I've been struggling with acne since Middle school and have never gotten it completely under control b/c I still break out and still get pimples and still deal with it day to day.
I'm 32, and use a 2.5 BP cleanser in the morning, and not a day goes by where I'll get a few pimples or just one a day to pop, or see on my face for weeks until I can finally pop it. I get the pimples that come to head right away and continue to have to be popped several times before they go away, I get the little holes on my forehead that are blocked pores so all I have to do is squeeze them and long white strong comes out and then they go away. I'll get ones I leave alone and they never go away until I pop them.
I've tried changing my diet, not consuming as much dairy, sugar, trying to not be as stressed at work and with life, but it doesn't seem to matter what I do. I've tried vitamins, I've tried stronger BP face washes, stronger BP on the spot treatments. Nothing. Just made it worse.
I used to see a dermatologist when I was in high school and nothing he put me on ever worked. I know that now I am an adult and adult acne is different. I dread having to go to a dermatoloist and going through the same crap and not getting any better. There are so many options out there, I've read SO much and yet don't know what to do. So many possibilities and so much worry on what might not work for me. I need a simple solution.
Should I switch cleansers? Should I try using a SA cleanser? Or should I try using my BP cleanser morning and night? Or a SA cleanser day and night? If I should go the SA route, which one?
I am honestly just sick and tired of not knowing what to do and worryng everyday that when I return from work there will be another pimple to pop, or when I go out to eat dinner, that I'll return home with a pimple flared up but not ready to pop. I'm sick of it. Whenever I shower my face becomes red and then the redness goes away. I can never go swimming or anything in the fear of my skin being shown in its awful form without having time to relax from being wet. What kind of life is this? 18 years of dealing with this and it hasn't gone away.
there has to be some end to this...something I can do...something else I can try...
I used to use the acnefree regimen, and frankly I see know difference from just using the cleanser, to using the cleanser/toner/lotion. I used the proactiv one before but that was just the same.
There's other regimens available but will they work? I really just want a cleanser...a good cleanser that I can use in the morning (and if I have to night as well,) that won't irritate or break out my skin, but WILL ACTUALLY FREAKIN HELP ME!!!!!
I just turned 35 and I feel your pain! The only difference is my skin was perfect until I hit my late 20s and all hell broke loose. It kills me to think I will never have that perfect skin again because even IF I ever stop breaking out I will have permanent scars to deal with. It's such a self esteem killer. I also hate to go swimming and I will only let my closest friends see me without makeup. The acne has really taken a toll on my social life. I'm single and even though guys do seem interested when I go out (with makeup of course) I would NEVER want to let them see me during the day, or without makeup or after a shower when the redness is at its worse so I'm destined to stay single until my skin clears up which I don't see happening any time soon.
I wish I had a magic cure for us both. Have you ever tried the Acne.org Regimen? It seems to work for many people here even though it hasn't worked that well for me. Or have you tried retinoids? I'm thinking of trying Retin A again. It didn't work well for me before but I'm thinking of trying a stronger dosage. It has the added benefit of anti-aging so that's a plus for us 30-something gals too.
Hello!
I know your pain. I am 27 and have been struggling with acne since I hit puberty. Not a day would go by without a new pimple showing up. I always had red marks on my face and would try to cover them with make up 
I would get so depressed about it.
Now I finally think I found something that works for me. It is the Dark Angels cleanser from LUSH. It has charcoal in it which sucks out all the gunk. Oh and there are no harsh chemicals... its all natural stuff. My skin is sensitive so SA and BP never helped. It just dried me out and made my face all red. With those "drug store" products, I always felt like I slathered on a layer of gunk and my skin couldn't breath. With Dark Angels, my face feels nice and fresh. The most important thing... it greatly reduced my breakouts! I BARELY get pimples any more! If you go to their stores they will give you free samples. Please give it a try! I joined this forum just to spread the word on how great this stuff is!!!!
GOOD LUCK 
I used the Acnefree regimen for 10 years, and still had pimples and breakouts, so I decided to slowly ween myself off of it, very very gradually so that I could just use the cleanser. It took me about 4 months but I finally did it, and have just been using the cleanser, so since I got myself off of the toner/lotion regimen, I really don't want to start back up on another regimen like acne.org's or any other one. I just want a cleanser. A good one.
That charcoal cleanser I worry about...I've read some good reviews and am glad to hear it worked for you...I guess with sensitive/oily skin I worry about a black sugar cleanser.
The weird thing to me always was...I had terrible acne on my back through college, and BP cleansers, regimens, never worked. So I just started using sensitive skin body wash from olay, nothing fancy. and eventually the acne went away, and now my back is fine. Some light scarring of course from the acne I had for years, and sure I get a pimple now and then, but no spreads or breakouts. Overal smooth back skin. I know the face is different though. Something like the cavemen regimen freaks me out though. At least with the back you can hide it while you're working with it.
any other cleanser suggestions for the face?
I understand your worries with sensitive skin. 
I have sensitive skin too (on top of oily and acne-prone). My acne was red and blotchy and swollen It was an awful combination. I had oily spots around my T-zone and dry patches on the sides of my nose and mouth. Then I had red patches all around where I had pimples (chin, cheeks, upper lip, brow bone).
When I wash my face with the Dark Angels, my face still gets bright red while I'm using it. But then I use a toner called Breath of Fresh Air (also from LUSH) and it calms the redness down. After about 15-20 minutes my face feels soft and smooth and the redness has gone away.
I'm trying to use BP face wash in the morning and nice and my skin definitely feels cleaner, and overall is, but I still get pimples it certain areas, it hasn't completely stopped that. I don't get why. I get some clogged pores and some blackheads too. Would a SA face wash either morning or night help this? any suggestions on if this has worked for anyone? Using BP in AM or PM and SA in AM or PM?