Yikes on the exfoliation. Sometimes it's best to learn from experience. Yep definitely safe to try out AHA. Use it mixed into your moisturizer for a couple weeks until your skin adjusts. I started off with two drops and added another drop every week. It might get red and stingy/itchy for a little while. I use it at night to avoid facial discoloration and sun damage. I'm finding out now that I haven't been using enough moisturizer. Dan's old moisturizer I hear only required 1-2 pumps. But his new formula, doesn't contain Glycerin, the super moisturizing ingredient most moisturizers have. My flakiness has been generally unmanageable for the full 9 1/2 weeks I've been on the regimen. So I started using 2 1/2 pumps to 3 pumps of moisturizer and lightly diluted AHA at night. It's starting to help with overall dryness. For less shine, just add less jojoba oil in the morning. At night, I'm generous with it since nobody is going to see me anyway to make up for the lesser amount during the day.
Your complexion is looking very balanced and clearing very nicely. I know it may be hard to believe when we have flakes to deal with, but you are making amazing progress! Keep it up! Remember, more moisture will help gradually remedy the severity of the flakes.
Odd question: Do you have a fan that you let blow air on your face? I found out that my fan was part of my flaking and redness problem. Made my face dry very quickly and caused major itching. Just a thought.
Yikes on the exfoliation. Sometimes it's best to learn from experience. Yep definitely safe to try out AHA. Use it mixed into your moisturizer for a couple weeks until your skin adjusts. I started off with two drops and added another drop every week. It might get red and stingy/itchy for a little while. I use it at night to avoid facial discoloration and sun damage. I'm finding out now that I haven't been using enough moisturizer. Dan's old moisturizer I hear only required 1-2 pumps. But his new formula, doesn't contain Glycerin, the super moisturizing ingredient most moisturizers have. My flakiness has been generally unmanageable for the full 9 1/2 weeks I've been on the regimen. So I started using 2 1/2 pumps to 3 pumps of moisturizer and lightly diluted AHA at night. It's starting to help with overall dryness. For less shine, just add less jojoba oil in the morning. At night, I'm generous with it since nobody is going to see me anyway to make up for the lesser amount during the day.
Your complexion is looking very balanced and clearing very nicely. I know it may be hard to believe when we have flakes to deal with, but you are making amazing progress! Keep it up! Remember, more moisture will help gradually remedy the severity of the flakes.
Odd question: Do you have a fan that you let blow air on your face? I found out that my fan was part of my flaking and redness problem. Made my face dry very quickly and caused major itching. Just a thought.
Thanks for the encouragement Stardust~ The flaking can be pretty irritating and makes you a bit self conscious. But I do see my complexion clearing up so forward with the Regimen!
Oddly enough I DID have a fan to my face early on the Regimen. I found that it dried me out MUCH faster, but I didn't pay much attention to it. I turned off the fan around a week ago (autumn hit, pretty chilly outside) and I found my face to be much more calmed, less irritated, and less itchy all around. Thanks for the tip off!
By the way I've been debating, since my acne wasn't bad when I started using the Regimen steps, is it necessary to dose up all the way to 2 pumps BP? My plan was to dose up, and then wind it down to as little as possible BP usage as I can get by with. Any suggestions on this would be appreciated!
1 month + 5 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 1+1/2 Pump BP
- 2 Pumps Moisturiser + 4 drops Jojoba
Notes
- My face is flaking bad at the end of the day still
- It's dry and flaking but at the same time oily. What an odd pairing.
1 month + 6 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 1+1/2 Pump BP
- 2 Pumps Moisturiser + 4 drops Jojoba
- Notes
- Redness / flakeyness has come a little more under control
- By around 9pm, it becomes very tempting to pick at it.
- Redness / flakeyness has come a little more under control
1 month + 7 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 1+1/2 Pump BP
- 2 Pumps Moisturiser + 4 drops Jojoba
- Notes
- AHA when mixed into Dan's moisturiser + jojoba oil, makes it very runny.
- It also stings more and for a longer duration when applying it.
- BUT my face looks great in the morning, much... more evened out than when I was just on BP Regimen.
- AHA when mixed into Dan's moisturiser + jojoba oil, makes it very runny.
1 month + 8 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 1+1/2 Pump BP
- 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 3 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- Flakey but better.
- Chin skin is flaking off like fish scales.
- Small break-out on my right middle-cheek, next to lips. We'll see how this plays out.
- Flakey but better.
1 month + 11 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 1+1/2 Pump BP
- 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 3 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- Still experiencing lots of flaking
- My whole face is basically flaking
- AHA is helping with the flakes during the PM, but there's still crazy flaking during the AM.
- I work sitting next to a windowed area, which gives me ample sunlight. I have yet to find a sunscreen I like the feel of, so I'm usually going no SPF during the day, which means I can't AHA during the AM.
- If someone has experience with this, any feedback would be appreciated. I am concerned with the"blotchy-ness" it's making my face as new skin is exposed and old dead skin still hangs on. (Picture below) Will AHA even this out eventually?
Daily Picture
- Still experiencing lots of flaking
1 month + 12 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 1+1/2 Pump BP
- 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 3 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- Flakes are not improving. I'm still flaky.
- I'm happy to report no new acne, but really the flakes are getting annoying.
- I feeling more self conscious about flakes now than I have about acne. Everything is okay until that 10 hour mark since the AM Regimen hits. Then my skin dries, itches and flakes like there is no tomorrow.
- I will post up detail pictures of it the next time I shed like a snake.
- Flakes are not improving. I'm still flaky.
I really enjoyed looking at your log, very thorough and I'm sure new people to the regimen (or contemplating following the regimen) will find it invaluable.
You certainly are experiencing severe flaking but AHA will sort that out within a few weeks. AHA should also help with the uneven skin tone that the flaking is causing you. Once you've built up to using straight AHA without mixing in moisturiser you will notice a huge improvement. From memory, I had good improvement in the first couple of weeks of using AHA but it wasnt until I hit the 3rd week that my skin tone, texture and hydration improved dramatically.
Keep going....I'll be reading! 
1 month + 21 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 2 Pump BP
- AM: 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 4 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- Trying to find a guide on Acne.org on dosage of AHA to use. I haven't found any clear instructions on how to incorporate AHA into the Regimen.
- I've been alternating using AHA straight as a night moisturiser and mixing it with moisturiser.
- I'm still flaking, but it has started to get better.
- Since last week when I stopped posting (work took over my life ><), sometimes at the end of the day, I would lightly brush my face and I would see sprinkles of brown flakes on my sink... But since starting AHA for the 3rd week, it has been noticeably better.
- Forehead pimple that died since the 2nd week of starting the Regimen is STILL red. Gah,
I really enjoyed looking at your log, very thorough and I'm sure new people to the regimen (or contemplating following the regimen) will find it invaluable.
You certainly are experiencing severe flaking but AHA will sort that out within a few weeks. AHA should also help with the uneven skin tone that the flaking is causing you. Once you've built up to using straight AHA without mixing in moisturiser you will notice a huge improvement. From memory, I had good improvement in the first couple of weeks of using AHA but it wasnt until I hit the 3rd week that my skin tone, texture and hydration improved dramatically.
Keep going....I'll be reading!
- Trying to find a guide on Acne.org on dosage of AHA to use. I haven't found any clear instructions on how to incorporate AHA into the Regimen.
1 month + 25 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 2 Pump BP
- AM: 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 4 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- Noticeable improvement from using AHA+.
- Skin still flaking, but not as serious.
- Skin is not as itchy during the late afternoon / early evening periods.
- Flaking comes RIGHT BACK if you forget to use Jojoba oil / AHA+. (I forgot to use it for one day, and BOOM flake-city)
- Noticeable improvement from using AHA+.
1 month + 26 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 2 Pump BP
- AM: 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 4 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- I've upped my dosage of AHA to 1+1/2 finger lengths
- Noticeably less flaking in the morning and smoother skin over all.
- I'm really beginning to see the effects of AHA+.
- So far I'm liking it
- I can STRETCH MY FACE and not feel it cracking up, see?
Looking great Norris!! I've abandoned my AHA.. Now I want to use it again!
- I've upped my dosage of AHA to 1+1/2 finger lengths
I think the initial redness and itchiness was getting to me. But this time I'll soldier through it like I had to with the BP. Since I've adjusted to the BP, I think I can tolerate adjusting the AHA now. I'm glad it's working for you. Today I start my 14th week on the regimen, so I do need to start managing the dryness. I plan to not reduce the BP until I've been on the regimen for six months (end of January) That should be long enough to time be considered consistently clear. Keep us posted! You are doing really well! 
1 month + 28 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 2 Pump BP
- AM: 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 4 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- last night I did not use Acne.org products. I used the new line of Biotherm products that my girlfriend had at her place. I was staying over, and I didn't bring my "go bag" so I had to use what I could for PM cleansing.
- BIOTHERM moisturiser was amazing. My skin was very smooth and supple when I woke up. It like banished the FLAKES
- Once I ween myself to a reasonable dosage of BP, I'll also be switching to this moisturiser for sure!
- last night I did not use Acne.org products. I used the new line of Biotherm products that my girlfriend had at her place. I was staying over, and I didn't bring my "go bag" so I had to use what I could for PM cleansing.
I had the exact same experience, early in the regimen. One night I used dermologica moisturiser and it was amazing and my skin was so soft and hydrated the next morning. But by the next afternoon I had about 20 blocked pores and bumps under the skin again. It just caused me to break out. So sad (I sure miss the fancy shiny product bottles) but I came to realise that acne.org products are the only thing that was going to get me clear and keep me clear. I sure hope you dont have the same experience though.......
I had the exact same experience, early in the regimen. One night I used dermologica moisturiser and it was amazing and my skin was so soft and hydrated the next morning. But by the next afternoon I had about 20 blocked pores and bumps under the skin again. It just caused me to break out. So sad (I sure miss the fancy shiny product bottles) but I came to realise that acne.org products are the only thing that was going to get me clear and keep me clear. I sure hope you dont have the same experience though.......
Its funny that I just read this now. The product shown above was pretty amazing. Skin is smooth, and amazingly supple.
I now have a breakout on my left temple and upper left lip --granted this could be from other causes, but I don't think I'm going to leave that to chance.
I'll keep this one in mind, when I'm nearing the end of my Full-Does Regimen but for now it's 100% Regimen~!
2 month + 2 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 2 Pump BP
- AM: 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 4 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- Beginning of the month time. Going to post more detailed pictures at the beginning of every month from now to act as a milestone for myself and anyone that's looking. Sadly phone is broken so I'll have pics once I'm home with my webcam. @.@
‹PS, does everyone else have a really hard time writing entries or is it just me and something wrong with my computer?
Whenever I write a new sentence that starts on a new line in the text box, the first backspace I hit moves my line back up a whole line...(if that makes any sense) Butllet point function is a nightmare to use....
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Norris,
The progress is really good.
I have a theory about your pigmented skin. I believe it is the result of healed, dry surface skin that has been sun damaged and likely burnt. This will cause irregular skin cell formations. Since your skin is oily, the effects of the sun's rays can be amplified, and when oil is heated, it will have binding effects.
The outer layer was unable to slough off skin cells, so new ones grew on top. Que the oil and growth of nerves and blood vessels, and you have a farm for acne.
It's very important to exfoliate properly after sun exposure, and of course, wear SPF50.
You will heal via skin cell proliferation, which the AHA+ will definitely help. Those spots will even out and the skin will look great, as there is uniform skin cell proliferation. I had a similar case on my jaws. The skin was clear, but there was this strange pattern of light and dark pigmentation.
The only suggestion I can make, as an Asian person (Korean), is a change in diet. There are tons of things out there that are considered "healthy," but in our particular case, we need more protein and less starchy foods.
I cleared myself through diet a month ago. Recently turned 30.
The sugar/carb blood-sugar acne connection is a very strong one.
Norris,
The progress is really good.
I have a theory about your pigmented skin. I believe it is the result of healed, dry surface skin that has been sun damaged and likely burnt. This will cause irregular skin cell formations. Since your skin is oily, the effects of the sun's rays can be amplified, and when oil is heated, it will have binding effects.
The outer layer was unable to slough off skin cells, so new ones grew on top. Que the oil and growth of nerves and blood vessels, and you have a farm for acne.
It's very important to exfoliate properly after sun exposure, and of course, wear SPF50.
You will heal via skin cell proliferation, which the AHA+ will definitely help. Those spots will even out and the skin will look great, as there is uniform skin cell proliferation. I had a similar case on my jaws. The skin was clear, but there was this strange pattern of light and dark pigmentation.
The only suggestion I can make, as an Asian person (Korean), is a change in diet. There are tons of things out there that are considered "healthy," but in our particular case, we need more protein and less starchy foods.
I cleared myself through diet a month ago. Recently turned 30.
The sugar/carb blood-sugar acne connection is a very strong one.
Jarrit thanks so much for your informative post. I'm really interested in what kind of specific changes you made in your diet.
I've seriously cut down on sugar intake, and starchy food, but I didn't up my protein. Last week I indulged a little throughout the week, taking in more starch than normal, and like clockwork I had 2 new breakouts.
2 month + 5 Days
I'm going to group every 30 days into 1 month, and every 365 days into 1 year.
- 1 Pump Cleanser
- 2 Pump BP
- AM: 2 Pumps Moisturiser + (AM 4 drops, PM 6 drops Jojoba)
- Notes
- AHA+ is really doing wonders. Skin feels nice to the touch in the mornings when
- Not flaking much anymore. This is just as people have said. After a few weeks with AHA it really does help with the flaking.
Looking really, really good! The skin is obviously becoming smoother.
Diet wise, I kept it simple. I said no to all alcoholic drinks, cigarettes offered, bread, muffins, pastries, anything of that sort.
Resisting the tempation is the hardest part. You can probably eat a few bites or small pieces as a treat, but I really feel like you are a good candidate for lowering your sugar and carb intake, and upping the good proteins and fats.
I mentioned before that Kale is a superfood :
http://nutritiondata...products/2461/2
The benefits of kale clearly point to clearer skin. Thiamin will aid in nerve regeneration, which is important for functional skin. Nerves can become damaged. They're essentially like cables with housing, and when the housing is damaged, electrical signals can become misinterpreted by the body, causing irritation.
There is also Manganese, and even traces of zinc.
Here's a typical kale salad for me :
- Avocado cubed
- Chopped kale, remove stems
- Dressing made of organic honey, mustard, greek yogurt as a base, and worchestershire sauce.
This salad contains a lot of great amino acids, fats, and micronutrients. Honey is amazing for the body. Blend together the dressing to taste. It took a while for me to master the flavor but I'd likely go with 1/2 cup of the greek yogurt, 1 TBSP honey, mustard and worchestershire sauce for taste. It essentially makes a healthier honey mustard, without using mayonnaise as a base.
Here's what I had for breakfast :
- eggs scrambled
- zucchini chopped with mushrooms and onions with curry powder, salt, pepper, slowly grilled on a pan with olive oil (this can be flavorful if cooked with the right heat and amount of spices)
- bacon
- Kale salad
Here's my current food list whenever I hit the grocery store :
- Avocadoes
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
- Kale
- Chicken breast
- Bacon (without nitrates, from whole foods)
- Salmon fillet
- Tilapia
- Tomatoes
- Grass fed beef
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Garlic
- Quinoa
- Berries
- Almonds
- Feta cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Bananas
I compiled this list by slowly adding foods from a baseline diet of just fish and kale. I'm slowly adding even more foods to my list as I eat them and can go a few days without any adverse effects.
With this combination of foods, I was able to create several different dishes that I could eat that I enjoy eating, and are also not too bad for the skin.
Here's a pic of one of my latest dishes :
- Kale salad with avocado and homemade honey mustard with organic honey (i can easily throw some chopped walnuts in there with some cranberries)
- Zucchini with mushrooms grilled with onions, garlic, curry powder, salt, pepper, olive oil
- tilapia seasoned with pepper with bacon laid on top
At first, I was reluctant to be constantly washing a cutting board and several bowls, always chopping up vegetables, but as the weeks passed I became faster and faster at it all.
You might have an easier time of it than I do. The whole experience of dieting and sticking to a strict diet has changed my view entirely on food. It becomes us, and what we are. They're essentially the building blocks for our bodies, so the diet cannot be compromised.
Did you know that acne can occur inside of the body, on your tissues and in your stomach? The stomach can be very damaged over time, through stress and other external factors. I imagine after a year of this diet, our gut permeability may go down. Skin is largely a reflection of what is going on inside - the nerves are wrapped throughout our organs and all over the skin. Heal the inside, heal the outside.
The logic behind topical healing is astounding. It works, but it will not give the 100% clear skin or texture that people look for.
Do you ever get acne in other areas besides the face?
Check out the following documentaries (free on hulu) :
- FATHEAD ( you MUST watch this )
- fat sick and nearly dead
- forks over knives (disregard the portions about the China study if you watch this. This blog has the latest on it : http://rawfoodsos.com/ )
You don't appear to be an overweight person. Your body manifests its damage control in the form of acne, rather than weight gain.
Just watch for how you feel after eating a meal. I think it takes a bit of experience but you'll know when food is bugging you or not, if you decide to try and simplify your diet for a period to find your triggers. It's strange, because our bodies can become numb to its own allergies, so it's going to try and isolate allergic substances and remove them somehow.
