Before I get started, I just want to warn everyone that this post is really long. I've been writing this post in Notepad for about a month and have finally completed it and posted on here for everyone to read. Newcomers, oldcomers..whatever. I've done a lot of "research", if you could call it that, on these forums. I've looked at almost every thread and post and gotten information on questions and concerns a lot of regimen users have. Thanks for taking the time to read this short "book" and don't feel weird asking any questions I failed to answer!
For some good tips on how to control dry skin, please read my published article on Controlling Dry Skin. You guys might find it beneficial. Another article I've recently published is one that talks about the benefits of drinking more water. Take a look at that one as well, please
MY STORY
Many of you probably have seen me around these forums the past few months. Basically, my name is Kat. I'm 22 years old now, but I've been on Dan's Regimen since I was 18 years old. I grew up like any normal teen. Spots here and there, sometimes a little bit of a bad breakout. But nothing horrible. Since I was 13, I had been using a Benzoyl Peroxide acne wash once a day and that seemed sufficient enough to keep the really bad acne at bay.
However, when I was 18 years old, I suddenly broke out really bad. This was like nothing I was used to. I started breaking out June of my 18th year and the breakout never let up. I still am not sure exactly why my face decided to retaliate on me so bad. Maybe it was due to the fact of stress (working with family), working early mornings and napping in the afternoon with makeup on, recent breakup with my boyfriend, new water conditions, working in a restaurant/diner setting. Whatever it was, it was brutal. My acne was concentrated mainly on my left cheek and chin area with several spots on about every other part of my face. I had at least 25 pimples on my face at any given time, and it was normal for me to break out with several new ones daily.
There came a point in August of that summer that my breakout got so bad, I didn't want to leave my bedroom to let even my family see my face. My dad liked to basically make fun of me for having bad acne and told me that I should "wash my face more", which is ridiculous because at that point I was washing it a lot more often than I normally did. I would literally sit in my room for days, weeks on end and spend most of that time obsessing over my skin and running to the mirror to see if maybe, just maybe, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was and/or if I had a new pimple somewhere. My face, to put it bluntly, was out of control. I thought of going on birth control, but hated the fact of taking something internally, so regularly. I thought about changing my diet, but even cutting out the "bad foods" didn't seem to help. I wondered if I should go to a dermatologist, but remembered the bad experience my brother had when he went to one and got treated, basically, like a guinea pig.
I came online around the beginning of August and started doing research on acne and the first search option on google that popped up was this site. It sounded too good to be true, but I decided to try it anyway. There were definitely some bumps and mountains to overcome the first few months of being on the regimen, but with time and the right lifestyle, I'm happy to say that I'm in my 4th year of using it and I finally feel like I have control over my skin. It's not a cure for acne. I still get pimples from time to time (maybe about one-four noticeable spots a month), but it's worked for me and I would recommend it to anyone with any type of acne. It doesn't hurt to try it.
BEFORE YOU START THE REGIMEN (things to take into consideration)
1. You're going to over assess your skin, all the time. Even after 4 years, I'm obsessed with my skin and will study it in the mirror. Of course, at this point there's usually not much to study, but I still do it. In the beginning, you may find that you panic over the smallest spots and pimples. It's normal, I remember doing it. Just trust that the regimen will get rid of these spots.
2. Dan's products are reasonably priced, but even though they are reasonably priced, you're still going to be buying a lot of them. Cleanser, Benzoyl Peroxide, moisturizer, jojoba oil, AHA, every month, every couple months..it's going to run into a lot of money in the long run. So make sure to take that into consideration.
3. The Regimen is time consuming. It takes me about an hour to do my morning regimen and about an hour to do my night regimen. Of course, I take two showers a day and include that into the time it takes to do the regimen...but it will still take you about 30 minutes or longer to do the regimen. And if you really want to get clear, make sure to do it every day, twice a day. Skipping applications, skipping days, going too fast, these are sure fire ways of having the regimen not work for you. I feel like our skin loves routine, so after you've bumped up to the 2 full pumps of BP, keep it that way, twice a day.
4. Your skin's going to look like crap the first couple of months. There's no overnight cure for acne and no overnight cure for amazing skin that's acne-free. For the first couple of months, expect to have really red, irritated looking skin and very itchy, dry and flaky skin. These are all normal and sometimes unavoidable side effects of using so much BP. Changing the amount of BP you're using to cut down on the dryness and/or redness is just prolonging the problem. My redness, itchiness, and dryness didn't start showing some improvement until about the 4th-5th month. Also, expect to not be fully clear until a couple of months. I was still experiencing breakouts (though my skin had cleared a lot from what it was over the summer) in my 4th month in.
5. Benzoyl Peroxide bleaches fabrics. Almost all of my pj tops and pillow cases have bleach stains on them, not to mention a couple of my less low-cut shirts. Please keep in mind that your shirts and sheets might become bleached from your face. Wearing your most expensive designer suit while you're applying the regimen and before it has had sufficient time to dry and soak in is probably a bad idea.
6. Switching from Neutrogena on the Spot to Dan Kern's 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide is a great idea. When I first started the regimen, I went to Walmart and used NOTS for about the first two months. It was...okay. Not great, and the white residue it left was almost disgusting. I can't even tell you how many people commented and asked me what that "white stuff" was on my face! Once I switched to Dan's BP, I didn't have to worry about the white residue. Plus, I feel like I cleared dramatically after switching. Maybe it's his formula compared to the NOTS. Can you still get clear on NOTS? Sure! But you're not only going to be bitching about the white residue, but you're going to be spending more money and making more trips to the store for supplies in the long run.
7. Benzoyl Peroxide makes your skin more sensitive to the sun, meaning your face is going to burn and tan more easily than the rest of your body will. If you're like me, and would rather limit your exposure to the sun as opposed to finding a decent SPF to use..than go for it. If you opt to go for an SPF containing lotion, than that's a great idea too. What I can say is that once in awhile, my face will look tanner than my neck/body. This is because I tend to spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer and even spent one summer (my third regimen summer) outside tanning for 2 hours a day, every day..for like a month. It didn't effect me horribly and the tanned face was only slightly noticeable by my scrutinizing eyes, but keep in mind that your face is going to be more photosensitive. And if you use AHA, it's even more so.
STARTING THE REGIMEN AND WHAT TO EXPECT
Make sure you research this entire site. Knowledge really is power when it comes to your skin. And if you blindly start putting stuff on your face without doing your research on how much and how to exactly apply it, you're kinda screwed. So I would recommend to fully read this site, look at the FAQ, watch all Dan's videos, read forum posts, read every article on the blog..everything. I'm not going to repeat how to do all of the steps of the regimen since it's kind of like beating a dead horse if you've already read how to do it, but make sure to follow it exactly.
Sometimes it's frustrating reading some forum posts about people complaining their skin looks like crap only after a couple of days or a week after starting the regimen. You have to keep in mind that your skin's going to look crappy for a few months. Don't start the regimen a week before school thinking your skin's going to be amazing and glowing by the time school starts, because it won't be. You're most likely going to experience all of the common side effects of Benzoyl Peroxide, which include: redness (sometimes extreme), slight swelling, dryness, tightness, peeling, itchiness, breakouts, pronounced red marks, etc. Don't skip applications, and stick with it, and over the next few weeks and months your skin's going to be great.
THE LIFESTYLE [of the regimen]
Doing the regimen is more than just applying Benzoyl Peroxide and lotion to your face. There are some other things that you can and should do to help the regimen work to its full potential. I recently published an article that lists about twenty things you can do to cut down on the amount of breakouts you have. Give it a look, would you?
1. Clean sheets and towels. I find that I'm constantly doing laundry. I wash my sheets twice a week and never use a towel more than 3-4 times before washing it again. Sheets and towels harbor bacteria and skin oils which can aggravate and cause more acne. It's best to just keep things clean and tidy. Make sure to use a good quality laundry detergent and use hot water to get rid of bacteria. I don't like using fabric softeners or dryer sheets as I think they have too much fragrance on them
2. Clean hands, clean everything. Make sure to wash your hands with any antibacterial hand soap before touching your face. This also includes other things that touch your face. Wash all tweezers and makeup brushes regularly. I find that by using dirty tweezers, I can almost expect a pimple near my eyebrow area from it. Use fresh makeup sponges every time. I get a pack of about 50 makeup sponges at the dollar store for a buck.
3. No picking or touching your face. Don't pick at pimples! Not in the car, not in work, not in school, not in the shower, not while applying you Benzoyl Peroxide, not while watching a movie..never. If I pick at a pimple I have, that sucker lasts a lot longer than if I were to just leave it alone. When washing your face, don't think it somehow cancels out the fact that you shouldn't pick. Touching your face causes the same problem. Try to sleep with your face touching your pillow as little as possible. In the beginning it may be uncomfortable and downright annoying, but you'll get used to it. I did. Does Benzoyl Peroxide rub off if you smoosh your face in the pillow? It might. And even if it doesn't, the irritation of rubbing your face may cause an acne flareup.
WORST THINGS TO DO ON THE REGIMEN AND WHY
1. Sleeping in makeup is, by far, one of the worst things to do. Even after 4 years of religiously applying the regimen, twice a day, if I sleep in my makeup, I'm gonna breakout. I find that even by taking a 2-3 hour nap in makeup makes my skin breakout. Like I explained earlier, I made the mistake in my third year in of sleeping in my makeup for 4 nights in a 2 week span, and my face went nuts. Not as nuts as it would have if I weren't doing the regimen, but nuts enough that I was having continuous breakouts every week for 2 months.
2. Picking pimples won't help them. Sometimes, I find that I pick a certain area of my face to see if I'm getting a pimple there. What does that do? It not only tells me that "YEP!" I'm getting a pimple, but now I've irritated it and it's probably going to last longer. Being in the shower or washing your face doesn't somehow cancel out the fact that picking is bad.
3. Adding products is a bad idea too. The regimen works wonders on the cleanse, BP, moisturize method. The only other things you should add are jojoba oil and/or AHA. When you start adding masks, toners, scrubs, exfoliators, etc, you're starting to come up with your own regimen and deviate from the original. Adding these things may work for you, but don't expect it to. Scrubs, such as sugar, sand and salt scrubs, are way too harsh on skin. You may find that they give you great skin in the beginning, but breakouts soon surface a week or two later. Just because it's natural and/or organic doesn't mean you should use it. It's still adding in products.
4. Skipping applications is a bad idea. Unless you absolutely, totally can not do a certain morning or night application, you should always find time to do the regimen, twice a day. Doing it once a day may help acne, but you are fully helping to prevent new pimples by doing it twice a day. Sometimes if I'm traveling, and I've had a long day..I just don't feel like doing the regimen. But I force myself to because it's become my routine. Maybe this is why the regimen has worked for me for so long? I just don't give my face anytime away from Benzoyl Peroxide.
5. Over scrutinizing your face is a bad idea too. Sometimes it's unavoidable, especially when starting the regimen. I remember when starting the regimen, that I would apply my Benzoyl Peroxide while sitting on the counter in the bathroom about 3 inches from the mirror. Obviously, I don't do this anymore. Now, I normally watch tv or a movie on Netflix while I'm putting my BP on. But sometimes looking in the mirror too much can be a bad thing. Sometimes you might see a spot, pimple, red mark that you missed and now you're panicking that you got a new pimple. Panicking about a pimple isn't going to make it go away faster or somehow prevent it from fully forming. So just take it as it comes and remember that Benzoyl Peroxide is an antibacterial that kills the bacteria that causes acne. It also oxygenates skin, because acne bacteria can not live in oxygenated places. Don't pick at any new pimples you see forming because it'll make them last longer. Scrubbing that area and rubbing crap loads of BP roughly onto the pimple isn't going to help, even if you think it will. Believe it or not, being extra gentle will get that thing to go away faster than anything else you can try.
6. Panicking over every [new] pimple is meaningless. I can sympathize with anyone on here who panics over a pimple. Even to this day, if hormones decide to be a bitch one month and I get a pimple, I automatically panic and start worrying about others forming. And God forbid I get two new pimples..sometimes I actually get that sinking feeling in my stomach! But like I said before, just relax and keep in mind that being gentle, calm, and doing the regimen as suggested will help. Obviously, if you've been sleeping in makeup and/or skipping applications, your newfound breakout could be caused by your own doing. Sometimes times like these help us to realize that even though we may be clear, we still have to do the regimen religiously to prevent new breakouts.
7. Stopping because you "gave up". I've seen so many posts on these forums talking about how they don't know what to do, they're thinking of stopping, etc..because they've been on the regimen for two or three months with very little improvement. This goes back to my saying that your skins going to look like crap for the first few months. Take this into consideration: when I was in my third month, I was on the verge of quitting the regimen. My mom even advised me to quit. My face was very red, very dry, and breakouts (though kept SOMEWHAT at bay) were still a regular part of my life. After incorporating jojoba oil into my regimen and waiting until my 4th-5th month, the redness went away, dryness went away, and my breakouts were completely gone. On a whole, I like to go by the 6 month mark. Everyone's skin is different and will clear at different times, however by the 6th month mark you should basically be clear or completely clear. Side effects should also either be completely gone or minimally there. By the 6 month mark, your skin should be more than used to 2 pumps of BP, twice a day (taking into consideration you've been using that much).
8. Applying your Benzoyl Peroxide in hiding? That's just ridiculous. I remember when I first met my current boyfriend, I was embarrassed to tell him I put on acne cream. I remember sitting in the bathroom, running the shower and applying my Benzoyl Peroxide just so he would think I'm showering and not putting all that "cream stuff" on my face. I also remember when I first had him sleep over, I slept in my makeup because I didn't want him to see me applying all my creams and lotions. Do you know what all of that worrying and hiding and sleeping in my makeup got me? It gave me a breakout so bad, it took me 2 months to go back to clear skin. I learned a valuable lesson, you shouldn't worry what other people think of what you do. By worrying and hiding and skipping applications, you're only hurting yourself. I eventually got so fed up with my breakout that I told my boyfriend I put this stuff on my face to help prevent and get rid of acne and he didn't care. I now live with my boyfriend and I apply my Benzoyl Peroxide right in front of him, while we're watching a movie or he's eating breakfast. I apply my Benzoyl Peroxide in front of anyone, family, strangers. I don't care. If you have a relative and/or boyfriend/girlfriend who makes fun of you for applying face cream or gets mad at you for applying it..they have a problem and you need to not assess your own daily skin care, but assess that relationship.
TAKING CARE OF DRY SKIN
Dry skin is a bitch. I have dry skin, naturally (it runs in my family), so I know exactly how annoying it can be. Over the years, I've pretty much almost perfected how to get rid of dry skin because I'm so used to having to get rid of it. I've actually written a very detailed article on some methods you can use to get rid of dry skin. You might want to take a look if you're dealing with this problem. Here are a couple methods you could try that have worked for me:
INTRO: Before I get started, let me just say that once in awhile I'll find I get a couple of these small, raised little red bumps. They form almost overnight and are usually very itchy. They also usually cause a weird feeling to your face, almost like a "ping" or "sting" of pain. I don't think these things are necessarily pimples because they never come to a head and never go away or get any bigger. I call these "irritation bumps". I get these when I'm dealing with really dry skin. Remember that dry skin is irritated skin. I'm still not fully sure, but I think these little bumps are kind of like the bumps some people get on the backs of their arms. Get rid of the dryness and you can get rid of these things almost overnight.
1. Jojoba Oil; your best friend. In my fourth month in, the dry skin was really taking its toll on me. I remember having to take off a couple days from college because I couldn't get my dry skin under control. I went to Vitamin Shoppe and bought jojoba oil and put a few drops in my lotion, twice a day. After about a week, the flaking and dryness was basically gone. So if you are battling dry skin and haven't tried jojoba oil yet, go and buy some..NOW. You can get it from Dan or from GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. I see a lot of people asking on these forums how to use jojoba oil and just how much is too much. My answer to them would be that there is no wrong way to use jojoba oil. It is the closest thing to the sebum our skin naturally produces and will control both oily skin and dry skin by either drawing out oil or adding. How much jojoba oil should you use? There's no wrong way to use it. If you're using 5 drops in your moisturizer and you're still battling with flakes, add 7 drops or 8.
2. How gentle is being too gentle? I notice that when I'm extra gentle when washing my face and applying BP, I'll get dry skin flakes. I also notice that if I'm just a little bit rougher when washing my face, it takes care of almost all of the dryness. But please don't go scrubbing your face. Remember to find a good median between being too gentle and too rough. Being too rough will cause a breakout, or at the very least a new pimple to battle with. Why does Dan say that being gentle is essential? Because it is: for acne. If you're extra gentle, your acne is going to go away a lot faster as opposed to being rough when washing. But if you're clear and you're battling flakes and dryness, try being just a tad bit rougher.
3. AHA is a great tool. My current moisturizer has AHA in it and I can't live without it. It's a very mild AHA, so it works but without the stinging associated with Alpha Hydroxy Acids. I remember not being able to get my Eucerin w/ AHA lotion and went with original Eucerin and I was battling flakes until I went back to using my trusty AHA Eucerin lotion. Dan's AHA+ is pretty good too, but I'm still in a love/hate relationship with it. I feel like it helps with dryness..a little..yet it also causes breakouts for me. Is it worth it to keep using it? Is it worth it for you to try? You're your own best judge.
4. Steam is great too. Steam will help rehydrate your skin by having moisture in the air that is absorbed by your skin. Something as simple as taking a very hot bath and relaxing and letting the steam soak into your face can help with dry skin. Alternatively, you could drape a towel around your head, while positioned over the sink and allow hot water to steam up and soak into your skin. The towel acts like a "tent", so steam doesn't escape.
5. Water quality plays a big role on not only the dryness but health of your skin. I'll discuss this more in the Water Quality section.
6. Tweezers are great for picking off dead skin flakes. Using clean tweezers is a cleaner method than using your hands to pick off the flakes. If you're battling annoying flaking, throw a pair of tweezers into your purse or wallet before leaving the house.
7. Don't use extremely hot water. Hot water dries out skin. I find that if I use really hot water in my shower, not only will the rest of my body get dry from it (thank God for naturally extremely dry skin..) but my face will to. Keep the water to a room temp - warm setting.
8. Are scrubs and physical exfoliators good for dry skin? In my opinion, yes they are. However, when you have an acne problem and when you are on the regimen, you have sensitive skin. Even though scrubbing the crap out of your dry skin will lessen and might even completely take take of the flaking, you'll find that it's only a momentary thing and after a week or two your skin's going to thank you for being so rough by breaking out. Physical scrubs and brushes aren't worth it, unless you're so fed up with the flakes that you don't mind getting pimples again.
9. Using too much BP can be a problem too. You're only supposed to use 2 full pumps or a fingers length worth for your entire face. Over using BP will dry out your skin. However, the drying will only be for a couple of weeks until your skin gets used to the new, higher amount of BP you're using. But if you're wondering why you're so dry, it may be because you've been using more BP than your skin is used to.
10. I should have categorized this with the "Steam" section, however I thought it deserved to be on it's own. Using a humidifier may also help with dry skin. Humidifiers, in short, add moisture to the air. Dry air, means dry skin. In the winter months, a lot of the reason people suffer from dry skin is because of less humidity in the air and heat in their homes that dries the air. When I used to live in New Jersey, my face was pretty well moistened most of the time. It was rare for me to experience really bad dryness. But when I moved to the mountain region of New York (Adirondacks), I noticed my face got a lot dryer. I thought it might be the water (which was part of the problem), but then I realized that maybe it was the air. I've been using a warm mist humidifier in my room every night and it's been helping already. Humidifiers aren't horribly expensive, but they do need a lot of maintenance to avoid bacteria growth and scale buildup. If you're suffering from really bad dry skin that nothing else is curing, think about getting and using one of these at night in your bedroom.
TAKING CARE OF OILY SKIN
Someone on the regimen might say that they're sick of the oily skin caused by it. The truth is that the Benzoyl Peroxide doesn't make your skin oily. It's, in fact, the exact opposite. Benzoyl Peroxide works because it also acts as a peeling agent and peels off dead skin. Instead, it's the moisturizer and/or jojoba oil you're using. Some moisturizers are more "greasy" than others. My Eucerin lotion that I use, though I love it, is a very greasy lotion. Jojoba oil tend to also be a tad bit greasy. In my honest opinion, I'd rather deal with oily skin than dry skin and/or pimples. But I still like to look good, so I've found a couple ways to take care of oily skin.
1. Using generic napkins; those napkins you get for your kitchen that come in a pack of 500, is a great way to get rid of excess oil on your face. Oil blotting papers designed for oily skin work fine too, but in the long run, it's cheaper and easier to just reach for the kitchen cabinet or napkin holder. Dab a napkin all over your face, on all the oily sections. You'll be amazed how much oil the napkin picks up.
2. Pressed powder works wonders too. If I'm out for the day and I feel like my face is a little greasy, I'll just pop open my Covergirl Clean Pressed Powder and powder my face. It lasts for about 3-4 hours before I have to do it again.
TAKING CARE OF RED SKIN
If your skin is really red, there could be a couple causes for it.
1. You've been out in the sun too long. Remember that Benzoyl Peroxide makes your skin more sensitive, and if you're not using a moisturizer with SPF, you really have to limit your sun exposure. Sitting outside in the sun for an hour or two, having a BBQ with family will probably make your face get red. So take that into consideration too.
2. Your new to the regimen. You've only been using it for about a month or two and your face is really red and swollen feeling. This is a very common side effect of the BP. Your skin isn't used to the amount of Benzoyl Peroxide you're using and it's burning and trying to get used to it all. Give it time and it'll go away. Some people say that if you feel swollen, you should stop using the regimen because you might be allergic to BP. I tend to find it funny how often this phrase is thrown around. Please take into consideration that only about 2-3% of the entire population has a BP allergy and that slight swelling IS common. I had slight swelling when starting the regimen and if I was allergic to BP, I'd be dead by now.
3. Red skin might also be the cause of dry skin. I find that sometimes if I'm extra dry, my face will be extra red. Red skin is sometimes dry and irritated skin. Take care of the dryness, and you might even be able to take care of the redness. After incorporating jojoba oil into my regimen, my face improved of all dryness and redness. Please look at the "How to Get rid of Dry Skin" sections for some good ways to combat the dryness associated with Benzoyl Peroxide.
BREAKING OUT IN CERTAIN AREAS AND WHY
Sometimes, breaking out in a certain area is unavoidable. Hormones play a huge role when it comes to acne, and hormones don't always have a certain agenda in mind. However, sometimes it's our own faults that we're breaking out in a certain area. For instance, for the longest time I was wondering why the sides of my forehead (in my temple) area were breaking out regularly. I would be extra gentle and do that section the same way I did the rest of my face. When I really looked at what I was doing, I figured out what the problem was. I had to wear a hat at work, which was unavoidable..I had to wear it. However, I found that I wasn't washing it often enough. I started washing it every week with my regular laundry and I haven't broken out in that area again.
Here are just some scenarios. Do you break out on your chin? Maybe you drool at night or the toothpaste you're using dribbles on your chin. You could also be a very messy eater. If you break out on your forehead, it could be the reason for wearing a hat either at work or off work that is dirty or too tight fighting. I also found that one time I broke out with a couple pimples on the right side of my face. I was annoyed and confused at why that happened. But when I looked at what might be causing it, I found out that when I sleep, I sleep with my arm folded on the side of my face. Stopped sleeping that way and stopped breaking out in that area.
So to conclude this section, just make sure to look at everything you're doing. Sometimes putting too much pressure on one area of your face as opposed to another can cause a breakout. It's amazing how stupid the cause might be when we finally figure out why a certain area is breaking out. And it's amazing how easy it is to fix the breaking out problem when we find out the cause.
WATER QUALITY
Does the water you wash with really play a role in your acne and dryness? I really think it does. Most public water contains a lot of chemicals and additives that we're not only drinking, but also washing in. Most public water contains chlorine (bleach) because it's a regulation to keep the water "clean". And ask any swimmer and they'll tell you how drying chlorine is to hair and skin. Your dry skin might be the cause of the water you're using. Do you live in a house that's on a well? You're not that much better off either. If you don't have a water softener installed in your house or apartment complex, your water is "hard". Hard water contains crap loads of minerals and metals that get absorbed into your skin. These minerals and metals not only aggravate acne, but they can dry out your skin.
I have washed my face and done the regimen with both soft water and hard water and I noticed that when I use hard water, my skin is not only dryer but also more prone to breaking out. When I used soft water, even hormonal acne was prevented! The Regimen prevents most of my acne, but it can't seem to prevent that one hormonal pimple I get every month. When you use soft water, it is considered soft because salt is added to the water. Bathing in salt water doesn't sound all that great, but I assure you that it's actually better for your skin. The salt in the water dissolves all of the minerals and metals, making it so that you're bathing in cleaner water. The reason hard water dries your skin and causes breakouts is because soap doesn't react well with the minerals contained in the water. Basically, when you are washing with hard water, you are leaving a thin film of soap on your skin because it doesn't get washed off properly. When you use soft water, you'll first notice that the water feels "slick" or even "slimey". This is due to the salt. You'll also notice that your soap lathers better and washes off easier. Your hair feels softer and so does your skin.
Unfortunately, installing a water softener is not only time consuming but can also be quit expensive. The softener I have installed in my house cost about $500, and it takes about 4 bags of salt a month (each bag of salt costs about $5). Alternatively, you could buy a shower head filter. I also have one of these. I bought it online from Bed, Bath & Beyond for about $30. It filters out some minerals and metals, but mostly filters out chlorine. You'll notice that your skin and hair are softer after a few weeks of use. If I had a choice and could only pick one of these, I'd go for the softener over the filter. The filter, though it filters out chlorine, will basically do only that. The softener will actually transform your water and you'll be able to tell the difference right away.
If you can't install a water softener where you live and you don't want to invest in a filtering shower head, washing your face with bottled water will do just as good. Bottled water doesn't contain any metals or minerals like your tap water will, so it's better to wash in than tap water. However, you should wash your face with warm water so you'd have to figure out a way to heat the water and use it that way.
REGIMEN PRODUCTS EXPLAINED
1. Cleanser is essential for the regimen. It removes any oil, dirt, and debris you have on your face. It also removes the old moisturizer and BP from your last regimen application. It's essential to keep your cleanser mild, fragrance-free, and gentle. Cleansers with acne medication in them shouldn't be used. Why? Because you're going to be slathering tons of BP on your face afterward anyway, so what's the point? It's too irritating. Cleansers with an acne fighter ingredient in them have also been shown to not even be that effective.
2. Benzoyl Peroxide acts like an antibacterial. It kills the bacteria that causes acne. It also oxygenates skin and acne bacteria can not live in oxygenated areas. Benzoyl Peroxide (BP) also acts like a peeling agent, and peels off dead skin. This is why when using BP, you get dryer skin than usual. The dry skin can be easily maintained and eradicated if done properly. By using 2 full pumps (or a fingers length) of BP, you're able to cover your entire face and make sure that every part of your face has the benefits of BP. You can use Neutrogena On The Spot as your main BP, but take it from me that Daniel Kern's 2.5% BP is a better choice. Not only did I clear dramatically after switching to it from NOTS, but it's also cheaper in the long run. Oh..and no white residue!
3. Moisturizer is essential on the regimen. Even if you have oily skin, you should use a moisturizer. I feel that by moisturizing your skin, you're preventing all of the free radicals that BP can cause from happening. If you're afraid that using BP will cause pimples, than don't worry about it as long as you're using moisturizer. Oily and moisturized skin has been shown to stand up very well to wrinkles. Everyone's preference to each individual moisturizer is their own. I love my moisturizer, however some people who've used it have told me it's too "greasy" for them. Remember that everyone's skin is different and what works for one might not work for the other.
4. Jojoba Oil is a great tool to use. Jojoba is an all natural wax ester (yes, it's actually a form of wax, not oil) that is the closest natural thing to the sebum our skin produces. Jojoba oil helps regulate oil production. It smooths skin and evens skin tone and texture. I live by this stuff and think those who are on the regimen and not using it are crazy. Some people say it causes an initial breakout when used, but I never experienced this. Instead, when I first used this stuff my skin seemed to drink it up. Some people may also be afraid to use an "oil" on their face, but you have to remember that not all oils are bad for your skin. Where you buy your jojoba doesn't matter. I've used Dan's Jojoba Oil and I've used Vitamin Shoppe brand with great results. Just make sure it's not expired, as I've found that using expired jojoba oil doesn't work as great than if it were fresh.
5. AHA is a great choice for those who are suffering with dry skin. You can either find a moisturizer with AHA already in it and/or you can use a special 8-10% glycolic acid (such as Daniel Kern's AHA+). I personally like the moisturizers that contain AHA as opposed to putting straight 10% glycolic acid on my face. Dan's AHA+, though I've found it evens my skin tone, has broken me out from using it. Currently, I'm still "test" trying it with semi-decent results. I have to dilute the AHA+ with jojoba oil before using it. If I use a thin fingers length, like Dan suggests, I break out from it.
FAQ
Q. Will my skin build up an immunity to Benzoyl Peroxide?
A. Nope. Your skin can't build up an immunity to BP. I'm living proof. I've been doing the regimen for 4 years, twice a day and if I had built up an immunity I wouldn't still be swearing by this stuff.
Q. Is it safe to use BP for the long haul? What about wrinkles?
A. My face looks like any normal 22 year old. I have laugh lines, like I've always had, and I get circles under my eyes if I don't sleep enough. However, I don't look like an 80 year old from using BP so often, for so long. Make sure to keep moisturized and you should be fine too.
Q. How do you get rid of red spots after a pimple goes away? Does BP make them last longer?
A. AHA works well to get rid of red marks. However, a lot of the problem goes away with time. I can understand how annoying the red marks can be, however they will go away. Depending on a certain pimple, mine can last anywhere from a week to 5-6 months. BP does make red marks last longer. I'm still not completely sure why this is.
Q. I'm "such-and-such" months on the regimen and still breaking out. WHY?!
A. I didn't get clear of breakouts until about my 4th-5th month. I go by the half year mark. If, by 6 months, you're still having horrible breakouts with no let-up, you may be doing something wrong. It may not neccessarily be that the regimen isn't working for you, but you may be doing something wrong and not even noticing it. Keep researching this site, watch videos, take the Advice test and see what may be the problem. Before that half year mark, remember that it's normal to take a couple months to get clear.
Q. I'm a few months on the regimen and my face is fairly clear, however the dryness and redness are almost as bad as having pimples. Will this ever go away?
A. My third month in, I was thinking of quitting the regimen. My acne had gotten better, sure, but I had the face of a boiled lobster and dryness to boot. I remember having to carry lotion around with me everywhere to make sure my face didn't look flakey. I also remember not wanting to eat or smile or laugh or talk with my mouth wide open because of flaking. But, it did eventually go away. Make sure you keep your skin nice and moisturized with jojoba oil and don't wash too gently (it helps with breakouts, but it contributes to dry skin) and the dryness will go away soon after. The redness will go away too with time.
Q. Is it normal to get a breakout before/during my period and how can I stop and prevent it?
A. I always breakout with one huge, cystic pimple on my chin every single month a week before my period. It's almost a fact of life for me. I even get it while using the regimen. However, I have found that by taking Aleve when I know I'll get this pimple keeps it from forming. The active ingredient in Aleve has been shown to prevent pre-menstrual acne or at the very least, calm it down greatly. I've tried taking Aleve for two months in a row with fantastic results, and the one month my period surprised me by coming early and I forgot to take Aleve, I got that same big pimple in the same friggen spot.
Q. Can I add "such-and-such" to the regimen? A mask, scrub, toner, natural remedy?
A. In my opinion, it's best to keep the regimen just as it is. Adding in steps and products is a bad idea, especially if you're not clear yet. If you've been using the regimen for a long time (a year or so) and are completely clear and want to use a certain product, than you can probably introduce it slowly to see if it works for you or not. However, I've never used anything more than the regimen and jojoba and AHA for 4 years with good results. I find that people who add in too many products and steps are usually the ones who complain of constant breakouts and "not being able to get fully clear". Remember that just because it's labeled as "natural", "pure", or "organic" doesn't mean you should be slathering it all over your face.
Q. Is it vital to do the regimen exactly 12 hours apart from each other?
A. Let's face it, sometimes life gets in the way and it's just not feasable to do the regimen exactly 12 hours apart. If you're an hour late for your nightly regimen application, don't panic. However, it is vital to do the regimen twice a day. I like to keep my regimen applications anywhere between 9-15 hours apart. If I wash any sooner than 9 hours, my face tends to burn when washing it. I'm assuming this is because the morning BP is still somewhat fresh on my face. And washing more than 16 hours apart may not be horrible one night/morning here and there..but don't make it a habit because in the long run you may find you're breaking out more often than usual.
Q. If I stop doing the regimen, will my acne come back worse than before?
A. I really don't know. I've never stopped doing the regimen, so I don't know how my skin would react to it.
Q. How do you know you haven't grown out of acne? Do I have to use the regimen my entire life?!
A. One thing's for sure, no matter how much I love the regimen and I love how it works, I won't be using it my entire life and neither will you. Could you imagine being a 60 year old person applying the regimen with your wrinkled little hands? Uh..no! However, I do know that I haven't grown out of acne just yet. My brother and I have almost exact same skin types and since he's 24 years old and still suffering with breakouts, I'd assume I would be too.
Q. Is diet, exercise and drinking more water vital to getting clear skin?
A. I basically eat whatever the hell I want and I hate exercising. I also love coca cola, which for people with acne who believe it's diet-related, is a big NO-NO. I eat bacon, white bread, sugar, chocolate, pizza, etc, etc, etc. If it's edible, I've most likely eaten it. In fact, there was a time..about a year ago, that I went on an almost daily McDonald's eating binge so I could collect as many Monopoly Play Pieces as possible and I never suffered a breakout. When I had really bad acne, I thought it might be diet related too. I cut out certain foods and drinks and got only minimal results. So once you're on the regimen and your skin is clear, you shouldn't have to overly worry about what goes into your mouth. Drinking lots of water is always a good idea. Water cleans out your system, flushes it out, so it's not only good for skin and hair and nails but it's also good for your internal well-being too. However, drinking lots of water isn't vital to getting and keeping clear skin. I tend to not drink as much water as I "should", and the regimen has gotten and kept me relatively clear.
Q. My current cleanser/moisturizer sucks, but I'm afraid to switch in fear of a breakout. What should I do?
A. As long as you're using acne.org products or products recommended specifically for the regimen, you should be fine to switch. Remember that when someone raves about a certain cleanser or lotion, they're doing it because it works FOR THEM. It may not necessarily work for you, so apart of the regimen is finding the products you are most happy with. If you're interested in a cleanser or moisturizer that isn't recommended by acne.org, do your research on Google. If the cleanser or lotion is fragrance free, dye-free, and non-comodegenic (won't clog pores) you should be fine. Give a product a week or two to work to see if you break out from it. I find that if I use a certain product that really doesn't agree with me, I'll break out from it in a matter of days.
Q. My skin is so flakey and when I thought moisturizer would have helped it, when I apply it it makes the flakes stand out more. What should I do?
A. Before applying your moisturizer, put a thin layer of jojoba oil onto your entire face or onto the areas of dryness in question. You will find that your moisturizer glides on almost flawlessly. Also, don't be afraid to add even more drops of jojoba oil to the moisturizer to keep your skin extra-hydrated. I've been using this trick for awhile and it really makes a huge difference. You could spot treat dry areas with jojoba oil AFTER putting your lotion on, however I find the lotion sits and looks better when putting jojoba oil on beforehand.
Q. Do I need to use sunscreen and what sunscreen do you recommend?
A. I've never used sunscreen on my face, nor have I ever used a moisturizer that contains SPF. SPF containing lotions, to me, always have that "sunscreen" smell to them. And I don't feel comfortable putting anything with fragrance on my face. I can't recommend a good SPF because I've never tried any.
Q. Are vitamins and supplements necessary when on the regimen? Or for good skin in general?
A. I'm sure it doesn't hurt to take vitamins, but at the same time they won't clear your skin on their own. And if they do happen to clear your skin, it's only minimally compared to what Dan's Benzoyl Peroxide will do. I'm horrible with remembering to take pills and/or vitamins everyday, so I never even bothered taking them. However, I did recently try taking Zinc because I heard such good things about it. After a month of taking it every day, I saw no visible difference in hormonal acne. It also made me nausea every time I took it and even made me throw up once.
Q. Will the regimen take care of hormonal acne?
A. It will do a great deal to keep it under control, but I find that my hormones are persistent on giving me one huge, cystic pimple on my chin every month about a week or two before my period. The regimen has yet to keep this one from forming. Obviously, if I wasn't on the regimen I'd probably be suffering with a lot more hormonal acne than just one pimple a month..but you get my drift. It depends on your hormones, I suppose.
A. Keep doing the regimen, twice a day. Skipping applications while you're in the midst of a bad breakout isn't going to help it any. Also make sure to keep your applications of BP and washings as gentle as you possibly can. Barely touch your skin, be even more gentle than before. I can almost guarantee you that if you're extra, extra (EXTRA) gentle, the breakout will calm down within two days or so. By gentle, I mean barely tough your skin. Don't wash for 10 seconds, wash for 5 seconds. Put the BP on and rub it around without even really touching your skin, let it absorb mostly on it's own. You will probably have dryer skin than usual doing this method (as I've found that washing a little more rough than usual can get rid of a lot of dry skin), but the breakout will calm down. Advil and Aleve also helps with the painful inflammation that some cystic pimples can cause. I've also heard spot treating with ice can help with those big painful ones, but I've never tried this method and I don't recommend doing this after applying BP as the water from the ice cube will probably wash some of the BP away.
Q. Why don't you have any Before pictures?
A. I had one picture of me at my worst point with acne. You could even tell I had acne even though I had covered my face with shit loads of foundation makeup. However, I was so upset looking at pictures like these that I either deleted them or completely re-did them in a photo editing software, that you couldn't even tell I had acne. One thing I really regret is not taking a really closeup picture of me when I had bad acne. I don't think my words can describe how bad it was and how depressed I was because of it. I actually wouldn't even leave my room for days and weeks at a time, so obviously taking pictures wasn't on my "to-do" agenda to remind me how bad my skin really was.
Q. What do you think of Accutane and did you consider it before going on the regimen?
A. I've heard a lot of bad things about accutane. Honestly, I'd rather not take something so harsh. Liver damage, birth defects, having to do that ipledge stuff because you absolutely can not get pregnant while taking the stuff, depression, suicidal thoughts, bone aches, severe dry skin. Yeah..no thanks. This site is good to read before considering this drug.
MAKEUP
When I first started the regimen, I tried to avoid makeup so I could let my face rest a bit. Makeup, even non-comedegenic, is suffocating. I use all non-comedegenic makeup and if I sleep in it, I'm going to break out from it. It's that simple. However, about 2 weeks after I first started the regimen I had to go somewhere and wanted to look presentable, so I put makeup on. And let me tell you that if you have any dryness or flakiness to your face, cream foundation and cream powder is going to be a BITCH. It left my face looking lumpy and flaky and cakey. After that incident, I went to Walmart and found all new powder products. I find that even to this day, powder foundation (L'Oreal True Match Powder and Cover Girl Pressed Powder) sits on my skin better than creams will.
Your best best would be to use a good covering powder (The L'Oreal I use covers really well but acts like a powder) and use a cream concealer stick to hide the pimples until you're completely clear.
Remember to still treat your skin nice when you're applying makeup. Use soft wedge sponges to apply foundation instead of your fingers. Make sure to use a fresh makeup wedge every time. I get a pack of about 25 for a dollar at the dollar store. Clean all eyeshadow and blush brushes regularly. Also don't forget to clean your tweezers before every use. If you tweeze your eyebrows or lip, make sure that your tweezers are not only clean but are sharp. Sharp tweezers get the hair quicker, so you're not constantly picking at one hair to pull out. I find that if I use dirty tweezers, I usually will get a pimple near my eyebrow area. Same goes for using really dull tweezers.
There are a lot of ways to clean your makeup brushes. The best way is to dab them in a little antibacterial soap (I use Dawn dish washing liquid) and rub them around on a clean plate to loosen the dirt and mix in the soap. Rinse them off until there is no soap left and let them airdry hanging upside down so the water doesn't get into the handle and loosen the glue holding the bristles in.
Jojoba Oil makes a great makeup remover too. I use it to remove eye makeup and it takes it right off. So give it a try. I find that special makeup remover sheets have too much fragrance in them and are overly drying. You're better off pouring some jojoba oil onto some toilet paper or a cotton ball and taking your makeup off that way.
THINGS THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME AND WHY
1. Dan's AHA+. He swears by it, but I'm sorry I can't. I've been test running this stuff for almost a month and I'm not seeing any miraculous, perfecting results. In fact, it gave me an initial breakout which I didn't appreciate and it didn't do much for any dryness or preventing pimples. I'm still test running it, but am 75% sure I'll stop using it soon.
EDIT OCT.12,2010: I haven't used Dan's AHA+ for about a month or so now and my skin has never been better. I was test running Dan's AHA+ every other night for about a month and a half and it was causing me to break out every few days with a new pimple. The pimples were large, red, and left horrible red marks when they finally went away. I stopped using it and haven't had a pimple since. My skin is nice and clear and still hydrated. What I'm trying to say is that AHA+ didn't work for me, but everyone's skin is different. It may work for you, but if you find you're breaking out suddenly after using it, it may be the AHA.
EDIT NOV.23,2010: I haven't used Dan's AHA+ for about four months now and my skin is really great. When I was using it, I was getting pimples every few days and thought it was just the water quality in my area. When I stopped used this stuff, my skin went back to a nice, smooth complexion.
2. Eucerin Plus Smoothing Essentials Lotion. I got a free sample in the mail and thought to give it a try, besides it had AHA in it..which I love about my current lotion. It has a higher precentage of AHA in it because it stung when I put it on. It also made my skin very dry, which was ironic since it's a lotion. It also made my eyes burn and sting like all hell.
3. Taking a 50mg zinc everyday seemed to be a good idea. However, after a month of trying it out, I found out it was doing shit. Not only did it not improve any of my hormonal acne (IE: the one big pimple I get on my chin every month), but the nausea I experienced from taking it was horrendous. It actually made me throw up once, so that was a big no-no!
4. The Jojoba Oil Mask/Scrub that's described on these forums. I did it for about two weeks, every other night, with great results initially. Basically you take a ton of jojoba oil and rub it around your face, picking up flakes as you go. My skin was great for two weeks. And then I got a couple pimples in areas I normally don't break out. I don't think it was necessarily the jojoba oil and the amount I was using. I think it was more due to the fact that I was rubbing my face for a couple minutes. And remember that being gentle is key.
WHAT I EXPERIENCED WHEN I WAS NEW TO THE REGIMEN
My first week on the regimen, I noticed my skin texture changed. My pores seemed to be more pronounced and I found that it looked like I had peach fuzz all over my face. I actually thought that the regimen was making me grow facial hair! You can imagine by horror when I thought that. However, with time I realized that my pores were more pronounced because of the oxygenating effects of Benzoyl Peroxide and my face looked like it had more peach fuzz because I was probably over analyzing my face.
The first few months on the regimen, I was dealing with very bad redness and extreme peeling and dryness. There were points in those first few months that I wondered if having acne was better than dealing with the red and dry skin. My dad (who had made fun of me for having acne) was now making fun of me for having red and dry skin. Don't you just love those special, ignorant people in your life? My mom told me that maybe it was best to stop using the regimen products because my face was unnaturally red and sunburned looking. This was in my third month. I remember having to take a day or two off of college because I couldn't get my dry skin under control. In my 4th month, I incorporated jojoba oil into my regimen and the dryness went away almost completely within a week. The redness soon followed suit after using jojoba oil. That's when I realized that sometimes red skin is the cause of overly dry skin.
My third year on the regimen was a bit rough for me too. My skin had held up great up until my third year and then I started taking advantage of my clear skin. I met my current boyfriend and would stay out really late and do the regimen at extreme intervals throughout the day (16-18 hours apart), which didn't show to be such a problem. However, when I started having my boyfriend sleep over and I slept in my makeup every time he did, my skin bugged out. Even with doing the regimen twice a day, my face broke out. I had about 7-8 pimples at any given time for about 2 months from sleeping in my makeup for 4 nights. After about 2 months, my face calmed down and I realized that even though you're doing the regimen, you have to treat your skin nice. Sleeping in makeup and doing the regimen in the morning is not going to excuse the fact that you slept in makeup all night.
PUTTING THE REGIMEN TO THE TEST
This summer (2010) I moved in with my parents. This place I moved in to is the exact same place I lived when I experienced a horrible breakout when I was 18 years old. So you can imagine that I was nervous about moving back into this house and working in my parents diner (which I thought was a lot of the cause of my breakout at 18 years old). The first few weeks of living here and working in the diner were brutal on my mind; I was 99% sure that even though I was doing the regimen, I would break out from other factors. I was expecting a huge, uncontrollable breakout. However, the first month went by and the second month and then the third. Now it's mid-September and my face is still nice and clear. You can imagine how thrilled I am.
So exactly what do I put my face through every week? I work in a diner setting as the head cook. We serve only breakfast foods. So this means that I'm cooking and working with bacon on a daily basis. Everyone should know how greasy and fatty and smokey bacon is. I also work with a lot of oils and spray oils when I cook. I have to wear a hat when I work. I also work early mornings, which means I don't do my morning regimen until about noon when I get off of work. And because I work in a non-airconditioned kitchen in the summer, this means that I'm basically drenched in sweat by the time I get off work. If that isn't putting the regimen to the test, I don't know what is! I still do the regimen every day, twice a day and I'm happy to say that it's been good to me even through this entire summer of working in acne-bacteria-happy conditions.
Obviously, I've been treating my skin extra good this summer. I don't think I missed a regimen application once this summer, and I make sure to do laundry twice a week so I have clean towels and sheets all the time. Besides that, I've not been doing anything different than I've always done. The only thing I've tried this summer was Dan's AHA+, which I'm not thrilled about and am probably going to stop using come Fall.
I'll find I get a couple of these small, raised little red bumps. They form almost overnight and are usually very itchy. They also usually cause a weird feeling to your face, almost like a "ping" or "sting" of pain. I don't think these things are necessarily pimples because they never come to a head and never go away or get any bigger. I call these "irritation bumps". I get these when I'm dealing with really dry skin. Remember that dry skin is irritated skin. I'm still not fully sure, but I think these little bumps are kind of like the bumps some people get on the backs of their arms. Get rid of the dryness and you can get rid of these things almost overnight.
Thank you very much, I always wondered why I get this weird pimples, and I usually get them when I make my skin dry to much (using bp without moistruizer because I have oily face).
Other informations were helpful too, I am sure everybody will find some answers here.
Thank you for taking your time to write all that, you are amazing 
Hey Kat!
Wow, great post: very informative, well-researched and well-written! Thanks a million for this. Even though I've been on the Regimen for almost 4 full months I still have little freak-out sessions about my skin, be it over that freak breakout, the last of my (pretty much fully faded!!!) redmarks, or the dry skin that comes from time to time. Your insightful commentary and suggestions are very helpful, and I'm sure not just to me.
One of the reasons I like your posts so much is that you're not pushy; you come by it honestly and draw from your own experience, which you have a wealth of after having been on the Regimen for 4.5 years! You're also just a 'typical' girl in that you don't follow any special diet, you don't try to exercise or 'flush the acne away' or whatever with water, you don't experiment with home remedies (which I too find ineffective at best and irrating [and disgusting] at worst)-- you just do the Regimen as it's outlined. You're, like, a precious artifact in the DKR world! Haha!
Also, you're never condescending and always take the time to answer questions!
Thanks a million again, and congrats on your success with DKR!
PS: a breakfast food diner? If I worked there I'd get so fat sneaking bacon between orders...
Thanks, everyone So glad my post has helped some people out there!
Hotglue: I always gain weight when I work here for the summer, because I do sneak food in between doing orders. I work with my boyfriend and we've both gained about like 10-20 pounds this summer on bacon alone! We're going to start our diet soon, but I'm usually horrible with sticking to them hahaha.
Timehealsall: I don't think it'd be a problem to dab a little BP below the eyebrow. If I ever get a pimple there, I usually do the same thing. Since you're new to the regimen, it might burn/sting a little. My skin's so used to BP I could probably put it up my nose with no burning feeling.
Hey everyone. Not only is this an attempt at [bumping] this topic. But I also just wanted to let everyone know that I'm going to be leaving these forums now. I'm going to be cleaning out my inbox, answering any un-answered messages, and probably not log in anymore.
You all are fantastic, but I feel like I've pretty much helped as much as I can. Most advice I can give to new regimen users is either in this thread or one of my other ones. I'm finding that I'm getting private messages (PM's) that ask questions that I've already answered, and though I don't mind answering them again, after awhile I feel like I'm beating a dead horse.
I wish everyone who's new (and old) to the regimen the best of luck and I hope that everyone can tough it out their first few months until they finally see that it's all really so worth it.
If anyone is in desperate need of help for something I haven't answered already, don't hesitate to message me on my facebook: facebook.com/rightkerfuffle. As I've said, I'm no longer going to be logging into this account on the forums.
Thanks for all your support and have a great day
Hey everyone. Not only is this an attempt at [bumping] this topic. But I also just wanted to let everyone know that I'm going to be leaving these forums now. I'm going to be cleaning out my inbox, answering any un-answered messages, and probably not log in anymore.
You all are fantastic, but I feel like I've pretty much helped as much as I can. Most advice I can give to new regimen users is either in this thread or one of my other ones. I'm finding that I'm getting private messages (PM's) that ask questions that I've already answered, and though I don't mind answering them again, after awhile I feel like I'm beating a dead horse.
I wish everyone who's new (and old) to the regimen the best of luck and I hope that everyone can tough it out their first few months until they finally see that it's all really so worth it.
If anyone is in desperate need of help for something I haven't answered already, don't hesitate to message me on my facebook: facebook.com/rightkerfuffle. As I've said, I'm no longer going to be logging into this account on the forums.
Thanks for all your support and have a great day
sadly she left, i just sent her a message but oh well, maybe other people will help 
Hey, I was popping by again randomly just to see if there were any new threads. I almost died when I realized this one became a sticky 
Sorry I've been gone so long, but I decided it didn't hurt to stick around.
P.S. I've since stopped using Dan's AHA+ and so far I'm really glad I did. I had been using it for about a month, every other night and it was breaking me out pretty bad. I was getting maybe a pimple every 2 days or so. And the pimples weren't even easy to get rid of, they left horrible red marks (worse than I ever remember getting). I also had a lot of small clogged-pore bump things on my chin that seemed to disappear almost the day after I stopped using the AHA. So I've been sticking to just the regular regimen and all seems to be fine now. Right now, knock wood, I don't have any pimples on my face at all.
Sorry for my absence from these forums! Even though I remember saying I wasn't going to be logging on as often, I have been trying to make an effort. But it's kind of hard to log on often between work and life, my boyfriend and I are going to be getting engaged soon (yay) and whatnot..you get the drift. To make a long story short, I'm gonna try to log on more often
Hi, I have oily skin. Hence for Dan regime, I skip the moisturizer part. Is that ok? My skin is really very oily. I am also experiencing bad redness and flaking. Wanted to avoid makeup but have to apply powder to conceal the redness
i read this when i was on the brink of qiutting the regimen. I love your post and i felt like i wasnt the only one walking around with a "sun burnt '' face. i started over and i use half a pump now i wanted to know how long did you wait until you bumped up the dosage because everytime i go to 1 pump my face freaks outs on me:( super redness and emberassing peeling. 
Hi thanks for your advice. Can i put jojoba oil before BP? I mean my face is already oily. If i put jojoba oil on my face, wont it make my face even oiler and clog my pores? I heard that jojoba oil is only good for those with dry skin.
Does Dan regime reduce comedons too?
One last question. What powder do u use for your makeup?
Many thanks.
Sorry for my absence from these forums! Even though I remember saying I wasn't going to be logging on as often, I have been trying to make an effort. But it's kind of hard to log on often between work and life, my boyfriend and I are going to be getting engaged soon (yay) and whatnot..you get the drift. To make a long story short, I'm gonna try to log on more often
Hi, I have oily skin. Hence for Dan regime, I skip the moisturizer part. Is that ok? My skin is really very oily. I am also experiencing bad redness and flaking. Wanted to avoid makeup but have to apply powder to conceal the redness
Oily skin doesn't necessarily mean hydrated skin. And because your skin is peeling and red, it sounds like it's very dry. Redness can be caused by excessive dryness. I think if you started using lotion, twice a day, you should be fine. Use a napkin to blot off excess oil on your face. Pressed powder won't hurt, unless you're sleeping in it. I use pressed powder a couple of times a week with no ill effects.
Hope this helped! Lots of luck.
i read this when i was on the brink of qiutting the regimen. I love your post and i felt like i wasnt the only one walking around with a "sun burnt '' face. i started over and i use half a pump now i wanted to know how long did you wait until you bumped up the dosage because everytime i go to 1 pump my face freaks outs on me:( super redness and emberassing peeling.
Hi! So glad my post helped you out When I started the regimen, I bumped up the BP exactly like Dan recommended. Half of a pump when starting and by the second or third week, I was using the full amount. The redness and peeling will be extreme..I experienced it too. But your skin will adjust. It can't always be irritated from the same amount of BP everyday.
Hi thanks for your advice. Can i put jojoba oil before BP? I mean my face is already oily. If i put jojoba oil on my face, wont it make my face even oiler and clog my pores? I heard that jojoba oil is only good for those with dry skin.
Does Dan regime reduce comedons too?
One last question. What powder do u use for your makeup?
Many thanks.
Thanks I've heard a lot of people on these forums say that putting jojoba oil on their skin before applying BP really helped with the dryness. I've personally never tried this method before. I usually put my BP on, then put a thin layer of jojoba oil onto any dry areas, and then apply lotion that has a couple drops of jojoba oil in it. This works to cut down on any peeling I have. I've noticed that by washing my face a little rougher than Dan recommends cuts down the peeling almost completely. I find that if I'm extra gentle when washing my face, the peeling will be annoyingly present (even after 4 years of using BP). If I wash my face with a little more pressure, it helps a lot. Don't wash your face for long periods of time..just wash it for about 20 seconds with a little bit more pressure to your fingertips.
Jojoba oil is thought to help oil production. This is true for both people with dry skin and oily skin. It makes your skin think it has enough sebum and so it doesn't produce as much. You might want to start with a few drops instead of just layering it on by itself..it will look oily. I usually use a napkin to dab off any excess oil.
Dan's regimen will reduce and get rid of any type of acne. Cystic pimples, small pimples, those persistent zits that won't go away. The BP clears out all your pores and makes your skin look and feel fresher.
I personally use Covergirl Clean Pressed Powder (original). This seems to work really well. If I feel like my nose is a little oily when going out, I'll just powder my nose a bit.
Hi Kat, My skin structure/surface looks a bit wierld when on Dan regime. Is kinda rough and looks abnormal. Do you experience this?
i read this when i was on the brink of qiutting the regimen. I love your post and i felt like i wasnt the only one walking around with a "sun burnt '' face. i started over and i use half a pump now i wanted to know how long did you wait until you bumped up the dosage because everytime i go to 1 pump my face freaks outs on me:( super redness and emberassing peeling.
Hi! So glad my post helped you out When I started the regimen, I bumped up the BP exactly like Dan recommended. Half of a pump when starting and by the second or third week, I was using the full amount. The redness and peeling will be extreme..I experienced it too. But your skin will adjust. It can't always be irritated from the same amount of BP everyday.
Hi thanks for your advice. Can i put jojoba oil before BP? I mean my face is already oily. If i put jojoba oil on my face, wont it make my face even oiler and clog my pores? I heard that jojoba oil is only good for those with dry skin.
Does Dan regime reduce comedons too?
One last question. What powder do u use for your makeup?
Many thanks.
Hi Kat, My skin structure/surface looks a bit wierld when on Dan regime. Is kinda rough and looks abnormal. Do you experience this?
I used to experience this too. If you mean that your face looks rather bumpy (without having pimples), scaly, rough, and burnt-looking, then I know exactly what you're talking about.
Dan says to do the regimen using a very gentle touch. I believe that a gentle touch is the ideal way to calm acne. Acne is inflammation and when it comes to inflammation, aggravating it by rubbing will only make it worse.
HOWEVER, with that said, I believe that by using such a gentle touch (barely touching the skin -as Dan puts it) it can lead to extreme dry skin and a rough skin texture. Basically, your face is so rough because it is displaying caked on patches of dry skin. Once your skin is clear of any acne lesions, try to start washing your face using a little more pressure on your fingertips.
When I was having a bad breakout from sleeping in my makeup, I went back to gentle washing and gentle BP applications. And while that helped ease my breakout, my dry skin went crazy and my skin texture looked scaly and uneven..despite not having any pimples!
After my acne cleared, I began putting a little more pressure to my face when washing and applying BP. Wash your face for only about 10-20 seconds, however, wash with a little more force. Some people would consider this a form of exfoliation, but unless washing your face with water is a form of exfoliation, I don't think it is.
I'm actually thinking of starting a thread on acne.org with pictures - what I look like when I use gentle pressure (IE: really dry skin) and what I look like by washing my face normally, without worrying about gentle pressure (IE: normal looking skin). I may be doing this within the next few weeks.
Hope this helped!
Hi Kat
I think what you describe on the face structure is right. Bumpy and rough. Sometimes no pimples, but the surface is not smooth, unlike normal acne free people. I dont understand why is it like this. Does BP cause roughness to the skin or too much / too frequent use of BP does not allow the skin have the time to restructure itself in a normal way?
I think it would be great for you to post pictures on proper way of cleaning the face.
Thanks so much, Kat!
Hi Kat, My skin structure/surface looks a bit wierld when on Dan regime. Is kinda rough and looks abnormal. Do you experience this?
I used to experience this too. If you mean that your face looks rather bumpy (without having pimples), scaly, rough, and burnt-looking, then I know exactly what you're talking about.
Dan says to do the regimen using a very gentle touch. I believe that a gentle touch is the ideal way to calm acne. Acne is inflammation and when it comes to inflammation, aggravating it by rubbing will only make it worse.
HOWEVER, with that said, I believe that by using such a gentle touch (barely touching the skin -as Dan puts it) it can lead to extreme dry skin and a rough skin texture. Basically, your face is so rough because it is displaying caked on patches of dry skin. Once your skin is clear of any acne lesions, try to start washing your face using a little more pressure on your fingertips.
When I was having a bad breakout from sleeping in my makeup, I went back to gentle washing and gentle BP applications. And while that helped ease my breakout, my dry skin went crazy and my skin texture looked scaly and uneven..despite not having any pimples!
After my acne cleared, I began putting a little more pressure to my face when washing and applying BP. Wash your face for only about 10-20 seconds, however, wash with a little more force. Some people would consider this a form of exfoliation, but unless washing your face with water is a form of exfoliation, I don't think it is.
I'm actually thinking of starting a thread on acne.org with pictures - what I look like when I use gentle pressure (IE: really dry skin) and what I look like by washing my face normally, without worrying about gentle pressure (IE: normal looking skin). I may be doing this within the next few weeks.
Hope this helped!
I really got to agree with you about the over analyzing your face thing. I'm a guy and I use to not have a care in the world about what my face looked like. Even when I was 18-19 and my acne was at its worst I still didn't seem to care what it made me look like.
it wasn't until my parents had me start a regimen on pro-active to get it under control that I really started to care about how my face looked and especially how I thought about what other people thought of my face, since now i was looking at my face in the mirror twice a day for 30 some minutes whenever i applied the bp. Kinda begs the question of weather its better to live in ignorance or have to face the truth. lol
Anyways, I've been on dans regimen since the beginning of summer and have had had good results when compared with pictures of me now and when I was 19. It's been 4 months and i still get a bit of dryness around my eyebrows, under my eyes and around my mouth. But i dare says dryness is much better then having dozens of white heads and red marks all over my face.
I agree with you that dryness is better than acne. But does your face look very unnatural when on dan regime even though your face is clear. Is not smooth. Surface is rough & bumpy
I really got to agree with you about the over analyzing your face thing. I'm a guy and I use to not have a care in the world about what my face looked like. Even when I was 18-19 and my acne was at its worst I still didn't seem to care what it made me look like.
it wasn't until my parents had me start a regimen on pro-active to get it under control that I really started to care about how my face looked and especially how I thought about what other people thought of my face, since now i was looking at my face in the mirror twice a day for 30 some minutes whenever i applied the bp. Kinda begs the question of weather its better to live in ignorance or have to face the truth. lol
Anyways, I've been on dans regimen since the beginning of summer and have had had good results when compared with pictures of me now and when I was 19. It's been 4 months and i still get a bit of dryness around my eyebrows, under my eyes and around my mouth. But i dare says dryness is much better then having dozens of white heads and red marks all over my face.