Hey guys! I'm a 19 yo guy who has suffered from acne for most of my teen years. I want to share this regimen I've developed. It has worked pretty well for clearing my pimples and repairing the damage that the acne, products, and peels have caused to my face. It's more of a lifestyle than a regimen. It has cleared up almost all my acne, and my hyper-pigmentation has greatly faded. If you want a clear face, do this:

A) Preventing the acne

1. STOP eating junk food and unhealthy food. No cheat day or anything. Junk food includes: chocolate, candy, sweets, fast food, saturated fats, cake...
2. STOP drinking soda (Pepsi, Coca...),energy drinks, and none-fresh juice, and anything you believe is unhealthy. If you want orange juice, get some oranges and squeeze them!
3. Use sunscreen. Even if its raining. Every time you go out, wear sunscreen. Make sure it protects from both UVA and UVB, and doesn't clog your pores.
4. Cleanse and exfoliate. I'm using AVON 3 in 1 cleanser, toner, and exfoliator (make sure it is soft on the skin.) I use this cleanser 3 times a day
5. Use rose water and witch hazel. I pat rose water on my face in the morning, and witch hazel at night. I'm using Thayer's natural witch hazel. (Make sure it is natural and alcohol-free, and I usually cleanse 1 hour after using witch hazel)
6. Change your pillow covers. I change them once every other day, and flip them everyday.
7. Drink Green and Red Rooibus tea. Both are very rich in anti-oxidants which are good for the skin. I'm also planning to try white tea. I drink 1 mug of green tea when I wake up, and 1 mug of red tea before I sleep.
8. Eat fruits and vegetables. Try to add more zinc to your dietthrough food (not supplements)

B) Treating the acne

• Use Retin-A (in fact, I'm using Locacid which has the same formula.) I'm using the 0.05g concentration. I put it on my face gently once every night before I sleep, and watch it off in the morning with the AVON cleanser. It's good for acne and for hyper-pigmentation. Make sure not to overdo it!

I know some people who are using Benzoyl Peroxide instead. I've tried both, and I noticed Retin-A had a significantly greater effect, especially for fading the marks.

I'm absolutely positive if you follow those steps, your face AND your health will become much better. Remember, it's a process. It doesn't happen overnight. Remind yourself that every time you look in the mirror. And the most important part is to love yourself EVEN if you have acne on your face.

Good luck with your journey!