time. One thing I have noticed is that my broken capillaries on my nose are less noticeable then they were when my acne was bad. I guess it's because I really don't pick at my skin much anymore, like removing the blackheads from my nose, so the skin is healing. I do know that only way to completely get rid of them is with laser treatments, but I'm trying to address each issue I have one at a time. Anyways, enough with my rambling... LOL Not much to report with my skin today, still a little dry and red, but nothing else is going on. #thankyouJesus...
I lucky that I only have a couple of wrinkles on my forehead but AHA+ totally cleared them up. I swear that I look like I use botox now that my skin is smooth from being acne free and wrinkle free from AHA. Now if only I didnt have the broken capillaries. And yes, I believe you're right about the lazer treatment, but I'm nervous about anything like that. What if it goes wrong? Maybe I'll just stick with my rosy cheeks
Ah, yes, you succumbed to the old 'must exfoliate to remove flakes' temptation. I did that a few months ago when I was going to an engagement party. I had been clear of acne for about 5 months and my face was lovely and smooth, but as I was getting ready I rediscovered my dermalogica exfoliating pads in my bathroom cupboard. Even before I thought about it, those pads were being rubbed all over my face and OMG did my skin positively GLOW that night. It was incredible. Until two days later when I broke out with 7 pimples. 7 pimples in one day when I had only had about 3 pimples on my face for the whole previous 5 months. That was a lesson learnt alright....No exfoliating for me EVER and gently gently does it for my skin. Yes yes Dan, like you constantly preach.....
Oh, and your AHA question...for me it helped with hydration pretty much within the first week, but for changing the texture of my skin and reducing the appearance of wrinkles, that took about 5-10 weeks from memory....
I just want to say hi nycqueen and AyeAye, you guys were having so much fun I wanted to join the party! Isn't it annoying how irritated our skin gets when we try to use our exfoliating brushes or pads, argh?! I have used my rotating brush twice and twice it was uncomfortable and burned and I will not do it again! I am starting on the AHA again, got some good pointers from AyeAye...Just twice a week, I am putting the AHA over the moisturizer and jojoba oil and it does not burn. I will keep up the twice a week thing for a while and then go to 3 times. Is it OK to use it every night? That seems like it would be hard on your skin...I guess I need to read about it more. After I use the AHA, my skin always looks better the next morning. The red marks are lighter. I was looking at a photo I took 6 days before I started The Regimen and I had ugly, mad cysts everywhere. Now I only have two or three and I am on week 10. I am trying to stay positive, exercise a lot and not stress (but it is hard as my hubby got laid off today-prayers welcomed). Anyway, one problem at a time...We must remember not to obsess over the things we can't control...Keep up the helpful updates and tips, ladies...your information is so valuable! (((HUGS)))
Lmfaoooo... it's definitely a pimple party in here... Lol @lovebug77 I'm sorry to hear about your hubby.. plenty of hugs and prayers from NYC... I'm glad to hear you're beginning to notice your progress... isn't it awesome to know that you're doing good for yourself.... I love that feeling.... I definitely made a huge mistake over exfoliating... I have three red irritation marks across my nose and right cheek, with a new blemish on my right jaw and some excessive flaking... argh! Just when I was nice and clear... smh.. never again will I be that dumb... Lol
@AyeAye... OMG... Isn't it crazy that you start to see the signs of aging marching across your face now that acne isn't much of an issue anymore? I was flabbergasted when I realized that my eyes were aging so quickly, I really began to freak out... lol The biggest issue I have is the dryness and lines... I've decided to try doubling up on the eye creams, using Boot's licorice e ye cream and Vaseline at night and the Boot's licorice eye cream with Palmers eye cream in the morning... I haven't noticed much of a difference as of yet, but I'm hoping it will help with the dryness over time. One thing I have noticed is that my broken capillaries on my nose are less noticeable then they were when my acne was bad. I guess it's because I really don't pick at my skin much anymore, like removing the blackheads from my nose, so the skin is healing. I do know that only way to completely get rid of them is with laser treatments, but I'm trying to address each issue I have one at a time. Anyways, enough with my rambling... LOL Not much to report with my skin today, still a little dry and red, but nothing else is going on. #thankyouJesus...
Hey, nycqueen, thanks for the prayers and please do keep me posted on the Boots eye cream and Palmers eye cream. One that worked good for me (but gave me milia so I had to quit it) was Olay regenerist lifting eye serum. Now I am using L'oreal Revitalift, but so far I am not seeing amazing things happening. Like you mentioned, I have dryness, lines and my skin is sagging (will be 35 in Oct..ugh).
Woohooo its a pimple party. I've always believed that one can not have too many spotty friends
Yes, I love my spotty friends! We are all beautiful on the inside and that is what matters;)
Hey Everyone... Hope all is well... Just a fast update on my face... I was right, I totally over did it with the exfoliating and now I'm paying for it... I had a crazy breakout on my right cheek, temple, and neck reminiscent of my old cystic breakouts... Thank the Lord that the breakout hasn't gotten out of control... Sticking with DKR has helped to keep swelling down and only minor redness... Actually you can barely notice the breakout but it's annoying non the less... The breakouts are beginning to turn into whiteheads and I am extremely tempted to pick at them, but I decided to just walk away from the mirror and allow them to take their course... I'm still a bit dry and red but really nothing out of the ordinary.. lol I'm just hoping my new friends don't leave behind ugly scars in their wake... I guess I'll have to wait and see... Well, it's a busy day, time to make the donuts... LATER GATORS!
Good Morning Everyone!!! Just a quick face update... Everything is returning to normal (Thank God), just a few tiny whiteheads and a bit of flaking... Nothing more... The redness is dying down along with the flakiness... I'm getting much better about not getting BP or moisturizer around my eyes, so my eyes are looking a bit better... I realized, too late, that I was really irritating my eyes, which explains the dryness I was experiencing... All lessons learned I guess... Anyways... Time to get back to work... Have a great day!!! LATER GATORS!!!
Hey Everyone!! Today is a skin bummer day... I have a crazy rash on my neck and I think it's from the BP.... It's soooo frustrating!! I think I'm breaking out in hives and my neck skin is extremely dry and irritated... I'm freaking out a little bit but I'm hoping it gets better soon.. Just is a bit unsightly at the moment... I have about four or five tiny whiteheads sprinkled around my face but nothing bad... Has anyone else experienced this sort of reaction on their neck from BP? Well, its another busy day in the neighborhood, so I have to get back to work.. Have a great weekend!!! LATER GATORS!!!
Hey hey hey... Hope all is well.. Just a quick status update... I still have the rash on my neck but it's gotten much better... I've been using Gold Bond lotion and it's helping with the dryness but it doesn't break me out... The breakouts I had are gone but I still have a great deal of clogged pores around the eye area. Trying to remove them is difficult... I've been using AHA more frequently but it doesn't seem to do much for those annoying suckers... I realized that if I'm using AHA, I do have to do the regimen earlier than normal... If not, my skin is still red in the morning when I'm getting ready for work.. This morning I looked like a burn victim because my face was soooo red.. I think I was able to cover some of it with makeup but applying makeup after doing DKR can be difficult to say the least... Jojoba oil just doesn't mix well with makeup and I need it for moisture... I don't like using liquid foundation because it tends to clog my pores and doesn't look good with flaky skin, so I have to find a better solution for my morning routine... I will say that the AHA is helping tremendously with the flaking, now that I have been using it more consistently... It's a lot smoother when I wash but I still haven't noticed any real change in my skin texture... I'm hoping with continued use it will get better... It would be nice not to feel tiny bumps under my eyes and on my cheeks for once... lol Well, got to get back to work... LATER GATORS!!!
I've got to admit that I very quickly got used to seeing my face without acne when I first became clear (its funny how acne free skin becomes your new normal very quickly), but one thing I still get surprised with every single day when I wash my face is the feeling of my skin being completely smooth. I LOVE putting cleanser on my face and not feeling active pimples all over my face and a million tiny bumps under my finger tips.
I'm looking forward to the day when you will do the same!
Hey Ayeaye... I totally agree about clear being the new norm... Even the tiny breakouts don't bother me any longer... I was an obsessive picker in the past, which does come out on occasion, but for the most part is under control because my skin is clear.. I noticed in the last day or so that the AHA is working to clear the clogged pores around my eyes... Each day that I wash my face after using AHA the night before, the bumps are less pronounced and my skin is getting smoother... I may be imagining this, but I actually think the pores on my cheeks appear smaller... I wouldn't believe it until I actually saw it... BP alone could never clear out my pores the way AHA is doing... BP stopped the breakout cycle but never helped with improving my milder acne symptoms like the clogged pores on my cheeks... I still found myself extracting my clogged pores every week or so, however they don't turn into huge pustules w/the help of BP... It's like you said before, it's as though AHA boosts the effects of DKR... The more I use it, the smoother my skin is becoming... I still get red and irritated when I use too much so I haven't fully adjusted to it yet... I'm looking forward to the nights I just have to apply AHA and be done... lol Actually, this morning I washed my hair early in the morning and forgot to cleanse. It had no negative effects on my skin and I actually wasn't red when I applied BP... My skin tone was healthy/normal looking... I was truly blown away... It is nice to report that I have nothing much to report about... And on that note, have a great weekend everyone!! LATER GATORS!!!
HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!!! Hope all is well... Just a quick update on my face... I'm an idiot... lol I picked at a clogged pore and now I have a bruise the size of a strawberry on my left cheek... I knew better, but I kept on going... Now I have to camouflage my new mark.... I'm annoyed with myself because I KNOW BETTER!!! Anyways, I still have red, itchy skin on my neck.. It doesn't seem to be going away, though I've tried a few different things to help... No good!! It's irritating the hell out of me because it looks like a bad rash... I know it's from the BP but I can't seem to understand why I'm still getting irritated there... Will it ever go away? Any suggestions on how to get rid of it but still using DKR? I started using vitamin K cream to help w/some broken capillaries on my nose, hopefully it shows some improvement... (fingers crossed) Beyond that, just have a few tiny breakouts and that's all... Here's to starting another week off... LATER GATORS!!
hey, so are you completely clear using DKR now? how long has it been? I posted a few months back, I followed the regimen for about 6 months but with drugstore products instead, 1. cetaphil gentle skin cleanser 2. Neutrogena on the spot 2.5 BP 3. Cetaphil moisturizer with spf 15. I think the cleanser is great, the BP is so so but gets the job done. 2.5 Bp is 2.5 BP, and moisturizer is average. After the first few tough months, I have been 100% clear of any new breakouts and acne for the last month or so. So this regimen does work. But being patient and optimistic is sooooo crucial, as the majority of regimen's users will experiencing initial negative effects and results where acne may seem to even get worst. But if you keep patient if definitely works. I now just have to deal with the annoying marks/scars that acne leaves behind. But i can confidently say i am 100% clear from any new acne or breakouts. I just started implementing a more natural regimen and diminishing the use of BP slowly. I don't think i am gonna completely eliminate BP since i made that mistake twice in the past and acne returns with a vengeance. I do hate BP as it's such a harsh substance but it definitely helps me control my acne.
As for my new more natural regimen, which is mainly to focus on the marks rather than acne itself since i am 100% clear now ( fingers crossed ) I allowed a month or so of staying clear before being bold enough to make that statement. LOL
Mornings, I follow the normal regimen, but use organic aloe vera soothing moisturizer ( bought at whole foods ) instead of the cetaphil moistuzer. I never like the cetaphil, it always left an unnatural oily feel to my skin, but i used it since it didnt cause breakouts. Read aloe vera used topically reduces any redness/inflammation and helps to heal scars and is a good moisturizing agent.
Evenings, cleanse with cetaphil cleanser, now trying manuka honey 16+ which i leave on for 30 min or so followed by aloe vera moisturizer . Eliminating BP use in the evenings. I really want to use little BP as possible. Hopefully this helps with the marks. I know they will fade with time but i read that both manuka honey and aloe vera is great for speeding up the process for marks and hyper-pig.
Just wanted to see what your progress was with DKR..
Hey kiton23... I recall a conversation we had when you first began considering using DKR.. To answer your question, my skin is clear as day... When I do get a breakout, they are miniscule at best.. Unfortunately, I have persistent/stubborn acne which is greatly affected by my hormones... So any hormone fluctuations I have will always show on my face... Genetics I guess... I've tried the natural route many times, unfortunately, because of the nature of my acne, I've had little to no success keeping my skin healthy and clear... BP and AHA seem to work best for me... I've recently tried to cut down a bit on my BP usage while trying to figure out how much I need in order to remain clear but that is a matter of trial and error for me... As I said, my hormones affect my skin more than anything else, so I would definitely have to consider that when adjusting the amount of BP my face needs... Honestly, I love what DKR has done for my skin, it hasn't looked this good since my tween years... I could do w/o the irritation that BP causes around my neck area, but it's a small price to pay for clear and healthy skin...
Hello hello hello!!! I hope all is well with everyone... I don't have much to report today... My neck is still red, itchy, and irritated so I'm still struggling with that... I'm just trying to moisturize as much as possible and avoid further irritation as much as possible... I just have a small scab from me picking at that clogged pore and the bruising is almost gone... My face is slightly red but nothing I can't handle... I'm considering using another method of moisturizer application in the mornings as well... I would like to use makeup but I tend to need jojoba oil to combat dryness... Needless to say, the combination of jojoba oil and foundation don't exactly mix... This morning I was applying Dan's moisturizer and applied a little at a time because the bottle is just about empty... When I finished, my skin was adequately moisturized and the moisturizer dried well, without the use of jojoba oil... I'm going to test this out for a while and see how well it works out... If all goes well, I'll cut out the jojoba oil in the morning and slather it on at night... We shall see how it works out... (fingers crossed) Anyways, time to get back to work... LATER GATORS!!!!