Acne is. first and foremost, genetic. It runs in my family pretty strong. My three sisters and I had it and all our respectful kids have run into it as well. It doesn't matter what you eat, if it's genetic, it's going to happen, although the severity differs from person to person.

I was fortunate that when I broke out the worst (at age 19), I found a just-opened business by an esthetician in my town. She guaranteed I would be clear in a month, and I was. Over the years I've strayed from her products, but I have always come back and especially for my kids' acne.

Fast forward many years, my son is my youngest of three. He started breaking out with mild acne about a year ago. I couldn't get him to stick to a routine because it didn't bother him yet. It got to be moderate by January and he agreed to stick to a routine.

What used to be Acne Treatment Clinic back when I was 19 (25 years ago) is now Lumiplexion. A few years ago the owner left the busy Bay Area for a quieter area up in the mountains. The business is now solely online.

My son started about mid-January doing his routine. We added a mask a few weeks ago, and since then even his sisters have noticed how he's really starting to clear up. He had started getting where he didn't want to go out of the house, and within the past couple weeks, he's much happier.

His routine:

Morning

Wash with Panoxyl 4% BP

Sunscreen with 30 SPF from Lumiplexion $20 (lasts about 4 months)

Night

Wash with Proactive Deep Cleansing wash

Medicated sulfur mask from Lumiplexion (he leaves on about an hour) $25 (lasts about two months)

10% BP - Lumiplexion $22 (lasts about three months)

Lumiplexion also has sulfur medication for those sensitive to BP. My 17-year-old cannot use BP. Her routine is black soap wash and Lumiplexion sunscreen in the morning. At night same medicated sulfur mask and the sulfur medication. This has kept her clear for the past three years.

What's great about Lumiplexion is the owner, Pamela, gives you one-on-one attention. She will customize the skin routine originally. She will tweak it if things are not clearing. She will even tweak the medication itself to adjust it for your needs. I put the prices of what we use so you can see what her prices are. She has monthly specials if you get on her mailing list.

I hope this information can help someone with their situation.

Julie