I can't wait to see your progress! Good luck Lilly.

Woo Lily!!! I'm so stoked for you. Wishing you a smooth start and I hope things go well. Just remember to start slow and take it one step at a time, you'll definitely see results.

Thank you both

Definitely going slowly - especially when it comes to BP.

I can officially say 'Day 1' now I've just done all the steps and followed the instructions exactly It's going to take a bit of getting used to when it comes to washing my face for just 10 seconds and the small amount of BP that I've started off with hardly seemed enough for my whole face... but I'm not going to rush into the BP.

I have a question though - when you started the regimen, did you start with jojoba oil straight away? Hope that's ok... I thought I'd use it to be on the safe side and hopefully limit any possible dryness...

I just tried to get photos of my skin but I've left it too late. It's about 8.30pm here and the lighting in my house is actually making my skin look good in photos without the flash, and then if I use the flash, everything looks worse than what I think it actually is.

For now, I'm attaching photos of my skin that I took about a week ago. Things have changed since then. I have a lot of tiny little white heads and clogged pores around my nose / cheeks and forehead and the big-ish spot under my right eye is pretty much gone. Those are the main differences. Still have some bigger spots on the sides of my face and I think I can feel some coming up on my chin. The lighting isn't the most accurate in these photos either I don't think (a bit bright)... I'll try and get better, more up to date and accurate photos tomorrow morning (though the lighting in my bathrooms isn't that great).

I think that's about it for now I was about to go watch the second episode of 'Under the Dome' but I'll have to wait for the re-run later in the week - It's on at the same time as the final episode ever of an Australian series my Mum and I like and Mum is wanting to watch that

Hey wow, you're officially starting the Regimen today? I just started too. I meant to start a couple days ago but got sidetracked.

I was on it for a while before, needless to say it works really well, made my skin super smooth... I don't think I ever really got over the redness aspect, which is why I quit... BP by itself I got used to, but the moisturizer I was using was just greasy and made my skin burn, even months into the reg. In fact sometimes I went with BP only, no moisturizer, just because I felt like I'd rather have flakes than a super greasy, oil slick complexion.

Anyway good luck to you! I hope we both clear up, I am honestly soooo tired of waking up to pimples and having them ruin my day.

Here's what I am using btw:

Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser

Dan's BP

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer, Combination Skin

I am waiting 20 minutes before applying moisturizer, just to try and avoid redness / irritation as much as possible. Also I went with the full 2 pumps BP my first time, but maybe I should tone it down... I mean I've been using BP on and off for a while, recently 10%... but still, 2 pumps right off the bat could be too much. We'll see.

Day 2

Using both the cetaphil moisturiser and jojoba oil is too much for my skin right now. This morning I woke up with a complete oil slick for a face And I felt all greasy last night - I hate that feeling. This morning I just used the cetaphil and my skin feels a little more comfortable but still a little greasy which I don't like. I'll put up with it for now... maybe it'll be good for when my skin gets flaky and dry. But maybe I'll have to find an AM moisturiser too.

So I guess I won't be updating with photos that often. The lighting isn't really showing up my acne as it is. My cheeks / around / next to my nose have a lot of tiny pimples so it's all 'clogged' and gross. Same for my nose and parts of my forehead. I'm thankful not to be dealing with any cysts, but I do have quite a few deep feeling spots on the sides of my face - in photos they look pretty flat and blend in with the pigmentation scarring I have, but 'in real life' it's different. I can still feel something coming up on my chin and there's a small spot under my right jaw. I guess it's impossible to get accurate photos. I do have to keep reminding myself though that my skin is better now than it has been at some other points during all the years of acne. I don't have any massive cysts right now and a lot of it is small - so hopefully the small stuff clears quickly with BP.

But here's photos I've taken today anyway:

Couldn't get the smaller things to show up at all really... not even close up. I need a better camera I found that tilting my laptop screen back a bit, so pics appear a little darker, makes the pics look more like what my skin actually looks like.

Lighting is such a pain - in photos and in real life situations!!

(Edit: Just comparing my skin now to what it was a week ago - I can see a difference for the better I think. I had been using an exfoliatior in the past week, so maybe that helped a little? But I know it's also what's caused all the small breakouts/clogged pores that I have right now.

I was also looking at photos I took yesterday with my brother on my webcam. It's a horrible quality camera and I'm wearing makeup so my skin looks really good. I hope I can get my skin close to that at some point!)

Hey wow, you're officially starting the Regimen today? I just started too. I meant to start a couple days ago but got sidetracked.

I was on it for a while before, needless to say it works really well, made my skin super smooth... I don't think I ever really got over the redness aspect, which is why I quit... BP by itself I got used to, but the moisturizer I was using was just greasy and made my skin burn, even months into the reg. In fact sometimes I went with BP only, no moisturizer, just because I felt like I'd rather have flakes than a super greasy, oil slick complexion.

Anyway good luck to you! I hope we both clear up, I am honestly soooo tired of waking up to pimples and having them ruin my day.

Here's what I am using btw:

Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser

Dan's BP

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer, Combination Skin

I am waiting 20 minutes before applying moisturizer, just to try and avoid redness / irritation as much as possible. Also I went with the full 2 pumps BP my first time, but maybe I should tone it down... I mean I've been using BP on and off for a while, recently 10%... but still, 2 pumps right off the bat could be too much. We'll see.

Awesome Are you going to keep a log? I'll follow along if you are.

If it's worked well for you before then I'm sure it will again!

I was pretty tempted this morning (day 2) to apply BP and a lot of it... but I'm holding back. I've used BP before too but I've only used it in a face wash recently so I guess it's a bit different. Be careful going straight into the full 2 pumps - you could be bringing on a lot of irritation and redness quickly.. but hopefully you're skin can handle it!

Let me know how you like the cleanser and moisturiser you're using. I'm using the cetaphil moisturiser which I've used before and hated because it made my skin really greasy and it seems to be doing the same now. Probably worse because I used jojoba with it. Maybe it'll be good when my skin starts getting dry and flaky but for now it's annoying.

Anyway, good luck you too! Hopefully this works incredibly well for both of us!

My goodness...you're so pretty Lily! Gorgeous eyes & hair.

About the cetaphil, I can totally sympathize with you on it being super greasy/oily and I've reached a point where I can only use it at night. It just makes me look terrible during the day, lol...but it does a great job of moisturizing. My advice to you would be see if you can find a light AM moisturizer that isn't as thick but still manages to hydrate your skin. I'm using a light Neutrogena moisturizer right now and it's working out, but I know everyone's skin is different. I use the cetaphil + jojoba at night though because it makes me skin nice and smooth when I wake up in the mornings

haha and it seems like a bunch of people on this part of the forum are watching Under The Dome! I missed the second episode too but I can't wait to check it out. I love King so it's cool to see one of his novels actually become a television show as opposed to a mediocre movie that doesn't really do much justice to the books

Day 3

Haven't applied BP yet today but I will later on. I'm still going slowly with applying it only once a day (at night) for a week.

Last night my skin felt a little irritated and was more red than normal too... but I guess that's to be expected with BP.

Nothing much else to report.. no real difference in my acne yet -still early days.

My goodness...you're so pretty Lily! Gorgeous eyes & hair.

About the cetaphil, I can totally sympathize with you on it being super greasy/oily and I've reached a point where I can only use it at night. It just makes me look terrible during the day, lol...but it does a great job of moisturizing. My advice to you would be see if you can find a light AM moisturizer that isn't as thick but still manages to hydrate your skin. I'm using a light Neutrogena moisturizer right now and it's working out, but I know everyone's skin is different. I use the cetaphil + jojoba at night though because it makes me skin nice and smooth when I wake up in the mornings

haha and it seems like a bunch of people on this part of the forum are watching Under The Dome! I missed the second episode too but I can't wait to check it out. I love King so it's cool to see one of his novels actually become a television show as opposed to a mediocre movie that doesn't really do much justice to the books

oh haha thanks Flagg that's nice of you to say

This morning I just used a couple drops of jojoba to moisturise. Seemed to be ok though I'll probably stick to using just a little of the Cetaphil in the AM for now until I can get something lighter / better for during the day. I'll keep Neutrogena in mind.

Ahh! I'm so annoyed I missed Under The Dome! I thought it would be played again later in the week but I can't find any listings for it now! Seems like it will be a good series. I haven't read the book yet but I think I'll go get it soon. I used to read all the time but haven't read anything apart from uni related things for ages now. I need a good book!

Yep skin definitely irritated / sore feeling But I guess it's what you have to go though for your skin to adjust and get results eventually.

It's not burning but I really want to but I wish I could put something cool and soothing on my skin. It also only seems to be a problem after I've put the moisturiser on. When it's just BP and I'm waiting for that to dry/absorb my skin feels fine and not irritated.

Also, when I'm applying moisturiser it feels as if the BP is 'dragging' or being moved on my skin under the moisturiser. Has anyone else experienced this? I wonder if it's because of the brand of BP I'm using or maybe I need to use more moisturiser... Hopefully I can get Dan's products eventually.

Lilly, are you leaving enough time between BP and moisturizer. I found that i had the most irritation when i was only leaving 5 minutes between each step. The first few months are honestly gonna suck but if this treatment agrees with your skin, it will get better.

Chin Up!

Lilly, are you leaving enough time between BP and moisturizer. I found that i had the most irritation when i was only leaving 5 minutes between each step. The first few months are honestly gonna suck but if this treatment agrees with your skin, it will get better.

Chin Up!

Yeah I've been leaving at least 10 minutes between BP and moisturiser - maybe I should wait a full 15 minutes for a while and see if that makes a difference...

I'll have to keep reminding myself things are probably going to get worse in one way or another before they get better. Thanks hope it's all going well for you!

Day 4

There's sort of a silver lining to this redness... it hides a bit of the pigmentation I have So that's good haha

Can't find a silver lining to the fact my skin is starting to feel a little dry though. Time to up the moisturiser. I guess the greasy-ness of cetaphil/jojoba will be helpful from here on out

The Regimen / BP seems to be starting to bring some of the deep existing acne to a head which is also great. A lot of it seems to sit there just under the skin for ages as only a slight bump so having it progress beyond that has to be a good sign that this is working and these spots are starting to 'heal.'

I also just found out that I can catch a repeat of under the dome - yay!

My timing of starting the regimen probably hasn't been the best... I'm going out and trying to find part time or casual work to go alongside uni and I'm worried having a red/dry/flaky face is going to hurt my chances even more of finding a job. I'm 20 and don't have much work experience so it's already harder for me to find something. But I'll keep at it anyway and hopefully find something soon.

Hi Lily

I read what you have posted on my topic and I appreciate your kind words!

I am also super excited for you! This regimen will clear you up! And i definitely hear you¦those symptoms of dryness and irritation suck, and they can really cause people to question the regimen and whether it was really for them. The good news is those symptoms will not last forever! You can to get over this small bump in your journey, and once you have reached your goal of clear skin you will be glad you did. I remember in the early weeks of the regimen when I was ready to scratch my face off lol because my face was so dry and irritated¦I remember those times very well so I know what it feels like. And yes moisturize moisturize moisturize!!!!

Continue to write about your experience and post pictures of your progress¦.you will help so many people in your journey be doing so trust me. I have been approached and touched by many acne.org users like you who tell me that I have given them hope to start and hope to continue their way to clear skin

The biggest advise I can give you is to stay positive (people that are negative fall apart with this regimen and give up very quickly) , and write to all of that care about your journey.

With much love, thereisalwayshope

PS you are very beautiful!

Day something... Day 6 haha jeeze not even a full week in and I'm losing track of days

So the redness has been pretty annoying lately. At this stage it bothers me more than the dryness. I think it shows up a lot more on my skin because I'm so pale. The dryness actually isn't that bad yet, thankfully! My skin was a little flaky yesterday but I used more jojoba last night and everything seems to be fine today.

I'm starting to see some good improvements in my skin. Most of my left side feels pretty smooth and most of my forehead has cleared up too The few spots left on my forehead are pretty small so I'm not too worried about them. I still have a few breakouts on my right side and chin and a couple of spots have popped up on my jaw and one on my neck. Also a few on my upper lip - which I think has to be one of the worst places to breakout.

I'm getting used to the irritated feeling after applying cetaphil over BP - it's not bothering me so much now anyway. I wonder what it is though that causes it? Has anyone else experienced an irritated / slightly burning feeling after applying moisturiser? My mum used some of the cetaphil last night after using a face wipe (how I wish that was all I had to do for my skin! ) and she said it felt like it was burning/stinging a bit...

I haven't tried applying makeup yet. I'm a bit scared to actually. I'm guessing the dryness will be too hard to apply makeup over (like it was last time I used a BP gel in my routine). I could try and combat the dryness with jojoba oil but I don't know if makeup would go over that nicely either... If I find that I can't wear makeup, not that I normally wear a lot of it, that will take a bit of getting used to. When I normally wear makeup, you can still see majority of the hyperpigmentation I have (especially under certain lighting) but it does hide some stuff and it makes me feel more confident and able to face 'the world.' So not being able to wear makeup, especially when I'm about to start work placement for uni, is going to make me feel even more self-conscious and less confident than usual.

But I'm thinking to far forward - I'll have to see if makeup does or doesn't actually work on my skin on the regimen before I start worrying about it.

Hope everything is going well for you all!!

Hi Lily

I read what you have posted on my topic and I appreciate your kind words!

I am also super excited for you! This regimen will clear you up! And i definitely hear you¦those symptoms of dryness and irritation suck, and they can really cause people to question the regimen and whether it was really for them. The good news is those symptoms will not last forever! You can to get over this small bump in your journey, and once you have reached your goal of clear skin you will be glad you did. I remember in the early weeks of the regimen when I was ready to scratch my face off lol because my face was so dry and irritated¦I remember those times very well so I know what it feels like. And yes moisturize moisturize moisturize!!!!

Continue to write about your experience and post pictures of your progress¦.you will help so many people in your journey be doing so trust me. I have been approached and touched by many acne.org users like you who tell me that I have given them hope to start and hope to continue their way to clear skin

The biggest advise I can give you is to stay positive (people that are negative fall apart with this regimen and give up very quickly) , and write to all of that care about your journey.

With much love, thereisalwayshope

PS you are very beautiful!

Thank you for taking the time to reply here You have no idea how much i needed to hear this today. My skin has been SO red lately and it was getting pretty dry yesterday - I really was wondering for how long I'd be able to continue the regimen - and it's not even been a week. But it's good to hear these 'side effects' should subside in time. I guess I need to keep in mind that this has worked for so many people, I should be able to get to clear skin through the regimen too!

And I think you're right about staying positive - that will definitely help me with the regimen.

Thank you for the compliment- that's very nice of you to say (Hopefully I get to the point where I can think such things of myself)

I saw your gallery photos too - you're gorgeous, really!

What's your regimen like now? Do you still use the full amount of BP?

Anyway, thanks for the much needed encouragement! (And congrats on the regimen having worked so well for you!)

Day 7 “ (After tonight it will be 1 week down and ?weeks to go to clear skin)

Just wondering how I should go about increasing the BP though¦

Is there an actual 'The Regimen' guide on how/when to increase BP dosage? I thought I'd came across something like that but can't find it now... All I can see now is the instruction to start slowly and slowly ramp up to the full amount.

I think I read somewhere that The Regimen says to start using BP morning and night at this point, but do you think I could just increase the amount of BP and still just use it once a day (at night)? I™m just worried about how much more dryness and redness and irritation it™s going to create. (I keep saying that don™t I “ I guess I need to get over it because it's going to happen for a while anyway).

Any thoughts / advice / recommendations on this?

Lilly, you really ought to follow the guidlines before switching to once a day only so that you don't end up wasting time and not knowing if it could have worked for you.

As for increasing, what worked for me was every night use with a pea sized amoutn for the first week.

twice a day with a pea sized amount for the second week

1/2 pump twice a day for the third week

1/3 pump twice a week for the fourth week and so on and so forth.

You should know that you will get irritation, exessive dryness and all the nasty effects of BP even though you are gradually increasing the doage but don't give up - it does get better. I am almost 3 months in and even though i am dry and flaky, it gets better every few weeks

Lilly, you really ought to follow the guidlines before switching to once a day only so that you don't end up wasting time and not knowing if it could have worked for you.

As for increasing, what worked for me was every night use with a pea sized amoutn for the first week.

twice a day with a pea sized amount for the second week

1/2 pump twice a day for the third week

1/3 pump twice a week for the fourth week and so on and so forth.

You should know that you will get irritation, exessive dryness and all the nasty effects of BP even though you are gradually increasing the doage but don't give up - it does get better. I am almost 3 months in and even though i am dry and flaky, it gets better every few weeks

Thanks for the quick reply and advice Sasch!

I'll continue with the small amount I have been using but twice a day then.

The BP I'm using though is in a tube, so not sure how much would equal 1/2 a pump etc... I'll go check the dosage chart now to get an idea.

Thank you again

I came across this old acne.org video this afternoon. The first minute or so is showing how much BP to use in each week (until reaching the full amount of BP in week 4). Even though it's showing the amounts from the pump bottle, it's good to actually get a visual idea of how much a pump is so I can get a similar dose out of the tube of BP that I'm using. Personally, I think I'll take it even slower with increasing the dose than what Dan is showing in this video. To me the amount for week two looks like a lot! I think the key thing though is that I use it twice a day and eventually get to the full amount. Like I said earlier, I'll continue with the same amount of BP that I've been using but use it twice a day and, depending on how things go, possibly increase the amount slightly toward the end of the week.

Just thought I'd post the video link here in case it helps any other regimen newbies if they ever come across this thread

I came across this old acne.org video this afternoon. The first minute or so is showing how much BP to use in each week (until reaching the full amount of BP in week 4). Even though it's showing the amounts from the pump bottle, it's good to actually get a visual idea of how much a pump is so I can get a similar dose out of the tube of BP that I'm using. Personally, I think I'll take it even slower with increasing the dose than what Dan is showing in this video. To me the amount for week two looks like a lot! I think the key thing though is that I use it twice a day and eventually get to the full amount. Like I said earlier, I'll continue with the same amount of BP that I've been using but use it twice a day and, depending on how things go, possibly increase the amount slightly toward the end of the week.

Just thought I'd post the video link here in case it helps any other regimen newbies if they ever come across this thread

 

Haha I saw that video for the first time not long ago... Informative and funny at the same time.

Dan's own method of application doesn't look "feather-light" to me though... his hands move really fast... but maybe he's just used to the motions, so he can keep it light and fast at the same time?

Day 8 of regimen (start of week 2)!

Applying the full regimen system twice a day from now on. So far so good. Skin is still quite red which is annoying. You can see the difference between my face and the skin around my eyes - it's an obvious line where I stopped applying BP to avoid the eye area But I'm getting used to the redness. The dryness hasn't been bothering me much either - apart from when I'm waiting for my face to dry after cleansing (and before BP). My skin feels so insanely dry and annoying for those 5-10 minutes but it's tolerable enough.

All the tiny clogged pores / whiteheads that I started out with last week (on my forehead and sides of nose/going on to cheeks) have cleared up I can still feel a number of bumps under the skin (mainy chin and sides of face) - they're either coming or going or just continuing to sit there. I have quite a big spot on my forehead and some smaller ones above my right eyebrow. Those spots on my forehead are the most noticeable. So overall things aren't that bad. Still dealing with breakouts but overall my skin is feeling smoother and I'm coping with the redness/dryness. Haven't really had an issue with itchy skin like some people report.

Hoping week 2 goes well and that you're all seeing improvements in your skin!

Day 8 of regimen (start of week 2)!

Applying the full regimen system twice a day from now on. So far so good. Skin is still quite red which is annoying. You can see the difference between my face and the skin around my eyes - it's an obvious line where I stopped applying BP to avoid the eye area But I'm getting used to the redness. The dryness hasn't been bothering me much either - apart from when I'm waiting for my face to dry after cleansing (and before BP). My skin feels so insanely dry and annoying for those 5-10 minutes but it's tolerable enough.

All the tiny clogged pores / whiteheads that I started out with last week (on my forehead and sides of nose/going on to cheeks) have cleared up I can still feel a number of bumps under the skin (mainy chin and sides of face) - they're either coming or going or just continuing to sit there. I have quite a big spot on my forehead and some smaller ones above my right eyebrow. Those spots on my forehead are the most noticeable. So overall things aren't that bad. Still dealing with breakouts but overall my skin is feeling smoother and I'm coping with the redness/dryness. Haven't really had an issue with itchy skin like some people report.

Hoping week 2 goes well and that you're all seeing improvements in your skin!

Ahh, good luck! Wow, I hate that line btw. But it also happens to be the line where my acne-prone skin naturally "stops" and the perfectly clear skin around my eyes begins. I never get a single pimple past that line.

^Thanks wombat

Ok just need to rant a little here... (still day 8 btw - have a feeling the different time zones could make it confusing)

Does anyone else ever feel 'judged' for using benzoyl peroxide? (Probably just me though...) It's one of the reasons I quit using it last year and why I've been rather hesitant to add it back into my skin care / acne routine. I like a lot of more naturally oriented brands and I think that 'natural' idea is becoming more recognised in different health/beauty circles, so often I'll come across something where the writer (e.g. in a magazine/newspaper column/ facebook posts from a brand I've 'liked' even) is quite against the use of BP. It is a harsh ingredient... I mean it's essentially a bleach right? If it can bleach towels etc (even from just the BP residue on our hands) how is it ok to be using such large amounts of it on our face for such a long amount of time? And there's always been 'controversy' over how safe it is though I think it's widely agreed now that it is safe to use.

I guess it just depends on who you're talking to / where you're reading info from...

If I were to talk about BP to someone who is very 'natural skin care / diet for acne' focused, then I'm sure they'd probably be quite against the use of BP. Same with the 'natural' brands I like. Of course they'll be mostly against BP because they have 'natural' products that they want to sell.

When I first joined acne.org I was thinking of quitting BP and doing strict diet changes. I made small diet changes and wasn't very good at sticking to the bigger more restrictive changes (like being gluten free).

Even though I was so hesitant to be using BP again, at this point I'm glad I've decided to try it again. I can already see positive differences in my skin. I'd already tried more natural products with little or no success. Some helped the general quality of my skin but did nothing for acne (and acne is the main concern). The emotional stress and pain etc of acne was getting worse and worse. I had to do something about it. And I ended up deciding BP was a lot safer than starting BCP or spiro or going back on antibiotics purely for acne. Besides, the regimen has worked for a lot of people!

If using BP is what I need to do to get clear skin, which will make me happier and more confident in general, and be 'free' of many emotional aspects associated with acne, then that's what I'll use - regardless of what other people think of me for using 'such a harsh chemical'

Coming to the end of Day 9

Today hasn't been the best day. Been feeling pretty down in general...

My skin also seems a lot more red and around my mouth/chin was peeling a little today. My skin also 'burned' today, a bit more than it has been normally, after I applied moisturiser after BP.

I don't think I have many new breakouts, but when I started the regimen I had a lot of bumps that were sort of just sitting there on my skin / just under it, and now a few are coming up a bit more - not to a head yet but just 'developing' I guess. Which I suppose is a good thing - it's just annoying because it means me and my skin look extra terrible today

Can't wait until I get to the point where the redness will fade. I guess that's still a while away though. I'm sure I'll be permanently sunburnt-looking until I've stopped increasing BP for a few weeks.

It's been raining here today and it's winter so it's colder than normal - perfect weather to curl up in a blanket on the couch and watch a movie. Which is exactly what I'm off to do! (After I watch Criminal Minds actually - another show I love haha - we're only just getting the 'new' episodes here).

Edit: Just a further update for day 9.

Skin is burning like hell tonight!! I'm tolerating it but it's the worst it's been. Very irritated feeling and a little painful too. I also noticed that the BP I'm using dried chalky/white on my skin tonight. Haven't noticed that before. I increased the amount of BP for the PM a bit - so I'm guessing the more I increase it, the more likely it is that it will dry white. Very annoying. It blended away or something after the moisturiser though. I hope there's a way for me to get Dan's BP at some point.

^Thanks wombat

Ok just need to rant a little here... (still day 8 btw - have a feeling the different time zones could make it confusing)

Does anyone else ever feel 'judged' for using benzoyl peroxide? (Probably just me though...) It's one of the reasons I quit using it last year and why I've been rather hesitant to add it back into my skin care / acne routine. I like a lot of more naturally oriented brands and I think that 'natural' idea is becoming more recognised in different health/beauty circles, so often I'll come across something where the writer (e.g. in a magazine/newspaper column/ facebook posts from a brand I've 'liked' even) is quite against the use of BP. It is a harsh ingredient... I mean it's essentially a bleach right? If it can bleach towels etc (even from just the BP residue on our hands) how is it ok to be using such large amounts of it on our face for such a long amount of time? And there's always been 'controversy' over how safe it is though I think it's widely agreed now that it is safe to use.

I guess it just depends on who you're talking to / where you're reading info from...

If I were to talk about BP to someone who is very 'natural skin care / diet for acne' focused, then I'm sure they'd probably be quite against the use of BP. Same with the 'natural' brands I like. Of course they'll be mostly against BP because they have 'natural' products that they want to sell.

When I first joined acne.org I was thinking of quitting BP and doing strict diet changes. I made small diet changes and wasn't very good at sticking to the bigger more restrictive changes (like being gluten free).

Even though I was so hesitant to be using BP again, at this point I'm glad I've decided to try it again. I can already see positive differences in my skin. I'd already tried more natural products with little or no success. Some helped the general quality of my skin but did nothing for acne (and acne is the main concern). The emotional stress and pain etc of acne was getting worse and worse. I had to do something about it. And I ended up deciding BP was a lot safer than starting BCP or spiro or going back on antibiotics purely for acne. Besides, the regimen has worked for a lot of people!

If using BP is what I need to do to get clear skin, which will make me happier and more confident in general, and be 'free' of many emotional aspects associated with acne, then that's what I'll use - regardless of what other people think of me for using 'such a harsh chemical'

I agree with you - I think each person makes their own choice. It's your skin, your life, do what you want. Most importantly, do whatever gives you peace of mind. Sometimes the strongest acne treatment, even though it might not be the "safest", is the one that lets you rest easiest at night because you KNOW it's tried & true and WORKS. A lot of the "newfangled" holistic treatments are very on/off: work great for some, while doing nothing for others or even making their situation worse. The Regimen, on the other hand, has a very high success rate. Bottom line is, no matter how much flak people give BP, it kills acne and that's that. Whenever I was off BP for a prolonged period, I was always somewhat restless because I felt like any day my acne might return with a vengeance.

By the way, around my mouth / chin has been peeling too! But I don't care, the area around my mouth looks like such crap that it's hard for it to look any worse.

Thanks - I needed to hear that! Last night I was thinking of quitting BP again... but I'll stick with it longer

I know I'm probably thinking it over too much (about people 'judging' you for using BP) but I think it's because when I quit BP last time, I tried a lot of 'natural' approaches and frequented 'natural' health care etc blogs and in those places that's when you hear how they think it's a bad idea to use BP because it's horrible. But I'm trying to forget about that and just do what's right for me now. And you're right -BP / the regimen works. I just have to put these 'worries' out of my head