So I have been dealing with acne since I was a teenager, and I am now in my 40s, and have tried everything... from cryotherapy when I was in junior high, to topical antibiotics, to oral antibiotics, to anti-fungals like diflucan. And every type of OTC benzoyl peroxide imaginable.
Here is what I have discovered, and what has FINALLY worked for me (and I have been completely acne-free for the past month if not longer).
1) First, I have cut out all regular soda, cut out all sugar in my coffee, cut out fruit juice, and have reduced my gluten intake, and drink no more than one or at most two alcoholic beverages in a week. I still have coffee every morning, but I use Truvia and never sugar.
2) No more yogurt, and much less cheese. I use Lactaid milk instead of regular milk whenever possible.
3) One bottle of Organic Raw Kombucha EVERY DAY. This has also cured my heartburn, for which I had been taking pills FOR YEARS.
Now what I do for my skin:
1) I wash my face with Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, once in the morning and once at night.
2) Every other night for the first three weeks I madeI the following concoction, in basically equal parts, and used it on my face at night:
2.5% Treatment, 1% clindamycin phosphate gel, Triple Paste medicated ointment (yeah the stuff for diaper rash), and AcneFree Therapeutic Sulfur Mask. This "magical" combination of ingredients, applied to the face at night, along with with the change in diet noted above, got me totally clear.
3) Once clear, I continued with the 2.5% Treatment each night thereafter along with 1% clindamycin phosphate gel.
4) Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque every other day for 20 minutes, usually in the afternoon.
5) Since I have to shave, and found that shaving made the problem worse, I now do the following right before shaving:
I apply "Bump Destroy HBD Bump Destroying Cleanser" by Beauty 4 Ashes as per the instructions, then shave, then spritz face and neck generously with "Bump Destroy Solution".
6) Before leaving the house in the morning I often put on a little of the Clindamycin Phosphate topical gel after the Bump Destroy. I have yet to really get into a regular moisturizer which will be a future step.
I hope this will help someone out there!