Notifications
Clear all

Considering "the Regimen"

MemberMember
0
(@anna072)

Posted : 01/04/2013 3:58 am

Okay, so first things first. I am new to the acne.org community but definitely familiar with the site itself. Over the past few years I've come here to read reviews on acne products, cosmetics, etc. but now that my skin is at what seems to be its' worst, I have been searching for something to clear it up. A while back I came across reviews of the regimen but never really considered it until now. I think I am ready to give the regimen a shot, but before I do so I have some questions that I'd like to address.

 

Some Background - I am only 15 years old (female) but have been dealing with pimples since 4th grade (sigh..genetics unsure.png) & what I consider actual acne since 5th grade (around the age of 11). At first it was 3-7 whiteheads that I could handle but in 7th grade I developed cystic acne. It was so uncomfortable & embarrassing because all my friends never even had their 1st pimple & here I was with swollen, painful (up to three at a time on my nose!) cysts that I would tell people were misquito bites when they asked. I've done a lot of research & know a lot, I've tried nearly EVERY drugstore product, taken a wholistic natural approach, & even tried as seen on tv gimmicks such as maxclarity & proactiv. I've never been to a dermatologist because my parents can't afford it which is understandable, & is also why I want to try this regimen out. Currently I have light/moderate acne (some inflamed whiteheads here & there, hyperpigmentation on my cheeks from picking, blackheads on my nose & clogged pores aroung my mouth & chin) but its not nearly as bad as it was. It seems that I've reached a plateau with acne. I'm affected by it in all areas of my face, but it never gets worse or better, it's always just there.

 

Questions -

1. Will this work to clear my acne? (combo skin in winter, oily in summer/condition of skin explained above)

2. Will it be okay despite my extracurricular activities? This regimen includes bp/AHA which is said to increase sun & is recommended that I spend less than an hour under direct rays which is a HUGE problem. I play a summer sports, conditioning starts in Feb & the season lasts from spring-summer for school. I also play on a competitive team all throughout the summer months. I spend three hours a day (AT LEAST) playing my sport & am sweating a loooot through that whole time. Sunscreen literally sweats right off. & I'm doing this everyday which racks up countless hours. & I can't just not play.. how would I work the regimen in & wash after I workout? Will the regimen be a bad idea because of this sun exposure?

3. How much time will it realistically take? Will it really stain my clothes, even if its fully dried? Being a girl & in highschool I already take a while to get ready in the morning & have to leave at 6:30 am because I live 20 minutes away. I can't imagine getting up even earlier when I hardly get 4-6 hours of sleep as it is due to sports/school etc. & Also, clothes aren't cheap & I can't afford to have bp ruining all my tops, or any at that matter.

4. Does bp really cause pre-mature wrinkles? Will it ruin my skin/will my skin become forever dependent? My mom had acne as a teen but grew out of it in her 20s, however I don't want to wait it out & see if mine clears up, I want it to be gone now. However, I don't know if dull wrinkly skin is worth the pay-off, especially at my age. Is this something I would have to worry about even if I moisturized properly?

 

Sorry this is ridiculously long but I would really appreciate if someone could help me out & answer my questions before I make such a big change in my skincare routine. Thankyou in advance to anyone willing to give the time to answer!

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@rumplesilkskin)

Posted : 01/04/2013 4:56 am

Hi Anna,

I'm what u call a regimen cheat! I dont use the bp AT ALL. I use every other aspect of it though, being extreamly gentle is the key, i always thought I had to scrub my face for it to feel clean but amazingly the opposite has a much better effect!

Even though I choose to refrain from use bp, my skin has never been clearer. I'm 29 but i dont look my age, so didnt wanna chance changing that with bp!! So I think u should maybe give it a try and see if it works for u comfort.gif i have before and after pics in my gallery ur welcome to look at...

Really hope u get some satisfaction from this post

xxx

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@anna072)

Posted : 01/04/2013 8:17 am

Thankyou for the reply! I never would have thought to take that type of approach seeing the BP seems to be what everyone loves, interesting. But when I think about it, it seems like that's just the same as using a gentle cleanser & moisturizer from the store which I've done for months before with no real change for the better or worse (purpose/cetaphil/eucerine). Is it worth it to buy these products if I won't be using the treatment? Maybe if I only use BP at night I won't have to worry about all these obstacles. Hm, definitely something to take into consideration.

Quote
Guest
0
(@Anonymous)

Posted : 01/04/2013 4:08 pm

My experience was: stock regimen worked. I worked more quickly and better than I expected. I believe this to be due to the benzoyl peroxide.

 

It certainly does ruin clothes. This was one of the side effects that I didn't take seriously enough when I first started. I accidentally bleached more than a few of my collars. However, once I got used to the regimen, I figured out how to avoid that. Most of the damage done to clothing is done when the BP is still drying. If you touch your chin to your collar before the BP is fully absorbed into your skin, your collar will try to absorb some of that. I now avoid this by getting ready in the morning without a shirt, though extreme carefulness could also achieve this. The way the benzoyl peroxide can ruin clothes even after drying is when your face is in contact with something for a long period of time. The biggest example of this is your pillowcase when sleeping. My blue pillowcases are now all splotchy and weird, and I'm actually going to get white ones to avoid this problem. You also might have an issue with clothes that touch your face a lot, such as scarves (or Kakashi cosplays :P). Ultimately, take some care and you will be able to avoid this problem.

 

It also does take some time. How much time it takes depends a lot on how well you can mesh it with your existing schedule. I'm trying to get my shower+shave+brush teeth+regimen+get dressed done in thirty minutes. Most days it takes closer to 40. Add to that breakfast (not skippable, especially if you play sports), preparing lunch, and getting my stuff packed for the day, and I find it hard to get out of the house in under an hour. Doing this quickly takes practice (which you will get) and efficiency (which I personally don't have just yet). Getting the time down depends somewhat on you having something useful and productive to do while the BP dries.

I found that the regimen significantly increased my time spent in the morning and at night, but this may be because I didn't have much of a routine before. If all you do now is roll out of bed and go to school, you're in for a shock like I was. If you're already used to some sort of routine (shower, breakfast, do hair, etc.) it won't actually be so bad.

 

I have little to say on premature wrinkles. This is mostly hearsay, but it's always good to be cautious about stuff like this. We don't really have a lot of long-term data on this stuff. I personally don't have any wrinkles, but then I'm only 20 and have been on this stuff for 10 months or so. It's your gamble on this one.

 

With regards to your sports: I wouldn't worry about the sun damage too much. Someone who already plays a lot of outdoor sports and isn't prone to getting burned probably won't have to worry much about the sun. Know that if you're sweating off your sunscreen, you're also sweating out the benzoyl peroxide, which leaves you neutral. This is ok, as long as you can work in reapplication soon. In the summer I go running outside for a little more than an hour at a time, and I never got a sunburn from that kind of exposure. You're probably out there for longer than that, though. Wear a hat when you can. About how long are you outside per day?

 

Idk... I found that getting rid of my acne was worth all of the side effects. I've been so much healthier socially since then. It's not as if something like Accutane isn't still on my radar, but this is a great solution for now.

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@anna072)

Posted : 01/04/2013 8:10 pm

Thanks for all the info, Luminareo! & During the season I spend anywhere from 2-3 hours out in the sun (plus any days I'm out with friends at the beach or just out in the sun) & interestingly enough I have never gotton a sunburn, just a nice tan. So I don't burn easy meaning you're probably right about not having to worry about the BP so much. But I did worry about it sweating off, will I be able to just cleanse when I get home & reapply the BP during my nightly routine? Instead of adding it back midday. I don't want to increase irritation. Also, do you know of anyone wearing makeup while on the routine? What foundations/powder would you suggest? I can't imagine leaving my house with a bare face..

Quote
MemberMember
4
(@casslz9)

Posted : 01/08/2013 7:47 pm

Thanks for all the info, Luminareo! & During the season I spend anywhere from 2-3 hours out in the sun (plus any days I'm out with friends at the beach or just out in the sun) & interestingly enough I have never gotton a sunburn, just a nice tan. So I don't burn easy meaning you're probably right about not having to worry about the BP so much. But I did worry about it sweating off, will I be able to just cleanse when I get home & reapply the BP during my nightly routine? Instead of adding it back midday. I don't want to increase irritation. Also, do you know of anyone wearing makeup while on the routine? What foundations/powder would you suggest? I can't imagine leaving my house with a bare face..

 

Hi Anna,

I have been using Dan's BP regimen for more than 7 months now and it has worked really well for me. When I started, I had a similar problem as you do. I run outside in the afternoon after my classes for at least an hour most days. I also play soccer to 2 hours once a week. I never got a sunburn but I did ruin a couple of shirts from sweating off the BP. What I currently do is bring makeup removal wipes with me to class and before running, I remove everything on my face (including the BP). Then I just put a thin layer of moisturizer with SPF 15. This is a quick and easy way to prevent the BP from ruining my shirts and to prevent sunburn. As soon as I get home from my workout, I shower and reapply BP as my "night" regimen.

You can absolutely wear makeup while doing the regimen. Just make sure the BP is dry and that you moisturized really well before application. I would suggest a liquid or cream foundation because your skin is going to be very dry, especially for the first few months, and power tends to dry out your skin a little more.

Just remember to start with a small amount of BP and gradually build up. I would highly recommend purchasing jojoba oil to help combat the dry skin and flaking. You can definitely start with using the BP only at night as see how that works for you. It is a good way to introduce your skin to it slowly but eventually you might find that you need the BP in the morning and night. Either way, I would definitely wash your face and apply right after you get home from your after school sports. It is a somewhat tedious and time consuming regimen but if you stick to it, you will see results.

Hope this helps!

anna072 liked
Quote