Little backstory..
My skin is naturally oily, and annoying at that. My father told me at a young age when we were discussing "taking care of yourself" and "regular boys' stuff" that I would have acne pretty bad. Both my mom and dad fought acne for several years, but eventually got over it. Just from looking at them you can see a sheen on their face, as do I even after a rigorous showering.
So, I've been battling acne now for about 8 years. Started sprouting zits around the typical, ripe age of 16. Looking back on my teens I feel that I really messed up. I ate absolute shit for food, lived on carbonated beverages(sprite was my favorite), and just plain didn't take care of myself like I should have been- I'm by no means even near overweight. I had the naive mindset that acne was a passing phase and I would just "ride it out" and it would be gone. What's left is a lot of redness, scarring, and regret.
My derm had me on a few medications, one that I remember is Retin-A. I'm sure there were more but it's been far too long to remember.
I've been on a plethora of medications, creams, cleansers, moisturizers, etc., some even recommended from a physician. My chest and neck areas have it the worst. Face has the occasional pimple here and there, but for the most part it's the chest and neck that I'm most embarassed of. My acne is not really a cluster of pimples, moreso larger, more aggressive pimples that stay for awhile.
What kind of acne?
The most common are lumps(not sure what the actual name for these are) that form on my neck, top of shoulders, and mid-chest. These are quite bothersome. They seem to be dormant, do not pop, and are gone within a week or a few. My chest and shoulders are very red and blotchy, whiteheads are not uncommon. Most shiny redness.
I also get really bad pimples on the sides of my nose(not actually on the nose), temples, and upper-chin/lower lip areas. Some easily pop and secrete, others tend to stay for days on end despite applications. These leave the worst scar and red blothes.
What have I done?
Well, for the past four years I've cut out most sweets and may induldge in soda maybe once a month or two. I stay far away from soda as I can and usally opt for an iced tea if I go out to eat. I've been active in my daily routines and fitness and watch more of what I eat(more salads, natural foods, fruits, veggies, etc). I also take Opti-Men twice a day as a multi-vitamin. I'm okay with drinking spring water on a daily basis and have recently been drinking green tea from Lipton. I'm on DK's regimen. I apply the treatment twice daily(followed by Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Lotion 10% Glycolic AHA Anti-Wrinkle) and use Clean and Clear facial cleanser twice a day in the shower - all applied to the really bad regions of the neck, shoulders, chest and back. I was on DK's regimen a few years ago and didn't see the best results, but I also wasn't following the treatment to a T. It's been about a week on DK's regimen. Just keep this up? Should I be seeing results at this stage?
This next month I want to be kicking it up to high gear.
Why am I here?
I just want to know what is causing this and the best route for my condition. Is my acne simple hereditary? Is it what I eat really making a difference? What treatments can be used? Please do not recommend accu-tane. I do not believe my acne is near that severe to warrant such a resort. At this point in time, it's not as bad as it once was.
Any tips or suggestions, dos/donts/should bes are greatly appreciated.
Some sample pictures of what best represents my condition..
If you need actual pics let me know. I am reluctant to post pics online, but if need be.....
I'd start washing your body with panoxyl (10% BP wash) and applying BP gel (5-10%) to every area with acne you can reach at night. Change your sheets regularly and start washing all your clothes with fragrance/dye free laundry detergent. Do you also sweat a lot? If that clean and clear's main ingredient is SA it's probably worthless against your body/neck acne. BP works a lot better at drying up acne and oil. Trust me, you will see results, but you need to be religious about it. As for your diet, low glycemic diets can help combat acne. If you're going to eat grains make sure they're whole grains/sprouted, avoid dairy and processed foods as much as you can. I can't say if your acne is hereditary, neither of my parents had acne but lucky me was blessed with it lol.
Avoid dairy products 100%!!!! When I eliminated that from my diet I noticed a huge difference. Also eliminate any soda, the best thing to drink is WATER everyday all day! Once you keep having it you won't even miss the soda anymore. Ice tea is just as bad because it has a lot of sugar which should also be avoided along with wheat products. I tend to but gluten free products or if need be rye bread. Also try having 3 drops of oregano oil every night, it tastes awful but rely does help. I also take probiotics daily which are not harmful to the body and actually recommended for everyone to take, even those without acne. If you do have unwanted scars remaining I would recommend doing microdermabrasion or photo facials- this is what has helped me out. Your skin may be different so I cannot guarantee results. Goodluck!
I agree, dairy products almost always cause break out and is very inflammatory to my skin. When I say dairy product, that includes even the tiny bits of milk I add to my coffee or butter I spread on my toast in the morning. I relapse here and there (it's impossible to completely discontinue eating dairy), but I almost always will have a small bump developing the day after I consume milk or butter, irrespective of quantity.
DUDE i have just this very same thing you do! I didn't try to stay on diet it sounds really impossible to me, although I think I'll reconsider my daily menu and go off the milk chocolate, but how can someone avoid dairy products i don't get??!! I love milk and I drink like 400g every day. I don't know if it might be the reason of my acne and I can't believe something as harmless as milk could make anyone look so ugly...
I wouldn't call milk "harmless." Do some research and you will see that the dairy industry is full of corruption and unethical dealings. They give cows growth hormones and antibiotics to increase milk production, which in term you ingest these hormonal and chemical residues. You are at the top of the food chain and that is why your body become a reservoir for the accumulation of these exotic chemicals and hormones. I wouldn't overlook the issue with dairy products just because they look benign and they taste great.
If one cannot stay away from milk, at least switch to a better alternative such as organic milk.