Acne.org Products
I really like this thread. This guy sounds like he knows what he's talking about! That said, I must share my story.
I had cystic and nodular acne for 17 years. Very oily skin. Acne runs on both sides of the family. One day I went to the dermatologist. She prescribed me BenzaClin, it's benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin, a topical antibiotic. I just put a little on after I wash my face with Cetaphil, then follow up with moisturizer. I instantly stopped breaking out and now get a tiny one every month or so. Also, I wash my face with a Clarisonic Mia, which got rid of the blackheads before I even went to see the derm. I don't think my results are typical but seriously give it a try. I logged on today just to share this in the hopes that it might help someone else.
do you use it once or twice a day the Benzaclin?
The dermatologist told me to use it twice a day, but when I saw how well it worked I started using it only in the morning and it is just as effective. However, if I miss even one day, I will get a giant zit.
wingedserpent
For the celery do you cut out the leaves when you juice them?
Yes.
does honey contain lot f suger?? is it okay 2 have 2 table spoons of honey evryday??
Here is a useful summary.
http://www.benefits-...y-vs-sugar.html
Aside from very occasionally, I don't eat honey as it would rekindle a taste for sweet foods and is therefore incompatible with a non-sugar diet.
@wingedserpent f u dont mind me askng.. has the diet thing completely cured your acne?? or do u still get the occasional pimple??
i wanted 2 knw is diet the cause of acne or it just inflames d acne which s already there??
@wingedserpent f u dont mind me askng.. has the diet thing completely cured your acne?? or do u still get the occasional pimple??
i wanted 2 knw is diet the cause of acne or it just inflames d acne which s already there??
I haven't had any spots for over three years.
I don't know whether diet 'causes' acne. It's a debate that will run and run. Personally, I think not. One thing is certain though. If you have a tendency to oily skin, certain foods can make that worse. That's why I advocate avoiding sugar. The rest of my regime is about treatment.
Update 11th June 2012: I am in the process of relocating my home and business to the other side of the country. This is an exciting period for me but it's also a logistical nightmare and very time consuming! So I'm afraid I'm not going to be updating these pages or responding to queries for the next few weeks. I will return later in the year, and hopefully reorganise the FAQ.
In the meantime, the best of luck to everyone following, or considering following, my regime.
Winged.
Hi there,
I'm a 38yo female. I've had on/off moderate acne/chest/bacne issues since I was about 14yo. Diane/Dianette contraceptive pill worked mostly well for me in my early twenties thankfully, but started to lose some efficacy in my late twenties. I went on a course of roaccutane when I was 28yo which was superb but the acne came back after a few months, although not quite so bad. Annoying but not catastrophic. I came off Diane to have children in my early 30's. I did have a return of acne issues but they weren't quite as bad as my late teens/early twenties. And fortunately pregnancy seemed to help my acne a wee bit for most of the time. I finished having kids last year and I noticed my skin become increasingly acne-prone again about 6 mths after my son was born. On my face, neck, back and chest and oilier hair etc. Booo. Lots of microcomedones forming which eventually become inflamed pustules with the rare cyst-like formation.
Anyway, I went to the doc to get a prescription of Diane again although I really didn't want to go on it, and the night before I was due to start taking them I came across this thread here. I joined this site years ago and was aware of the whole B5 mega-dosing but the concept didn't sit well with me. I cut dairy, sugar and wheat for 3 months back in 2005 but found no impact on my skin at all.
But reading about the partnership use of L-Carnetine with a normal dose of Pantothenic Acid (B5) made a lot of sense. So I started a week ago! I'm using the Holland & Barrett brand slow-release Pantothenic Acid (500g) and 500g L-Carnetine twice a day with food. If things continue to improve I'll drop it back to once a day in due course. I'm not vege juicing as it's not convenient for me at present but I have a pretty good diet and I have significantly reduced my refined sugar intake to help. So, hopefully I won't need to take the Diane contraceptive after all, fingers crossed.
Anyway, I have noticed reduction in sebum and also the quality of the oil is changing. Less greasy for sure. I'm stoked so far. I am a bit thirstier and had a few mild headaches (probably from not rehydrating properly and also becoming accustomed to not having my usual amounts of sugar in sugar etc). But apart from that, I' great! I using Baking Soda to exfoliate and also Skin Doctors Gamma Hydroxy cream to assist shedding the 'old' skin.
This is the quickest response to any kind of treatment I EVER tried on my skin in 24 years. I am feeling quite hopeful for the developments over the coming month. But I'll try not to count my chickens before they hatch. I will report back in July...
I'm not sure if this treatment would have been as effective in my late teens/early twenties when my skin was at it's worst. Who knows? I think it would definitely have helped though. Maybe if I did the juicing and was completely anal about sugar intake, it would have done the trick. I'll never know.
I shall check back in with some follow up in July [Edited image out]
Katy
)
On 8/17/2011 at 1:28 AM, radikal said:I'm looking for sebum reduction as I don't have much active acne anymore.
I always suspected something very "low level" is involved, like the lipid metabolism. I also harbour the conviction that it's a genetically inherited disease.
However only in the last couple of days did I read up on genetically inherited lipid metabolism disorders: http://en.wikipedia....bolism_disorder
and it really closed the circle for me: they're all about Coenzyme A (B5 is a precursor) and Carnitine.
It all makes sense to me, I can fit any known fact in this hypothesys (which is really Leung's study from 1997, plus the genetic aspect).
It makes sense for teenagers going through hormonal changes to get acne, even if they have no genetic disorder. For those of us who *are* genetically afflicted it becames a permanent condition.
I know this is an old post, but I think you're really on to something here.
Background on me: I'm nearly 30 now and have had acne since age 11, discounting 12 clear months post-Accutane. I had some excess sebum in my teen years but since adulthood my skin is generally quite dry (not visibly dry unless you get really, really close, but not normal either). On my face I mostly have blackheads and a lot of tiny, closed comedones that sometimes turn into pustules, along with the occasional deeper lesion every few months. My upper arms, shoulders, and inner thighs are also usually covered in a sprinkling of something that is either KP or more closed comedones--not sure which.
Interestingly, in addition to the acne I also have a confirmed genetic fatty acid oxidation disorder, one recommended treatment of which is taking L-carnitine! My disorder involves a deficiency of a certain type of Acyl Coenzyme A, which is something also mentioned in those pantothenic acid studies referred to by wingedserpent.
Part of the reason that I found out about my disorder is that I had a very bad reaction to going on a low-carb paleo diet in an effort to get rid of my acne. Basically my body was acting as if it were being starved to death. The bad reaction to the diet was due to the fact that my body can't process fat into energy very efficiently, so I require a good, constant supply of carbohydrate (or else pretty much I'll die in a few days).
Perhaps in part due to my increased need for carbs as compared to the average person, over the years I developed a very unhealthy craving for sugary things. The metabolization of sugar uses up some the very same vitamins necessary in CoA synthesis, which can cause all kinds of problems. My main project right now is learning to get used to eating more complex carbs rather than simple ones, so the release of glucose is more slow and even.
Anyhow, the genetic mutations that cause fatty acid oxidation disorders are not that uncommon. Even if you are just a carrier and your symptoms are not severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of the full-blown disease, my understanding is that your production of these enzymes will be a bit gimped as compared to a non-carrier. And well over 1% of the population is a carrier for some type of fatty acid disorder--even higher among Northern Europeans.
I'm not saying I know this is the cause of some people's adult acne, but it wouldn't surprise me. I wouldn't necessarily recommend seeking out testing, though, just because it's quite expensive and not all the potential mutations are even known yet, so a negative test would not confirm that you have no problem in this area. Most non-genetic testing methods just look for urine metabolites that will only be present if you have a severe problem anyhow. It's probably more personally useful just to listen to your body and try out things like the regimen covered in this thread.
I'm experimenting with this regimen now and will try to report back in a few weeks or months to let you know of my progress. [Edited image out]
Hey everyone!
I'm an eighteen year old male who's been struggling with an incredibly stubborn, persistent case of moderate acne since I was 12. I used to have cystic acne until I went on a course of Accutane which cleared that up, but after about 7 months my acne came back, albeit moderate this time. I have been on and tried nearly everything when it comes to prescriptions, supplements, topicals and the like.
These included (in no particular order): Doxycycline (2 times), Minocycline (couldn't tolerate), Erythromycin (did absolutely nothing), Bactrim (Septra), Accutane, Differin .01, Differin .03, Benzaclin, Benzamycin, Epiduo, Ziana, Veltin, Aczone, the Acne.org Regimen --- keep in mind that I was not like most people who gave up on these after a week, I gave each treatment the recommended 2 to 3 month "success" period. That being said, most all of these worked for some time but eventually my virtually invincible acne fought back.
After the prescriptions I decided to tackle the natural remedies route. If you go down the Acne.org reviews page for natural/at home remedies and supplements, you can rest assured that I have tried most of the supposed treatments on the first two pages =/.
Anyways, the last thing I haven't done, because for so long I've been told that there is absolutely no correlation, is drastically change my diet. At eighteen and just heading into college, this may be the last thing I want to do, but I think that it may be the only answer.
I know I may not understand what it is like to have acne as an adult, and no offense, I hope I never have to *knocks on wood*, but I do understand what it's like to feel dreadfully embarrassed or sad when your face breaks out, which for many people, like myself, is a reoccurring cycle =[. Sorry for this being part vent session, but what I'm trying to get at is, is there any evidence that a regimen relating to holistic health and nutrients (i.e changing a diet drastically for the better) can help a teenager who has only been able to temporarily "bandage" his situation.
WingedSerpent, maybe when you're back in circulation you could help me out here. Are there any teens or younger men who have seen promise with what you've done? Maybe anyone can answer?
Thank you guys!
Well, I've just bought a juicer and had my first juice this morning. I'm crossing my fingers that this regimen works for me. I was surprised, though, at how many vegetables are required to make a small quantity of juice. Looks like I'll be at the grocery store more often!
ETA: I should probably mention that I don't have the B5 supplement yet and will not give up coffee - I only have about half a teaspoon of sugar in coffee every morning. I will otherwise limit my sugar intake. I think dairy is an issue for me as well but it's going to be a major struggle to cut this out.
Well, I'm back to report on how things are going for me after one month of trialling elements of this regime...
Definite noticeable improvement! Yay for me!
I have not been juicing but I have a fairly nutrient rich diet anyway.
I started off by taking 500mg of slow-release Pantothenic Acid tablets along with 500mg L-Carnetine tablets (both Holland &Barrett brand) twice a day, after breakfast and dinner. I noticed reduction in inflamed spots within 3 days and also cessation of development of new microcomedones. I was quite religious about remembering to take the tablets each day. I noticed that in the week leading up to my period my skin became a little oiler and I had a couple of spots crop up but not as badly as before. In the past few days I've changed my intake of the supplements to taking 1000mg slow-release Pamtothenic Acid in the morning with only 500mg L-Carnetine after breakfast. I don't take it in the evening anymore. And if anything, my skin is even better again, although this may be because the timing coincides with the end of my period.
I've also been using Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) as a daily scrub in the morning in all my problem areas. And I've been using a good moisturizer and sunscreen (dermalogica brand).
I've reduced my sugar intake significantly although not entirely. When we had an overseas visitor recently I did eat more chocolate and it wasn't too bad but I felt that my skin was a tad more oily during this period so I feel that it is an important piece of the puzzle. My husband has noticed that my skin is improving, too!
I'm very, very glad that I stumbled across this thread and the concept of taking B5 with L-Carnetine with reduced/no sugar. It has meant that I did not have to start taking Dianette contraceptive that would a) take 3-6 mths to work and b) mess with my hormones and possibly effect moodiness. Stoked.
I will report back again in another month with further observations...
Katy
I have a quick question on when to take the 500mg of B5 and 500mg of L-Carnitine.
Should I take it before eating, after eating or on an empty stomach?
*****************************
I read the entire post and found my answer.
The B5 + L-Carnitine should be taken after meals.
@l'eremita --- for the first two months of being on this regimen, i gave up coffee because i couldn't drink it without sugar. however, i've started drinking it again every morning, and i have been using a sugar substitute called Stevia Extract that i picked up at trader joe's. I looked into sugar substitutes such as Stevia, Splenda, etc., and they do not cause blood sugar to spike. after an additional two months of using Stevia in my morning coffee, i have noticed no effect whatsoever on my acne --- i.e., still clear.
which is why i stopped by, just to give my final update. I have been on the regimen for 4+ months. my stubborn moderate acne, which was quickly becoming severe as i was going off doxy, is 100% under control. my skin is 95% clear at all times. my skin is softer, and so smooth, literally not a bump on it. i have finally been able to go in for microdermabrasion for my discoloration scars, which i couldn't in the past because of active acne.
I still juice every day because I love it's healthful benefits and I have the time. But I would say that the B5 and carninite, and cutting out sugar 100% (I haven't slipped up even once, though I do drink alcohol, which metabolizes as sugar, and I have definitely noticed that I get little flare-ups if I drink a lot in one night), are what have made the difference. I believe the key is healthy digestion. I plan to add a probiotic to my regimen ASAP.
I've been on this regimen for over 4 months, and I won't lie, it took the full 3 months for me to see true and undeniable difference in my skin. I believe that this is because it takes about that long for your digestion to improve from all the changes. On top of this, I eat a really healthy and well-balanced diet, and I watch my wheat intake AND fruit intake because wheat causes blood sugar to spike as do fruits that are high in sugar.
One more thing, I thought I'd give my juice recipe because it is DELISH [Edited image out]
half an apple
half a lemon
half a medium/large sized sweet potato
1 large carrot
half a bell pepper
2 handfuls of kale
2 handfuls of spinach
1 celery stalk
a perfect combo! the lemon completely balances the bitter taste of the kale, the apple/carrot/sweet potato give it a delicious sweetness. this produces about 3/4 pint of juice for me usually, and I almost always add a little water to help with the gas that can result.
Tried everything possible to the point of my dermatologist telling me his last option is to put me on Isotretinoin, which I refuse to do. I decided to take matters into my own hands, and realize that no one can cure my acne for me.
Is anyone else cutting out gluten? For the past ten days I've been on a strict dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined/added sugar-free diet. I don't eat peanuts or chocolate, I don't drink alcohol or coffee, and I don't smoke. I've also been drinking lots of green tea and green smoothies. I'm thinking of switching to juicing and using 80% veggies because I think I consume too much fruit. Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone else has seen improvement in their acne after cutting out gluten. I'm also wondering if I can still eat things like gluten-free bread or oatmeal. Any ideas?
Here's what I am eating:
- brown rice
- chick peas, kidney beans, and black beans
- lean turkey, tuna, or salmon
- garlic and olive oil
- almonds
- apples
- bananas
- zucchini, yellow squash
- onions
- garlic
- olive oil
- eggs
- spinach and kale
- Lara bars (which Im thinking of ruling out, they dont taste that good and I feel like they might have broken my skin out a little bit.)
- Kind bars (but only the coconut one considering the others have too many different kinds of nuts)
- broccoli
- green smoothies (kale/spinach, celery, carrots, banana, mixed frozen fruit)
- sweet potatoes
- almond butter
- almond milk
- oatmeal
- chai tea with vanilla almond milk
- green tea (which I usually squeeze fresh lemon into, but I'm out)
- lots of water
Here's a link to my before and after pictures, which were only taken six days apart: [removed] ...This is day ten, and I'm still getting new acne within a two inch diameter around my mouth, but the rest of my skin continues to clear quickly. I'm shocked at the improvement and I plan on taking a photo every six days for comparison. Just needing some guidance...
Hey everyone!
I'm an eighteen year old male who's been struggling with an incredibly stubborn, persistent case of moderate acne since I was 12. I used to have cystic acne until I went on a course of Accutane which cleared that up, but after about 7 months my acne came back, albeit moderate this time. I have been on and tried nearly everything when it comes to prescriptions, supplements, topicals and the like.
These included (in no particular order): Doxycycline (2 times), Minocycline (couldn't tolerate), Erythromycin (did absolutely nothing), Bactrim (Septra), Accutane, Differin .01, Differin .03, Benzaclin, Benzamycin, Epiduo, Ziana, Veltin, Aczone, the Acne.org Regimen --- keep in mind that I was not like most people who gave up on these after a week, I gave each treatment the recommended 2 to 3 month "success" period. That being said, most all of these worked for some time but eventually my virtually invincible acne fought back.
After the prescriptions I decided to tackle the natural remedies route. If you go down the Acne.org reviews page for natural/at home remedies and supplements, you can rest assured that I have tried most of the supposed treatments on the first two pages =/.
Anyways, the last thing I haven't done, because for so long I've been told that there is absolutely no correlation, is drastically change my diet. At eighteen and just heading into college, this may be the last thing I want to do, but I think that it may be the only answer.
I know I may not understand what it is like to have acne as an adult, and no offense, I hope I never have to *knocks on wood*, but I do understand what it's like to feel dreadfully embarrassed or sad when your face breaks out, which for many people, like myself, is a reoccurring cycle =[. Sorry for this being part vent session, but what I'm trying to get at is, is there any evidence that a regimen relating to holistic health and nutrients (i.e changing a diet drastically for the better) can help a teenager who has only been able to temporarily "bandage" his situation.
WingedSerpent, maybe when you're back in circulation you could help me out here. Are there any teens or younger men who have seen promise with what you've done? Maybe anyone can answer?
Thank you guys!
Hey man, I have tried everything just like you, accutane worked for me but it always comes back after a few months. So I just basically eat healthy, drink lots of water and use proactive. Whenever I have terrible hormonal breakout that I cant control, I have to go on a strictly 3 days diet which I really hate, but works every time. I use Dr. Perricone's diet regimen (you can get a used book for a few bucks on amazon). The foods are terrible, especially after you eat them for 3 days straight, but all of my acne is gone after the third day. I dont know if it'll work for you but it's worth a try. An important thing is that you have to strictly follow the instruction, you can not eat anything other than what's in the book. One more very important thing that keeps my skin clear is that I get rid of all the dead skin cells which can cause breakouts every week with PMD. Hope this helps !
Hey man, I have tried everything just like you, accutane worked for me but it always comes back after a few months. So I just basically eat healthy, drink lots of water and use proactive. Whenever I have terrible hormonal breakout that I cant control, I have to go on a strictly 3 days diet which I really hate, but works every time. I use Dr. Perricone's diet regimen (you can get a used book for a few bucks on amazon). The foods are terrible, especially after you eat them for 3 days straight, but all of my acne is gone after the third day. I dont know if it'll work for you but it's worth a try. An important thing is that you have to strictly follow the instruction, you can not eat anything other than what's in the book. One more very important thing that keeps my skin clear is that I get rid of all the dead skin cells which can cause breakouts every week with PMD. Hope this helps !
That's basically the diet I am following indefininitely. You get used to eating that way, I promise! Have you ever tried doing the diet for a couple weeks in a row?
Hey man, I have tried everything just like you, accutane worked for me but it always comes back after a few months. So I just basically eat healthy, drink lots of water and use proactive. Whenever I have terrible hormonal breakout that I cant control, I have to go on a strictly 3 days diet which I really hate, but works every time. I use Dr. Perricone's diet regimen (you can get a used book for a few bucks on amazon). The foods are terrible, especially after you eat them for 3 days straight, but all of my acne is gone after the third day. I dont know if it'll work for you but it's worth a try. An important thing is that you have to strictly follow the instruction, you can not eat anything other than what's in the book. One more very important thing that keeps my skin clear is that I get rid of all the dead skin cells which can cause breakouts every week with PMD. Hope this helps !
That's basically the diet I am following indefininitely. You get used to eating that way, I promise! Have you ever tried doing the diet for a couple weeks in a row?
3 days was a very long time for me already, I don't think I could eat those anti inflammatory foods any longer than that. Surprisingly, most of my acnes are gone after 3 days, and I have to say I get pretty bad cystic acne. There is no permanent solution to my acne so I guess I have to live with it. I just use proactiv everyday and get microdermabrasion every week myself. Your skin definitely improved alot after 6 days, are u considering laser for your scar?