Acne.org Products
1. can i take everything u r taking, like for example, u mentioned the fiber contains alot of proteins, probably u need these proteins because as i understood u r a bodybuilder or something like that, so, is it ok for me to take that Now fiber? i'm not working out in the moment, so, should i look for another fiber that doesn't contain alot of protein? i'm taking one a day woman, it includes an additional feature, skin health, and i'm taking fish oil, i didn't take zinc yesterday yet, because i wanna start gradually, i've never took vitamins before, so, i really don't wanna take bunch of vitamins all at once....
I haven't seen Phil post in a looong time.
Most any fiber should be fine. I am guessing that Phil uses the one he does because of other added nutrients.
and then, my other question:2. can i take, the women multivitamin, the zinc, the b complex, all at once?
you can take the multivitamin with B. if you intake too much B vitamins your body simply flushes out the excess. I read somewhere that the average American gets enough from the B complex... if you take the supplement and you start peeing neon yellow, it means you are getting more B than you need.
I don't think it's a good idea to take zinc with the multi. multivitamins should have zinc already, and I don't know if you can overdoes. better safe than sorry.
3. and, why do u take two probiotic a day? should i take two as well....
there is no harm in taking two. if you are starting out on probiotics, you can take two a day to speed up the process of the good bacteria replacing the bad bacteria.
4. and what do u think of Zinc For Acne? i found it at vitamin world? is it as same as the regular Zinc tablets?
no clue.
1. can i take everything u r taking, like for example, u mentioned the fiber contains alot of proteins, probably u need these proteins because as i understood u r a bodybuilder or something like that, so, is it ok for me to take that Now fiber? i'm not working out in the moment, so, should i look for another fiber that doesn't contain alot of protein? i'm taking one a day woman, it includes an additional feature, skin health, and i'm taking fish oil, i didn't take zinc yesterday yet, because i wanna start gradually, i've never took vitamins before, so, i really don't wanna take bunch of vitamins all at once....
I haven't seen Phil post in a looong time.
Most any fiber should be fine. I am guessing that Phil uses the one he does because of other added nutrients.
and then, my other question:2. can i take, the women multivitamin, the zinc, the b complex, all at once?
you can take the multivitamin with B. if you intake too much B vitamins your body simply flushes out the excess. I read somewhere that the average American gets enough from the B complex... if you take the supplement and you start peeing neon yellow, it means you are getting more B than you need.
I don't think it's a good idea to take zinc with the multi. multivitamins should have zinc already, and I don't know if you can overdoes. better safe than sorry.
3. and, why do u take two probiotic a day? should i take two as well....
there is no harm in taking two. if you are starting out on probiotics, you can take two a day to speed up the process of the good bacteria replacing the bad bacteria.
4. and what do u think of Zinc For Acne? i found it at vitamin world? is it as same as the regular Zinc tablets?
no clue.
thx for the answers....
i guess i just need to go look for that probiotic brand i took before, all i remember is, it was in a health food store, and it was in the fridge, and it had a sun pic on the package...the lady at the store seemed pretty much knowledgeable of all her stuff, she recommended this for me, but, i can't remember what it's called..
i went yesterday to vitamin world, and to gnc, they have so many types and strength of probiotic tablets, and the fiber too, so many out there...the thing is, what type and strength of probiotic should i take, i've been on monodox for about 5 month now, i take usually 200mg aday, which is the highest dose...so, after reading phil's post, i realized i'm harming my body taking these antibiotics, so, i take now 100mg aday, and i'm gonna stop taking them by the end of this month...
so, if u can help me out with a name of a good probiotic i should take, i'm pretty much confused with all the types out there...and a good fiber too...if u're familiar with any brands, plz let me know...
your help is highly appreciated...
Cutekitty5015
Why dont u take the same brand fiber and probiotic as bigphil? I ordered the same things with the exception of zinc and honestly this regimen is amazing
This is my week 2 update:
By the first week I started getting several white heads, and a few new breakouts on my shoulder blades (about 2 new ones on each side) and the redness was still there aswell as the cyst type acne on my chin and under and my chest. But NOW my skin looks much healthier, younger (note I'm 25), my redness is disappearing slowly but surely. I still have redness and the acne in my chest is still there as well as in my blades but I have faith my skin will be completely clear if I keep doing what I've had. I did stop drinking soda, replaced it with water and no more greasy foods. I'm going to keep following this procedure and I'll let u guys know how it goes in the next 2 weeks
Cutekitty5015Why dont u take the same brand fiber and probiotic as bigphil? I ordered the same things with the exception of zinc and honestly this regimen is amazing
This is my week 2 update:
By the first week I started getting several white heads, and a few new breakouts on my shoulder blades (about 2 new ones on each side) and the redness was still there aswell as the cyst type acne on my chin and under and my chest. But NOW my skin looks much healthier, younger (note I'm 25), my redness is disappearing slowly but surely. I still have redness and the acne in my chest is still there as well as in my blades but I have faith my skin will be completely clear if I keep doing what I've had. I did stop drinking soda, replaced it with water and no more greasy foods. I'm going to keep following this procedure and I'll let u guys know how it goes in the next 2 weeks
i thought of taking what phil took, but i did some research on this specific fiber, the NOW fiber, it has some other ingredient i don't think i wanna take, at least this what the guy at GNC told me, he said the NOW brand have some proteins in its products, usually bodybuilders take this brand...that's why i had to look for another fiber and another probiotic, i'm still looking for probiotic though, so many strengths out there, from 1 billion to 20, even more, so, what's the best strength to take?
i got some fiber bag from GNC, it looks like gum, it's wrapped individually too, it taste pretty good actually...i really don't care what fiber brand i take, but i do wanna take the right brand and the right strength when it comes to probiotic...
and i did notice a huge difference when i introduced these vitamins to my diet, i didn't stop the greasy food honestly, but, i started eating veggies, fruit, and all the good for u stuff...and what i don't understand, why i don't have any acne, nothing at all, anywhere else? it's only on my face...nothing else anywhere!!! what does that say, it's weird, right? and the weird part is right before the time of the month my face clears up pretty good, i stop getting new breakouts!! i did try birth control pill, because i was positive my acne is hormonal, but, the pill didn't work whatsoever, it made me break out much more, now i'm on a different pill, its called loestrin, the lowest does i guess, i think my face is getting better, but, unfortunately, it missed my system up 
i do believe taking vitamins and working on the immune system make a big difference, i feel so much better, i feel healthy, i feel happy once i started taking vitamins..
my face now is not as bad as before, no new break outs, probably only two, usually i get like 5 a day, so, it's a matter of time i guess, i'm really excited, i feel i'm on the right track
as far as monodox is concerned, i lowered the dose to 100mg a day, i used to take 200mg, and i'm gonna stop it eventually, probably by the end of July...
Hi guys, just wanted to update my results to this thread. I've been doing this regimen since 5th april, and changed products early may. I have logged all food, supplements, drink, dairy because I was so pissed off with acne, and I had seen coincidences between sugar/dairy and breakouts.
ok, so what have I found?
I have found my acne now is a hell of a lot better than when I started. I get a few small spots, mainly on the side of my face (where I usually sleep), some redness above lip (this pisses me off), and sometimes my nose gets dry and few spots there too. That's it really, the spots are only noticeable very close, and I do feel a lot more confident. However, my acne is not gone, which is a shame, and I will find out how to be 100% clear over summer.
Recently, I have been eating a lot more, started going to the gym 3-4 times a week (extra wash), drinking protein shakes (whey isolate), drinking milk (lactofree milk). This is due to me being quite skinny (6'1" 145lbs) and wanting to put on some muscle. I've always been so cautious to what I'm eating, I've never gained weight. My acne has not flared up, maybe gone slightly worse but I think its due to the soy in the protein shake which I will cut out, but the milk doesn't do anything. I used to get big spots, 2-3 days to head, then weeks for the scars to just fade..not anymore. I have not had chocolate since april (where I broke out badly) and drank coke/fizzy drinks during exams without huge spots (but acne did seem to be slightly worse)
so, my conclusion to this regimen. Do I think that probiotics/fiber is a dream regimen? no, not for me. Do I think that it has helped? yes, definitely. Maybe cutting out dairy/sugar/soy was my answer since I cut them out when I started this regimen, who knows. I will continue with this regimen, and adjusting it slightly where I feel appropriate.
My products:
NOW Foods:
gr8-dophilus (probiotic)
Ultra Omega 3 (fish oil)
Benefiber (fiber)
Purpose Gentle cleanser (2x day) - I hardly put this on, pretty much just water.
Hope this is interesting for a few of you, and my advice would be to first try an elimination diet. Cut sugars, dairy, soy (and maybe gluten..I came to the conclusion that I would literally waste away if I did that). Then if that doesn't work, try this for 2 months minimum, you should see some results.
for people who have tried this and seen results did you use the exact same products as phil or did you use something similar? From my understanding the 2 most important things to take are the fiber and probiotics. So, what if I don't use the NOW brand and use metamucil or something? Or a different brand of probiotics? Is this more of a preference? I'm wanting to do this but I've called around and no one carries the NOW brand. I don't mind ordering it but if I don't have to go thru the hassle and can use something I can buy here then I will. TIA!! =)
Hi guys, just wanted to update my results to this thread. I've been doing this regimen since 5th april, and changed products early may. I have logged all food, supplements, drink, dairy because I was so pissed off with acne, and I had seen coincidences between sugar/dairy and breakouts.
ok, so what have I found?
I have found my acne now is a hell of a lot better than when I started. I get a few small spots, mainly on the side of my face (where I usually sleep), some redness above lip (this pisses me off), and sometimes my nose gets dry and few spots there too. That's it really, the spots are only noticeable very close, and I do feel a lot more confident. However, my acne is not gone, which is a shame, and I will find out how to be 100% clear over summer.....
I just wanted to thank everyone who said they would update and stood by their word. Your posts have been very helpful to follow!
I started using Fiber Smart a few days ago to start off slow - it has fiber and probiotics in it - so far I've broken out Horribly!!!! It's so depressing. I realized too late that the bottle says there's trace elements of milk protein, and I know I'm very sensitive to milk, so that could be it. But then again, trace amounts shouldn't be affecting me This badly! I sneak in trace amounts all the time and it doesn't seem to hurt me much. So confused. I want to try the Now brands and see what happens, but I'm scared about breaking out for a whole month before things start to get better, if at all... I will do my best to update you guys.
hey guys,
this is my update:
ok, so i stopped taking antibiotic, monodox, i was on it for like 5 month, it did help sometimes, but other times didn't really do much...i'm kinda confused, because the pill i'm on right now does seem to help (birth control pill)...so, after all, who knows, probably my acne is hormonal...but, it might not be, because i was on a different pill before, which didn't help at all, so, the update is, these vitamin do work, because my skin started to get better when i started taking them, and now i'm on week 2, and i'm on the pill too, but i've been on that pill for like couple of month, and i really didn't notice a difference, that's why i start believing that these vitamins, the fish oil, the zinc, the fiber, all that r helping big time...u just have to give it sometime...and i'm so glad i stopped all the retard acne soaps, and acne medication, and acne systems...........finally, i can say, i'm on the right track to acne free life (amen) i don't wanna jinx myself (which always happen by the way
and honestly, i'm sick of looking in the mirror and notice all the cane scaring, i do have bad acne scaring, and i blame myself for that, i took some strong birth control pill i shouldn't take, the doctor ofcourse didn't explain anything about the pill, i found out later....any ways, i'm gonna keep taking these vitamins, and see what happens, i'll keep u guys updated...
Wow this sounds very promising, I might give it a go.Anyone who has started this keep us updated on progress!
Hi!! Just wanted to let you know that I've been on it for just 3 days and my face already looks clearer. I have cystic acne on my bottom and I haven't seen any new ones appear. I normally see a new one every day and they stay for months. I'm so happy I found this link. I will let you know how I am after 2 weeks. Definately give it a try. I also am nursing and my milk supply has increased I believe it is from the B complex. I hope it works for you as well!!
My experience with this regimen (or at least my modified version of it):
My Regimen (if all you're interested in is the results, scroll further down to that section)
Dermify:
I ordered a 3-month supply of Dermify and began using it ~May 1st, 2011 (now a little over 2 1/2 months on this regimen as of this writing). At first I was very diligent about using it twice a day as recommended but have since slacked off to once a day (in the mornings after shaving). Every once in a while I'll manage to work in a second application in the evenings.
Whey Protein:
I have been putting 1 ounce of Soy Protein in my breakfast smoothy for ~1 year now. I bought IsoNatural Whey Protein (because of how highly screened, "pure", and lactose-free it was advertised as being; I normally avoid dairy) and slowly transitioned from Soy Protein to Whey Protein over the course of 1 month (May, 2011). However, as it proved not to agree with my GI tract, I chose to forego the Whey Protein and have since switched back to Soy Protein as of ~ mid-June, 2011.
Probiotics:
I ordered Custom Probiotics Adult Formula CP-1 (high count, multi-strain acidophilus and bifidus) and began taking it the first week of May, 2011. I started off with 1 capsule per day and then increased to 2 capsules per day after 3 weeks (one in the morning on waking, one at night before bed). I'm very good about remembering to take the morning capsule but have slacked off a bit and only remember to take the evening capsule about half the time.
Zinc:
I have been using Ultimate Nutrition Platinum Series Zinc tablets (30mg) since the first week of May. I split the tablets in half and take one half with breakfast and the other half with dinner. On days when I take my multivitamin (M, W, F) I skip the morning dose of zinc because the multivitamin already has zinc in it (11mg). I've been very good about sticking to this regimen and almost never miss a dose. I chose this brand of zinc because it was the lowest dose available that I could find. Most other brands are 50mg or higher per tablet.
WARNING: The RDA for zinc for a 19+ year old male is 11mg and for a 19+ year old female is 8mg. The tolerable upper intake level for zinc for a 19+ year old male or female is 40mg. So it is quite easy to overdose on zinc if using the higher doses commonly found in most zinc products. Zinc toxicity is not something to mess with. Do some research using "zinc rda" in a google search to find out more about the potential consequences of zinc toxicity.
Before anyone attempts to defend a higher zinc intake, understand that just because you don't keel over dead the split second you take a higher-than-recommended dose doesn't mean you aren't doing yourself harm over the long term. In one study it took 6.3 years of using 80mg of zinc per day to see serious side effects of increased hospital admissions for genitourinary complications attributable to the increased zinc intake. Do your research and decide for yourself.
Lastly, I recommend taking the zinc with food to avoid an upset stomach.
Fiber:
I chose to forego fiber because I feel I get enough naturally occurring fiber from my diet.
Vitamin B:
I also chose to forego vitamin B supplementation because I feel I get enough naturally occurring Vitamin B from my diet and from the multivitamin I already take.
Multivitamin:
I've been taking a multivitamin with breakfast on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for a few years now. So no real change here.
Omega 3-6-9:
I take one omega 3-6-9 capsule with breakfast each morning and have been doing so for several months now. So no real change here, either.
Shaving:
At around the same time I switched to Dermify I also switched from Gillette Sensor Excel blades to Bumpfighter blades. You can read in detail my experience with that blade here on the Acne.org site if you're interested. Since the forum link tool doesn't seem to work, just search for "hallelujah" on Acne.org and click on the "Hallelujah! I'm s(h)aved!!!" search result. The summary is that I experience practically zero skin irritation with the Bumpfighter blade as compared to any other razor I've ever used. This in itself has made a huge difference - in my opinion - in the condition of my skin; most especially around my neck and jawline.
Moisturizing:
I was using the Acne.org regimen moisturizer prior to switching to the Dermify regimen and continue to use the same moisturizer with the Dermify. So no change here.
Diet:
Breakfast is always the same; I'm very a much a creature of habit when it comes to my morning meal. The only deviation from this is if I plan on doing a lot of yardwork in high heat (I live near the desert). I'll then skip breakfast because it just sits like a stone in my stomach while doing heavy manual labor. Otherwise, I'm religious about eating breakfast every morning.
- 30g of multi-grain cereal (currently Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola) topped with trail mix, dried blueberries, sliced almonds, and an extra spoonful of flax seed.
- Smoothy of 1/3 cup pomegranate juice, 1/3 cup carrot juice, and 1/3 cup mixed fruit juices blended with ~ 1 1/2 cups of frozen mixed fruit (pineapple, mango, papaya, blueberries, marionberries, raspberries, and strawberries)
- 1 ounce of soy protein added to smoothy
- ~ 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil added to smoothy
- ~ 1 teaspoon of olive oil added to smoothy
Dinner may vary in the details but always adheres to the same proportions of:
- one large cereal bowl of lightly steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots; ~2 cups) with a dash of garlic salt and pepper
- a large serving of a complex carbohydrate (pasta, rice, or potatoes)
- 2 to 2 1/2 ounces of protein (most often poached boneless, skinless chicken breast with broiled salmon and broiled steak substituting for two nights of the week).
Seasonings are light to none at all and very little additional fat or oil is added with the exception of pasta dishes (garlic, sun dried tomatoes, and Italian herbs sauteed in olive oil). I am a sucker for Parmesan cheese on my pasta, though.
This diet I've outlined has been my diet for years, so no real change here, either.
My Results
Prior to switching to this new diet-and-Dermify regimen I had been using the Acne.org Benzoyl Peroxide regimen for almost a year. I would say that the results are comparable between the two; I have been largely acne-free on both regimens. I would even go so far as to say the diet-and-Dermify regimen has resulted in somewhat clearer skin.
However, it's hard to give 100% credit to the diet-and-Dermify regimen alone because there was the additional variable of my having switched to the Bumpfighter razor blade at the same time I switched to the diet-and-Dermify regimen. That blade has done wonders to eliminate the razor burn that was such a big contributor to my facial acne. So it's hard to say which factor alone can be given the greatest credit for my clearer skin. I do still have the infrequent lone rogue pimple pop up every once in a great while. But those are easily spot treated with a little Benzoyl Peroxide (which I use for only that purpose now).
Another variable to consider is that beginning the first week of June, 2011 I also added dermarolling to my regimen. I had a very deep ice pick type scar on my upper lip. However, it's my theory that it didn't result from acne but rather from being sprayed in the face by some decomposed granite I ran into with a weed eater while edging my lawn. I thought nothing of it at the time, but in restrospect I can't think of any other cause since I've never had a real bad acne breakout in that spot above my lip. Regardless, the results are the same; a deep tunneling scar. Normally I would have just lived with it but when someone finally pointed at their own lip with that, "You've got a crumb on your upper lip you might want to brush off" motion and then realized - after my unsuccessful attempt at brushing it off - that it was the scar and not a crumb, I decided to do something about it.
At first I was slightly skeptical of the dermarolling claims but kept an open mind, figuring if it didn't work I'd only be out about $100. One thing led to another and now I'm dermarolling my entire face and neck. The changes are subtle and take time but it does work. You have to be patient and stick with it, but you should begin to see results in 4 to 6 weeks. After almost 2 months of dermarolling, the opening of the scar on my upper lip has reduced in diameter by ~40% and it is overall more flush with the surrounding skin. Being our own worst critics, I know it's there. But being objective and stepping back from the mirror to about the average distance one would maintain in a conversation or sitting across a dinner table from someone, it's practically invisible or can pass itself off as a bit of stubble.
The point of the whole dermarolling tangent is to say that it is one more variable that - along with the Bumpfighter blade - was added to my regimen at the same time as the diet-and-Dermify treatment. So again, it's hard to pin the results to diet-and-Dermify alone. But something is working and I intend on sticking with the regimen I'm on. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Where Dermify wins out is it doesn't dry or irritate my skin nearly as much as the Acne.org Benzoyl Peroxide regimen does. Though I was very good about follow-up moisturizing when using Benzoyl Peroxide, it was just so harsh on my skin; even after almost a year. Plus, it was bleaching out my clothes and bed sheets. The final straw was when I started to read about how free radicals generated from the oxidation process of Benzoyl Peroxide could actually lead to accelerated aging of the skin.
Though I am happy with my Dermify regimen now, don't be fooled by marketing hype. If you're using it as a full facial mask (rather than just spot treatment), it will take just as long or longer to apply, let sit for a couple minutes, and then rinse off as it takes to apply Benzoyl Peroxide. It is a clay mask (with colloidal Sulfur 1% as the active ingredient) and - like any clay mask - clings pretty tenaciously, requiring a fair amount of rinsing to fully remove. You will not be seeing any time or effort savings by switching from Benzoyl Peroxide to Dermify(and quite possibly the opposite). But for me it's been worth it and I'm satisfied with how my skin looks and feels without the drawbacks associated with Benzoyl Peroxide.
On a final note, though I may no longer be using Benzoyl Peroxide daily (reserving it only for spot treatment of breakthrough acne), I still want to thank Dan and Acne.org for having created this website and forum. By having come here and used the Acne.org regimen, it has permitted me to discover another regimen that better suits my needs and my skin. I couldn't have done that without Acne.org in the first place. I'll still continue to use Dan's moisturizer and cleanser, though; good stuff.
I went and bought all the supplements you mentioned from NowFoods through LuckyVitamin.com
Have only been using them for 5 days. Only got 30 mg of Zinc, since my other supplements also contain enough zinc to =50mg. Just need to start taking the fiber regularly. Thanks for all your help! I have been using the regimen for almost 2 weeks and acne.org products x 2 days. And for me, my face has cleared up dramatically. I am not sensitive to the BP. I went from having a horrible breakout of 8-10 pimples to only 2-3. I am intrigued about this dermify product though. Have to check it out. Please post again and tell us about your progress, can't wait to here. I hope to cure my adult acne one and for all!! 
Being regular does help acne. When I didn't go to the washroom for a week while I was in Cuba I had THE WORST SKIN of my life. But to say that fiber is the answer is instilling a ton of false hope in Org users who need to take care of their skin by other means. So congratulations, I think you probably just grew out of your acne.
I've had acne since I was 13 and have found that the only thing that works for me is eating healthy and taking supplements to clean my insides. I am now 21 and have cleared up a lot in the last few years. I suffered from severe acne and now I suffer from severe scarring. My regimen now is take pills of the following red clover, burdock, dandelion, and yellow dock. I take them two of echo with breakfast and two of each with dinner. I've been taking them for a a little less than a month. I also take a a detoxifying pillscalled comprehensive cleanser. I take two pills one in the morning and one at night. I have also used it for a month. I drink a lot of water and eat really healthy. My food intake consists of vegetables, fruits, chicken, a little rice, a lot of beans, lentils. Yesterday I bought a colon cleanser called super cleanse and a vitamin e liquid oil that also has some extra virgin oil as the second ingredient. The reason I bought the oil is to improve my skin texture and hylerpigmentation/scars, although im scared that it will cause breakouts which is why Tomorrow I will try to find a vitamin e oil That only has itself as the ingredient. Im still deciding on starting phills regimen because I am not clear...not even close...most of my acne is along my jawline so if these two new products that I recently purchased don't improve my acne I will try phills regimen. But overall the only thing that has ever helped my skin is eating healthier and taking supplements. I have 4-5 bms a day so im not sure if that helped with my improvement. I believe I suffer from ibs.
Also...the dandelion, burdock, yellow dock, and red clover are all for cleaning the liver...but yeah these all helped.
The goggles do nothing!
I mean probiotics . . .
I've been on the OP's regimen for 2 weeks now and have seen little to no difference; given I only went with his choice of supplements (Now Brand Probiotic and Fiber). I've been coming off of BP for about a month and a half to two months which is probably why I've seen any decrease of acne; I figure its just my skin adapting to the lose of BP.
I'm currently suffering from a breakout that mirrors similar breakouts I had before I started taking the probiotic and what lead me towards it.
I call BS, this has only seemed to work for the OP and his two friends.
Hey guys, together with a group of students we are putting together a advise service for acne, called Spotless you.
Instead of first suggesting products, and consequently waiting for a reply, what we want to do is, take your photo, and then, using our image recognition software, suggest a treatment for YOUR skin.
The advice service will be in the form of a website, and downloadable smartphone app, therefore you can submit your photos anonymously, and then track your progress alongside your treatment.
We are just starting up, and feedback is essential. If you would be willing to fill out the following survey that takes at most 5 minutes, we can start getting rid of those spots forever:)
Okay so I need a straight direct answer. Do you take probiotic on an empty stomach or with food?
I take mine on an empty stomach one in the morning and one at night. I do the same the OP does. Drink the probiotic with the fiber. I also use the same probiotic he does. I started taking the fiber and probiotic last night.
Thanks for sharing all that detailed info, Bumpfighter!
Where did you purchase your dermaroller? Is one site or brand more reputable than the others? I keep hearing that it is effective as long as you're patient and consistent., so I def. want to try it!
Thanks.
Hi, river333.
I bought three different dermarollers; all through Amazon.
The first one is a Nano Needle Roller by Scorpion (just search for "scorpion dermaroller"). I chose this one because it has 500 needles rather than the standard 192, is cheaper than the Dr. Roller brand, and still looked like it was of halfway decent quality. This is a 0.5 mm needle length roller that I use for all-over face and neck rolling. I paid $39.95; you might be able to find it cheaper. It's my workhorse roller and I'm satisfied with it.
The second one is a Dr. Roller 3-line roller; also 0.5 mm needle length. This one has a narrower roller that is easier to use around the compound curves of the nose. Dr. Roller touts itself as being the original dermaroller and you pay for that; $59.95. I don't think it's any better or worse than any other roller on the market (with the exception of the super cheap ones that look like they're made out of acrylic and would snap with mild pressure). But it was the only one I could find in a narrow configuration.
The third one is also a Dr. Roller 3-line roller but with 1.5 mm needle length. This one I use for the deep ice pick type scar on the lip. This one hurts, but it's working. I wanted a narrower roller for that small area of the scar and the Dr. Roller brand was the only one I could find that offered a quality narrow roller with 1.5 mm needles; $69.95. I had originally used the 0.5 mm narrow roller on this spot but it just didn't seem to be working very well. So I went with this longer needle version and I'm definitely seeing results now.
I think any dermaroller that's made with stainless steel needles and decent plastic handles will do the trick. Avoid acrylic handles as that is a very brittle plastic that breaks easily (a good rule of thumb is any transparent plastic is usually acrylic). Also avoid titanium needles. Though titanium is stronger than steel, it doesn't hold an edge as well as steel. In the case of dermarollers it won't hold a point or tip of a needle as well, either. Lastly, read the fine print to make sure the dermaroller you buy has been sterilized; not all are. The Scorpion and Dr. Roller brands are both sterilized, stainless steel dermarollers.
Most important of all is to be willing to commit to dermarolling 5 times a week for about 3 months. It's time consuming (it takes me 25 minutes to do my entire face and neck; you have to roll in four different directions, four times in each direction), the sensation ranges from tickling to painful (I don't care what the brochure says), and you won't see results for probably 4 weeks or more. All of that adds up to easy discouragement.
If you stick with it, though, you'll start to see results. Roll first, then apply the acne treatment you're using. This way the pores of the skin are opened up to receive whatever ointment, cream, mask, or medication you put on. This window of opportunity lasts for about 15 minutes after you've dermarolled.
Lastly, buy some denture cleaning tablets and soak your dermaroller(s) overnight with a tablet once per week. For daily use, rinse, allow to air dry, and then put their covers on once dry.
Good luck and let us know your results if you go this path.
I too am using a probiotic by Renew Life that has both probiotics and fiber. I thought great, kill two birds with one stone. I have noticed that every time I take it I get a weird bump/hive on my jawline. I also take a bifidiofactor in a separate pill because I had my stool tested and I was low on bifidio. Anyway I might look into switching to a different probiotic and a separate fiber. I have heard good things about supplementing with Spirulina and Chlorella. I think Im spelling it right. I have changed my diet over 8 months ago and my skin still gets breakouts on my jawline every day. They are not huge cystic things but I never had this before and think it might be attributed to Spironolactone that I started a year ago in March. It seemed like the more I upped my spironolactone dosage the more these welt like red bumps came out on my cheeks or jawline. I went on spiro to help oil production in my chin area and since have developed these bumps so I tried the diet change, no gluten, dairy, sugar or processed food of any kind and it STILL hasnt helped. I have had allergy testing and nothing come back postive although I had a hair sample tested for intolerance and oat and maize came back positve. I have avoided these for several months and still not improvement. What else their to try in the way of supplements that I havent already? Fish Oil always breaks me out as does flax and I just noticed that the renew supplements have some flax in them...hmmm
I have a question for those of you who have tried this and are saying your skin hasn't gotten better. Do you exercise regularly? I noticed the OP stated he goes to the gym regularly, I believe that has a lot to do with his success. I also think for something to fully work you should try it for several months, not a few weeks.
I too am using a probiotic by Renew Life that has both probiotics and fiber. I thought great, kill two birds with one stone. I have noticed that every time I take it I get a weird bump/hive on my jawline. I also take a bifidiofactor in a separate pill because I had my stool tested and I was low on bifidio. Anyway I might look into switching to a different probiotic and a separate fiber. I have heard good things about supplementing with Spirulina and Chlorella. I think Im spelling it right. I have changed my diet over 8 months ago and my skin still gets breakouts on my jawline every day. They are not huge cystic things but I never had this before and think it might be attributed to Spironolactone that I started a year ago in March. It seemed like the more I upped my spironolactone dosage the more these welt like red bumps came out on my cheeks or jawline. I went on spiro to help oil production in my chin area and since have developed these bumps so I tried the diet change, no gluten, dairy, sugar or processed food of any kind and it STILL hasnt helped. I have had allergy testing and nothing come back postive although I had a hair sample tested for intolerance and oat and maize came back positve. I have avoided these for several months and still not improvement. What else their to try in the way of supplements that I havent already? Fish Oil always breaks me out as does flax and I just noticed that the renew supplements have some flax in them...hmmm
Try natural supplements/herbs that clean your liver colon etc... I am currently taking red clover, burdock, dandelion, And yellow dock....those are all to detoxify your liver. I also take a fiber supplement And a probiotic that I take with the fiber. For my colon I take a colon cleanser. I drink a lot of water And try to exercise as much as possible. I don't eat gluten dairy processed foods sugar...things like that.
The downside to taking all of these pills is that I get diarrhea especially recently. And im pretty sure its either he fiber or colon cleanse because I just recently started taking them. I have been taking the dandelion burdock yellow dock and red clover for a month now. I am clearer and I see improvements.
