Greetings,
I'm an adult male (aged 38) who has suffered with moderate acne for the last 25 years. I have extremely sensitive white skin, which I inherited from my father. There is a major genetic component to my acne as my father had severe acne with scarring. My mother had moderate acne as well.
My acne seems to wax and wane. At times, my face is virtually clear w/ the exception of a few tiny scars on or around my nose. I recently saw a dermatologist and unfortunately it was on a 'good skin' day. The doctor only wanted to treat eczema, which recently developed on my right hand.
Like many fellow acne sufferers, I've tried multiple treatments with unsatisfactory results. One major issue I encounter is major redness and irritation, which limits my skin care options. A couple of months ago I became so desperate I tried Darque Tan, which was a major mistake. Although I received some temporary benefit, the end result was dermatitis and a worsening of my acne. Unfortunately, I read Dan's article on sun-tanning after my ill-fated experiment.
Anyway, I've tried to use Dan's regimen in the past with mixed results. My firm belief is that the regimen works. However, the cost (i.e. redness) is so high that I can't utilize the main ingrediant (BP). I do use BP as spot treatment, but I do so with great restraint and caution. Invariably, my skin turns incredibly red and itchy - even if I use liberal amounts of moisturizer.
My current routine is daily use of Cetaphil Cleanser, Neutrogena Salicylic Acid, and Cetaphil Moisturizer. Also, I use Neutrogena On-The-Spot on well-formed pimples as well as my nose (which doesn't redden as bad as other parts of my face). I would say I use the BP about 2 or 3 days a week as a spot treatment. Also, I use vitamin B12, D3, and flax seed oil.
Unfortunately, the Salicylic Acid doesn't work as well as the BP. The benefit is that it doesn't make my skin look like it's severely sunburned.
I'm wondering if anybody has any suggestions on how I might either reduce the reddening from BP or suggest an alternative product. I wanted to try oral medication but my dermatologist thinks I should just use cleanser at this time.
Thank you,
Jeffrey
how long have you been using the flax seed oil. i have been using mine for 3 days. how long does it take to see results? sorry this is unrelated.
Greetings,
I've been taking flax seed oil for nearly a decade. As an aside, the reason it was initially recommended was for depression (i.e. Omega-3). However, I was told the flax seed oil had other health benefits.
With respect to my skin, I didn't immediately see any results the first time I took flax seed oil. However, I wasn't looking for results. My more recent experience is that flax seed oil gives my skin has a healthier appearance and pimple outbreaks are more easily treated. I have less inflammation and only see a cyst on a rare occasion. It's strange because sometimes my skin looks a bit oily but it's clear. My personal experience is that it isn't a 'quick fix,' but requires weeks of use before I see any improvement. On average, I would say 2-4 weeks of daily use produces improvement, but that's only my experience. I wish there were more scientific studies because I think this could be a useful remedy for many acne sufferers.
Jeffrey
how long have you been using the flax seed oil. i have been using mine for 3 days. how long does it take to see results? sorry this is unrelated.
Greetings,
I've been taking flax seed oil for nearly a decade. As an aside, the reason it was initially recommended was for depression (i.e. Omega-3). However, I was told the flax seed oil had other health benefits.
With respect to my skin, I didn't immediately see any results the first time I took flax seed oil. However, I wasn't looking for results. My more recent experience is that flax seed oil gives my skin has a healthier appearance and pimple outbreaks are more easily treated. I have less inflammation and only see a cyst on a rare occasion. It's strange because sometimes my skin looks a bit oily but it's clear. My personal experience is that it isn't a 'quick fix,' but requires weeks of use before I see any improvement. On average, I would say 2-4 weeks of daily use produces improvement, but that's only my experience. I wish there were more scientific studies because I think this could be a useful remedy for many acne sufferers.
Jeffrey
thank you. there is one one study i found about omega 3's and acne. the before and after pics look amazing on it too!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18851733
Greetings,
I'm an adult male (aged 38) who has suffered with moderate acne for the last 25 years. I have extremely sensitive white skin, which I inherited from my father. There is a major genetic component to my acne as my father had severe acne with scarring. My mother had moderate acne as well.
My acne seems to wax and wane. At times, my face is virtually clear w/ the exception of a few tiny scars on or around my nose. I recently saw a dermatologist and unfortunately it was on a 'good skin' day. The doctor only wanted to treat eczema, which recently developed on my right hand.
Like many fellow acne sufferers, I've tried multiple treatments with unsatisfactory results. One major issue I encounter is major redness and irritation, which limits my skin care options. A couple of months ago I became so desperate I tried Darque Tan, which was a major mistake. Although I received some temporary benefit, the end result was dermatitis and a worsening of my acne. Unfortunately, I read Dan's article on sun-tanning after my ill-fated experiment.
Anyway, I've tried to use Dan's regimen in the past with mixed results. My firm belief is that the regimen works. However, the cost (i.e. redness) is so high that I can't utilize the main ingrediant (BP). I do use BP as spot treatment, but I do so with great restraint and caution. Invariably, my skin turns incredibly red and itchy - even if I use liberal amounts of moisturizer.
My current routine is daily use of Cetaphil Cleanser, Neutrogena Salicylic Acid, and Cetaphil Moisturizer. Also, I use Neutrogena On-The-Spot on well-formed pimples as well as my nose (which doesn't redden as bad as other parts of my face). I would say I use the BP about 2 or 3 days a week as a spot treatment. Also, I use vitamin B12, D3, and flax seed oil.
Unfortunately, the Salicylic Acid doesn't work as well as the BP. The benefit is that it doesn't make my skin look like it's severely sunburned.
I'm wondering if anybody has any suggestions on how I might either reduce the reddening from BP or suggest an alternative product. I wanted to try oral medication but my dermatologist thinks I should just use cleanser at this time.
Thank you,
Jeffrey
umm i don't know if you know this but there is a study about vitamin b12 causing acne! http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/130553
so that could be causing acne for you! i hope not! have you ever tried zinc oxide? i am using it right now and i swear to god this stuff works well. its in diaper rash cream and its not a miracle but it has made my acne significantly better in a short amount of time
Apart from using less BP - either the amount or frequency of use (once a day only or every second day etc), I don't think there's much else you can do about the redness. Using less of it or using it less often may really help redness, but then maybe that wont be enough BP to clear up your skin. It's all trial and error I guess.
I agree with spotthedifference too - maybe you just need to give your skin longer to adjust? And find a really good moisturiser too.
As for alternative products - I don't know much about it but I remember hearing people talk about using sulfur creams so maybe that's something you could look into. I really wanted to try this but can't seem to find any of it in Australian pharmacies. There should be some threads about it floating around the org. somewhere.
And it's up to you, but I tend to think it's best to not use oral medication for acne especially if it's antibiotics. Antibiotics may work temporarily and you may have clear skin for a month or so after stopping but your acne will come back once you stop. That's been my experience anyway. You'd have to take them indefinitely to see continued results (clear skin). In that time your body may become used to the antibiotics too and they'll stop working. This is my understanding of it though, so still do your own research and listen to the advice your derm gives.
I also had a question about the flaxseed oil - how much of it do you take per day? I've been taking 2 tablespoons of it per day nearly everyday for about 2 months. I do think it helps but I'm not sure how much I should be taking so it would be good to hear what other people do.
If you enjoy the benefits of BP but can't stand creams, try Oxy Maximum Face Wash which contains 10% BP. The concentration may be higher than what you've used before, but you rinse off the product so it's hardly irritating at all. Even so, the medicine still works to clear up your skin. Just make sure to follow with a moisturizer. Good luck.
Greetings,
Thank you for referring me to these studies. One other benefit I've extracted from flax seed oil (i.e. Omega 3) is glowing, healthy-looking skin. My skin has a tendency to become dry in the winter. The combination of a pale white and dry skin is almost as undesireable as an acne flareup. The Omega-3 helps my skin look hydrated and almost tan.
Thanks for the info on B12. I've actually stopped using it as an experiment. I recently developed a migraine, but it could be coincidental. However, I haven't had any significant break-outs since I've stopped taking the B12. Of course, correlation doesn't not imply causation. I will keep monitoring the situation and make a decision based on long-term results.
I'm not sure if I've tried Zinc Oxide. If that is the active ingredient in Clearasil, then I've probably tried it. However, I haven't used Clearasil in 18 years. Unfortunately the benefits from Clearasil were only marginal. However, Clearasil never burned my skin like BP (or even SA).
Thank you,
Jeffrey
thank you. there is one one study i found about omega 3's and acne. the before and after pics look amazing on it too!
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/18851733
Jeffrey
umm i don't know if you know this but there is a study about vitamin b12 causing acne! http://www.ncbi.nlm....v/pubmed/130553
so that could be causing acne for you! i hope not! have you ever tried zinc oxide? i am using it right now and i swear to god this stuff works well. its in diaper rash cream and its not a miracle but it has made my acne significantly better in a short amount of time
Greetings Spotthedifference,
I should preface my comments by complimenting you on your clear and attractive skin. One can definitely 'spot the difference.'
Anyway, I started using BP about five or six years ago. If I hadn't stumbled on this site I would have never experimented with the Regimen.. Unfortunately, I may have prematurely given up on BP as a primary treatment. I appreciate you posting the images of your face reacting to BP. Using your photos as a referance point, I would say my skin had an equal or slightly worse reaction to BP. It's possible that my skin would acclimate, at least to some degree, to BP if I had stuck with it a bit longer. I regularly use it on my nose and only experience mild redness. When I first tried it on my nose it made me look like I had a severe cold.
My skin is just so sensitive that it reacts negatively to virtually any acne product. I've even developed dermatitis from taking salicylic acid. Perhaps it would be beneficial to modify the regimen so I'm only using the BP once a day?
I used the 2.5% formulation, which I bought at Walgreen's (i.e. Neutrogena's On The Spot). I always used a liberal amount of Cetaphil moisturizer, but it didn't work well enough at reducing the redness and irritation. However, I never included Jojoba oil because it wasn't touted as an important or essential component of the Regimen. If I decide to retry BP on my entire face, I will use jojoba oil as an adjunct to the moisturizer. A couple of weeks ago I almost purchased a bottle of jojoba oil, but I wasn't sure which brand(s) has a solid reputation.
Thank you,
Jeffrey
How long have you been using the BP? It took me 2 weeks and a liberal amount of jojoba oil (on it's own) to adjust to 5% BP.
It was worth it though.
During the adjustment period (ouch!):
Now :
Greetings Lilly,
Thank you for sharing your perspective. With respect to the BP, I agree that it's all a matter of trial of error. At least I've found a means of extracting some utility from this product. Without the BP I suspect I would have more severe scarring on and around my nose. Since I've used BP on my nose, the acne is basically controlled. Furthermore, I can use BP as a spot treatment on existing pimples.
As mentioned previously, I haven't explored the sulfur creams. I will examine the forums and ask my dermatologist for her feedback. I'm sorry that you're unable to find these products in Australia pharmacies. I hate buying products off the internet because I worry about quality control. I'm wondering if you have any internet friends who could purchase product than ship it to Australia?
With respect to antibiotics, my dermatologist seems reluctant to use antibiotics for the reasons you've specified. I'm looking for longer term solutions.
Lastly, I wanted to address your question about flaxseed oil. I've always taken the soft gels. The benefit is that I always get the same dose and the flax doesn't turn rancid. Furthermore, I don't really enjoy the taste of flax (perhaps it was prepared poorly the time I tried eating it). I take 3 1200mg softgels per day. I usually take them with a meal or snack.
Thank you,
Jeffrey
Apart from using less BP - either the amount or frequency of use (once a day only or every second day etc), I don't think there's much else you can do about the redness. Using less of it or using it less often may really help redness, but then maybe that wont be enough BP to clear up your skin. It's all trial and error I guess.
I agree with spotthedifference too - maybe you just need to give your skin longer to adjust? And find a really good moisturiser too.
As for alternative products - I don't know much about it but I remember hearing people talk about using sulfur creams so maybe that's something you could look into. I really wanted to try this but can't seem to find any of it in Australian pharmacies. There should be some threads about it floating around the org. somewhere.
And it's up to you, but I tend to think it's best to not use oral medication for acne especially if it's antibiotics. Antibiotics may work temporarily and you may have clear skin for a month or so after stopping but your acne will come back once you stop. That's been my experience anyway. You'd have to take them indefinitely to see continued results (clear skin). In that time your body may become used to the antibiotics too and they'll stop working. This is my understanding of it though, so still do your own research and listen to the advice your derm gives.
I also had a question about the flaxseed oil - how much of it do you take per day? I've been taking 2 tablespoons of it per day nearly everyday for about 2 months. I do think it helps but I'm not sure how much I should be taking so it would be good to hear what other people do.
Greetings Lilly,
Thank you for sharing your perspective. With respect to the BP, I agree that it's all a matter of trial of error. At least I've found a means of extracting some utility from this product. Without the BP I suspect I would have more severe scarring on and around my nose. Since I've used BP on my nose, the acne is basically controlled. Furthermore, I can use BP as a spot treatment on existing pimples.
As mentioned previously, I haven't explored the sulfur creams. I will examine the forums and ask my dermatologist for her feedback. I'm sorry that you're unable to find these products in Australia pharmacies. I hate buying products off the internet because I worry about quality control. I'm wondering if you have any internet friends who could purchase product than ship it to Australia?
With respect to antibiotics, my dermatologist seems reluctant to use antibiotics for the reasons you've specified. I'm looking for longer term solutions.
Lastly, I wanted to address your question about flaxseed oil. I've always taken the soft gels. The benefit is that I always get the same dose and the flax doesn't turn rancid. Furthermore, I don't really enjoy the taste of flax (perhaps it was prepared poorly the time I tried eating it). I take 3 1200mg softgels per day. I usually take them with a meal or snack.
Thank you,
Jeffrey
Thanks for the info on the flax seed oil you take. I like the idea of taking capsules instead as I don't really like the taste of flax seed oil either. If I take it with a cold glass of water I can manage it but I will look into the capsules.
I'm trying other things / supplements at the moment and want to see how my skin reacts to them so I'm not in a rush to try the sulfur products. It will be one of the next things on my list to try if what I'm doing doesn't work out for whatever reason.
Good to hear you've found some use/benefit to the BP. Hopefully you find a way for it to work completely for you or something else that does the trick.
Good luck with it all 
Greetings Spotthedifference,
I should preface my comments by complimenting you on your clear and attractive skin. One can definitely 'spot the difference.'
Anyway, I started using BP about five or six years ago. If I hadn't stumbled on this site I would have never experimented with the Regimen.. Unfortunately, I may have prematurely given up on BP as a primary treatment. I appreciate you posting the images of your face reacting to BP. Using your photos as a referance point, I would say my skin had an equal or slightly worse reaction to BP. It's possible that my skin would acclimate, at least to some degree, to BP if I had stuck with it a bit longer. I regularly use it on my nose and only experience mild redness. When I first tried it on my nose it made me look like I had a severe cold.
My skin is just so sensitive that it reacts negatively to virtually any acne product. I've even developed dermatitis from taking salicylic acid. Perhaps it would be beneficial to modify the regimen so I'm only using the BP once a day?
I used the 2.5% formulation, which I bought at Walgreen's (i.e. Neutrogena's On The Spot). I always used a liberal amount of Cetaphil moisturizer, but it didn't work well enough at reducing the redness and irritation. However, I never included Jojoba oil because it wasn't touted as an important or essential component of the Regimen. If I decide to retry BP on my entire face, I will use jojoba oil as an adjunct to the moisturizer. A couple of weeks ago I almost purchased a bottle of jojoba oil, but I wasn't sure which brand(s) has a solid reputation.
Thank you,
Jeffrey
How long have you been using the BP? It took me 2 weeks and a liberal amount of jojoba oil (on it's own) to adjust to 5% BP.
It was worth it though.
Hi Jeffrey,
Thanks It's a good sign that your nose adjusted a little, although with such a long period of useage it's possible that you are simply too sensitive to the product. I apply mine only once a day at night time before bed, any more than this would probably cause me a lot of pain.
I was very skeptical of jojoba oil at first but within a couple of days I noticed my skin calming right down. You're very right, it's not really emphasized like the rest of the Regimen, but it's the deciding factor of BP being worth the hassle for me.