I believe you may have a few things that could be causing your breakout, the most glaring is the use of St. Ives Apricot Scrub while using the regimen. Please try to remove this product from your regimen, as it may be causing excessive irritation. Also, for the length of your breakout, you may want to complete the regimen twice a day, as per Dan's instructions. Once the breakout has subsided, you may decide to dial down on your BP usage but it seems like you aren't performing the regimen enough, thus causing breakouts. To be sure, please check the acne questionnaire on the sites' home page to ensure you have a better idea of what is causing your breakouts. Best of luck and keep us up to date on your progress!

u should try incorporating AHA (if u dont wanna try dans one u can get the AHA cream @ walmart or the neostrata toning lotion works grreat too), st.ives scrub ehh i dont know about that... physical exfoliates really doesnt do much in terms of exfoliation compared to the superior benefits i've experienced from AHA toners and lotions... u should check out dermtv on youtube that dermotologist explains acne + importance of glycolic acid as an exfoliant (he even calls it liquid gold for the skin LOL)

Good luck!

I believe you may have a few things that could be causing your breakout, the most glaring is the use of St. Ives Apricot Scrub while using the regimen. Please try to remove this product from your regimen, as it may be causing excessive irritation. Also, for the length of your breakout, you may want to complete the regimen twice a day, as per Dan's instructions. Once the breakout has subsided, you may decide to dial down on your BP usage but it seems like you aren't performing the regimen enough, thus causing breakouts. To be sure, please check the acne questionnaire on the sites' home page to ensure you have a better idea of what is causing your breakouts. Best of luck and keep us up to date on your progress!

I do the regimen x2 per day, I just use BP at night because of convenience. I'm a little iffy about the St. Ives scrub too, sometimes it gives me little bumps, but it makes my skin feel so amazing and gets rid of flakes. I don't know if it is necessary though, I may have to give it up. However, when I didn't use it, these blemishes become more frequent and I was wondering if it was because of dead skin build up, but I do see your point. Thanks for the advice.

It may be the food you're eating as well, in addition to the irritants which you're applying to your skin.

UPDATE:

I got a few more bumps today and this motivated me to search harder for answers. I've started back at square one, looking and evaluating all the various acne causes and treatments. Though I have already found an effective treatment for my skin, it seems to be reacting strangely lately to SOMETHING and I can't pinpoint what. I'm wondering if dairy has anything to do with it? It's never affected me before, but then again, this isn't really a type of acne I've experienced before. (Though my skin is for the most part clear) these blemishes or "papules" I guess you could call them have me very worried. I had a lot of dairy today, (milk, cheese and ice-cream) so tomorrow I'm going to see if I can go dairy-free and if that makes a difference.

I'm still frantically searching for answers in all directions like a chicken with its head cut off lol, so again if you have any suggestions for me please do suggest them. I take into advisement everyone's replies

I'm with NYCQueen - get rid of the St Ives and incorporate BP twice per day until you are clear again. Once you are again clear then start to experiment. I'm like you and only apply BP once per day, but every 3 weeks or so I start to see a few blocked pores and under skin bumps appearing and so I up the BP application to twice per day for a few days and until I'm perfectly clear again.

You can't say that you follow the regimen twice per day if you only apply BP once per day and also include a scrub. You are following your own type of regimen, which is perfectly fine but obviously something isn't working at the moment.

Good luck with it all though, god knows we understand how frustrating it is when something that was working perfectly well for you suddenly starts to give less than satisfactory results.

I'm with NYCQueen - get rid of the St Ives and incorporate BP twice per day until you are clear again. Once you are again clear then start to experiment. I'm like you and only apply BP once per day, but every 3 weeks or so I start to see a few blocked pores and under skin bumps appearing and so I up the BP application to twice per day for a few days and until I'm perfectly clear again.

You can't say that you follow the regimen twice per day if you only apply BP once per day and also include a scrub. You are following your own type of regimen, which is perfectly fine but obviously something isn't working at the moment.

Good luck with it all though, god knows we understand how frustrating it is when something that was working perfectly well for you suddenly starts to give less than satisfactory results.

Thanks for the advice... I know that's what I should do - but here's my dilemma. If I put BP on twice a day my skin starts to flake like mad and I look like a lizard that's shedding out of its skin. I'm increasing the amount I use at night (so it would be like I was doing it twice a day) and that seemed to be working for about 4-5 months. It's also very convenient because in the morning it takes way less time to get ready. I've already noticed that I'm starting to flake a little bit due to the increased amount of BP I'm using.

I'm very torn - but if these blemishes continue and don't subside something's gotta change. I'm researching acne treatments at the moment - though I love what the regimen has done and I want to keep using it! Ugh, acne is sooo frustrating! Thanks for the help!

I believe you may have a few things that could be causing your breakout, the most glaring is the use of St. Ives Apricot Scrub while using the regimen. Please try to remove this product from your regimen, as it may be causing excessive irritation. Also, for the length of your breakout, you may want to complete the regimen twice a day, as per Dan's instructions. Once the breakout has subsided, you may decide to dial down on your BP usage but it seems like you aren't performing the regimen enough, thus causing breakouts. To be sure, please check the acne questionnaire on the sites' home page to ensure you have a better idea of what is causing your breakouts. Best of luck and keep us up to date on your progress!

I do the regimen x2 per day, I just use BP at night because of convenience. I'm a little iffy about the St. Ives scrub too, sometimes it gives me little bumps, but it makes my skin feel so amazing and gets rid of flakes. I don't know if it is necessary though, I may have to give it up. However, when I didn't use it, these blemishes become more frequent and I was wondering if it was because of dead skin build up, but I do see your point. Thanks for the advice.

If you are using BP only once a day, you are not performing the regimen proper. The regimen requires BP use twice a day consistently. If you are breaking out, you will need to start using BP twice a day, everyday. You may reduce the amount of BP you use twice a day over time, but you will need to apply it as directed. Also, incorporating AHA will help with exfoliation and reducing the flaky effect of BP, while boosting the regimen results. Best of luck and keep us up to date on your progress.

update:

I have come to the conclusion that the regimen is NOT a one-size-fits-all. "Do this and you WILL get cleared up", is not accurate. Everyone's skin is different. This site should be used to help each other further understand acne and its many causes as well as treatments - not to go forcing a specific skincare regimen onto everyone. The term "regimen" is not STRICTLY for the acne.org regimen steps. The DKR is just there so that way you can get cleared up - then experiment. It's not a sin to create your own regimen and modify it to your likings.

I just had to get that off my chest. As for my skin... Well I suppose it's stable, I'm really trying to avoid irritation with my skin so hopefully the blemishes won't come again tomorrow. Dairy-free thing totally failed. I had cheese pizza for dinner - I hope it won't affect my skin. I don't think dairy is the cause... I'm pretty sure it's weather related, product related or irritation related. See y'all later!

I'm sorry you have not found the results you were anticipating with "the regimen". There are many forums at acne.org that do not follow Dan's regimen. Perhaps you will find the answers you are looking for on those forums. We would never try to "force" the regimen on any user, we just speak from our own experiences, good and bad, regarding our success using Dan's regimen. With that said, please understand that "The Regimen" forum is specific to regimen users. We'd never discourage you from experimenting with your own regimen, however you are asking questions in regard to Dan's regimen, hence the responses you've received for your initial inquiry. We wish you nothing but the best of luck finding what works for your skin type and unique skin care needs. Always, the family at acne.org!

Ugh... Got bumps today. Now there's a total of 5 or 6 on my forehead; two of them are pink/red blemish spots, a few of them are non-pussed filled noninflammatory bumps, and one or two are non-inflamed whiteheads.

I haven't used my St. Ives Apricot Scrub in days since you guys told me not to. I'm not sure if it's making a difference now that I'm not using it, but I'm starting to point fingers at some more of my products.

I've been posting on other forums here but this one is the only one I'm actually getting replies on. I'm doing a lot of research about Extra Virgin, Unrefined, Organic Coconut Oil for acne. 50% of people say it breaks them out horribly and 50% of people say that it works WONDERS on their skin and cleared up all their acne. People complain about Coconut Oil being comodogenic, but I've heard that it's only the refined stuff that's comodogenic. I'm tempted to buy some, and only try a little bit in one area (maybe like one pimple) and see if anything happens. If there are more pimples, I'll stop. If the pimple's gone, I'll experiment. I know this isn't related to the regimen but I need answers. If you all want to check out the question I posted it's here

i am sorry that you are not experiencing the results you once got. i know that feeling all too well (see my accutane log for details). You are right that The Regimen nor any regiment will work for 100%. On that same note, if you are not using a regimen to the T then you can't say that it doesn't work. But i hear ya on the dryness and you have to do whats best for your skin.

Good Luck

BTW - i disagree with your statement regarding the boards being solely for The Regimen. I don't think they push their products on anyone as i have been a member since 2011 and have tried several other regimens and met so many awesome people and have learned so much about acne - things that had nothing to do with The Regimen. Your frustration is understandable as i go through it every time a product, holistic method or diet promises to help my acne and i find myself back to square one. If you ever need to chat, feel free to PM me

I heard fungus around the house increases acne