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Microderm To Boost Regimen?

MemberMember
22
(@lizardanne)

Posted : 08/12/2013 1:07 pm

Hey all. :)

I'm starting my 6th week of the Regimen tomorrow! Eep! There has definitely been some improvement, but I'm still feeling impatient with my skin. It's very red and flaky, and my breakouts are taking FOREVER to go away. They're so stubborn, it's ridiculous. One side of my face is pretty much clear, but the other is failing. My forehead isn't in the greatest shape either due to a recent switch in birth control, but I suppose it's also slowly getting better.

I used to get microdermabrasion treatments and extractions (called "acne surgery") when I was seeing a dermatologist, and I was just wondering if that might be a good or bad idea on the Regimen. They've always sped the process along in the past, but maybe now it'll just be extra irritation?

I need some advice...I'm an extremely impatient person and I'm quite jealous of the progress people have at this point, which I feel like I should be experiencing by now.

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115
(@moonlitriver)

Posted : 08/12/2013 1:46 pm

I have absolutely no experience with microdermabrasion myself but I would be inclined to avoid any extra irritations while you're using the Regimen. I know it's such a patience test but at week 6 it's really not unusual to still be experiencing breakouts. It took me a lot longer than this to see the results I wanted, which I'm not saying to scare you because it sounds like your skin is generally responding well and will probably clear up quicker than mine did, but is just to let you know that you will certainly not be the only one experiencing frustration at this point in the Regimen.

If I were you I would just keep doing what you're doing and try to give your skin a bit more time to respond to the Regimen, difficult as I know that will be. Three months is really the kind of timeframe you should be thinking in for deciding whether or not the Regimen's going to work for you, although you're quite likely to experience at least some results well before that. I hope that helps and isn't too discouraging!

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22
(@lizardanne)

Posted : 08/12/2013 1:57 pm

Thanks for your response! That's plenty encouraging, I appreciate your advice. smile.png I'm glad this forum exists, otherwise I would've given up weeks ago. I'll keep avoiding straying from the Regimen. How long were you on it for? I see you're not using it anymore?

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115
(@moonlitriver)

Posted : 08/12/2013 2:10 pm

Thanks for your response! That's plenty encouraging, I appreciate your advice. smile.png I'm glad this forum exists, otherwise I would've given up weeks ago. I'll keep avoiding straying from the Regimen. How long were you on it for? I see you're not using it anymore?

No problem :) it's just my personal opinion so obviously you can do whatever you like with it!

I was on it for about a year and a half and it did clear my skin eventually. Unfortunately I just had to give it up in the end because my skin was so sensitive that it couldn't tolerate that amount of benzoyl peroxide. By which I mean that however much moisturiser and jojoba oil I used I was never able to actually get rid of the dry, red, flakey skin effect that you get at the start of the Regimen in the whole one and a half years. My skin was just constantly an angry red and really dry and sore, making it impossible for me to even cover it with make-up, so I ended up deciding it was no better than the original acne! Sort of regretting it now that I'm having absolutely horrific breakouts though... They're much worse now than they ever were before the Regimen and I'm so desperate to get them under control that I've even succumbed to using Epiduo having sworn I wouldn't touch benzoyl peroxide again. What a sorry tale haha.

Anyway, please don't let that deter you! I think my skin is just unusually sensitive, it always has been, and the fact remains that the Regimen did clear my acne even if the side-effects were to much for me to deal with in the end. From what I've read on these forums over the past 2 years most people seem to get really great results from the Regimen if they give it enough time, patience and dedication so there's every reason to think your experience will be the same :)

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(@lizardanne)

Posted : 08/12/2013 2:20 pm

Thanks for your response! That's plenty encouraging, I appreciate your advice. smile.png I'm glad this forum exists, otherwise I would've given up weeks ago. I'll keep avoiding straying from the Regimen. How long were you on it for? I see you're not using it anymore?

No problem smile.png it's just my personal opinion so obviously you can do whatever you like with it!

I was on it for about a year and a half and it did clear my skin eventually. Unfortunately I just had to give it up in the end because my skin was so sensitive that it couldn't tolerate that amount of benzoyl peroxide. By which I mean that however much moisturiser and jojoba oil I used I was never able to actually get rid of the dry, red, flakey skin effect that you get at the start of the Regimen in the whole one and a half years. My skin was just constantly an angry red and really dry and sore, making it impossible for me to even cover it with make-up, so I ended up deciding it was no better than the original acne! Sort of regretting it now that I'm having absolutely horrific breakouts though... They're much worse now than they ever were before the Regimen and I'm so desperate to get them under control that I've even succumbed to using Epiduo having sworn I wouldn't touch benzoyl peroxide again. What a sorry tale haha.

Anyway, please don't let that deter you! I think my skin is just unusually sensitive, it always has been, and the fact remains that the Regimen did clear my acne even if the side-effects were to much for me to deal with in the end. From what I've read on these forums over the past 2 years most people seem to get really great results from the Regimen if they give it enough time, patience and dedication so there's every reason to think your experience will be the same smile.png

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that your side effects were so uncomfortable. :( I've heard horror stories of dropping the Regimen, not sure why that is. I suppose there's always Accutane but I wouldn't be too eager to try that. I hope your new Regimen is successful! There's definitely something that works for everyone. And thanks again. :D

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115
(@moonlitriver)

Posted : 08/12/2013 2:46 pm

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that your side effects were so uncomfortable. sad.png I've heard horror stories of dropping the Regimen, not sure why that is. I suppose there's always Accutane but I wouldn't be too eager to try that. I hope your new Regimen is successful! There's definitely something that works for everyone. And thanks again. biggrin.png

Well yeh, as you say there's something that works for everyone but for me the Regimen just wasn't it! Thank you, I'm on a mission to avoid Accutane so am hoping against hope that what I'm trying at the moment will eventually work! Good luck with your Regimen journey, I really hope you get the results you're looking for! :)

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20
(@xxyy)

Posted : 08/12/2013 3:16 pm

I've had microdermabrasion in the past and i didnt really rate it, it didnt do anymore more than using st ives scrub except it was more irritating and made my face feel sunburned. I'd stay the heeeeeeeeeeell evil.gif away from it on the regimen. If you want to exfoliate, try the AHA if youre not already using it :)

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MemberMember
22
(@lizardanne)

Posted : 08/12/2013 3:20 pm

I've had microdermabrasion in the past and i didnt really rate it, it didnt do anymore more than using st ives scrub except it was more irritating and made my face feel sunburned. I'd stay the heeeeeeeeeeell evil.gif away from it on the regimen. If you want to exfoliate, try the AHA if youre not already using it smile.png

Thanks, you have such a good point. I suppose I just enjoyed the extractions more than the actual microderm. My esthetician was so skilled at removing acne. Now I mostly have to do it chemically. Urgh. I am using AHA though, and I've been pretty pleased with it so far. :)

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MemberMember
20
(@xxyy)

Posted : 08/12/2013 4:08 pm

I've had microdermabrasion in the past and i didnt really rate it, it didnt do anymore more than using st ives scrub except it was more irritating and made my face feel sunburned. I'd stay the heeeeeeeeeeell evil.gif away from it on the regimen. If you want to exfoliate, try the AHA if youre not already using it smile.png

Thanks, you have such a good point. I suppose I just enjoyed the extractions more than the actual microderm. My esthetician was so skilled at removing acne. Now I mostly have to do it chemically. Urgh. I am using AHA though, and I've been pretty pleased with it so far. smile.png

If you trust that she can do the extractions without scarring or irritating you could go to her just for that if you know it helps :)

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122
(@ayeaye)

Posted : 08/12/2013 8:45 pm

Don't do it!!!! I was tempted to use my dermalogica exfoliating beads at around the 5 month mark. My skin was clear of acne and fully adjusted to BP so I didn't think it would be an issue. I was going to a very special occasion that night and I remembered how nice my skin felt after exfoliating and so I went for it. That night my skin looked great, my makeup went on perfectly because my skin was smooth and soft and I was so glad that I had decided to exfoliate. Until 3 days later when I had about 10 (no exaggeration) new pimples pop up. I was so angry at myself for succumbing to temptation and I had to wait out another 3 weeks until I was clear again.

You've just got to learn to be patient my friend. The regimen WILL work but you have to follow it exactly and not add or take away any steps. Have a look at what you are doing, re-look at the regimen steps to make sure you are following them exactly, take a deep breath and remember that the last 6 weeks would have gone by regardless of whether you were following the regimen or not. smile.png

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MemberMember
22
(@lizardanne)

Posted : 08/13/2013 8:29 am

Don't do it!!!! I was tempted to use my dermalogica exfoliating beads at around the 5 month mark. My skin was clear of acne and fully adjusted to BP so I didn't think it would be an issue. I was going to a very special occasion that night and I remembered how nice my skin felt after exfoliating and so I went for it. That night my skin looked great, my makeup went on perfectly because my skin was smooth and soft and I was so glad that I had decided to exfoliate. Until 3 days later when I had about 10 (no exaggeration) new pimples pop up. I was so angry at myself for succumbing to temptation and I had to wait out another 3 weeks until I was clear again.

You've just got to learn to be patient my friend. The regimen WILL work but you have to follow it exactly and not add or take away any steps. Have a look at what you are doing, re-look at the regimen steps to make sure you are following them exactly, take a deep breath and remember that the last 6 weeks would have gone by regardless of whether you were following the regimen or not. smile.png

You're right. Thanks. It's just discouraging when there are so many whiteheads and red marks, but I went on a bit of a frenzy and popped them last night. Although we concluded it's probably not the end of the world to remove them I can't help but get nervous about it since it's not professionally done! Argh

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2
(@juicy-c)

Posted : 08/16/2013 11:54 am

Don't use anything like that until u are clear trust me.

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1
(@mdp703)

Posted : 08/16/2013 12:55 pm

I have a different opinion about microdermabrasion so I thought I would throw it up here. I think one problem with microdermabrasion is that there are many different types and there are many different levels of experience of the clinicians performing them. I am a lover of microdermabrasion. i have had probably 20-30 microdermabrasions over the past 10 years in multiple cities, multiple clinics, and by multiple clinicians. Some of these have been horrible and some of them have been amazing. Based on my experiences, here is my advice:

First, finding a good skilled clinician is important. Go by recommendations of people you know if you can or you may have to shop around. I've had some people absolutely know how to perform one without extra irritation and I've had other people bruise my face. Huge difference.

Second, there are multiple types of microdermabrasion and I think this is very important if you are on the regimen. The most common type of microdermabrasion is with a machine that uses both vacuum and crystals...that is, it sucks everything out of your pores as the crystals are used to take extra skin and clogging out. This type I find more irritating, although if i have whiteheads, it is much more effective than other types. Nonetheless, I would not use this on the regimen. A second type is the diamond tipped. This uses a vaccuum but no crystals, which means it simply sucks the dead skin off your face without using any abrasive methods. There is still some mild irritation (I am red after), but not even close to the irritation as the crystal kind. And lastly, when I was in Montreal, i was fortunate to go to a very high technology dermatology clinic that offered a new ultrasonic microdermabrasion. It uses ultrasonic technology to stimulate your cells to get them to shed themselves. I had absolutely no irritation with this myself and it worked beautifully. If I could, i would continue going for these, but I no longer live there and ultrasonic microdermabrasion is very difficult to find.

Last but not least, no matter what type of microdermabrasion you may decide to use, they always ask that you go without harsh products usually at least 24 hours before and for another 24 hours or more after. This may impact your regimen for those of us that find we notice changes if we skip a treatment.

I hope this information is helpful. I am probably in the minority since i am a fan of microdermabrasion. It never fully cleared me, but I do know that it has helped depending on the factors above.

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MemberMember
38
(@brandolynn)

Posted : 08/17/2013 8:15 pm

From Dan (the FAQ's):

Q Can I get microdermabrasion treatments while on The Regimen?

A Microdermabrasion creates unnecessary irritation. Irritation from microdermabrasion treatments can perpetuate the acne cycle. A much better way to exfoliate the skin is to simply add glycolic acid into The Regimen after 3-4 weeks. If you add it before this amount of time has passed, it can sting badly, so be sure to wait. Glycolic acid is an acid derived from sugarcane which provides chemical exfoliation. This form of chemical exfoliation is superior to manual exfoliation for acne-prone individuals because it helps you avoid irritation. Plus, glycolic acid actually helps with acne symptoms and is a welcome addition to The Regimen.

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