Hello everyone,

I want to start off by saying how much I appreciate this website! I suffered with moderate cystic acne for about four and a half years. I went to the dermatologist, trying dozens of topicals and spending lots of money on products that I thought would cure my acne. After reading through these forums, I obtained a lot of helpful information. My acne cleared a few weeks after I cut dairy out of my diet as well as not eating processed foods. Though my skin has cleared, I still use Epiduo and Aczone every night to keep the acne from coming back. I am also on a birth control pill which has helped my skin a lot. I do have a lot of hyper pigmentation, especially on my cheeks which has been fading a bit over time.

My question is, would it be possible to stop using Epiduo and Aczone? I don't want to have to use these topicals the rest of my life. Does anyone have recommendations for a simpler way to keep my skin clear, like quality over the counter products? I live at the beach all summer and these topicals make my skin extremely sensitive so I would like to wean off of them before the summer. Does anyone have recommendations to products that do not make skin so sensitive? Also, what should I use (other than sunscreen) to help my skin over the summer because I will be in the sun all day and I don't want to damage my skin anymore. Thank you so much!