Acne.org Products
Hello! 26 YO with combination/oily skin struggling with mild/moderate acne on and off since the teens.
Having acne as a teenager was not a big deal .. I had the odd pimple or two that would clear up within a few days.
However, about a year or so ago I started having breakouts mainly on the sides of my cheeks and jawline .. places I never broke out before. This particular acne was deep under the skin, stubborn, painful, and took weeks if not months to go away .. usually leaving marks.
I went to a dermatologist, got my tests done, everything seemed normal. So I was left with two options: Laser or Accutane. I considered Accutane but after doing my research I thought against it. My acne was bad, but not horrible.. and I wasn't willing to risk the side effects. So I opted for laser which worked well for a month or so.. but the acne came back, and the treatment was too expensive to continue.
What I did to combat my stubborn acne so far:
- Laser (great at reducing hyperpigmentation)
- doxy (antibiotics)
- la roche-posay effaclar skincare line (helped control my acne but not clear it)
- Switching up my diet and cutting back on sugars and dairy really helped with reducing my acne but I was still breaking out and it was still stubborn.
- avid tea drinker (rooibos, honeybos, green, white, oolong, chamomile, lavender) .. I even tried yourtea - Skin magic.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - mix it with my water and used it as a toner .. it works wonders
So after much thought I finally decided to try the regimen. This is my journey and I am hopeful!
Thoughts on first application
I started the regimen in the PM .. gentle cleansing followed by a small amount of BP .. which didn't sting but caused my eyes to water a bit, I was careful to spread it away from my eye area. The moisturizer felt rich with a slight cool/sting .. 2 pumps might be a lot for my small face as it took a while to absorb into skin .. will stick to the directions for now and see if I need to modify it later in the week!
This is my acne now (not at it's worst), as I'm about to start the regimen.
Day 3
- existing pimples decreased in size and appear less red.
- developed two whiteheads on my chin
- no dryness or flakiness yet
Starting today I just used one pump of moisturizer..
I find 2 pumps to be a lot .. even if I do one pump and wait for it to dry before adding the second.
I did pop my whiteheads.. I know.. a habit that needs to be broken >.<
One week
My breakouts seem under control, I can feel one deep pimple near my jawline.. usually I'd develop 5 new pimples in a matter of days easily.
- Existing acne has calmed down but still red
- Skin feels slightly dry, no significant flaking yet
- Skin appears smooth (less bumpy)
Today I'm going to increase my BP to twice per day. Bring on the flakes .. >.<
Day 9
I think my skin has not yet adjusted to BP .. I was surprised to find my under eyes have become puffy and developed side wrinkles.
even though I'm careful to not spread BP anywhere near my eyes ..
So I think I might cut back on BP .. Maybe just spread it across affected areas ..
- Skin still stings when I apply BP and itches with moisturizer (jojoba helps calm the itchiness)
- I can feel two deep cysts at the jawline
Also, I'm gonna go ahead and add an eye cream to my routine.