Lemon'z Log

[Lemonz 1]

I have had acne ever since I was 10 year old. Although it was very light then, my acne became consistently worse by the time I turned 12. I'm now 13 and I've finally gotten something that helps. Before, my dermatologist classified my acne as moderate, but now it's obviously gotten better and now it's mild. It's an accomplishment for me- although my type of acne can be hard to treat (closed comedonal and blackheads) I have combination skin, where my cheeks are normal and my nose, forehead, and chin are oily- those are also the places where I get my acne. I have a few acne scars, mostly on my nose. I sort of have sensitive skin, not really though. So far, I haven't had any major problems with the differin, aczone, doxy, or the glycolic acid toner.

::MY REGIMEN::-- updated: 6/25/09

Morning:

1. Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash

2. Aqua Glycolic Acid Toner

3. Kiss My Face Peaches & Creme Ultra Moisturizer 4% alpha-hydroxy

Evening:

1. Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash

2. Aqua Glycolic Acid Toner

3. Aczone gel to forehead, nose, chin

4. Differin .3% gel to forehead, nose, chin

5. Kiss My Face Peaches & Creme Ultra Moisturizer 4% alpha-hydroxy

•Take one, One A Day Teen Advantage Multivitamin for Her

•Take one, 50mg Doxycycline

Twice A Week:

•Pore Strips on forehead and nose.

•Queen Helene Mud Pack Masque

[Lemonz 1]

Day 1:

So yesterday I got my prescription for aczone. Comes in a little 30 gram tube..

nothing special. I fallowed my derm's instructions, and put it on before the

differin. I woke up this morning, washed my face, used the toner, moisturized.

No difference really, my face is really oily for some reason. In places where I

didn't moisturize. I'm wondering if it's the aczone that is making me do this.

[jessnic09 1]

When I first started using the aczone my skin was getting really oily, too. Now a little over a month into it, it's pretty dry. Hope it works for you .

[Lemonz 1]

When I first started using the aczone my skin was getting really oily, too. Now a little over a month into it, it's pretty dry. Hope it works for you :) .

Ok good, that's great to know! :)

Is the aczone working for you?

[SpecialAgent 0]

I wish you luck, Lemonz.

I'm on a combo of Ziana and Aczone. I have 20 years on you (I'm 33) but my acne sounds a lot like yours.

I think the Aczone is helpful in the beginning of a retinoid treatment since a topical like Differin or RAM or Ziana takes a little while to see results with.

The Aczone has decreased my pimples dramatically. I have a log on this page (Ziana and Aczone log) and you can see some before and afters. I've been on this treatment for about 4 weeks now. I still have some pimples, but my face isn't covered.

Also, the Aczone does make your face oilier. I hope this is only temporary, though, because I already have oily skin!

[Lemonz 1]

Thanks SpecialAgent!

I'm glad the aczone is working for you,

and I'll be sure to check out your log!

[Lemonz 1]

Day 1 - Evening

So I just came out of the shower and did my whole routine. I washed my face with my liquid facial soap and exfoliated with my clarifying lotion. And now I am mad, because I just ran out of my liquid facial soap and my clarifying lotion! ughh.. So I have to wait about a week till I can get some more (I have to wait for the bonus, because the stuff is quite exspensive) so now I'm going back to the Pears soap glycerin bar to wash my face, using a trader joe's toner, and my regular DDML moisturizer.

I think I'm going to get more breakouts now, since I just had bad mesntrual cramps while in the shower.

EDIT: so I just put on my differin and aczone, and my skin feels like it's burning! Yesterday this didn't happened, so I'm nost sure what's going on. Maybe I put too much on? I used only a pea sized ammount, but maybe I rubbed it in too much? I'm not sure but it just feels like my face is going to fall off and burn to ashes!!

[acne_battle 6]

I am on a similar regimen to yours only I am using epiduo instead of differin. I too, feel like my face is caught on fire. Ive been using it every other day for less than a week. I really hope the burning goes away. If it doesnt, Im gonna have to quit and just use the aczone because it hurts!

[Lemonz 1]

I am on a similar regimen to yours only I am using epiduo instead of differin. I too, feel like my face is caught on fire. Ive been using it every other day for less than a week. I really hope the burning goes away. If it doesnt, Im gonna have to quit and just use the aczone because it hurts!

It's kind of weird, because my skin had never been this sensitive to products. I can't even use SA or BP without my skin peeling and feeling like it's on fire. And that's only from the differin I've been using for 2 months already.

But since I just started the aczone in addition to the differin, my face is really feeling like it's burning when I put the stuff on.. it's worse than before!

[acne_battle 6]

I am on a similar regimen to yours only I am using epiduo instead of differin. I too, feel like my face is caught on fire. Ive been using it every other day for less than a week. I really hope the burning goes away. If it doesnt, Im gonna have to quit and just use the aczone because it hurts!

It's kind of weird, because my skin had never been this sensitive to products. I can't even use SA or BP without my skin peeling and feeling like it's on fire. And that's only from the differin I've been using for 2 months already.

But since I just started the aczone in addition to the differin, my face is really feeling like it's burning when I put the stuff on.. it's worse than before!

Im sensitive to lots of products. The Aczone however doesnt irritate my skin at all while the Epiduo does. Has the differin helped with less breakouts though?

[Lemonz 1]

Im sensitive to lots of products. The Aczone however doesnt irritate my skin at all white the Epiduo does. Has the differin helped with less breakouts though?

The differin hasn't done anything for me. It hasn't given me more breakouts, nor has it helped lessen the breakouts.

That's why I had to call my dermatologist. I told him that when I had some surgery done on my mouth, that the amoxicillin I took actually cleared up my skin a bit. But he told me that antibiotics aren't a really good idea for me because it's something you have to use long term and continue for years, and that I'd be better off with using another topical treatment. So he prescribed me the aczone addition with it to use before applying the differin at night.

Unless I get significant progress with these two products, I'm pretty sure he will start me on something else. I just have to wait till May.

[acne_battle 6]

You have to wait for a month! Thats a long time! Usually I can get into the derm in three weeks or less.

[Lemonz 1]

You have to wait for a month! Thats a long time! Usually I can get into the derm in three weeks or less.

Well actually, when I first saw my derm in February (when he gave me the differin) we scheduled another appointment for May for him to see how I'm doing and stuff (since apparently after 12 weeks most acne medications work.. I guess) Plus, I'm very busy in April because I have exams, birthdays, bat mitzvahs, and I'm starting softball season. Talk about stressing out!

[Lemonz 1]

Day 2:

Morning: So when I woke up and washed my face (now with the pears soap) I noticed I had 2 new big red pimples on my face. They are both really soar. So I guess the aczone is working?

Anyways, I'm kind of confused about the Pears Soap.. Because it is soap, so isn't it bad for your skin? But it says it's non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. Can anyone tell me if it's bad for my skin?

Ingredients:

Sodium Palmitate, Natural Rosin, Glycerine, Water, Sodium Cocoate, Rosemary Extract, Thyme Extract, Pears Fragrance Essence.

I really like it, because it's gentle; but I'd rather not use it if it's bad for my skin..

Evening: So I just applied my aczone, and I'm sure it's the aczone that is making my skin burn. But the burning sensation is temporary, and when I put my differin on my face feels tingly. Also, my face has been very oily these days; especially where I get my acne (T-Zone)

[Languages 0]

Wait wait wait..you're exfoliating AND washing every day and night?! That's a bit much..

[Lemonz 1]

Wait wait wait..you're exfoliating AND washing every day and night?! That's a bit much..

I dropped the exfoliating (which really was just wiping my face with a toner with a cotton ball)

Like I said before, I'm not using the clinique anymore, and I'm not using the trader joe's toner either.

[Lemonz 1]

Day 3

This morning, I once again found a new pimple. Right smack in the middle of my forehead. Luckily, this one wasn't as soar as the other pimples I got. My face has been really oily, and really shiny. I think I might have put too little of medication on my face last night, I don't know why; but I just feel like I did. But I guess less is more?

But ever since starting the aczone, I've seen a signifficant difference in my acne. Although I still get it, the news pimples are get are a lot less red and a lot smaller. But they have been really, really sore.

[HisFirst 0]

Day 2:

Morning: So when I woke up and washed my face (now with the pears soap) I noticed I had 2 new big red pimples on my face. They are both really soar. So I guess the aczone is working?

Anyways, I'm kind of confused about the Pears Soap.. Because it is soap, so isn't it bad for your skin? But it says it's non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. Can anyone tell me if it's bad for my skin?

Ingredients:

Sodium Palmitate, Natural Rosin, Glycerine, Water, Sodium Cocoate, Rosemary Extract, Thyme Extract, Pears Fragrance Essence.

I really like it, because it's gentle; but I'd rather not use it if it's bad for my skin..

Evening: So I just applied my aczone, and I'm sure it's the aczone that is making my skin burn. But the burning sensation is temporary, and when I put my differin on my face feels tingly. Also, my face has been very oily these days; especially where I get my acne (T-Zone)

I definitely think you should give up the soap and use a cleanser. Soap tended to leave a really bad film-y feeling on my skin. Glycerin based soaps especially, i.e. clear soaps.

Does your skin feel tight after you wash w/the soap? If so, the soap may be leaving a film on your skin.

[Lemonz 1]

Day 2:

Morning: So when I woke up and washed my face (now with the pears soap) I noticed I had 2 new big red pimples on my face. They are both really soar. So I guess the aczone is working?

Anyways, I'm kind of confused about the Pears Soap.. Because it is soap, so isn't it bad for your skin? But it says it's non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. Can anyone tell me if it's bad for my skin?

Ingredients:

Sodium Palmitate, Natural Rosin, Glycerine, Water, Sodium Cocoate, Rosemary Extract, Thyme Extract, Pears Fragrance Essence.

I really like it, because it's gentle; but I'd rather not use it if it's bad for my skin..

Evening: So I just applied my aczone, and I'm sure it's the aczone that is making my skin burn. But the burning sensation is temporary, and when I put my differin on my face feels tingly. Also, my face has been very oily these days; especially where I get my acne (T-Zone)

I definitely think you should give up the soap and use a cleanser. Soap tended to leave a really bad film-y feeling on my skin. Glycerin based soaps especially, i.e. clear soaps.

Does your skin feel tight after you wash w/the soap? If so, the soap may be leaving a film on your skin.

No it doesn't feel tight after I wash my face with the soap, not at all.

I do want to give up the soap, because I'm a little worried about bacteria and everything- but I'm not sure what type of cleanser I should use.

[acne_battle 6]

Just use a cleanser that is gentle and fragrance free

[Lemonz 1]

Day 4

So.. no new pimples today!!! And I'm actually really happy because on of the soar pimples I got on Day 2, has dried up! So I guess this combination of aczone and differin really is working!

I had the chance to go to Rite-Aid today to buy a new cleanser. At first I wanted to try out cetaphil, but I looked at the list of ingredients and 2 of them had alcohol

Alcohol + my skin = not a pretty site. So I ended up buy the purpose, because one of my friends uses it and likes it and same with one of my cousins.

So far, I really like the Purpose. The only downside to this product is because it does have fragrance and another supposed comedogenic ingredient. The purpose isn't irritating to my face, and it's really gentle. It smells like baby shampoo (because, well, it's from johnson & johnson) which I really like, because it smells nice. It also leaves my face soft.

So I think I'll keep using it, unless I get some really bad irritation from it; because it is pretty in-exspensive!

[Lemonz 1]

Day 5

Ehh.. nothing special today

No new pimples- at all

And none have dried up

I really like purpose.. It's nice and gentle!

So umm.. yeah

nothing new.. not a lot happened today

including my face other than that it has

become very oily.

[Lemonz 1]

Day 10

My acne has really cleared up. It's not as red.

I still have a lot of pimples- but so far there hasn't

been any new ones popping up.

I'm still on the same regimen.. all that

Umm- nothing else to say really

I'm hoping this continues to work well!

[Lemonz 1]

Day 12

So when I woke up I got 3 new pimples. One on my forehead,

one on the side of my nose, and one between my eyebrows.

All of them have white heads and I want to pop them soo badly!

My skin has become really oily, which I'm not too happy about.

I liked it better when it was dry- lol. Luckily, I don't have school

tomorrow so I can let my skin breathe and I don't have to worry

about looking my best with makeup on!!

[Lemonz 1]

Day 14

So the 3 pimples I got on the 9th are drying up.

They aren't totally gone, but they are drying up.

So that's good!

No new pimples this morning, my skin isn't dry

either! I'm just hoping the 3 pimples are going

to dry up and vanish tomorrow morning- which

is Easter Sunday!

Happy Easter Eve!