I am so sorry that you are going through this. I think BP is most likely driving your acne as like with antibiotics, things can and often times will get worse. As you work on your diet, i recommend you get on a topical or if you're more into all things natural, create a natural skin care routine. Remember, it can take 3 months at least to see if a new regimen will work (even longeer for diet changes). BTW, why did you stop BP?

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I think BP is most likely driving your acne as like with antibiotics, things can and often times will get worse. As you work on your diet, i recommend you get on a topical or if you're more into all things natural, create a natural skin care routine. Remember, it can take 3 months at least to see if a new regimen will work (even longeer for diet changes). BTW, why did you stop BP?

It really is taking a toll on me, I really hope to resolve this soon. Any opinions for something natural? I've been using 2% stridex wipes with moisturizer, is that sufficient? I stopped BP because I was tired of straining clothes, getting burnt due to sun sensitivity and having to constantly rely on having BP with me for the routine. I just wanted to start becoming less dependent on these things and have a more natural routine.

I can't recommend anything natural as it never worked for me but if you post a question under the diet and holistic board, there will be a lot more people who are more experienced in that area.

i hear ya- BP is far from ideal but you have to do what works for you. I recall using stridex as a teen and it did not suit my skin well. Maybe you'll have better luck. One thing i recommend not to do is wait it out. In my honest opinion, that can lead to scarring and such

I had been using a BP gel once a day for a few years and I quit it cold turkey in 2012. I quit for the same things you have mentioned, I hated the idea of being so reliant on BP etc. I had also never been completely clear just by using BP, unless I took antibiotics with it. When I quit, my skin stayed pretty good for about a week or so I think but I then broke out horribly and it was the worst my skin had been in a long time. I then tried more natural approaches but none worked that well for me. Some gave some improvement but didn't clear me up. I'm sorry, you're not going to like the ending of my story, because I've ended up back on BP but using it differently this time - following the acne.org regimen - which I hope will yield results for me! I'm aware I'll have to continue it forever pretty much... I don't like the idea of this right now but I had got to the point where using BP again and being reliant on it, if it means clear skin, is so much better for me personally than having to deal with all the emotional pain etc I had been going through because of my skin. I just have to do what works for my skin.

I really hope you have better success than I did with the more natural route!! I admit, I was pretty bad at sticking to the more 'restrictive' diet changes I was trialling (like gluten free). I also tried tea tree oil, manuka honey and a green tea and sea salt toner among other things. I do recommend looking into tea tree oil because that is probably the thing that did help my skin the most - from memory, studies have shown it to be as effective as BP... personally I didn't see results as good as BP (probably because I only had access to the oil and I think the study was on a TTO cream/gel?) but it's definitely a starting point Manuka honey made my skin so soft and I do think it faded some redness and pigmentation slightly. You'll also find a thread all about the toner if you search for it using the search bar. (Edit: actually I'll save you the time searching and leave the link here: )

Good luck with whatever you end up doing! Hang in there

Yeah I stopped using proactiv around November of last year and even though it was gradual, around the end of December I started breaking out. I tried a bunch of natural remedies and diet changes but it kept getting worse. Finally after a couple months of natural remedies ( although looking back I should have given them longer than two months to work ) I caved and got the new proactiv plus. After six weeks of that with no improvement I caved again and went back to regular proactiv. After four weeks of that with no improvement I went to the dr and got back on accutane. While I have a long way to go, my skin hasn't been this calm since last year. I'll never go back to BP but I probably never should have stopped using it because it didn't irritate my skin at all. Whatever you try, make it one thing at a time and give it at least eight weeks to start working. Good luck.

Bump

Well, I hate to have done this but I cannot stand this any longer. I've cut out literally everything in my diet for the past few weeks and waking up this morning with 4 new cysts on my chin/forehead has pushed me over the edge to use BP again tonight. I'll use it until I can find an alternative I guess, I gave it almost 3 months of no use with no positive change in sight.

Please stop harming yourself by cutting things out of your diet and thinking that will change anything.

Milk is all that needs to go!

Read my post 'change your life' and I assure you by following my steps, you will be fine!

Please!

Oh, and aloevera on the cysts overnight should turn them into whiteheads!

Allow a few days for all the puss to be sucked out and do not pop!

Let it come out by itself, because that'll mean it is all out. (Might take a few days longer but don't risk popping for a new cyst or pimple.