I usually just stir Tea Tree oil into a moisturiser cream, but if you want an off-the-shelf product, I've successfully used Nelson's Tea tree natural first aid antiseptic cream. It's a reasonably good product as, although it doesn't list the percentage, it has tea tree oil as the second ingredient, so the concentration is probably quite high, and it seems to work.
http://www.nelsonshomoeopathy.co.uk/coffee...991764920.shtml
It's a bit pricey for the quantity I think, but it should last a few weeks maybe.
Just an update on my use of ibuprofen gel and tea tree, but im afraid im beggining to have problems. I have recently broke out pretty badly, for the the last two weeks or so ive had constant blemishes occuring, each day a new bump and unfortunatly i'd say at a most inopportune moment ; ive just relocated city's and need to go for various job interviews...which im tending to shy away from because of my pretty terrible complexion at present. I did wonder maybe ive become 'immune' to the treatment - my regime which worked well to begin with has not changed; thus im thinking of upping the ibuprofen gel to 10% and probably changing my tea tree to a stronger dose also. Im praying it will work but will update this board on my progress. Anyhow, how's everyone else getting on?? Let us know your results!
My skin has been going through a slightly rough patch, but I've changed moisturisers and it's doing a lot better (paraffin is not a non comedogenic ingredient, after a couple of months on it it seemed to break me out more often). But it's never really been truly bad.
The acne I have had has lasted a few days, stayed flat, was easy to camouflage and the red marks rapidly disappear in less than a week. This compares with when I'm not on this regime where they literally can last months.
I've had a couple of pustules, but they lasted about 2 days, and then they were red marks for two days, and then they were pretty much gone.
In your case, I suspect it's the stress more than anything.
Ibuprofen definately works wonders, both orally and topically. I make my own "gel" which is magnificent for inflamed spots and reducing redness. I grate one 200mg pill with a knife into a fine fine fine powder, as flour. A little bit of honey, alcohol, and a drop of tto. And ibuprofen is not nearly as dangerous/unhealthy as paracetamol and aspirin. I will try adding ibuprofen and tto to my basic moisturizer and see what happens.
I applied it with a cotton wool pad. Smelt foul! ;p
100% strength TTO broke me out both times I've tried it, after about two weeks. It's very irritating you must mix it in an oil or a cream or buy one of the premixed preparations.
The rate that TTO goes into a cell is determined by the concentration- the higher the concentration, the faster it diffuses in.
The trick with all antibacterial medications is to use stuff that your skin can handle, but the bugs can't. At 5-10% strength, nearly everyone's skin can handle it, but none of the bugs can. At 100% strength, most people's skin can't either (as in pure TTO on a cotton bud).
So you must dilute it in some kind of cream or oil; then it diffuses in slowly enough that your skin can detoxify it; but the bugs can't.
Thanks for the informative and helpful info. Do you recommend I add a few drops directly into my jar of moisturiser or just add it onto the palm whilst applying it?
Yeah, definitely add it to your moisturiser. You need to mix it fairly strong, a few drops isn't enough.
It must be more than 4% strength to work properly (if you go below that it will seem to work initially, but your skin will worsen in the long run), so 5-10ml in 100ml or 1/4-1/2 fluid ounce mixed into 4 fluid ounces of moisturiser. You can measure it by eye, just make sure you overdo the TTO rather than underdoing it.
When you add it, it will probably sit on top, you need to fold it in with a knife or something for a couple of minutes, taking great care not to splash it everywhere. Once it's folded in, it's stable for weeks and won't separate, but you need to leave the top on to avoid it evaporating.
I have simply been adding 3 drops of 10% TTO to a good dollop of moisturiser in my palm each time I apply, once the moisturiser/TTO is on I rub a thin layer of 10% Ibuprofen gel over it. I havn't been so careful about measuring the quantities. I have been using for almost 3 weeks now, I had a breakout 3-4 days ago, but overall I'm pleased with it so far. It's still early days though...
jh8414 it seems to be working.
One thing though, when you dissolve a few drops of 10% in your palm, you're really making 1% or something.
TTO will kill bugs down to about 1% strength, and you will see improvement, particularly at the beginning.
The problem is, some percentage of the bugs can survive at 1%. They will multiply up on your face due to lack of competition, and then the TTO will stop working.
That might be why you broke out, but probably not; you'd expect breakouts particularly in the first few weeks anyway.
4% or stronger can kill all the bugs, and as I understand it, it's believed that the bugs can't evolve around it. Some species are already immune, but not the ones associated with acne.
So I recommend that you should at least try to use pure TTO with your face cream, or just slap on some of that 10% stuff occasionally just on its own, leave it to stew to kill the stragglers, and then add the moisturiser.
How much gel do you use and do you apply it to your whole face or just infected areas? Thanks.
Just follow the instructions on the medication- just a thin layer. Apply it where you tend to get spots, not just where the spots are right now. Apply it even if you have no spots right now.
The thing to remember with all acne treatments is that it can take a good 3 months to respond completely; persistence and consistency is the key.
I thought I would give you guys an update: I have been using this treatment for exactly a month:
(morning and evening): Wash gently with water followed by gently using a Simple 'oil balancing' wipe. Then I apply, originally 4 drops, now 7 drops of 15% TTO to Simple moisturiser in my palm. once rubbed in I then apply a thin layer of boots 5% Ibuprofen gel to everywhere on my face/neck where I get acne.
I also take a multivitamin, cod liver oil, and zinc daily - good general practice I think!
My diet is not brilliant, and I should drink more water than I do.
Stress is dialling up somewhat - looming essay deadlines.
For the first two weeks I was very impressed with the results, everything seemed calmer and spots were going away quicker than I have seen them do for some time. The other great thing was it 'felt' like it was working. Things havn't really been as good for the last 10 days. My skin looks irritated, and I have noticed more of the little blighters coming up.
Temp has been a star and given a highly logical explanation why this may be in a previos post: not enough TTO. Consequently I've upped the dosage - it is too early to say what is happening.
I'm going to echo what has been said before: Any treatment will take a while to 'kick in', persistence and patience are required.
In order to humanise the whole process, I like to think of the whole ordeal as a war (forgive me, I'm an Global Security student) and more specifically a counter-insurgency campaign. It gives me no end of amusement to catch someone examining my jawline, and guaging their reaction when I say "I know...I'm being flanked".
Best of luck to you all
I thought I would give you guys an update: I have been using this treatment for exactly a month:(morning and evening): Wash gently with water followed by gently using a Simple 'oil balancing' wipe. Then I apply, originally 4 drops, now 7 drops of 15% TTO to Simple moisturiser in my palm. once rubbed in I then apply a thin layer of boots 5% Ibuprofen gel to everywhere on my face/neck where I get acne.
I'm still wondering if you might be a bit under on the TTO. If it's 15% TTO then you need at least a 1:2 ratio 15% TTO to moisturiser to achieve 5%. So that would be 7 drops to 14 drops of moisturiser.
Incidentally, you don't need to rub it in much, just slap it on. TTO penetrates brilliantly, as does ibuprofen, this really is the lazy (wo)mans regimen!
I also take a multivitamin, cod liver oil, and zinc daily - good general practice I think!My diet is not brilliant, and I should drink more water than I do.
Yeah, you should try for that brilliant diet if possible 😉 If nothing else make 100% sure you're getting enough vitamin A (both beta carotene as in leafy vegetables and carrots and retinoid form as found in liver). There is evidence that people with acne are deficient in that, vitamin A helps maintain your skin, and I shouldn't need to draw you a picture.
For the first two weeks I was very impressed with the results, everything seemed calmer and spots were going away quicker than I have seen them do for some time. The other great thing was it 'felt' like it was working. Things havn't really been as good for the last 10 days. My skin looks irritated, and I have noticed more of the little blighters coming up.
That does sound like the TTO isn't strong enough. Either that or your moisturiser is irritating. I must confess I don't trust the Simple range. The problem is that they use simple chemicals that normal skinned people can handle just fine, but may be comedogenic; let's just say I'm suspicious. Any idea what the first few ingredients in the moisturiser are?
Yes they are:
Aqua, Glycerin, Paraffinum, Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3, Methyglucose Distearate, Cetyl Palminate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol...
Percentages not given.
What has been the best moisturiser used so far? I only have a max 5 min tolerance level of being in a shop, so consequently have not thoroughly searched.
Once again...thanks
Actually, come to think of it, you're doing something else differently to me also. I always put the ibuprofen on first. The reason is that it dries quickly, and the moisturiser I use then goes on over the top nice and evenly. I tried doing it the other way around, and the ibuprofen didn't seem to stick to the layer of moisturiser so it didn't go on very well; it was very hard to judge.
Of the two, the ibuprofen probably penetrates less well, and may be harder to apply, so putting it on first lets you get a nice even layer on dry skin.
Anyway I probably seem like a total 
now.
Yes they are:Aqua, Glycerin, Paraffinum, Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3, Methyglucose Distearate, Cetyl Palminate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol...
Yeah, I don't trust the paraffin and that's 3rd there, it's a bit comedogenic. That's what Johnsons Baby Lotion is, pure paraffin oil, it gradually broke me out. The other ingredients look OK.
I've tried Lotil cream, that was OK, but a bit heavy, reasonably good value for money. I'm currently using Sainsbury's Skin Therapy Moisturising day cream. It seems very good indeed, but slightly expensive at about 4.5 for 50 ml; but it's quite light and goes a long way. I only bought it because I thought it was 4.5 for 100ml, until I read it when I got it home.
I'm at a loss what do use now as this constantly happens.
Hi guys I use a moisturiser by aknicare that seems to work really well with this regime; it hasn't caused me to break out and it dries really quickly. By the way i've been using the ibuprofen/tea tree oil combo for about two wks now and things are going really well. Early days still..... 
but will keep you updated.
I tried putting some Ibuprofen gel on a couple of nights ago and even though I still had the same spots the next day, my skin was glowing in a way it hasn't for ages!
Last night I used Boots Tea Tree Cream followed by the Ibuprofen gel and I haven't got any new spots this morning and the old ones seem to be healing nicely.
I did try and 'spot treat' using the gel but its not good for girls as you cant put make-up on it without it going all funny and peeling off.
But so far so good!
xx