I'm a 16 year old female who has been struggling with acne that is either considered mild or moderate for the past few years. I've tried proactiv, Clinique, doxycycline, retin A and cod liver oil. Cod liver oil worked pretty well there for a little while, and then I upped my dosage I was taking, and my skin started to break out. I went back to how many pills I was taking and it didnt make a difference. I ordered fermented cod liver oil instead of using the one from the grocery store. It hasn't been working. My face is broke out terribly, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I also use clean and clear deep action sensitive skin face wash twice a day, and have been using retin A for years. My acne is in the T zone and it seems to be mostly under the skin, making my skin look red and uneven. Someone please tell me what is causing this, is it hormonal, bacterial, foods, what is it?
Hello
Most people with acne aren't doing anything wrong in terms of skin care; they are simply unlucky enough to be genetically predisposed to acne.
Have you seen a skin doctor (Dermatologist)?
You haven't yet tried Accutane or hormonal treatments such as oral contraceptives, both of which are particularly effective for acne associated with oily skin:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/118/3/1188.full.pdf+html
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/131/Supplement_3/S163.full.pdf
Good luck
I have spoken to a dermatologist, and he actually did prescribe Accutane to me, but it was right around prom and I did not want to experience the initial breakout of it. And then shortly after I found cod liver oil. I was considering going on Accutane but I'm worried about the initial breakout and the negative side effects.
First of all, stop the retin A and the cod liver oil. They are obviously not working for you.Maybe your body just didn't need the cod liver oil after a while, and that could be why you broke out. Try a gentler approach for at least a few weeks to let your skin calm down, you have used many harsh chemicals on your face and you need to have a break from them to let your skin heal on its own. Aloe vera, honey masks, and a gentle cleanser (no SLS, no acids) can help you balance your skin's PH.
I can't tell you what's causing your acne unless you post some photos and go over your daily routine for us (including diet, stress, exercise). You are 16, so acne is not uncommon. I would recommend going to see a dermatologist and/ or a naturopath, and a good esthetician who can perform extractions & exfoliation for acne under the skin. Get tested for hormonal imbalances, allergies, and vitamin deficiencies if you can afford it.
First of all, stop the retin A and the cod liver oil. They are obviously not working for you.Maybe your body just didn't need the cod liver oil after a while, and that could be why you broke out. Try a gentler approach for at least a few weeks to let your skin calm down, you have used many harsh chemicals on your face and you need to have a break from them to let your skin heal on its own. Aloe vera, honey masks, and a gentle cleanser (no SLS, no acids) can help you balance your skin's PH.
I'm a little apprehensive about stopping any treatments to let my skin calm down because I'm afraid it will break out worse than it is now.
If you don't want to quit cold turkey, then decrease the amount you use on your skin. If you are sensitive to retinoids, salicylates, benzoyl peroxide, and/or sulfites you might just be aggravating your acne with all these products. Also, it's not uncommon to develop a sensitivity to something you have been using for a while. I developed an allergy to proactiv and couldn't use any products with benzoyl peroxide because they made my face red. If you bombard your face with chemicals, guess what, it will fight back.
If you don't want to quit cold turkey, then decrease the amount you use on your skin. If you are sensitive to retinoids, salicylates, benzoyl peroxide, and/or sulfites you might just be aggravating your acne with all these products. Also, it's not uncommon to develop a sensitivity to something you have been using for a while. I developed an allergy to proactiv and couldn't use any products with benzoyl peroxide because they made my face red. If you bombard your face with chemicals, guess what, it will fight back.
Yeah, I understand what you're saying! I'll reduce the amount I use of the retin a. But also, I've been exfoliating my skin with an exfoliating face wash once a week, will this help or hurt in your opinion?
what kind of exfoliating face wash? I don't think that's the main issue, especially if it's gentle. I use mineral fusion's exfoliator a few days a week, and even leave it on for a couple of minutes as a mask to fully absorb the ingredients. If you are scrubbing the skin too hard it can cause irritation, depending on how big the grains are in your exfoliator.
Also, if you wear makeup, make sure you take it off before you go to bed, which you probably are already doing anyways.
what kind of exfoliating face wash? I don't think that's the main issue, especially if it's gentle. I use mineral fusion's exfoliator a few days a week, and even leave it on for a couple of minutes as a mask to fully absorb the ingredients. If you are scrubbing the skin too hard it can cause irritation, depending on how big the grains are in your exfoliator.
Also, if you wear makeup, make sure you take it off before you go to bed, which you probably are already doing anyways.
I was using my moms exfoliating wash, but it was for mature and aging skin. That one was gentle, but I obviously don't have mature skin haha. The one I just bought and I used tonight was Clean and Clear deep action exfoliating wash.