Acne has many different causes. And many different treatments. But I think it's important to remember that the people posting here are not, for the most part, people who have tried the regimen and had success. Most of the people browsing these boards are guests. It's only when people really run into trouble after trying several methods that they work up the courage or will to post.

That being said, the regimen will NOT work for everyone. Because acne has many different causes. In my experience, my skin has always adjusted to the BP when I use it. My face also gets more oily. I recently started the regimen again, and it broke me out for the first 3-4 days. Now I'm getting clearer (8 days since starting).

I turned to BP because nothing else worked. It's not a last resort, but because of the chemicals and assault on the acid mantle, it wasn't my first resort either. I think that most cases of acne can be cured with the appropriate internal methods. External methods should be used if those fail, or if you're lazy. And synthetic internal methods, like antibiotics and accutane, should be absolute last resorts.

Depending on what your acne looks like, I would look into the underlying causes of your acne first, and see if you can cure it from the inside instead of treating it from the outside.

The regimen isn't for everyone, it certainly wasn't for me. I have highly sensitive skin and I went through periods of really flaky and irritated skin. My face felt like it constantly had a crust or hard film of skin over it. I could have probably implemented the AHA to reduce that, but I found that the benefits were not worth the drawbacks.

Acne is caused by different things. Find out what that is and see what options you have. Each method will have their pros and cons. In the end, you will have to decide what works for you, your lifestyle, budget. Find one you can stick with and you can follow through whole heartedly because half assing won't do the trick.

The Regimen is a method of last resort due to it's time consuming nature and side effects. I've stopped a few times, thinking there has to be something else that can help which doesn't take an hour each day and leaves my face completely flaky at all times. I've gone off and tried a million different things, but not success. SO I come back to the reigmen. I'm 30 years old and started it when I was 20.

Unless you find total cure of your acne the regimen helps prevents scarring. But should not be for long time.

I was like you back in january deciding whether the regimen was worth it but I was like whatever so I went ahead and brought and it clear most of my acne. I still have an couple left but I stopped getting breakouts. During this time my diet also improved so I don't know if it my diet or the regimen but hey it working so I have to be doing something right. It been 94 days and I don't regret it at all. I stopped using Bp three week in because most of it went away pretty quick, ever since I only get the occasion pimple, right I am using only the cleanser and the Aha cream. This is just my experience with the regimen that I wanted to share.

I cant use BP consistently because of the irritation, Ive noticed that for most people it doesnt actually go away even though your skin is supposed to 'adjust after a week'. Ive tried to tough it out but it just gets worse, and the irritation makes me break out (and in places I dont usually break out). Also the dryness makes my skin look like crap, it gives me wrinkles (that go away when I stop using BP but still) and seems to prolong post acne marks. But if your skin is tough and can handle the side effects it is an effective regimen.

The Regimen is a method of last resort due to it's time consuming nature and side effects.

I wouldn't say it's the last resort... and It doesn't really take very long to do once you get the hang of it.. and its side effects (drying) tends to subside after a few weeks/months (at least for most people). I do have really sensitive skin (allergic to lots of things like perfume, lanolin, sodium lauryl sulphate) so have to wash with cold water only... but the BP & moisturiser is fine.

Personally it has been a godsend. Wish i'd started it years ago. My skin is clear and looks really really healthy. I'm normal again! The only downside for me is the bleaching of towels/pillows.. and the fact that i need to be more careful when going out in the sun. Both of which are pretty easy to combat with white towels/pillows and sun cream!

So basically what I'm saying is... try it and give it a chance. You have nothing to lose.. other than your acne! Good luck.

The Regimen worked for me and for most people who follow it closely. I'd tried everything from Proactiv to Antibiotics to Retin-a to crazy things like urine therapy (yes I was desperate). The Regimen cleared me up about 90%, it changed my life. But of course The Regimen isn't a cure, but IMO it's about the best thing available for treating acne.

The only thing that I believe can cure acne, is Accutane. So when I reached my mid-twenties, and it was clear my acne wasn't going anywhere, I'd had enough and decided to take Accutane. I've been clear since.

Why are other people using things other than The Regimen?

1. This is an open forum for you guys to share your regimens and experiences, you have complete freedom. Naturally not everybody will want to try The Regimen, many don't even realise we have a regimen because it's not the prime focus of the site. Most companies wouldn't let you discuss "competitors" products, I use the term competitors very loosely but to me, that's part of the beauty of Acne.org.
2. Some people tried The Regimen, but couldn't deal with the early dryness etc.
3. Many people prefer a more natural approach to treating their acne, while others try to treat their acne with diet.
4. Some peoples acne is so severe, they need to be on Accutane.

That's just the tip of the ice berg, but it's certainly enough to give you some ideas as to why not everybody is using The Regimen.

In a nutshell, don't let the fact not everybody is using The Regimen, put you off trying it. That would be a big mistake.

I definitely do not agree with the statement that most of the people on here have tried the regimen and failed. I, for one, have been posting on this site for over 2 years and only started the regimen this month. I personally saw the regimen as a last resort mainly because it is not good for aging of the skin. But at the end of the day, nothing else has worked for me (retinoids, accutane, oral antibiotics) and I suspect that having inflamed acne constantly on my skin is more aging than BP could ever be.

I agree with the above poster. A lot of people on this site have specific ideas about how they want to deal with their acne (internally, naturally, etc) and I think a lot of others are scared off of the regimen because of the adjustment period and having to commit such a strict regimen effectively for life.

But, if you are like me, taking 30 minutes a day to have clear skin is well worth it. And of course, the regimen wont work for everyone (nothing does) but it's worth a try. I am in my third week and have seen faster results than I've seen with any other treatment so far.