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what has cleared me 100% (no BS, only 2 products)

 
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(@botchla)

Posted : 10/12/2003 10:19 pm

this is an updated version of the original post. most has been unchanged, but i have changed some parts to make them clearer, and i added the tips section at the bottom to answer many questions people have.

first off i want to say that i'm not a salesman or here to sling a product. i have had acne for approximately 10 years. from my early teens until recently (i'm in my early 20's). i have tried everything and nothing has worked. neutrogena products are crap. i have finally stumbled upon an absurdly simple regimen that has cleared me completely.

my hope is that i can help 1 other person get a clearer face, if not a completely clear one. i know what acne can do to a person mentally, i am that person. it has destroyed my self-esteem and confidence as it does so many others. sorry if this post is very long, just trying to be helpful.

so anyways, here's what i did. a friend of mine several years ago recommended a product to me that he said worked well for him. thinking not much of it, since i had tried everything else i figured i would give it a try. so i bought the tube. it is called "clean & clear continuous control", made by johnson & johnson. here is a picture of the stuff so you know exactly what it looks like.. ( {Edited link out]) i began using the product and within about 2 weeks my face had cleared significantly. this product remained in my regimen for about 2 years and did a really good job. i only got a pimple every now and then. nothing big at all. of course after a while i got greedy and figured there was something out there that would clear me 100%. i stopped using the C&C continuous control for about a year, and had disastrous results with other products. nothing else worked.

then i started reading stuff about the acne cure. i was reading how it is important to use salicylic acid AND benzoyl peroxide both.

the reason of course is that salicylic acid (or BHA, beta-hydroxy acid) has a couple of functions. one, it promotes healthy exfoliation by making your dead skin cells shed off. it clears the surface of the skin of dead skin and oil. second, it is oil-soluable, so it has the added ability of being able to loosen and remove oil and dead skin cells from the inside of the pore itself.

benzoyl peroxide's purpose is to create an oxygen reaction which kills bacteria on the skin (and if you're lucky, in the pores too).

the problem is if you use only one, it won't work 100%. the salicylic acid does not kill the p. acnes bacteria. also, without the salicylic acid, the benzoyl peroxide usually stays at the surface, killing only surface bacteria. this is because the pores are still clogged with dead skin and oil, and the BP cannot penetrate the pore.

with this knowledge in hand, i realized i had to do both. the BP i chose was a product i knew worked about 90%. it was of course the C&C continuous control. now this is 10% BP, most people tell you to avoid something with that high of a concentration. ignore it. i can tell you from personal experience, 10% works better than 3.5% or 2.5% (or, at least this product does, which so happens to be 10%, coincidence, who knows, but 10% is the only choice for this product). sure it is more irritating and drying. but that's only at first. any irritation or dryness you experience will go away within 2-3 weeks, max.

so i knew i had to get a salicylic acid product. i first tried the neutrogena oil-free acne wash cream cleanser. crap. didn't work, plus it was way too drying to use in conjunction with the BP wash.

finally i figured i trusted the clean and clear line, so i decided to get a second product from them. this is the C&C blackhead clearing scrub. here is a picture of the stuff.. ( [Edited link out]) this is for three reasons, one it's the C&C brand which i know is good, second it contained 2% salicyclic acid, and third, it has microbeads to scrub away dead skin. the microbeads are probably bunk, but they look cool at least, and the product still does its thing.

anyways, since this is so long, i'll get to the point. i started using these products together and i have been 100% clear since they began to work. i have been completely clear for months and months. (completely unheard of for me) my acne is cured with these two amazing products. that's it!

here's the simple regimen i follow:

wet my face with warm/slightly hot water. wash with the C&C blackhead clearing scrub (salicylic acid), massage around/into my face for about 45 seconds to a minute. wash it off. immediately apply the C&C continuous control (benzoyl peroxide) and GENTLY massage that into your face for about 30 seconds to 45 seconds, then wash it off. pat dry with a clean towel.

you will notice that when you apply the BP cleanser to your face, after the other wash, your skin will feel SUPER smooth. it feels so nice. then, after you wash off the C&C continous control, you will feel your pores tingling deep inside for a bit after you wash. kind of like noxema if you've ever used that. it's a good feeling. you can really tell it's working.

that is ALL. in the morning, use ONLY the SA wash. then, at night before bedtime, use BOTH.

this regimen is SIMPLE and there is only TWO PRODUCTS for a reason. i believe less is more when it comes to treating your skin. putting too much crap on your face can be bad and make you break out more.

i know i talk about these products like they're god, but i truely believe in them. they are the only two things that have worked for me in 10 years. the C&C product line is GOOD STUFF. plus, it's cheap (about $4.50 USD for each tube).

i hope this helps someone out. i really do.

 

NOTES & TIPS:

-the SA wash is not drying or irritating. almost the opposite, it makes your skin smooth and nice feeling. the BP is the drying/irritating one. that is why you use it only once a day.

-it is not neccessary to scrub these products in. in fact, scrubbing hard will irritate your skin more and it won't work as well. being GENTLE and massinging it around softly works just as well, if not better.

-some people may need to modify this regimen. this is what works best for me and most people. some wash with both products 2x a day, because their skin can handle it. it is up to the individual to judge. for me, using the BP wash only once a day works just as well as using it twice a day.

-when you use the BP wash, i squirt about the amount of toothpaste i would put on my toothbrush (for estimate). then, i DO NOT apply this paste directly to my skin. i rub it around my palms until it's spread around and i can put my hands on my face and massage it around the skin, evenly. applying it directly to the skin will cause much more irritation.

-this regimen works MORE the LONGER you use it. it takes a little while to reach the full effect. you will begin to see very noticable results (almost clearing of complexion) around 1 month, for some it is less time.. 1 month is a good average. at this point, you may get 1 or 2 pimples every now and then. much less that you normally get. keep using it. at the 2 month mark, it will be fully working and you should never get any new marks, and any bumps under the skin or blackheads should be gone. by three months, your old marks should have completely faded and you skin tone evened out. you will be extremely surprised how much your skin looks like that of (insert your favorite celebrity here). now, months later after i started this regimen, i still look in the mirror and it puts a smile on my face. it is still amazing to me, even after time.

-this one is a HUGE one. here it goes: DO NOT PICK OR SQUEEZE. if you continue to do this, your face will never get better, and you won't see nearly as much improvement. TRAIN YOURSELF OFF OF THIS. so many times i would go to the mirror every morning or night and get up close and pick at every single thing (even things that weren't noticable unless you get right up to your face). of course i'd end up with red marks all over my face and look 10x worse than i did before i started. this is just something you have to force yourself to stop. as much as you want to, do NOT let yourself pick or squeeze. (unless it is completely obviously ready to be popped, for example, an obvious white head that you can open with a pin). if you must pop it, be as gentle as possible, and STOP as soon as you see any clear liquid come out. if you can get over the initial month without picking or squeezing, you will naturally stop within time. when your face becomes clear, you will have nothing to pick or squeeze at. it kinda works for itself. i know it's hard to stop, but this is one of the most important points.

-some people seem to have sensitive skin, and SOME people experience an initial breakout. most, it seems, do not. this shouldn't last past a week or two. most people get scared and bail at this point. unfortunate, because quickly thereafter everything will quickly clear up. those who stick with it past an original breakout end up very surprised of how it clears things up and begins working right after that. don't be scared of this, i would say judging by responses that only about 25% of people experience an initial breakout.

-for guys, i shave immediately before the evening or morning regimen. after i finish shaving, i got straight into washing my face.

-add things to this regimen at your own risk. some people want to add in other things like AHA lotions, this and that. i do not think that other products besides this are necessary. these two work enough. using AHA or other acids on your face often times just irritates it more than anything. i know when i use AHA lotion, it makes me break out. so if you're using my regimen but also using 5 other things on your face, don't blame me if it doesn't work.

bizbaz, Bosnovic, Yola4 and 3 people liked
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(@aaron69)

Posted : 10/12/2003 10:28 pm

LOL funny enough before you posted this new thread I was looking at one of your old posts and sent you a PM regarding these products check your inbox [EDited image out]

F**K I also just bought Neutrogena Oil Free Acne wash I havent heard much good about it would it be alrite you think to combine the Neutrogena wash with the Clean And Clear BP??

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(@missa-brevis)

Posted : 10/12/2003 10:35 pm

So your basically recommending using salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.

 

Isn't this NOT recommended?

 

Dan?

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(@botchla)

Posted : 10/12/2003 10:37 pm

well, i know personally it didn't work that well for me. maybe it might work ok for you. it has no microbeads for one. plus it was way expensive (something like 7 dollars for one tube? ouch). maybe you can use it at first and see if it works, if not, switch to the other.

looking at the reviews on drugstore, it seems like the the neutrogena oil-free acne wash got something like 2/5 stars, while the C&C blackhead clearing scrub got 4.5/5.

missa: it all depends on which SA product you use. some are very irritating and drying (neutrogena oil-free acne wash in the pump bottle comes to mind).. while others are just the opposite.

Bosnovic liked
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(@missa-brevis)

Posted : 10/12/2003 11:03 pm

I found when I used one product of SA, afterwards it felt like my skin was really cool. It had the feeling like my face was working.

 

That was Loreal's PureZone.

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(@botchla)

Posted : 10/12/2003 11:13 pm

yeah.. if it stings or tingles, chances are it's very drying. sounds to me like it contains alcohol which is very harsh on the skin. that's why i recommend these two products in tandem. they compliment each other. using two diff products would most likely be overdrying and irritating.

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(@introvert)

Posted : 10/13/2003 2:15 am

Hey guys I'm glad you've found something that keeps you clear and appreciate you sharing it with us.

I'm also curious to know the severity of your acne before you got clear. :-k

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(@aerobunny)

Posted : 10/14/2003 3:18 pm

I know you said your face doesn't get dry, but if I want to try this, I have a feeling my skin will definitely dry up because of the salicylic acid/benzoyl peroxide combination. Do you know of any moisturizers that works well in tandem with your Clean and Clear regimen?

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(@botchla)

Posted : 10/14/2003 4:03 pm

nope, sorry. personally i can't stand moisturizers. every one i've tried either clogs my pores or leaves me with an oily or sticky feeling all over my face. ew..

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(@harris03)

Posted : 10/14/2003 11:50 pm

How long did it take for you to get clear using these 2 products. I'm on like my second day with the combination, so I was just sort of wondering what to expect for progress from day to day. thanks.

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(@jenn4dex)

Posted : 10/15/2003 11:09 am

I have tried these two products and use them together with my morning wash and like them. My skin feels very soft. For a moisturizer I use Clean & Clear Moisturizer that is Oil Free and Shine Free. Working great! O:)

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(@botchla)

Posted : 10/15/2003 12:07 pm

ah hey i didn't know clean and clear made a moisturizer. i'd probably try that but my skin isn't dry so i don't really need one, though. good to know for the future though.. (winter is coming up, may need it)

 

harris, the results for me were pretty quick. it stopped new acne from coming up within a week or two i think. of course then it took a couple weeks for the existing marks to fade, but once those fade everything is good. i would say you should see progress within 2 weeks. you should be almost completely clear by week 4 (that is, if it works good for you).

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(@jenn4dex)

Posted : 10/15/2003 12:24 pm

Yeah Clean and Clear have two moisturizers that i have tried. One has salicyc acid in it and its a little more drying and the other just leaves you shine free or oil control and doesn't have the salycic acid in it and I like it without the SA. The only thing they need to add is SPF!

Efesooo liked
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(@harris03)

Posted : 10/16/2003 5:07 pm

Well I've been using the two products recommended in this post, and so far I like them. The only thing is it seems like acne products really aggrevate my forehead, causing me to breakout. So for now I'm going to try to avoid put the cleanser with 10% bp on my forehead to see if that helps. This summer I decided I would quit using acne stuff, and my forehead rarely ever got a pimple, so I'm trying to put the two together. The acne on my forehead could just be going through a cycle, but I'm going to try this for a bit. Hopefully it works, and once again, thank you for recommending these products.

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(@botchla)

Posted : 10/16/2003 5:12 pm

glad to hear people like it.. here's a recommendation for those who have dry skin trouble:

 

instead of washing with the BP twice a day do this..

 

morning: wash with only the SA wash

evening: wash with both

 

that should reduce a lot of the dryness by not doing BP twice a day. i have found that it's pretty much just as effective anyways (in my case), so there's no sense in doing it twice really. in fact, i have cut it down to the above regimen myself. i think as the weather gets cooler, dry skin is more of a problem cause i was starting to get some mild dryness around my chin area, and i have never had a problem before.

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(@musashi)

Posted : 10/17/2003 10:31 am

hi botchla, this regime u mentioned....im wondering, did u find the wash more effective, than actually applying the BP?.......i mean did u ever try using the SA wash, then applying a BP like cream?

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(@botchla)

Posted : 10/17/2003 11:32 am

the BP i mention in my regimen actually is a wash, you don't leave it on. in fact, they're both washes (the SA and BP). i have never personally applied BP and left it on. this product claims to deposit the BP into the pores so it stays there after you wash the product off. i don't know if this is true or not, but it seems to be, because i can use it once a day and it's more effective than using other products (like neutrogena ones) twice a day. i wouldn't apply this without washing it off as it's 10% BP, which i'm sure would destroy your skin by the end of the day.

 

also, i would say the BP wash is the most effective one of the two. when i use it, it clears me up about 80% or 90%, the SA wash takes care of the last ten or twenty percent. i have also noticed that it has gotten rid of the blackheads on my nose. i guess that would be expected since it's "blackhead clearing scrub". go figure, hehe..

 

have i answered your question? it was a bit confusing to me what you were asking.

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(@jenn4dex)

Posted : 10/17/2003 11:43 am

Don't mean to but in, but I think she meant "do you use like a "On the Spot Treatment" during the day with BP in it, instead of the BP wash. I have used both and since the BP is kind of drying, I tried the method of using the two C&C washes and actually like that better. The BP wash feels SOO good! I sure you could use a BP lotion during in addition to these cleansers?/ Only if I get a big pimple would I use the On the Spot Treatment during the day, but otherwise, the C&C washes are working great by themselves with the C&C moisturizer. I am also on Yasmin for over a month now, which I am pretty sure is helping A LOT too.

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(@musashi)

Posted : 10/17/2003 11:58 am

the BP i mention in my regimen actually is a wash, you don't leave it on. in fact, they're both washes (the SA and BP). i have never personally applied BP and left it on. this product claims to deposit the BP into the pores so it stays there after you wash the product off. i don't know if this is true or not, but it seems to be, because i can use it once a day and it's more effective than using other products (like neutrogena ones) twice a day. i wouldn't apply this without washing it off as it's 10% BP, which i'm sure would destroy your skin by the end of the day.

 

also, i would say the BP wash is the most effective one of the two. when i use it, it clears me up about 80% or 90%, the SA wash takes care of the last ten or twenty percent. i have also noticed that it has gotten rid of the blackheads on my nose. i guess that would be expected since it's \"blackhead clearing scrub\". go figure, hehe..

 

have i answered your question? it was a bit confusing to me what you were asking.

 

hi botchla, thanks for the response, i guess i was asking if u found just using a BP wash more effective, than using a BP cream that u leave on.....for example Dan's regimen involves applying a cream and leaving it on.....but yours is a wash, im just wondering if u tried a BP cream as opposed to just a wash....its just that i thought it was more effective to have a cream or gel throughout the day than a wash, obviously i could be wrong as what u r doing works well for you.

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(@creed)

Posted : 10/21/2003 3:34 pm

I'm going to give this regimen a shot after trying every product under the sun... even Accutane. I'll let you know how it goes. I am on Differin right now, I wonder if I can still put that on at night after washing. Here goes nothing! [-o<

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(@solid_snake)

Posted : 10/21/2003 11:16 pm

Although it's far too early to tell, I think the combination of the two products seem to be working well for me. First of all, I had two red "twin" bumps on the left and right side of my face that were very stubborn. I washed carefully and bombed them with BP and didn't see any improvement, except that area getting very wrinkly (I used PanOxyl 10%, and I remember Gaz mentioning how it gets you all wrinkly, shoulda listened). After two days of using this product, it made them "ripen" (if I could use such a word to describe them) and the pus (ugh sounds disgusting I know) came out very cleanly and whole. Little to no bleeding. My face feels really soft and smooth. I don't use moisturizer because my face gets very oily no matter what brand I've tried, but my skin doesn't seem to be getting dry or irritated. I did notice that my face is more sensitive to sun though, so if you give this regimen a shot, make sure to put on sunblock. As for how it feels, the little beads in the scrub feel kinda unusual. But it doesn't hurt like the ones made out of walnut shell. The BP wash is creamy and makes your face tingle. Again, too early to say how effective it is, but for myself, so far, so good.

 

-Snake

 

*probably not the best regimen if you have sensitive skin, since you're using 2% SA and 10% BP + makes you more sensitive to sunlight and burning

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(@botchla)

Posted : 10/22/2003 10:33 am

yeah you're right.. it does make you more sensitive to sun. i thought that claim was all BS until i spent the weekend out in the sun a couple weekends ago. all of my friends with similar skin tone barely got any sun, and i got FRIED red sunburned. so i guess it really does make your skin more sensitive to sun!

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(@creed)

Posted : 10/22/2003 3:07 pm

Yeah, I'm sure anything that sheds layers of skin from your face will make you more susceptible to sun damage. Just make sure you wear sunblock. Nothing less than SPF-15.

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(@daniellewngs)

Posted : 10/22/2003 4:47 pm

I went out today and bought the two products recommended by Clean&Clear as well as the oil free no shine moisurizer. After trying everything (Plexion, Minocycline, and currently on Tetracycline) I have deceided to give this a try. I just came from my Dermatoligist (another cortozone injection)and had asked him about using both sa and bp and he had told me both would be fine together, but maybe using sa in the morning and bp in the eve to prevent drying out. I don't have a problem with the small pimples, I get the BIG cysts (only once a month though) but when I get them I get them. On top of getting those, my previous scars have not completely healed. I am not bad enough for accutane (though my Dr. recommended it). Well after doing my first wash of the sa and bp, my skin does feel smooth. Has this caused anybody to brake out (using both) or dry out! Also did it help with the big cyst's?

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(@creed)

Posted : 10/22/2003 5:08 pm

Well, I just started this regimen 2 days ago and I did breakout initially but I know it's because everything is coming to the surface. Like any treatment, you need to give it some time. I'm going to see how it goes week to week.

 

Hasn't dried me out... yet. I'm sure when the cold NY weather gets here it will. But that's because I use both products in the morning and at night. I also use a light moisturizer to combat the dryness. If my face starts to get too dry, then I will use the BP only at night and the SA in both the mornings and night.

 

 

Good luck!

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