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[Sticky] The right state of mind to have Dan Kern's Regimen work for you

 
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(@cool-as-kim-deal)

Posted : 09/24/2006 7:11 am

When I encountered acne.org back in December 2005, I was depressed and desperate. I had recently turned 20 and I had worse acne than I did back in high school. Birth control didn't help get rid of the painful red bumps scattered all over my face, six months of Proactiv didn't help, medicated washes didn't help, spot-treating didn't help, masks didn't help, salicyclic acid lotions didn't help, and I was terrified of the prospect of going to a dermatologist to be prescribed antibiotics that would cause me painful yeast infections. I was dubious about the regimen because I had used benzoyl peroxide in the past as part of Proactiv, but I also didn't have any other accessible acne treatment options, and I was completely sick of my skin. I read all about Dan's gel, browsed dozens of reviews and testimonials, and decided to open up my wallet and take a risk. I ordered two tubes of Dan's gel, figuring that I didn't have much to lose besides a little money.

 

The regimen sure enough ended up working for me, and so I keep coming back here to help out other people who feel angry/depressed/confused/frustrated about their skin. I can't say enough about getting yourself into the right state of mind to try the regimen, so I want to use this thread to prepare people for it in an honest, realistic way. The DKR works wonders, but if your expectations are too high, you are impatient, or you experiment with other things at the same time, you will run into problems.

 

Start off on the right foot with recommended products, and get rid of your old acne topicals. Just because you have the Proactiv acne scrub or your mom's face cream lying around doesn't mean that you should try them with the regimen! I know it's frustrating to spend money on things that don't work, but it's better to get rid of your old ineffective products than to try to start the regimen with them. Wait until you can get all the proper supplies and then begin the regimen, rather than using some 10% BP you have lying around or other old products that might interfere with your results. If you can't bear to throw them away, put them somewhere where you won't be tempted to use them while you try the regimen. I strongly recommend ordering Dan's gel to begin with so that you start with the best (and most cost-effective) product available. If you live outside of the US or aren't comfortable ordering off the internet, then pick up another 2.5% benzoyl peroxide (like Neutrogena On-the-Spot) from a drugstore, but Dan's gel is so much gentler, better-textured, and cheaper that you should try to start with it if possible. I believe I saw good results relatively quickly because I started off with Dan's gel.

 

Your acne will not clear up instantly on the DKR. If you actually do see miraculous clearing within days of starting (as some people on the boards claim), please realize that you have likely not seen the last of your acne. BP dries out your acne at first, but then you aren't using enough during your first week or two to actually prevent future breakouts, so they will probably come back until you have upped your dosage enough and held it at that level for a while. I still had breakouts for the first 6 or 7 weeks on the regimen, and many people take even longer before they clear. My pimples started disappearing more quickly and weren't as severe at that point, but acne is still acne. Be prepared to give the DKR a three month trial, and be prepared to still have acne for most of that time.

 

It is more important to get your skin used to the benzoyl peroxide for the first month or so than to actually achieve clear skin. It is better to go slowly and take more time to work your way up to a full-finger application than to use too much gel too soon and backpedal because of irritation and dryness. Even if you've used benzoyl peroxide before in other systems, you probably were not using nearly as much BP as you will be on the regimen. I had used both the Proactiv face wash and lotion twice a day for six months and plenty of 10% BP creams in the past, and still, my skin took time to adjust to the small amount of BP I started with. Follow Dan's recommendations for BP dosage--or use even less if you feel that your skin is overly irritated. You might not clear up as quickly as you want, but you can avoid many of the problems that new regimen users complain about by going easy with the BP.

 

Try not to think about your skin. When you start clearing up a little but not completely, you might hold your skin to a higher standard than you did before and become more frustrated with it. If you are constantly obsessing over a new breakout or thinking about how you're not clear yet, you might even do things that interfere with the regimen. Resist the temptation to check your skin out in mirrors all the time or to pick at active acne! Aside from reapplying moisturizer as necessary, you don't want to be touching your face; the best way to do this is to not think about you skin at all. Don't dwell on why you're not clear yet and don't worry about some visible flakes or redness. Think about what your skin will be like in a few months, not how it is now, and know that breakouts or dryness right now won't matter at all in a short time.

 

Peeling, redness, and flaking will eventually go away, but it may take a couple of months and some product changes. Let's be honest: your skin just probably won't look that great while you are beginning the regimen. You'll still have active acne, your skin will be drier, you might have flakes or areas of redness, your skin might look parched, it's just not a pretty picture at the start. Many people think that it gets worse before it gets better, and I agree. You just have to power on through it and look to the future. You can try switching cleansers and moisturizers to help with flaking or redness problems, but please realize that you can only do so much while you are still adjusting to BP. Even with the best recommended products, for the first few months you will still deal with some degree of redness, dryness, and flaking. Those problems do go away eventually! Again, try not to dwell on the state of your skin or do things that are counterproductive in the meantime.

 

Don't be tempted by other treatments while on the regimen. Other acne treatments like salicyclic acid (beta hydroxy acid) or sulfur can compoud your irritation with the regimen, so don't touch those at all, especially while you are still adjusting to the regimen, In fact, BP deactivates topical retinoid products aside from Differin, so you definitely can't have those on your face at the same time! When you see an acne face wash at a store, just skip right over it and purchase something unmedicated. Even though you think you might get clear faster by using multiple treatments, you'll just end up with lots more irritation and perhaps even more acne than if you had just stuck with BP. Other kinds of skin treatments tend to do more harm than good. Scrubs can tear up your skin, masks are overdrying, and homemade facial concoctions are ineffective at best. Some people really like the idea of natural skincare and want to incorporate in things like aloe vera and tea tree oil, but the results from adding in extra steps like these to the regimen seem to be by and large unsuccessful. Just keep in mind that if you insist on using more products and aren't getting the results you hope for, the first thing Dan, Brandy, and other regimen veterans will tell you is to get back to basics and ditch the extras. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) such as lactic acid or glycolic acid moisturizers really do help with flaking and dryness, but you should wait until your skin is used to the full dose of BP before trying these. The more complicated the regimen, the harder it is to figure out where it goes wrong!

 

If you can't make time to do the regimen morning and night, then the DKR is not for you. Twice a day, every day. If you do the regimen only once a day, leave out steps, go through the process hastily, or miss applications, then you should expect less than ideal results. I skipped a couple non-consecutive applications due to late-night partying and timing of washes recently, and what do you know--even after nine months of straight DKR use, I still got some small pimples by my mouth. Slacking off is fine so long as you are willing to pay the price, but again, it is an actual price. If you balk at setting aside a good half-hour each morning and evening to wash your face, apply BP, allow it to absorb, and moisturize, then you should look into other acne treatment options. Patience and diligence is absolutely key.

 

Don't expect a flawless complexion when all your acne is gone. Many people complain about redmarks and scars and how the regimen doesn't address these acne artifacts. It's simply not that easy! An AHA used once or twice a day over several months can help fade hyperpigmentation, but it might not be enough to get your skin completely mark-free, especially if you had moderate-severe acne before the regimen. I didn't even know I had acne scarring until I had cleared up, and then I had a whole new skin problem that I had never thought about before! Now I have accepted that I can't do much about my mild scarring without spending lots of money on treatments, and that even so, my skin still looks so much better now than it did a year ago. So when you do clear up, please don't expect to have baby butt smooth, unblemished skin. Have realistic expectations about what your acne-free skin will look like. I much prefer easily concealable light marks and minor dents over big red inflamed pimples, but if you feel otherwise, then don't bother treating your acne.

 

Breakouts can still happen. I still get small pimples nine months later when I slack off, as I have not grown out of acne. The regimen can keep virtually all acne at bay when you follow it diligently, but even so, you might still get little pimples in problem areas once in a while. The more persistent your acne, the bigger the consequences of missing an application and the more likely minor breakouts might continue. In order to maintain clear skin, you will need to keep buying cleanser, BP, and moisturizer, keep making time to do the regimen morning and night, and keep being gentle with your skin. The regimen effectively prevents acne, but if you stop, your pimples will come back (unless you have grown out of acne). It is up to you to decide if you can stick with the regimen for the long haul.

LolleyJ, Nik4200, Anonymous412 and 35 people liked
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(@longshot)

Posted : 09/24/2006 9:58 am

awesome post! I think i agree with absolutely everything in it. once i finally came to terms with your "mantras" my skin has truly cleared up. I think it took me 3 months total, but i had trouble finding the right products for my skin. now all i am dealing with are red marks which dont compare to the acne i suffered from before csr.

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(@mee-mee)

Posted : 09/24/2006 10:04 am

awesome post! I think i agree with absolutely everything in it. once i finally came to terms with your "mantras" my skin has truly cleared up. I think it took me 3 months total, but i had trouble finding the right products for my skin. now all i am dealing with are red marks which dont compare to the acne i suffered from before csr.

 

 

Thank you for the information. It's helpful for a beginner like me!

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(@charming)

Posted : 10/30/2006 6:05 am

Thanks for this post, this is exactly what I needed to read. Its very realistic and keeps me focused on the goal to be patient.

rushinoah liked
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(@robynxo)

Posted : 10/30/2006 6:22 am

this should be pinned.

 

I also agree with everything in it. I've been on the CSR for 12 months now, and I still get pimples when I slack off. It took me a long time to realise that you have to absolutely have to stick to the regimen for it to work, and I was still being tempted by other products. So this post is great for people starting off the regimen, and I wish I'd have read it sooner, so that I could have the success that I've achieved now much quicker.

 

You also have to remember not to be put off be getting pimples now and then, even if you've been on the CSR for a long while. Nearly everyone gets pimples now and then, even people who haven't got acne. Girls can get them when you're nearing your period, or you can get them from excessive tiredness/stress. It doesn't mean that the CSR isn't working. You just have to have faith in it all the time.

 

 

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(@brandolynn)

Posted : 10/30/2006 9:37 am

 

Fabulous thread C.A.K.D., I agree it should be pinned!

Thank you for this!

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(@czyblonde)

Posted : 11/08/2006 5:58 pm

I'm so glad I found this board. As of right now I'm pretty much very depressed with the state my skin is in. While my friends will tell me I look "ok" when we go out it's a hard thing to deal with when your friends have that seemingly flawless skin and glow. It makes me angry with my skin and I end up scrubbing harder just to see if I can scrub it away. I'm going to start out with what I can in the stores, because one I'm short of money, and two I hate waiting for things in the mail... Proactiv was probably the worst thing I tried because it caused my face to split in areas and actually bleed. Maybe I was using it wrong but I had to get off of it! So now I'm going to try this and actually give it the six month trial. I've also quit smoking as of ten days ago so hopefully this will also help my skin coloring and texture improve! I'm excited about starting the steps and will go into it with reachable goals and not excessive ideals of it clearing up in "3 Days"!

 

 

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(@cheery)

Posted : 11/10/2006 2:01 am

I'm so glad I found this board. As of right now I'm pretty much very depressed with the state my skin is in. While my friends will tell me I look "ok" when we go out it's a hard thing to deal with when your friends have that seemingly flawless skin and glow. It makes me angry with my skin and I end up scrubbing harder just to see if I can scrub it away. I'm going to start out with what I can in the stores, because one I'm short of money, and two I hate waiting for things in the mail... Proactiv was probably the worst thing I tried because it caused my face to split in areas and actually bleed. Maybe I was using it wrong but I had to get off of it! So now I'm going to try this and actually give it the six month trial. I've also quit smoking as of ten days ago so hopefully this will also help my skin coloring and texture improve! I'm excited about starting the steps and will go into it with reachable goals and not excessive ideals of it clearing up in "3 Days"!

 

So am i ,thank you for your information . I think i believe the information that you say .

 

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(@lookingforthegoodoldtimes)

Posted : 11/27/2006 1:00 pm

hey guys =)

 

its great i found this board.this is going to be a minor rant for my part..the first time im actually getting to grips with my new problem i think.

 

i never even though about acne for years...and suddenly its all back and worst then ever.im nearly 20 now and i had a major breakout while i was doing my local mandatory stint in the army..i used to be really involved in stage acting, but i havent went for practice in weeks now..have been making excuses to my own girlfriend just to avoid the embarrassment as well.the worst part is waking up in the morning and trying to get around while avoiding your OWN FAMILY MEMBERS.all my siblings and both my parents look beautiful btw.my older brother is even a model.i feel almost guilty to be jealous but it is most infuriating!

 

anyway im off to the derm tmr.its nice to have stumbled acorss this board and knowing im not alone.i'll ask the doctor about all these things suggested here =)

 

good luck everyone, from the bottom of my heart.

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(@mallstar)

Posted : 11/29/2006 11:46 pm

I hear you on avoiding the family. Sometimes I wake up and its a bad day, and it annoys me to no end when they simply just talk to me. I just feel like keeping to myself, but what are you gonna do... thats life.

 

By the way... DKR has been working well so far, the stages are pretty accurate and it has been steadily improving at this point... so good luck to you newbies and don't dwell on what may be an aggravating beginning... its a process

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(@lookingforthegoodoldtimes)

Posted : 11/30/2006 1:15 am

yeah i used to feel really angry at my family members for just talking to me and walking around me at the worst of my acne..

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(@gravity)

Posted : 12/04/2006 4:56 pm

If you take probiotic pills with the antibiotics, you won't get a yeast infection...

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(@perkie)

Posted : 12/27/2006 12:19 am

yeah i used to feel really angry at my family members for just talking to me and walking around me at the worst of my acne..

Same here.

 

Thank you so much for this post.

barkotasz liked
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(@rodey)

Posted : 01/10/2007 9:57 pm

I agree with everything except for the part where you talk about expecting flawless skin.

 

If you are a person that is bothered by scarring (not matter how minor) and you feel that you want to have a procedure done, such as laser resurfacing, etc, than you should go for it. It is your skin and if you make the decision to go with something like that then go with your decision. Do not let other people persuade you. Yes, I realize your skin will never be as perfect as you like it but you can still get it better than just leaving the small scars and uneven spots or whatever your problem is.

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(@zws)

Posted : 01/10/2007 11:26 pm

Kim this was a great post. I definitely agree about having the right state of mind when starting the regimen, and making sure you follow it precisely and remain consistent with treatment.

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(@lady-charlotte)

Posted : 01/11/2007 9:22 pm

Just what I needed to read too :)

 

I wasn't aware that sal. acid caused problems....both my make up and moisturizer had it in there, so I went out and bought new stuff. Let's see how that helps!

 

Oh and I for one will take red marks over bumps any day. I have some old scars (pigmentation only), that pretty much disappear under make up. You sure can't do that with a honking great mountain growing out your chin!

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(@daemon)

Posted : 01/15/2007 12:48 am

Quote:

I agree with everything except for the part where you talk about expecting flawless skin.

 

If you are a person that is bothered by scarring (not matter how minor) and you feel that you want to have a procedure done, such as laser resurfacing, etc, than you should go for it. It is your skin and if you make the decision to go with something like that then go with your decision. Do not let other people persuade you. Yes, I realize your skin will never be as perfect as you like it but you can still get it better than just leaving the small scars and uneven spots or whatever your problem is.

 

 

Yes i agree with this as well. you DONT have to live with the after effects of acne scaring. In some ways its just as bad as the acne. And technology is only getting better these days. Your "one day-soon" or "accepting what you are" exhortations are utter bullshit and the ideology surrounding you should be "pleased or satisfied" are ridiculous; The mear mindset of someone who has given up and lost site of the fine illusion we so delicately note: perfection.

Accept your progress thus far and transcend that particular plateau. Aside from the mentioned: Blue peels, TCA , Retin-A, Surgery etc. provide alternate means of "that perfection". Granted its not your 39.99 over the counter rip off, or 69.00 celebrity-endorsed gimmik(As much as 500+$ a pop for Obagi's Blue Peel treatment; and depending on magnitude/extent of scaring, several treatments may be necessary)but the results have been proven quite exceptional. A very small and infinitesimal price any true victim of the cause will understand. This is of course just the "scaring issue" and should be well noted that this procedure does not grant its consumer invincibility from future acne scaring(justified or un).

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(@cool-as-kim-deal)

Posted : 01/15/2007 1:23 am

you DONT have to live with the after effects of acne scaring. In some ways its just as bad as the acne. And technology is only getting better these days. Your "one day-soon" or "accepting what you are" exhortations are utter bullshit and the ideology surrounding you should be "pleased or satisfied" are ridiculous; The mear mindset of someone who has given up and lost site of the fine illusion we so delicately note: perfection.

Accept your progress thus far and transcend that particular plateau. Aside from the mentioned: Blue peels, TCA , Retin-A, Surgery etc. provide alternate means of "that perfection". Granted its not your 39.99 over the counter rip off, or 69.00 celebrity-endorsed gimmik(As much as 500+$ a pop for Obagi's Blue Peel treatment; and depending on magnitude/extent of scaring, several treatments may be necessary)but the results have been proven quite exceptional. A very small and infinitesimal price any true victim of the cause will understand. This is of course just the "scaring issue" and should be well noted that this procedure does not grant its consumer invincibility from future acne scaring(justified or un).

You two guys who jumped on my statement about not expecting flawless skin after you've cleared up with the regimen totally misunderstood my point. A common complaint you'll read when people clear up from the DKR (or accutane or what have you) is that even though they have no acne, they're still not happy with their skin because of red marks, scarring, etc. What I was saying is that given this, it is unreasonable to expect to see perfect skin even once you're clear. If you end up upset over whatever scarring you may have, then you'll have to jump through a whole bunch more pricey hoops to get rid of those...just like you are describing. Either you accept the scarring you have (which is what I have chosen for now and recommend to others with just minor scarring) or you pay more money and take more time beyond what you've already done to clear up to fix the scars, and like you said, scar reduction procedures won't prevent new acne from causing new scars. There's nothing wrong with seeking scar correction treatments, and I don't want to imply that, but all the same, it's more time and money and effort over and beyond the DKR, and I don't want people to have the misconception that they won't face this issue after they clear up. Basically my point is that the DKR is not a cure-all to all your skin woes, as no acne treatment can ever be unless it starts preventing acne before even puberty, so don't build up your expectations as you may have a long road ahead of you if you want truly perfect skin.

 

I hope this makes sense.

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(@daemon)

Posted : 01/16/2007 11:34 am

you DONT have to live with the after effects of acne scaring. In some ways its just as bad as the acne. And technology is only getting better these days. Your "one day-soon" or "accepting what you are" exhortations are utter bullshit and the ideology surrounding you should be "pleased or satisfied" are ridiculous; The mear mindset of someone who has given up and lost site of the fine illusion we so delicately note: perfection.

Accept your progress thus far and transcend that particular plateau. Aside from the mentioned: Blue peels, TCA , Retin-A, Surgery etc. provide alternate means of "that perfection". Granted its not your 39.99 over the counter rip off, or 69.00 celebrity-endorsed gimmik(As much as 500+$ a pop for Obagi's Blue Peel treatment; and depending on magnitude/extent of scaring, several treatments may be necessary)but the results have been proven quite exceptional. A very small and infinitesimal price any true victim of the cause will understand. This is of course just the "scaring issue" and should be well noted that this procedure does not grant its consumer invincibility from future acne scaring(justified or un).

You two guys who jumped on my statement about not expecting flawless skin after you've cleared up with the regimen totally misunderstood my point. A common complaint you'll read when people clear up from the DKR (or accutane or what have you) is that even though they have no acne, they're still not happy with their skin because of red marks, scarring, etc. What I was saying is that given this, it is unreasonable to expect to see perfect skin even once you're clear. If you end up upset over whatever scarring you may have, then you'll have to jump through a whole bunch more pricey hoops to get rid of those...just like you are describing. Either you accept the scarring you have (which is what I have chosen for now and recommend to others with just minor scarring) or you pay more money and take more time beyond what you've already done to clear up to fix the scars, and like you said, scar reduction procedures won't prevent new acne from causing new scars. There's nothing wrong with seeking scar correction treatments, and I don't want to imply that, but all the same, it's more time and money and effort over and beyond the DKR, and I don't want people to have the misconception that they won't face this issue after they clear up. Basically my point is that the DKR is not a cure-all to all your skin woes, as no acne treatment can ever be unless it starts preventing acne before even puberty, so don't build up your expectations as you may have a long road ahead of you if you want truly perfect skin.

 

I hope this makes sense.

 

 

 

Yes it does, forgive my misunderstanding.

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(@sfgiantsyee)

Posted : 01/17/2007 1:46 am

i've been on CSR for 5 months no improvement so far iono what im doing wrong i have read all the faqs and guidelines

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(@number1nerd)

Posted : 01/19/2007 9:45 pm

This really is a helpful post! I just started the regimen not even a week ago, and my forehead is already completely clear (first time in months) and I don't have much active acne anymore. You're right - it's really easy to think "my skins great now!" and then get frustrated if a new pimple appears. Thanks for reminding me that the regimen takes time, it's very helpful and encouraging for when breakouts occur (like this morning ha!)

 

Thanks!!!

Katie

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(@elsewhere)

Posted : 01/19/2007 9:49 pm

I, too, think this should be pinned. I'm going to bring it up to the other mods and see what they can, because this is great post!

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(@brandolynn)

Posted : 01/19/2007 10:39 pm

I, too, think this should be pinned. I'm going to bring it up to the other mods and see what they can, because this is great post!

 

darling Elsewhere, this post has been pinned already...........months ago! ;)

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(@bigkahuna)

Posted : 01/27/2007 11:25 pm

ProActiv is the exact same thing as Dan Kern's Regimen. I'm not accusing Dan Kern of anything, all I'm saying neither is a magic formula. Proactiv is: a cleanser, a toner/moisturizer, and a benzoyl peroxide cream. The Regimen says to use a cleanser, a moisturizer, and benzoyl peroxide.

 

When I visited my dermatologist, she recommended (surprise surprise) a cleanser, a moisturizer, and benzoyl peroxide. Granted, the brands and exact types of each individual items vary, but they are essentially the same. Dan Kern's Regimen isn't groundbreaking. That's not a put down, that means it's something that clearly works.

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(@bigkahuna)

Posted : 01/27/2007 11:30 pm

My face has cleared up (except my forehead, it's always been bad), I don't think I have physical scars, but most of the places where acne was on my cheeks are flat and light red/pink. is this hyperpigmentation? how long does it last?

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