Hi! I'm a 22-year-old female who's been struggling with adult-onset acne for the past year. I came across The Regimen recently and decided to give it a try. I'm going to document my progress here in an effort to objectively assess the effects of treatment. I'd love to get advice/insight from long-time regimen followers, and hopefully this post will help other people who are just starting out!
Skin History
As a teen, I had mild acne that responded well to Proactiv. In college, my skin stayed under control with minimal effort -- just rinsing and BP spot treatment for the occasional blemish or two. Last summer I started breaking out more severely and my skin hasn't calmed down since. My acne has gotten a lot worse in recent months, and I've tried numerous product combos without success.
Skin Type
I have patches of under-the-skin white heads that crop up all over the place as well as bigger "red heads" and the occasional painful cyst in problem areas - cheeks, temples, forehead, under the nose, and chin. My skin is generally oily and sensitive (I am very fair-skinned). My acne is itchy and "burny" sometimes. In addition, I have some "red heads" on my chest and upper back.
Products
I ordered the Acne.org products but am using drugstore variants until they arrive. Here's what I'm currently using twice a day:
1. CeraVe foaming cleanser
2. Neutrogena on-the-spot 2.5% BP treatment
3. Neutrogena oil-free moisture for combination skin
I follow the standard protocol, except that I typically wait <5 mins between steps 1 and 2 (my skin dries quickly and BP seems to absorb readily), and >15 mins between steps 2 and 3 (BP dries slowly).
Daily Progress
Day 1: 4/4
- TR (The Regimen) ~10 pm, tsp (teaspoon) BP
Day 2: 4/5
- Skin looked calmer when I woke up
- TR ~11 am, tsp BP
- Noticed "sweaty" feeling from moisturizer in afternoon --> decided to use more sparingly
- At ~4 pm, noticed several new breakouts/red areas
- Popped a few pimples (I know this is bad but it's a hard habit to break!)
- Repeated TR ~4 pm, tsp BP
- TR ~ 11 pm, tsp BP
Day 3: 4/6
- Again, skin looked better in a.m.
- TR ~ 9 am, tsp BP
- Small areas of dry/peely skin under nose
- Noticed new set of whiteheads on right temple
- TR ~ 9 pm, 2 tsp BP
To be continued...
Thanks, nicmic! I just read through your journey with the Regimen... so glad to see it worked for you! Your skin looks absolutely beautiful 
I just received my trial-size Acne.org products in the mail yesterday. Would you recommend that I start using them right away or stick with the drugstore brand ones? Also, did you experience continued breakouts during the first week? I keep getting new clusters of under-the-skin whiteheads...
Thanks for the help!
It can be hard to stay with it at first because you won't see results for a while and your skin can get worse for the first month or so (frustrating I know). Just remember to be gentle with your skin and try and follow the regimen pretty exactly. By month three you should see improvement.
If the products you are using right now are on the recommended list by acne.org then I think you could keep using them until they are done and then use the acne.org products. Just my opinion.
Since your skin has just become worse have you looked at your diet at all? eg. Some people on this forum find that when they give up dairy they see improvement in their skin.
Good luck.
Thanks for the advice, Hope!
Besides the emergence of new whiteheads, my skin has generally improved since Day 1... it's calmer and less red overall, which is exciting!
Ok, that was my thought, too. May as well stick with what I've been using since changing products always throws my skin off. I had trouble finding any of the cleaners listed on the substitutions list, but what I got (CeraVe foaming cleanser) has good reviews on here, so it should be fine.
I don't think diet is a causative factor... I eat extremely healthy and my diet has been consistent for the past few years. I'm also lactose intolerant so no dairy for me! However, I did recently start birth control (partly to help with my acne). It's been about a month on the pill (generic version of Yaz), and my skin has been pretty awful. I've heard that some people suffer an initial breakout period when starting the pill and then things clear up, so I'll give it more time. But my acne was bad before starting the pill, so there must be other factors at play.
Day 5: 4/8
- TR ~7 am, 2.5 tsp BP
- Extra moisturizer under nose (dry/peely skin here) and around eyes (getting dry and wrinkly)
- TR ~8 pm, 2.5 tsp BP
- Moisturizer is getting mixed in with BP when I apply it; not sure if it's because I need to wait longer for BP to dry or if my moisturizer isn't the best
- New under-the-skin pimples on sides of cheeks and left side of mouth
Thanks, nicmic! I just read through your journey with the Regimen... so glad to see it worked for you! Your skin looks absolutely beautiful
I just received my trial-size Acne.org products in the mail yesterday. Would you recommend that I start using them right away or stick with the drugstore brand ones? Also, did you experience continued breakouts during the first week? I keep getting new clusters of under-the-skin whiteheads...
Thanks for the help!
Since you have already started with the drugstore ones, stick with those and use the acne.org ones after.
I did still continue to breakout at week 1, it stopped during the 2nd and 3rd week and then a sort of acne explosion happened during week 4 and 5 because all this acne just came to the surface. For me it really did get worse before it got better so you really just need to stick with it to see results.
Good luck!
Day 6: 4/9
- TR ~7 am, 2.5 tsp BP
- Extra moisturizer around nose/mouth
- Popped one pimple on R cheek next to nose and one on L side of mouth
- TR ~8 pm, 2.5 tsp BP
- Applied less BP to area around nose/mouth because VERY dry and peeling a lot
- Forehead still has lots of white heads and isn't dry, so applied BP without moisturizer here
Thanks, nicmic -- I'll try my best to be patient and wait it out! All this dryness on top of the breakouts is not fun, though.
Day 7: 4/10
- TR ~3 pm, 2.5 tsp BP
- Waited to do regimen b/c wanted to workout midday
- Extra dry/flaky on chin so had to apply moisturizer several times there
- TR ~12 am, 2.5 tsp BP
- Big under-the-skin pimple on chin (probably from excess moisturizer)
Avocado -
Looks like we started the regimen on the same day. I'll be checking in from time to time to see how our results compare!
Unlike your results, I have minor peeling and am using the acne.org products.
Good luck
I'm glad to hear! Looks like you are doing much better than I am.
Earlier this week, I had a couple of break outs on my right check but kind of flattened since last night. I think these breakouts might be from the clogged pores I had ever since my first year in college. Also experiencing a slight discoloration of the face; looks like I got a tan. My jawline is very defined so its different very noticeable.
Week 1 down for us!
Day 8: 4/11
- TR ~9 am, 2.5 tsp BP
- Popped pimple on chin so used extra BP to spot treat here
- Worked out mid-day, so showered and just applied moisturizer
- TR ~2 am, 2.5 tsp BP (didn't apply moisturizer b/c skin felt oily)
Penguin,
I'm still getting breakouts, too But they seem to disappear a lot more quickly now with all the BP. Hopefully they'll eventually stop popping up in the first place! I'm getting some skin darkening as well, but nothing too drastic. I'm normally super pale, so it actually doesn't look bad haha.
Day 11: 4/14
- TR ~7 am, 2 tsp BP
- Lots of flakiness around mouth --> extra moisturizer
- TR ~11 pm, 2 tsp BP
Day 12: 4/15
- TR ~2 pm, 2 tsp BP
- Only applied BP once today b/c so flaky
- Popped pimple on R side of cheek by mouth
***I had a dermatologist appointment this afternoon, and she recommended a few changes to the regimen. First, she suggested a BP wash in the am instead of the cleanser + BP cream combo because the wash should keep me from drying out so much. Second, she gave me a prescription for adapalene (Differin) 0.1% cream and recommended that I use this instead of the BP cream at night.
What do you guys think about these alterations to the regimen? I bought a 3.5% BP wash (Neutrogena), and plan to use this and the Differin starting on 4/16. But I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts. Thanks!
Day 14: 4/17
- TR ~7 am, 3.5% BP wash 1 min, spot treated 2 pimples on chin/jawline with 2.5% BP
- Skin looked particularly good in a.m. except for one new pimple at jawline
- TR ~10 pm, pea-sized amt Differin + moisturizer
Day 15: 4/18
- TR ~9:30 am, 3.5% BP wash 1 min, spot treated with 2.5% BP
- TR ~8 pm, Differin + moisturizer
Day 16: 4/19
- TR ~12 pm, 3.5% BP wash for 5 min, spot treated with 2.5%
- Noticed/popped a few whiteheads near chin; new whiteheads on cheeks
- TR ~7 pm, Differin + BP spot treatment
Day 17: 4/20
- TR ~1 pm, 3.5% BP wash for 1 min, spot treated with 2.5% BP
- Popped a few whiteheads on cheeks
- TR ~9 pm, Differin + BP spot treatment
- Red skin under nose along sides of mouth --> not sure if from BP or Differin
Day 18: 4/21
- TR ~4 pm, 3.5% BP wash for 5 min, skin dried out a little too much 
- TR ~10 pm, Differin + extra moisturizer
Day 19: 4/22
- TR ~10 am, 3.5% BP wash for 1 min + moisturizer
- TR ~3 pm (after run), BP wash for 1 min + moisturizer
- TR ~11 pm, cleanser + Differin + moisturizer
Day 20: 4/23
- TR ~7 am, 3.5% BP wash for 1 min + spot treatment + moisturizer
- TR ~9 pm, cleanser + Differin + BP spot treatment
- Broke out today in a few spots on either side of mouth and on right cheek
Day 21: 4/24
- TR ~7 am, 3.5% BP wash for 1 min + spot treatment + moisturizer
- Popped some pimples from breakout --> skin looks pretty bad right now
- TR ~10 pm, cleanser + Differin + BP spot treatment
- Pretty demoralized by the state of my skin currently; not sure if it's purging or hormonal or whatever, but it sucks!
I dont want to alarm you but I would say it is the differin that is causing you to break out badly. I used differin for 10 weeks and it made my skin break out the worst it ever has.
If I were you I would stick just to the regimen. Thats just my experience I would never ever but differin on my face again.
a lot of your acne is probably coming from popping your pimples. I know its a hard habit to break but i broke it in a week because of the regimen! When a blemish came to a head on my face and there was that annoying little white dot i so badly wanted to pop it! but after i applied BP and woke up the next morning it was gone! You are aggravating your skin by touching it, squeezing it, pulling it, etc. It will only make that spot worse and cause more spots in the area. PLEASE STOP. you will see a dramatic difference if you just don't pop your pimples! let them go away on their own because it will be a lot quicker.
As for the differin, there is no way to know if that is breaking you out unless you use it for a few weeks then stop to see if it gets better. I know my friend used it and her skin is BEAUTIFUL now. it all matters on the person. But i believe your breakouts are being caused by picking at the skin.
Also, be careful with out much you wash your face during the day, if you do it too much it will dry out your skin and then your body send oils to help the dryness and that breaks you out more. Take moisturizer with you and apply it when your skin gets flaky again. hope this helps!
I'm not sure how long you have been on the differin, but when my daughter used it a couple of years ago she broke out horribly for the first three months, and then it got better. But of course everyone's skin reacts differently. If you have been using it longer than three months and you are still breaking out then that may mean it will not work for you. Just my two cents worth!
Avocado- stay strong. Mentally prepare yourself to have shitty skin for at least 3 months so that way every new pimple won't be a nail in the coffin. It may help to only update once a week so that you won't get disheartened by the lack of progress. As many have said, it takes time and your skin should adjust
Good Luck
Thanks for the advice, guys. Things have gone from bad to worse in the past week... I've been breaking out pretty constantly. I don't really think the Differin is to blame (see below). Skybronte, I agree with you about picking and I know it's not good to do, but I've been picking a lot I just get so freakin' frustrated with all these bumps.
This week or so of breaking out coincides with the week before my scheduled period on my BC pill, so I think the pill may be to blame. I only started it (Gianvi) two months ago. After an initial really bad breakout period, I thought my skin might be improving. However, this breakout was even worse than the previous one. I have had a bunch of painful cysts - on my forehead, scalp, and upper chest - and I haven't ever had those before. In addition, I've been breaking out badly along my jaw line, cheeks, and temples. I am leaning towards stopping the pill now because I don't think I can take much more of this.
Anyways, I decided to go with weekly updates as Sasch83 suggested.
Week 4: (April 27-May 3)
- Cysts on left cheek and right eyebrow; acne along left jaw (picked at it) and temples
- Skin has been itchy and uncomfortable, and I can literally feel new pimples emerging throughout the day
- Since this weekend, I've been using Dan's AHA in place of moisturizer at times; I really like the AHA
- Current regimen
AM: CeraVe foaming cleanser, small amount 2.5% BP, moisturizer
PM: CeraVe foaming cleanser, AHA, Differin
- Mentally struggling a lot with the state of my face