Hi guys, newbie here
little background; after going on the birth control injection a few years ago I started to break out, before that I got the occasional spot but nothing bad. Iused t topical solution And cepton skin wash prescribed from doctor and it worked wonderfully. I never broke out once and always had clear skin. T Topical got discontinued so I went without for a while and then havoc struck
Lately I'm breaking out alot. A lot. Whether it's the hard really sore pimples that come to nothing, clogged or Enlarged pores, whiteheads, painful spots, or hard bumps with nothing inside.
I found a pharmacy selling t topical and used it with cepton again but now it No longer works. I'm trying so many things. Acnecide with benzoyl peroxide 5%, some products from the ordinary like niamicide. Along with various oils like almond or rose hip, I'm still breaking out.
Ive decided to try to Stridex pads with salicyilc acid in conjunction with the Acnecide benzoyl peroxide, I also have the hibiclens wash. Lush' fresh pharmacy cleanser and clean and clear cleansing lotion along with jojoba oil. My question is what order do I use them? And will it work?
Also so stopped using micellar water and night creams as I feared that's what worsened the problem. So I'm looking for a good night cream or moisturiser that can be used day and night. Was looking at Cetaphill? I'm from the uk and unsure if the acne.org moisturiser is available here. Thankyou!
Chel, I think you need to slow down a bit. I know your skin is worrying you but I think you might me doing/changing too much. You don't need a trip to the dermo just yet..
So the products that you listed that originally worked for you are simply clindamycin and chlorhexidine wash, these are still effective products for the treatment of acne. I know that you said you found a pharmacy that still had some T topical solution, however in my experience clindamycin doesn't have a good shelf life. So if it was discontinued, sold out, went several months and then still found some, I dare say it might not have been as effective as it should have been. Not to worry, we can work around it.
For your information, although the product name 'T topical' solution may have been discontinued, many clindamycin products are still available.
What should you do... So I think that you're potentially overstimulating your skin. You're using a lot of harsh products, products that don't mix well with others, etc.
I think you should go back to basics as much as you can. I believe that you may have completely stripped your acid mantle and are now just irritating your skin further. I wouldn't use Cepton (orhibiclens), as they are both chlorhexidine and can be quite harsh/stripping on the face. Step back to a gentle face wash(I'm sorry, I'm not sure what's available over there, I'm in Australia), ideally one with triclosan, however I just had a look at the Lush Fresh Farmacy website and that Calamine bar looks fantastic for cleansing. Don't use any benzoyl peroxide products for the time being, as much as you may be tempted to treat the areas. You can step up to a cleanser with salicylic acid, but try to find the most 'natural' one you can, free from unnecessary fillers and preservatives. If you want to ask me about a specific product you have over there then I can look it up and provide feedback.
Maybe look at getting a new clindamycin product, but until then just cleanse and use the jojoba oil (if that's something that works for you - it's not for everyone). Cleansing water is fine. What type of makeup are you using? Ideally you should be using a mineral makeup (if any). Leave the oil based concealers for someone else, they won't do you any good.
Finally, for now (it's starting to get late here), if your breakouts were originally started by contraception then possibly look at removing/cutting down dairy in your diet.. Could have a significant effect.
Oh and it's not going to change overnight. Please be patient and try to let your skin 'rest & recover' a bit.
Regards,
Nathan.