For 6 years now I've had acne, every now and again I'd get a pustule or something but my main problem is non-inflammatory acne. Aka, whiteheads and blackheads.
About 4 months ago my dermatologist put me on epiduo. I recently stopped using that because of the effect of BP on my skin. It made my acne better but my general skin worse.
The epiduo seemed to help heaps with my bumpy forehead (closed comedones) it didn't clear it 100% but defiantly made me clearer than I'd been in ages.
Now that I've stopped they are reappearing. Every now an again one of them turns into a pustule but usually the ones on my forehead don't. They don't go away on their own either. I'm no longer using any BP product.
I have a dermatologist appointment today, I'm trying to get rid of them without using something too harsh. I stopped BP because it made my skin very sensitive, red, pale, photosensitive and made my Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation stick around for longer.
How well would salicylic acid work for these? Both blackheads and whiteheads? My skin is still sensitive from years of using BP products, so will salicylic acid be too harsh? If not, what specific products would you recommend?
I'll see what my dermatologist says, and get a prescription to whatever she recommends, but I just don't want to ruin my skin any more so if I can improve my skin without harsh prescriptions that would be great!
For 6 years now I've had acne, every now and again I'd get a pustule or something but my main problem is non-inflammatory acne. Aka, whiteheads and blackheads.
About 4 months ago my dermatologist put me on epiduo. I recently stopped using that because of the effect of BP on my skin. It made my acne better but my general skin worse.
The epiduo seemed to help heaps with my bumpy forehead (closed comedones) it didn't clear it 100% but defiantly made me clearer than I'd been in ages.
Now that I've stopped they are reappearing. Every now an again one of them turns into a pustule but usually the ones on my forehead don't. They don't go away on their own either. I'm no longer using any BP product.
I have a dermatologist appointment today, I'm trying to get rid of them without using something too harsh. I stopped BP because it made my skin very sensitive, red, pale, photosensitive and made my Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation stick around for longer.
How well would salicylic acid work for these? Both blackheads and whiteheads? My skin is still sensitive from years of using BP products, so will salicylic acid be too harsh? If not, what specific products would you recommend?
I'll see what my dermatologist says, and get a prescription to whatever she recommends, but I just don't want to ruin my skin any more so if I can improve my skin without harsh prescriptions that would be great!
Oh boy, ugh closed comedones are the worst! I'd say they are just as stubborn as cystic acne. They are the hardest to get rid of and you gotta use the big guns for them. These are my main problem and mine turn into cystic acne sometimes.
Things that can help are:
Using supplements/prescriptions to control oil productions. Use the right ones though! Low androgen birth control is the easiest for women to use and it works. Saw palmetto works for men as its an androgen blocker. Androgen is the hormone responsible for our skins oil production. Make sure you get the okay from your doctor before you use these.
Salicylic acid peels can be done once a week and may help things gradually. They are very easy to do at home. Makeup artists choice has great at home peels. I've used the jessner peel from them and loved it.
De la Cruz sulfur ointment. Takes forever to see results like, 4 months. It causes a really bad initial outbreak though because it breaks up keratin and tries to push it out of the pores. Some comedones come out easy but others have trouble, get all inflamed and look very nasty. It works though!
Steaming followed by extractions. This if done correctly can help tremendously!
Mandelic acid is like a bha aha combo and helps a lot but its very strong and should only be used once a week. I like the makeup artists choice 5% mandelic acid toner.
Hope this helps and also hope some others share their opinions on what helps with closed comedones.
Good luck! 
Oh boy, ugh closed comedones are the worst! I'd say they are just as stubborn as cystic acne. They are the hardest to get rid of and you gotta use the big guns for them. These are my main problem and mine turn into cystic acne sometimes.
Things that can help are:
Using supplements/prescriptions to control oil productions. Use the right ones though! Low androgen birth control is the easiest for women to use and it works. Saw palmetto works for men as its an androgen blocker. Androgen is the hormone responsible for our skins oil production. Make sure you get the okay from your doctor before you use these.
Salicylic acid peels can be done once a week and may help things gradually. They are very easy to do at home. Makeup artists choice has great at home peels. I've used the jessner peel from them and loved it.
De la Cruz sulfur ointment. Takes forever to see results like, 4 months. It causes a really bad initial outbreak though because it breaks up keratin and tries to push it out of the pores. Some comedones come out easy but others have trouble, get all inflamed and look very nasty. It works though!
Steaming followed by extractions. This if done correctly can help tremendously!
Mandelic acid is like a bha aha combo and helps a lot but its very strong and should only be used once a week. I like the makeup artists choice 5% mandelic acid toner.
Hope this helps and also hope some others share their opinions on what helps with closed comedones.
Good luck!
I agree! Mine have never turned into cystic acne, sometimes they get inflamed and become a pustule but not very often. I wouldn't mind that if the pustule would then go away and that's the end of it. But no, either my closed comedones don't go away or they eventually do only to be replaced by more! It's a never ending cycle 
.
I just realised that I didn't put the tablets I am using in it. Well currently I am on the birth control Estelle 35 (which I've been using for about 3-4 months now, my dermatologist said its not until this point that I'll start seeing results, fingers crossed!). I just started on a zinc supplement after researching and reading online about its benefits for acne. I'll have to wait at least a month before seeing any results from that though.
I actually just got out of the dermatologist office, she tried to get me back on epiduo but I refused! She had differin gel as a backup (asked me to try epiduo and it i couldn't handle it then try differin) so she decided to just have me go on that. I'm skeptic, just because I am about everything I put on my skin. So any acids etc would defiantly be too much for my skin to handle (at least until it gets used to differin). Once I'm used to it I'll look more into those acids.
I really don't trust anyone else with my skin, extraction wise. I got a few done when I was getting a facial last year (I didn't know they were going to do it) but because of benzoyl peroxide my skin is very weak, I've tried a few times but it turns into a huge mess!
My dermatologist also prescribed me the antibiotic Doryx. Which she did get me last time but my mother didn't realize that I had repeats so I'm starting again. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks for the reply! (:
Oh boy, ugh closed comedones are the worst! I'd say they are just as stubborn as cystic acne. They are the hardest to get rid of and you gotta use the big guns for them. These are my main problem and mine turn into cystic acne sometimes.
Things that can help are:
Using supplements/prescriptions to control oil productions. Use the right ones though! Low androgen birth control is the easiest for women to use and it works. Saw palmetto works for men as its an androgen blocker. Androgen is the hormone responsible for our skins oil production. Make sure you get the okay from your doctor before you use these.
Salicylic acid peels can be done once a week and may help things gradually. They are very easy to do at home. Makeup artists choice has great at home peels. I've used the jessner peel from them and loved it.
De la Cruz sulfur ointment. Takes forever to see results like, 4 months. It causes a really bad initial outbreak though because it breaks up keratin and tries to push it out of the pores. Some comedones come out easy but others have trouble, get all inflamed and look very nasty. It works though!
Steaming followed by extractions. This if done correctly can help tremendously!
Mandelic acid is like a bha aha combo and helps a lot but its very strong and should only be used once a week. I like the makeup artists choice 5% mandelic acid toner.
Hope this helps and also hope some others share their opinions on what helps with closed comedones.
Good luck!
I agree! Mine have never turned into cystic acne, sometimes they get inflamed and become a pustule but not very often. I wouldn't mind that if the pustule would then go away and that's the end of it. But no, either my closed comedones don't go away or they eventually do only to be replaced by more! It's a never ending cycle
I just realised that I didn't put the tablets I am using in it. Well currently I am on the birth control Estelle 35 (which I've been using for about 3-4 months now, my dermatologist said its not until this point that I'll start seeing results, fingers crossed!). I just started on a zinc supplement after researching and reading online about its benefits for acne. I'll have to wait at least a month before seeing any results from that though.
I actually just got out of the dermatologist office, she tried to get me back on epiduo but I refused! She had differin gel as a backup (asked me to try epiduo and it i couldn't handle it then try differin) so she decided to just have me go on that. I'm skeptic, just because I am about everything I put on my skin. So any acids etc would defiantly be too much for my skin to handle (at least until it gets used to differin). Once I'm used to it I'll look more into those acids.
I really don't trust anyone else with my skin, extraction wise. I got a few done when I was getting a facial last year (I didn't know they were going to do it) but because of benzoyl peroxide my skin is very weak, I've tried a few times but it turns into a huge mess!
My dermatologist also prescribed me the antibiotic Doryx. Which she did get me last time but my mother didn't realize that I had repeats so I'm starting again. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks for the reply! (:
I would just use the prescription topical your derm suggested. Retinoids work pretty well on closed comedones. Stay on your BC and zinc and get some probiotics. You can eat Dannon activia or go to whole foods a buy probiotic supplements. Only buy the kind in the freezer section. Probiotics must be kept in the fridge so that's how you can tell the quality of the probiotic. Other than that I'd say your good!
Oh boy, ugh closed comedones are the worst! I'd say they are just as stubborn as cystic acne. They are the hardest to get rid of and you gotta use the big guns for them. These are my main problem and mine turn into cystic acne sometimes.
Things that can help are:
Using supplements/prescriptions to control oil productions. Use the right ones though! Low androgen birth control is the easiest for women to use and it works. Saw palmetto works for men as its an androgen blocker. Androgen is the hormone responsible for our skins oil production. Make sure you get the okay from your doctor before you use these.
Salicylic acid peels can be done once a week and may help things gradually. They are very easy to do at home. Makeup artists choice has great at home peels. I've used the jessner peel from them and loved it.
De la Cruz sulfur ointment. Takes forever to see results like, 4 months. It causes a really bad initial outbreak though because it breaks up keratin and tries to push it out of the pores. Some comedones come out easy but others have trouble, get all inflamed and look very nasty. It works though!
Steaming followed by extractions. This if done correctly can help tremendously!
Mandelic acid is like a bha aha combo and helps a lot but its very strong and should only be used once a week. I like the makeup artists choice 5% mandelic acid toner.
Hope this helps and also hope some others share their opinions on what helps with closed comedones.
Good luck!
I agree! Mine have never turned into cystic acne, sometimes they get inflamed and become a pustule but not very often. I wouldn't mind that if the pustule would then go away and that's the end of it. But no, either my closed comedones don't go away or they eventually do only to be replaced by more! It's a never ending cycle
I just realised that I didn't put the tablets I am using in it. Well currently I am on the birth control Estelle 35 (which I've been using for about 3-4 months now, my dermatologist said its not until this point that I'll start seeing results, fingers crossed!). I just started on a zinc supplement after researching and reading online about its benefits for acne. I'll have to wait at least a month before seeing any results from that though.
I actually just got out of the dermatologist office, she tried to get me back on epiduo but I refused! She had differin gel as a backup (asked me to try epiduo and it i couldn't handle it then try differin) so she decided to just have me go on that. I'm skeptic, just because I am about everything I put on my skin. So any acids etc would defiantly be too much for my skin to handle (at least until it gets used to differin). Once I'm used to it I'll look more into those acids.
I really don't trust anyone else with my skin, extraction wise. I got a few done when I was getting a facial last year (I didn't know they were going to do it) but because of benzoyl peroxide my skin is very weak, I've tried a few times but it turns into a huge mess!
My dermatologist also prescribed me the antibiotic Doryx. Which she did get me last time but my mother didn't realize that I had repeats so I'm starting again. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks for the reply! (:
I would just use the prescription topical your derm suggested. Retinoids work pretty well on closed comedones. Stay on your BC and zinc and get some probiotics. You can eat Dannon activia or go to whole foods a buy probiotic supplements. Only buy the kind in the freezer section. Probiotics must be kept in the fridge so that's how you can tell the quality of the probiotic. Other than that I'd say your good!
Oh boy, ugh closed comedones are the worst! I'd say they are just as stubborn as cystic acne. They are the hardest to get rid of and you gotta use the big guns for them. These are my main problem and mine turn into cystic acne sometimes.
Things that can help are:
Using supplements/prescriptions to control oil productions. Use the right ones though! Low androgen birth control is the easiest for women to use and it works. Saw palmetto works for men as its an androgen blocker. Androgen is the hormone responsible for our skins oil production. Make sure you get the okay from your doctor before you use these.
Salicylic acid peels can be done once a week and may help things gradually. They are very easy to do at home. Makeup artists choice has great at home peels. I've used the jessner peel from them and loved it.
De la Cruz sulfur ointment. Takes forever to see results like, 4 months. It causes a really bad initial outbreak though because it breaks up keratin and tries to push it out of the pores. Some comedones come out easy but others have trouble, get all inflamed and look very nasty. It works though!
Steaming followed by extractions. This if done correctly can help tremendously!
Mandelic acid is like a bha aha combo and helps a lot but its very strong and should only be used once a week. I like the makeup artists choice 5% mandelic acid toner.
Hope this helps and also hope some others share their opinions on what helps with closed comedones.
Good luck!
I agree! Mine have never turned into cystic acne, sometimes they get inflamed and become a pustule but not very often. I wouldn't mind that if the pustule would then go away and that's the end of it. But no, either my closed comedones don't go away or they eventually do only to be replaced by more! It's a never ending cycle
I just realised that I didn't put the tablets I am using in it. Well currently I am on the birth control Estelle 35 (which I've been using for about 3-4 months now, my dermatologist said its not until this point that I'll start seeing results, fingers crossed!). I just started on a zinc supplement after researching and reading online about its benefits for acne. I'll have to wait at least a month before seeing any results from that though.
I actually just got out of the dermatologist office, she tried to get me back on epiduo but I refused! She had differin gel as a backup (asked me to try epiduo and it i couldn't handle it then try differin) so she decided to just have me go on that. I'm skeptic, just because I am about everything I put on my skin. So any acids etc would defiantly be too much for my skin to handle (at least until it gets used to differin). Once I'm used to it I'll look more into those acids.
I really don't trust anyone else with my skin, extraction wise. I got a few done when I was getting a facial last year (I didn't know they were going to do it) but because of benzoyl peroxide my skin is very weak, I've tried a few times but it turns into a huge mess!
My dermatologist also prescribed me the antibiotic Doryx. Which she did get me last time but my mother didn't realize that I had repeats so I'm starting again. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks for the reply! (:
I would just use the prescription topical your derm suggested. Retinoids work pretty well on closed comedones. Stay on your BC and zinc and get some probiotics. You can eat Dannon activia or go to whole foods a buy probiotic supplements. Only buy the kind in the freezer section. Probiotics must be kept in the fridge so that's how you can tell the quality of the probiotic. Other than that I'd say your good!
Thanks, I'm starting on the new retinoids tomorrow. I've also got a doctors appointment tomorrow so I'll ask what probiotic she recommends.
What's working for me right now is 2.5%BP, then CeraVe cream, and finally Zinc/Sulfur cream on top. Pretty much all my comedones are gone now. But I would say manual extractions did help the process along.
Well as I said BP did work very well, but just made my general skin tone worse. I'm hoping differin works just as well, without all th horrible side effects (:
