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I think, like you said, some things work for some people and not for others. So while they all recommend it, OCM may work better for you. Who knows... I did like the OCM a lot. It made my skin so soft, but it didn't really help my cystic acne. It may work for you though, so give it a try. 
I've created an account just to post about this. I have suffered with moderate & occasionally severe acne on my face, back, chest & upper arms since I was 8. I am now nearly 29.
I have tried most things short of accutane. I am female, with PCOS & high levels of testosterone. I was given salycic acid gels when I was younger which did nothing. Dianette (the cyproterone acetate pill) worked apparent wonders initially with a 97% clearing of my face & beautiful smooth texture. But I disliked how it made me have a constant brain fog & it diminished my natural strength making me lose interest in sports. I kept up with it for approx 6 years, but stopped when I realised my blood pressure had crept up from exceptionally low (70/45 ... My family are naturally like that) up to 125/110. Coming off it was a relief but my acne came back on my face with a vengeance (although it never went away on my back/chest anyway)
I saw a dermatologist eventually at the age of 24ish. He put me on antibiotics, 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (I think only once a week) and differin/adapalene daily. Results were ok-ish but I was only approx 40% clear on my face & no real difference on my back. I had constant yeast infections, felt sick & was constantly getting ill.
He suggested putting me on Spironolactone, but explained it was hard on the kidneys. I knew that I was having constant UTIs & protein had been found in my urine on several occasions before (stupid doctors kept saying it was contamination in the sample & I couldn't possibly have kidney problems at my age) Luckily I decided to push the doctors to investigate properly before I went on the Spironolactone. Turns out I have stage 2 chronic kidney disease, with only 60% function - which I can't help but feel may have been compounded by the years of taking dianette & antibiotics. My GP just tells me it has to get worse before they will send me to a nephrologist! But whenever I tell another doctor (eg when having surgery) they always look at me as though they are shocked, ask what caused it & why it isn't being looked into in more depth. Obviously, this must be uncommon at my age.
So I decided that the medical establishment are a bit short sighted & that I needed to take things into my own hands. I tried the benzoyl peroxide regime here on acne.org but struggled to keep it up & I got so fed up of the bleaching of clothes, the smell, the dryness & the fact reaching my back was so difficult. The final straw was when the only moisturiser I'd found that worked in the UK was discontinued (Boots Botanics Pore Perfecting moisturiser with SPF 15)
I then fell across the oil cleansing method. I laughed at first. Oil is so obviously bad for acne right? Like you - I've done loads of reading about acne & this seemed so counter-intuitive. So I ignored it for ages, but something kept niggling at the back of my brain.
When I was on bed-rest after an operation a while back, I had not been doing anything at all to my skin. I basically hadn't been washing much... Gross I know! But my acne seemed to magically clear up. I had dismissed it as coincidence, or lack of stress through doing nothing! But this, combined with the fact that my acne had improved when I started using a gentler face wash (Avene gel cleanser... Great for the benzoyl peroxide regime - no foaming and much more calming than most) ... Well it made me wonder if my skin didn't like having its oil stripped away all the time.
I started with Olive oil (extra virgin) & once I got over the I initial oddity, I liked the way it removed my makeup gently, made my skin feel smooth and not irritated, and at the time, I thought I may be imagining it - but my skin felt less greasy. However I did this for a couple of weeks and no improvement in the acne at all. I got bored & stopped for a while. However I decided to keep using olive oil on my hands immediately after washing to seal in the moisture (a great tip btw... I could never grow my nails before I did this - is get rough bits of skin & nail that I'd try to 'tidy up' with my teeth & end up biting everything off!) I also kept using it as a lip balm (I really liked the idea of it being edible). But I started getting loads of little spots on my lip line... Something I'd never suffered from before - so I realised that the olive oil itself was blocking my pores.
This actually brought me back to thinking about the OCM since I realised that the issue may be the specific oil, not the process itself. I did a load more research & discovered that Jojoba is the most universally tolerated oil for acne. Some were mixing it with grapeseed - and castor was mentioned quite a lot too. I bought these (tried to get organic, cold pressed where possible to avoid synthetic chemical contaminants), but after doing a bit more reading - decided against using the castor oil. Too many people were saying it broke them out or was drying. I also suffer from some excess hair growth in places & castor oil is supposed to stimulate hair follicles!
So I did an approximately 50/50 mix of jojoba/grapeseed. I put it on with clean hands at night, massaged it in & used a hot washcloth to wipe it gently away several times. I felt the same as with the EVOO - smooth, non-irritated, less greasy etc... Except this time I seemed to be gradually clearing up. I've now been doing it for 6 months & am astounded by the results.
Oil cleansing with Jojoba (this is the key oil for me - the grapeseed is just to reduce the cost) made me 85% clear on my face. My constant slight redness dissappeared, the dryness dissappeared, I didn't have a constant forehead oil-slick anymore & the texture of my skin was improved massively. Best of all... No side effects! I was putting something that was safe enough to eat on my skin. That made me feel strangely smug ... but also just made complete sense.
However, I'm greedy & wanted more than that! I thought - if this has made such a difference, maybe something else can help with last few spots.
I discovered Manuka Honey & started using it as a face mask in the morning. I put it on slightly wet skin all over the affected areas & let it sit whilst I eat breakfast etc - then rinse it off with warm water or a washcloth. I am now 95% clear & feel able to go without makeup for the first time in my life! Even when my skin was clear on dianette, I had a slight blotchy redness that I felt the need to cover up. No longer with this routine... I feel truly liberated!
I would have laughed at this remedy previously - I had heard honey was good for skin many times before, but thought it was an old-wives nonsense tale. Clearly it was only for hippies... only worked a little bit (not like real synthetic chemical cocktails!) or was only for those with 'normal' skin or minor issues. My skin was clearly far too severely problematic to benefit from something natural, edible and that came from a flying creature!
How wrong could I have been. The jojoba oil had shown me that the way I had been tought to think about my skin was completely the wrong way round - which is why I gave the honey a try. The Manuka honey is particularly good because of the diffferent mechanism of it's antibacterial properties. Also, it won't have been processed in a way that damages its healing properties.
So my summary is: give it a try, what have you got to lose? Don't use olive oil - I know people are different, but I you are much safer to use Jojoba oil which mimics our skins own natural sebum. Try it as an eye makeup remover or lip balm first if you are scared - then any problems should become apparent quickly. And most of all - don't dismiss it as non-science, it makes a lot of sense when you start to analyse it - and these substances are not going to harm you at all (unlike accutane, antibiotics, hormonal treatments etc)... So just give it a go.
P.s. my back acne seems to have magically dissappeared too! The only thing I can attribute this to is that I now only wash my hair with hot water every day, and sometimes a bicarbonate of soda wash followed by an apple cider vinegar rinse. I wash once a week with a tiny amount of ecover washing up liquid (!) in a bowl with a load of warm water, then dunk my hair & scalp upside down into it (which is how I use the Bicarb & vinegar too). I use a tiny bit of jojoba on the tips as a conditioner.
I am starting to wonder if surfectants/degreasants/silicones etc have been almost entirely responsible for aggravating the while thing! The only other time my back has cleared up is when it gets burnt in the sun.., wierd, but it stays perfectly clear for 2-3 months afterwards. No treatment by the medical establishment has ever improved my back. The idea of 'wash away the grease' with these stripping chemical cocktails is clearly flawed. If I was cynical - I'd even venture that it might be encouraged on purpose to ensure the problem is never cured & they keep their customers. Money & greed can be terrible corrupters.
I have my results with the oil cleansing method are the same for many other people... not good.
My skin: I have dry, chemically sensitive skin that occasionally (always during menstration) breaks out in small, puss-filled pimples. I'm 27 & I've had small breakouts since I was 15. I wanted to try the OCM because I had read that it could eliminate the need for moisturizers (because they always break me out) & it seemed like a natural, inexpensive way to clean my face.
I began the OCM in March (3 months ago). I started out using organic extra virgin olive oil & castor oil (80/20) which I mixed in a clean plastic pump bottle. I cut up some hand trowels to ensure they would be large enough to cover my entire face while steaming. The first week I did the cleansing every other day; then every afternoon thereafter.
My regimen: Clean hands thoroughly & pump about a quarter sized amount into palms. Rub to warm & apply to face, massaging gently in circular motions. I then turn on the water to heat it up while I continue massaging. Once the water is hot, I wet the towel, ring, & apply to face to steam. I steam 3-4 times, wiping gently after each. I make sure to rinse the towel thoroughly in between steaming. Then I do a final wipe to get the remaining oil off.
About 2 weeks into it, I noticed what is called "congestion" on my chin & forehead. There were many tiny flesh colored bumps.
Between 3 weeks & a month into it, I got large, painful cysts on my upper cheeks, under my cheek bones & around my jawline.
I decided to add a few drops of tea tree oil to the mix to hopefully help with the breakouts that I believed were "purging". No help, in fact, that may have made it worse.
I stuck to it, following the advice of others that this was just my skin "purging" & that it would clear up soon.
About 2 months into it, my face would clear up a little, but then 3 times as many bumps would come up. I've had every kind of pimple possible while using the OCM. Some were flesh colored, some bright red & flat, some looked like they had white heads, but when I curiously poked it, nothing came out, & not to forget the cystic acne that had taken over my cheeks & jawbone.
I stuck with it for one more month & I cannot take anymore. I do not believe that this is my skin purging, it is acne (which by definition I have never had).
Two nights ago I decided to wash my face with my old Clean & Clear for sensitive skin that I had put away in the cabinet 3 months ago & again last night. After only 2 washes my skin is showing improvement. My congestion is completely gone, my hard bumps are softer, & the cysts are greatly reduced in size & no longer painful.
I had very high hopes for the OCM. Perhaps I did something incorrectly or should've tried different oils. I may get brave enough to try this again with jojoba oil, but it will be a while.
I am happy to see that some people (it seems to be those with oily skin) have had success with this, but I ended up with a 3 month long horror story.
Hello, Barnabas!
Thank you for sharing the oil cleansing method. I`ve been fighting with acne forever.I can write a book about all of the products that I have used. I got my oils and I`ll start tonight! I went to 2 Walmart stores and I couldn`t find the Concha Nacar cream,but I found it at Navarro.I just saw that mine looks a little different than the one you talk about. I attached an image,so you can see it.On its label,it says that it`s a mix formulation of Mother Pearl and vitamin C that helps to eliminate and to lighten black spots,small scars, and other skin imperfections. I was wondering what`s the difference between yours and mine? I`ll be looking forward to your response. Thank you in advance!
After finding out what oils work best for your skin type you you use a jar or something to mix the oils together and keep it like that or do you just mix it whenever you go to wash your face?
I'm just wondering what combination of oils someone with combination skin should use? I have mild-moderate cystic acne on my lower face/chin. I am just really nervous about starting the OCM and I don't want to buy an oil that doesn't work for me.
I absolutely 100% stand by the OCM. After reading this, which was a couple weeks ago.. I decided why not! I had nothing left to loose. I worked with what I had right in my own kitchen, which is organic olive oil with green tea leaves. I put some of he olive oil in a bowl, break open a green tea bag, pour it in.. Then drench myself head to toe in it. After rubbing it into my skin for about 5 minutes, sometimes less if I'm in a hurry, I hop in the shower to rinse off. It can get a little messy, so I bring my bowl of olive oil into the shower with me. I immediately started seeing results, although I'm still dealing with a few blemishes here and there my skin is clearer and softer than I've ever seen it before. This forum saved my skin, I will be using this on my skin probably all my life now.
Hello, total newbie here! Like others I signed up to reply to this topic alone.
I have suffered from acne for a long time and completed a course of Roaccutane approx 2 years ago. My skin has slowly gone back to being (slightly) spotty over time and I can accept that as it is no where near as bad as what it was before the Roaccutane.
I read about the oil cleansing method last summer and wanted to give it a go, and used it for a couple of months (sporadically not regularly), however my skin started to flare up around my chin and jaw line and it was starting to upset me quite a lot. I thought it was best to leave it alone but my skin got really bad towards the end of December and I discovered Salcura products online and got a sample of the Antiac spray, which I started using and it has really helped to clear up my skin.
Just by chance I never really had time to do the oil cleansing method over the Christmas holidays. I went back to reading about the oil cleansing method and ended up on this forum, which I had not visited before (surprisingly!) and I saw the less complimentary reviews of oil cleansing method. It never occured to me that it was the oil cleansing method causing the spots on my chin (which were very irritating and painful) but I've come to put 2 and 2 together and I think i will be staying away from the oil cleansing method in future! I love how soft it made my skin and I liked the fact it was like giving yourself a mini spa facial but I had no idea it was making my skin worse!
I know everyone is different but I just wanted to share my story
EDIT: 19th March 2014 - I have stayed away from the oil cleansing method since my last post. I have also swapped from cow's milk to almond or coconut milk on my cereal (which is where I really used most milk) and really tried to cut out bread (I used to eat quite a lot of bread) and my skin has improved. I really don't have that many spots on my face any more. I still have some bad ones occasionally but I really think cutting down on milk and bread has helped. I still eat 'dairy' in general (though I try to limit the amount), and occasionally eat bread or pizza etc. but cutting down on these things has not been as hard as I thought.
Again, hope this helps!
I have been doing this occasionally and have see great results. As I massage my face I can feel all the dead skin, blackheads, dirt, grit, etc coming out. I have used roughly 40% castor 60% EVOO and some drops of tea tree. I also dap tea tree directly on breakouts once in a while.
Just put together a new concoction. roughly 30& castor, 50% EVOO, 10% sweet almond, 10% jojoba, plus tea tree, geranium, lavender, and eucalyptus.
Lavender is supposed to work wonders for all skin types.
My wife has suffered her worst acne during and after her first pregnancy. She finally gave in to trying oil after seeing my progress. Using castor, EVOO, jojoba, and tea tree she looks amazing.
tonight I also made our first homemade moisturizer. found the recipe on livestrong [Edited link out] I quadrupled the amounts to fill 2 baby food jars. I substituted some jojoba for 1/4 of the almond oil. I added extra vitamin E, lavender, geranium, lemongrass, and eucalyptus. took about an hour, but way cheaper than anything I've found trying to avoid dangerous chemicals.
Hello, it's really great you've have so much success. I'm seriously so happy for you. I have moderate acne and tried this 2 weeks ago after much research. I used jojoba, sunflower and castor oils and all went well for the first week. Now, I have more cystic pimples and small bumps under the skin. Frustrating, so I've decided to stop the OCM. Be wary if you try it, works wonderfully for some, horribly for others. Good luck!
I have somewhat sensitive skin with mild acne. I have been doing the OCM for 2 months now. I started with 25% castor oil, 75% expeller pressed Sunflower seed oil, & a few drops of tea tree. I bought all of this at Natural Grocers. I applied it every night, steamed it a few times with a wash rag and then gently wiped it off. I would follow with rosewater as a toner and Simple moisturizer. The first couple weeks, my face looked fabulous! Smooth and bright. It cleared considerably. I would get a small pimple here and there, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. I felt like the OCM was really working.
Now, 2 months later, I am not sure! I have these red rashy patches on my chin. The started happening just a couple weeks ago. They are very small red pimples that accumulate on my chin and do not go away. They are numerous and close to each other so they look like red patches. Plus, I am getting small whiteheads a few times a week. The steaming helps draw the fluids away, but then they just turn into small red zits around my mouth and chin. Basically, the problem area is 90% around the mouth and chin.
I am also getting a couple random small red pimples on my forehead that never seem to come to a head. I don't usually ever break out on my forehead. The texture of my skin has seem to have gotten more bumpy or rough, just around my jaw and mouth/chin. My skin isn't dry, but there seem to be a lot more little bumps or what some people call comedones.
I have changed my formula ratio to 6:1...6 tbsp of sunflower seed, 1 tbsp of castor oil and no tea tree oil. I have stopped using the rosewater as well. I only use the oil mix a few times a week and clean my face with my Aveeno foaming cleanser & a moisturizer in between. My skin is a little better, the patches have decreased a tiny bit, but they are still there. I was hopeful for this OCM, but it has ultimately (after 2 months) made my face a bit worse. Perhaps I was doing too much? It seems my skin responds better with the "less is more" concept.
Now, I have these red, patchy breakouts just a couple days before my wedding!!! I haven't used the OCM all week and am afraid it will just get worse. I am not sure if I should continue use with the new ratio (after the wedding) I mentioned or just quit OCM all together?? Any advice? Should I switch oils? Get rid of castor oil? Only use jojoba or maybe avocado? I have researched and read a lot, but there is so much out there that I am not sure what to do next.
Which oils are best for red acne marks? Both of my cheeks are filled with them and I don't know what to do about it. I got rid of most of my acne with benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin lotion, apple cider vinegar and moisturizing with extra virgin olive oil. Should I continue using olive oil? Would it help?
For anyone that has acne, mild to severe, Retin-A Cream, washing twice a day gently with your hands, using a cleanser (non-medicated or medicated like BHA) and a non-comedogenic, oil-free moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15 is the way to go. This is the Gold Standard treatment for acne, wrinkles and general skin health.
The reason oil cleansing causes many people's acne to get worse, is because you are putting oil on your skin, which is not recommended for oily/acne prone skin. Oil is the root cause of acne - period. Bacteria and excess skin cells cannot alone - cause acne.
Another reason people's acne gets worse while using oil to 'wash' their face, is because after putting the oil on the skin, they are told to 'steam' the face with a hot washcloth. This steaming, essentially pushes the oil into the pores, which can cause clogged pores.
Yet another reason why acne can get worse on this method, is that using a washcloth is horrific for acne prone skins, it is an irritant and causes inflammation. Acne is an inflammatory condition, the last thing you want to do is inflame it more.
A final reason that washing with just oil can make acne worse, is that the oil does not kill bacteria, like even the most basic surfactant based cleanser would.
The reason oil cleansing causes many people's acne to get worse, is because you are putting oil on your skin, which is not recommended for oily/acne prone skin. Oil is the root cause of acne - period. Bacteria and excess skin cells cannot alone - cause acne.
Another reason people's acne gets worse while using oil to 'wash' their face, is because after putting the oil on the skin, they are told to 'steam' the face with a hot washcloth. This steaming, essentially pushes the oil into the pores, which can cause clogged pores.
Yet another reason why acne can get worse on this method, is that using a washcloth is horrific for acne prone skins, it is an irritant and causes inflammation. Acne is an inflammatory condition, the last thing you want to do is inflame it more.
A final reason that washing with just oil can make acne worse, is that the oil does not kill bacteria, like even the most basic surfactant based cleanser would.
Oil may dissolve oil, and may help with those 'plugs' that some people get within the pore, but if you are using Retin-A Cream, a mild (or BHA medicated cleanser) and an oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer - you won't have any 'plugs' to begin with.My advice is...if you have acne - mild, moderate or severe - see a dermatologist for a prescription for Retin-A Cream (the cream is the most widely used and least irritating type). It's a miracle product.Since you should never take a stranger's word for it... http://on.aol.com/video/the-truth-about-the-oil-cleansing-method-517339029
The internet is filled with testimonies of people who have tried Retin-A creams and every type of cleanser and moisturiser you can think of and still they have "plugs" or blackheads.
I don't really see the point in stating it like it's a fact, when there's very little evidence (that I know of) that suggest it's a fact.
The internet is filled with testimonies of people who have tried Retin-A creams and every type of cleanser and moisturizer you can think of and still they have "plugs" or blackheads.
The OCM really messed up my skin, i wish i had never tried it. I had clear skin thanks to retin-a but when i developed a cyst on my chin due to a hormonal imbalance i came to this site and stumbled across the OCM. I thought i would give it a go to prevent more cysts. I used 50% castor oil and 50% grapeseed oil twice in three days. My skin started to get extremely dry, and now it's full of red bumps, almost like a rash, my pores look clogged and more cysts have appeared where i never had a spot in my life. I really don't know how to reverse the situation. My skin looks awful.
This post is just wrong. In more ways than one...
So why do SO many acne-related products say "oil-free"?
Because putting more oil on a skin condition where oil is involved in its pathogenesis is not a good idea.
By using the right oils, you can cleanse your pores of dirt and bacteria naturally, gently and effectively, while replacing the dirty oil with beneficial ones extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit that heal, protect and nourish your skin.
Two things: 1. Acne is not caused by dirt and bacteria. 2. The oil is not "dirty". It is oxidized by free radicals.
other factors like age, hormones and prolonged clogging...
Precisely why the oil cleansing method is ineffective. Surface level treatments have no effect on hormones. Sebum production is driven by hormones.
the rash on my cheeks is now so bad that the only stuff that i can put on it is fresh aloe vera. It does help with the inflammation but i suspect it will take a long time for my skin to heal. In the meantime i cannot even cover it with foundation because the bumps and swelling cannot be concealed.
I feel so stupid for trying a cleansing method that defies logic. In my haste i read only the positive reviews. I wish i had taken time to read more about it instead of steaming my face and massaging castor and grapeseed oil on my skin with the result of blocking pores. I removed the excess oil with a warm towel, but obviously the oil had already penetrated deeply into the skin and triggered an inflammatory reaction.
I had purchased a cleansing oil from the store by Garnier, but I returned it because it had about 3 comedogenic ingredients. So now I'm considering just making my own cleansing oil, but I'm not sure what oils to use. I know for sure that I'd include castor oil and jojoba oil, but is that enough? And what's the recommended ratio? I have clogged pores everywhere and it results in little whitehead type bumps that aren't nice. Will this be helpful for that kind of skin concern?
Also, I've heard that you're supposed to use the oil to remove your makeup/cleanse with facial steaming, and then just wipe it off with a wet towel, but I'd like to use my Neutrogena oil-free redness soothing acne wash... it doesn't have any comedogenic ingredients. But would that be too much cleansing?
And I don't want to only do the oil cleanse once a week because I think it's important to get my makeup off completely every night. I've noticed that new pimples can appear in a day without proper cleansing and I want to put an end to that, but I also want the salicylic acid benefits of the Neutrogena face wash.
Does anyone have any personal experience trying them both?
I've heard a lot of good about olive oil I have some and want to try it as a moisturiser but my skin is almost totally clear and I'm so afraid it will break me out! Is it safe to use as a moisturiser? Can I put a little on and leave it on over night?
IF IT AINT BROKE, DONT FIX IT!
I've suffered from moderate acne for 10 years (22 now). Tried OCM 4 months ago with different ratios and different oils. The first days I totally loved it. I have pretty dry skin (and hair t.t) and each morning I'd wake up with clearer, softer skin. I also totally loved how it really did clear pores, even the blackheads on my nose suddenly were reduced in size dramaticaly. Very strong power there, a bit too strong it turned out after almost a week. Gave me cystic acne - which I never had before mind you. Maybe I didn't try long enough to find 'the perfect match' for me, but honestly, I got the scare of my life suddenly having cheeks full of deep painful pimples. Switching oils to get rid of acne caused by oils was not a good idea. I waited some time, tried different ratios, also didnt work. OCM is just too agressive, for me. I have very thin and sensitive skin, red marks last forever, I won't easily be tempted to try OCM again. That being said, I did love using oil as a moisturizer. So I've stuck by using sweet almond oil after cleansing my face, it really helps healing and my face isn't dry anymore On to my next 'experiment' to win the war that's being fought on my face.
