Hi everyone,

I've been on the regimen for almost exactly a year...I started it because about 6 months post-accutane (I was on the lowest dosage) I got ONE cystic pimple and a couple of whiteheads. I went to a general clinic in the UK (the country where I go to university), because dermatologists are expensive, and was told to try a benzoyl peroxide cream. Not knowing how to use it I experienced severe dryness and burning...which brought me to the acne.org website! Started the regimen, followed it quite religiously and experienced good clear skin. I never had more than one pimple at a time.

Well, now it's a year later...

In December 2014 I started using the regimen once a day at night, it was working well and I had clear skin (never more than one pimple at a time, and the pimples were TINY). In January I went on a beach holiday (hot humid climate, dusty motorcycle rides, swimming multiple times a day), and got about four or five whiteheads...still on the regimen once a day. After that, I stayed clear on the same once-a-day routine for a month, at which I went on another, longer, beach holiday...Stayed on regimen once a day, swum and applied suncream multiple times a day and broke out in a few whiteheads (about 4) and one cystic pimple...at which I freaked out and went on the regimen twice a day again through March...which brings us into April.

Right now every pimple that I have had in 2015 has left hyperpigmentation, even though i always make sure to be protected from the sun...I have half Asian skin. I feel like I cannot use benzoyl peroxide and not be left with a mark for every single pimple I get. This has led me to the thinking that I should stop the regimen. I had success with going only at nights before, even skipping some days with no major break outs while living my normal daily life (aka. not at the beach).

I am in a different state of mind than I was a year (even a month) back. I realise it's okay to have pimples, and I realise now that my acne was NEVER severe. I will be perfectly happy if I can quit the regimen and return to having healthy looking skin, skin that does not gain a new brown mark with every single pimple.

My big fear, is that if I quit the regimen cold turkey I will get worse acne than I ever had before because my skin has become used to the benzoyl peroxide (?), and I've read about purging that leaves scars...I don't know if this is a legitimate fear or not, my acne was mild and if I had a more self-confident/rational mindset last year I would never have started the regimen and would have opted for trying something like the La Roche Posay effaclar line (that has made my skin very nice and fairly clear in the past). I would not mind weaning myself of BP (maybe starting with usage at night every other day), but at the same time, if I get pimples during this weaning process they will be more likely to leave hyper pigmented marks than if I was not using BP.

I haven't used BP in three days, with no change in skin pimple-wise. I have washed and moisturized as usual, and used 10% AHA last night. I also dabbed tea tree gel on a couple of small spots around my nose. I'm posting here because I don't know how to continue, apply BP every other night and cut down from there (risking hyper pigmentation), or cut it out completely and see what happens, keeping in mind that pre-regimen my acne was very mild. I'm on birth control, and this has never caused pimples, though I don't know if it helps or not. I eat healthy and exercise daily, washing my face twice a day with cetaphil.

Basically I'm seeing the regimen as a mistake, my skin looks dull, and is very prone to hyperpigmentation. Does anyone have advice? I am just terrified of horror-stories I have read about terrible, "worse breakout ever" breakouts after stopping BP, but as my acne has never been severe I sense that I'm overreacting for nothing? I have reached a point where fear of more hyperpigmentation is draining and I want to do everything I can to prevent this...a few pimples, I am ok with. I wish I had the benefit of hindsight, maturity, and self-confidence when I committed to the regimen last year...I am abroad studying and cannot see my very helpful and lovely derm until August.

Sorry this is long, thank you to anyone who has read it through, and I would love some advice for my situation/ stories of personal experiences from stopping the regimen!