Soaps tend to be very drying. Man that's a lot of oils though, not too sure haven't really tried any soaps like that. Let me know how that works for you.

KNOW THAT YOUR SKIN IS WORTH BEING BEAUTIFUL!! THIS ALL MAY SEEM WAY TO MUCH TO FOLLOW AND TOO MUCH TO READ... IF IT DOES AND YOUR NOT WILLING TO TRY THEN IT REALLY HINTS WHY YOU HAVE ACNE AND CANT GET RID OF IT....

~IM NO DERMATOLOGIST BUT I KNOW A THING OT TWO ABOUT ACNE... IVE HAD ACNE SINCE 9TH GRADE AND I KNOW MY SKIN BY NOW AND KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT HELPING EVERY AND ANYONE OUT! FROM OVER THE COUNTER MEDS TO $600 TOPICAL CREAMS AND $300 BLUE LIGHT TREATMENTS AND $100 FACIAL WASHES AND BLEACHING CREAMS ALL WAY FROM PARIS.. YOU NAME IT IVE DONE IT ALL ,SO READ THIS...

"IN NO WAY AM I DISSING THE ACNE.ORG PRODUCTS BECAUSE IM ACTUALLY USING IT AN LIKE IT, BUT IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE"

* DO NOT CONSUME SUGARS, NUTS, JUNK FOOD AND DONT WEAR HAIR WEAVE (IF YOU WEAR FAKE HAIR).. DO THIS FOR A MONTH AND YOU WILL SEE A CHANGE IN YOUR SKIN.. THEY REALLY TRIGGER ACNE

*CHANGE YOUR PILLOW CASE AND SHEETS YOU COVER WITH WEEKLY

*CHANGE YOUR TOWEL WEEKLY

*CHILL WITH THE HAIR PRODUCTS AND HAIR IN YOUR FACE! ONLY USE ORGANIC HAIR PRODUCTS IF POSSIBLE

*IF YOUR GOING TO PICK AT YOUR SKIN OR BURST THE PUSSY ACNE THEN MAKE SURE YOU DO IT RIGHT AFTER A WARN SHOWER AND LIFT AS IF PEELING THE SURFACE OF THE SKIN GENTLY PUSH OUT THE PUSS AND LAY THE SKIN BACK DOWN, THEN TAKE A PIECE OF PAPER AND DAB INTO ALCOHOL, PLACE THE PAPER ONTO THE PIMPLE AND LET DRY AND TAKE IT OFF IN THE MORNING " BELIEVE ME IM A PRO AT IT"

1.THE REGIMEN WORKS ONLY IF YOUR SKIN IS USED TO BENZYL AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN USING THIS PRODUCT 3 MONTHS AND STILL NO CHANGE THEN THIS PRODUCT IS NOT FOR YOU!

2. YOU WILL KNOW A PRODUCT IS RIGHT FOR YOU WHEN YOU BREAK OUT IN WEEK 1 OR 2 AND GET CLEAR AFTER THAT. BREAKOUTS SHOULD NEVER EXCEED 3 WEEKS!

3.IF YOUR SKIN IS GETTING WORST AND HURTS AND IS GETTING RED YOU ARE USING TO MUCH OF IT OR THIS PRODUCT IS NOT FOR YOU.

4.WHEN CHOOSING A DERM THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU MAKE SURE THEY ARE SPECIALIZED IN ACNE TREATMENT BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM REALLY JUST DEAL WITH OLDER PEOPLE WITH SKIN ISSUES THAT REALLY DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ACNE AND YOU END UP SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY HAVING TO BUY SO MANY WRONG PROSCRIPTION MEDICATION BECAUSE THEY DONT REALLY KNOW HOW TO TREAT ACNE

5.IF YOU ARE USING THE ACNE.ORG PRODUCTS AND HAVING AN ISSUE USE HALF A PUMP OF EVERYTHING BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS DIFF SKIN SO WHEN TRYING SOMETHING NEW A LITTLE IS ALWAYS BEST

6.PROACTIVE DOES NOT REALLY WORK

7.WHEN USING A PRODUCT BELIEVE AND HAVE FAITH THAT IT WILL WORK BECAUSE STRESSING ABOUT ACNE MAKES ACNE WORST!

8.ONLY PUT ACNE MEDICATION ON ACNE AREAS AND SPOTS... IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOUR SKIN FIRST GETS USED TO THE CHANGE OF PRODUCTS BEFORE YOU CAN APPLY ALL OVER

9.ANTIBIOTICS ARE NOT THE WAY TO GO. SURE IT CLEARS UP THE SKIN AND HELPS RID OF ACNE BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT WHICH DO YOU PREFER ACNE OR LIVER DAMAGE???

10.BEFORE USING STRONG PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION TRY THE NATURAL PRODUCTS

*RAW ALOE- GOOD FOR ACNE AND ACNE SCARS

*RAW SHEA BUTTER- GOOD FOR DRY AREAS AND DARK SPORT

*RAW POTATO, TOMATO, HONEY OR LEMON CAN BE USED TO MAKE A MASK FOR ACNE

11. OVER THE COUNTER MEDS ARE RISKY AND IRRITATES YOUR SKIN BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE

12. DEMAND DEMAND DEMANDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!! DONT LET YOUR DERMATOLOGIST CONTROL THE SITUATION!! KNOW YOUR SKIN SO DEMAND WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR SKIN AND MONEY!!! THEY DONT KNOW YOUR SKIN MORE THAN YOU KNOW YOUR SKIN, SO YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW WHAT KIND OF EFFECTS YOU WANT AND BY WHEN YOU EXPECT A CHANGE IN YOUR SKIN

13.WHEN NOTHING IS WORKING LEAVE YOUR SKIN ALONE... HONESTLY LEAVE YOUR FREAKING SKIN THE HECK ALONE BECAUSE YOUR SWITCHING IT UP WAY TO MUCH WITH PRODUCTS AND YOUR SKIN GETS VERY UNHAPPY AND THIS WILL LEAVE YOU UNHAPPY WITH A BUNCH OF PEPPERONI ON YOUR FACE

14.IVE HAD THE WORST SKIN EVER WITH ACNE FROM MY FOREHEAD, TO MY NECK, BACK AND CHEST AND MY SKIN IS AMAZING NOW BECAUSE I KNOW MY SKIN AND WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS IF NOTHING IS WORKING TAZORAC IS AN ACNE MEDICATION THAT IS A CREAM OR GEL WHICH EVER YOU PREFER AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IS WORKS 100%.. IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING TAZORAC IT IS QUITE EXPENSIVE!! LIKE REALLY EXPENSIVE BUT YOUR FACE IS WORTH IT! I RECOMMEND THE 0.1% !!!! NOW I AM ABLE TO USE THE ACNE.ORG PRODUCT STRESS FREE AND KNOW THAT IT WILL KEEP MY SKIN HEALTHY AND ACNE FREE.. (TAZORAC SHOULD ONLY BE PUT ONTO THE PIMPLES AS IF YOU ARE SPOTTING YOUR FACE LIKE LITTLE DOTS BECAUSE THIS CREAM IS SOOOOOOOOOOO EFFECTIVE IT KILLS THE ACNE OVER NIGHT AND BY DAY 3 THE DEAD SKIN FALLS OFF).. AND I BELIEVE TAZORAC CAN AND WILL WORK FOR ANY ONE WITH ANY TYPE OF ACNE SO LOOK IT UP AND DO YOUR RESEARCH ON IT, TAKE HEART AND BELIEVE FOR CLEAR SKIN!

COMMENT AND ASK QUESTIONS!!!

lol! great post grace19! really great advice! i dont know about tazorac because i have never used it but everything u said about trusting ur body & ur skin & giving it time to get used to a new product was especially spot on!!

can Proactiv repairing lotion be used as a treatment? it contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. I wonder if it could fit into the acne.org regimen, and if it would take the place of just the treatment or both treatment and moisturizer.

The worse thing you can do is squeeze blackheads. I have damaged my pores on my nose really badly from squeezing....

So if u get tempted to squeeze ur blackheads, please please dont!

Is a 5% benzoyl peroxide cleanser bad??

Thanks a lot for the useful and important information.

I am one of those who have been trying to deal with the dilemma of finding a gentle cleanser that does not contain any of those irritating or pore-clogging ingredients listed on some websites but unfortunately my attempts over many years have failed.

I am still to find a single gentle, non-medicated cleanser for my combination yet sensitive skin that I can use without worrying.

I have a had a quick look at some of the ingredients in some of the cleansers you have listed and even those do not conform to the criteria!

• Purpose gentle wash (which I have bought and used a few times) contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Fragrance.
• Eucerin Baby Aquaphor Gentle Wash contains Sodium Chloride.
• Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate.
• Even the two Paula's choice cleansers that I checked has at least one offending ingredient:
  * Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser has Sodium Chloride.
  * Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser has Sodium Laureth Sulfate.

I wish there was some regulating agency to verify the claims those manufactures put on their packaging or make it very clear which ingredients are fine to include so as to put confused people like me out of their misery!

Have you tried Free and Clear?

Available at most Walgreens and pharmacies or they will order it for you.

Also one of Paula's Best Products on beautipedia.com

Thanks for this info! I didn't even realize that my 2% "cooling" Salicylic was irritating my skin further! You rule!

I read that while benzoyl peroxide is great for acne...it can also cause premature aging.. that can quickly be fixed with daily moisturizing. However, I also read that is can increase hyperpigmentation... I have acne marks.. Not scars, MARKS. and I dont want to use BP if its going to make it worse.. any suggestions?

may I ask?

can I use cleanser with salycilic acid and then benzoyl peroxide gel or glycolic acid lotion with benzoyl peroxide?

In April, I bought this Clean and Clear gel [Removed link]. It worked fantastic at first... I have very oily skin so it took care of that, and my acne disappeared within weeks. Then I got a very bad sunburn (I used a cheap sunscreen that in contact with the sun burned my skin) and since then the gel is pretty much useless to me, because when I apply it, within a couple of hours that area becomes slightly swollen, red and it itches.

I'm afraid to try different products for my face because I don't want to waste money on something I'll end up allergic to, my skin is so sensitive. Right now I'm using some Nivea products which are sort of helping (I just wash my face with regular soap and then apply the Nivea medicine in the morning and before I go to sleep).... I wanted to try Neutrogena, would that be a good choice? I just need something really gentle for my skin.

WHAT IS the best moisturizer to if you have oily yet dry skin.

Wow! Thank you so much! I really didn't know how many harmful things I've been doing to my skin.

I personally think one of the biggest mistakes is not going to a dermatologist first. Cosmetologists will treat the result and not address the cause. If you have serious acne, derm should be your first consideration.

This is really a helpful thread, one of the best on this forum!!! Thanks for all info!!

I need help with something that i believe many of you suffer from; excessive oil!

I already use retin-A and BP, but i need a mattifying moisturizer for daytime use while on work...

My skin gets oily within ONE heure!

So, is there any mattifying moisturizer that does not contain silicones as the main ingredient (I usually breakout if there's a lot of silicone)?

Thanks!

Where did the OP get her sources for "common skin irritants" and things to avoid?

I'm not doubting the validity of her claims, but having references would mean everything was legitimate. Otherwise it's just passed on by word of mouth and useless anecdote.

hello!

i use saslic.as prescribed by my dermatologist.

its salicylic acid foaming face wash(1%).

twice a day.its pretty good according to me.

now,it is suppose to maintain a ph of 5.5

so that should be good right?

i know that the effectiveness decreases(as they say!) but still it seems to work.

aana

 

QUOTE(Zief @ Jun 22 2006, 10:24 PM) †

 

wow Snow Queen this is a great post with some really good information! Keep up the excellent work, and thanks for all your time and effort.

 

 

Thanks! I know there are a lot of misconceptions out there about what products are good for the skin (and specifically acne), so I was hoping to clear some of that up.

Was that an acne pun? (Clear some of that up?) Because har.

Where did the OP get her sources for "common skin irritants" and things to avoid?

I'm not doubting the validity of her claims, but having references would mean everything was legitimate. Otherwise it's just passed on by word of mouth and useless anecdote.

I disagree with the alcohol bit. See: http://www.futurederm.com/2012/09/06/why-alcohol-in-skin-care-is-safe-despite-what-paula-begoun-says/

I know this is a very old thread, but I'm new here and I'd like to add my two cents.

 

First off, the original poster lists a lot of information based on sound research, but it really should be taken with a grain of salt. Lots of don'ts, very little do's. Heck, she might as well have said, "don't use everything."

 

I have suffered with acne (moderate to slightly severe for over 30 years. I'm 45 and still battling it). I'd like to think I'm an expert, seeing the tens of thousands of dollars I spent over the years fighting this losing battle (tens of thousands is indeed a correct figure). I should have been a dermatologist, but who would trust a dermatologist with acne?

 

Anyway, my decades of research, trying everything on the market, fad or not (I was perscribed accutane but resisted it due to side effects) have yielded one conclusion: There is no right answer or no wrong answer. Every individual's skin is different. Some respond quite well to salicylic acid, I break out in hives. Some find astrigent irritating, I use SeaBreeze for sensitive skin with great results.

 

Acne is steeped in genetics. For some like me, it may never ever go away. The best you can hope for is to manage it--keep it under control.

 

I'd like to add to the original poster's "don't" list:

 

DON'T be afraid to try any regimen or product or vitamin therapy, etc. It just might work for you.

I know this is an old response, but I agree with you. There is too much ingredient obsession on these boards. Skin care is so very trial and error. I disagree with her rant against alcohol too.

 

Thanks a lot for the useful and important information.

 

I am one of those who have been trying to deal with the dilemma of finding a gentle cleanser that does not contain any of those irritating or pore-clogging ingredients listed on some websites but unfortunately my attempts over many years have failed.

 

I am still to find a single gentle, non-medicated cleanser for my combination yet sensitive skin that I can use without worrying.

 

I have a had a quick look at some of the ingredients in some of the cleansers you have listed and even those do not conform to the criteria!

• Purpose gentle wash (which I have bought and used a few times) contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Fragrance.
• Eucerin Baby Aquaphor Gentle Wash contains Sodium Chloride.
• Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate.
• Even the two Paula's choice cleansers that I checked has at least one offending ingredient:

  * Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser has Sodium Chloride.

  * Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser has Sodium Laureth Sulfate.

I wish there was some regulating agency to verify the claims those manufactures put on their packaging or make it very clear which ingredients are fine to include so as to put confused people like me out of their misery!

If you're still looking, CeraVe cleanser is really good. So is Olay foaming face wash for sensitive skin.

Wow.

So basically i cant use anything?

Thanks so much for taking the time to post

Quite an exhaustive list. Thanks for taking the time to compose this! I am gonna have a hard time finding a product that embodies this list

*Moderator edit, URL removed - read the board rules*

What exactly is wrong with a cream moisturizer if it has the proper ingredients? And since my salicylic acid wash may be too acidic, can I dilute it with water to balance the pH out?