Closed comedones.

Try honey on the face. It is an excellent antibacterial wash. I have used it and it works great!

your skin is beautiful, really. have you given the regimen a try?

I really understand what you feel it's not easy to be in your situation. My friend has the same problem with you before but now she is 31 years old and has no acne. She tries everything in her face and she makes some DIY facial wash for acne and it works for her. She uses lemon juice as an acne treatment. Lemon is natural bleach and contains citric acid, which attacks the bacteria that cause acne.

I'd say something that exfoliates the skin to prevent the comedones. The products of choice that worked or work for me are either a simple AHA such as a cleanser with gylocic acid, BP as a treatment, and possibly retinoid such as retin a.

Don't know until you try and try again.

I would try what the person above me said as well

Also no one should judge you on your acne. You didn't volunteer to get it and you are trying to get rid of it.

I was exactly like you. Exercising 6 days/week having closed comedones. Accutane cleared my face, BP and other stuff didn't work

Dietary modification + 20mg/d isotretinoin 6months if you really want to beat this. Both are equally important. By dietary modification I mean a 100% adherence to a somewhat paleo diet. You can make bone broth soups and vegetable juices (use kale/carrot/apple and drink it with a fatty snack for optimal vitamin absorption) if you want to kill inflammation. I would recommend that you also leave your face alone in terms of washing, maybe once a week (you won't need to if you're on isotretinoin).

Tips for diet:

(All whole foods, in order of quantity)

- plenty of vegetables; leafy greens at least once a day, alliums whenever (onions and garlic), things like broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, and what not when possible

- plenty of minimally processed meats (whole cuts, not preserved, seafood is optimal but red meats are desirable at minimum a few times a month)

- plenty of healthy fats (ideally from coconut oil, and secondarily butter; olive oil is fine in lieu of these, but don't heat it/cook with it)

- some dairy (always fermented - yogurt, kefir, cheese are fine. No ice cream or milk)

- some nuts (nuts tend to be antigenic. Have some, but only some)

- some non-grain starches (sweet potatoes; potatoes are undesirable here and probably should be avoided)

- minimal rice, if you need grains (It's okay to have one small serving with a large meal, but don't overdo it - grains are essentially empty calories, like soda; grains other than rice are often antigenic and should be avoided altogether; white rice (jasmine) is better than brown in terms of inflammation as long as you eat it with a meal)

Avoidances:

- no non-rice grains

- no legumes (including soy, and peanuts, which are NOT a nut, but a legume)

- no convenience foods (such as items with added sugars, processed flours, etc)

- no added sugars - if you're desperate for something sweet, use a small amount of honey, or fruit

I'd say something that exfoliates the skin to prevent the comedones. The products of choice that worked or work for me are either a simple AHA such as a cleanser with gylocic acid, BP as a treatment, and possibly retinoid such as retin a.

Don't know until you try and try again.

can you suggest any cleansers???? and what about syliac acid...do these things you just listed help blackheads?

I totally understand how you feel. I've had acne for years now, and have tried so many products that never did what they promised. I'm currently using a product that seems to be working (so far). I can provide an update once I'm 100% certain. Hang in there

I'd say something that exfoliates the skin to prevent the comedones. The products of choice that worked or work for me are either a simple AHA such as a cleanser with gylocic acid, BP as a treatment, and possibly retinoid such as retin a.

Don't know until you try and try again.

can you suggest any cleansers???? and what about syliac acid...do these things you just listed help blackheads?

For treatment Dan's BP is best. Ask the doc for a prescription of a retinoid. A cleanser, well i have used Jan Marini's Bioglycolic cleanser and Peter Thomas Roth's as well. Both are expensive brand name, over priced cleansers that did more irritating with very limited results compared to a drug store brand such as St. Ives. So, no there really isn't one i can suggest that really works, but its not too expensive.

I'd say something that exfoliates the skin to prevent the comedones. The products of choice that worked or work for me are either a simple AHA such as a cleanser with gylocic acid, BP as a treatment, and possibly retinoid such as retin a.

Don't know until you try and try again.

can you suggest any cleansers???? and what about syliac acid...do these things you just listed help blackheads?

For treatment Dan's BP is best. Ask the doc for a prescription of a retinoid. A cleanser, well i have used Jan Marini's Bioglycolic cleanser and Peter Thomas Roth's as well. Both are expensive brand name, over priced cleansers that did more irritating with very limited results compared to a drug store brand such as St. Ives. So, no there really isn't one i can suggest that really works, but its not too expensive.

ive been using benzaclin, it has 5% bp ...i got it prescribed by my derm. and which retonid should i get? is there any specific ones ? and i hear st ives exfoliators are pretty good. i guess i should get a exfoliator with syliac acid in it

I'd say something that exfoliates the skin to prevent the comedones. The products of choice that worked or work for me are either a simple AHA such as a cleanser with gylocic acid, BP as a treatment, and possibly retinoid such as retin a.

Don't know until you try and try again.

can you suggest any cleansers???? and what about syliac acid...do these things you just listed help blackheads?

For treatment Dan's BP is best. Ask the doc for a prescription of a retinoid. A cleanser, well i have used Jan Marini's Bioglycolic cleanser and Peter Thomas Roth's as well. Both are expensive brand name, over priced cleansers that did more irritating with very limited results compared to a drug store brand such as St. Ives. So, no there really isn't one i can suggest that really works, but its not too expensive.

ive been using benzaclin, it has 5% bp ...i got it prescribed by my derm. and which retonid should i get? is there any specific ones ? and i hear st ives exfoliators are pretty good. i guess i should get a exfoliator with syliac acid in it

Less is more. Too much causes too much irritation and excessive response by the body aka increased oil production. If its prescribed you can use it unless after awhile it is not helping or worsening it. Some is expected initially, but should not be causing excessive breakouts. BP and retinoids (older generation) should not be used together at the same time. Most docs might not give you one if they know you are on BP. It not only causes more dryness, redness, and irritation, they also interact. But, if you want to try they might give you Epiduo, which is a synthetic retinoid that is suppose to be better. However, everyone reacts differently. It did not work for me. Maybe because i have normal skin per say and i think people who are oiler have more luck. Idk. I currently use two separate products from two different docs. I played it this way to get what i want Sometimes that is what you have to do.

I use tretinoin cream 0.05% and clindamycin gel (cleocin). Clindamycin applied first has been proven in studies to increase the efficiency of retinoids, even BP. Its also used together in a marketed product that i can't remember and retailed at like a stupidly high price.

I do use dan's BP on spots if present in the morning only. I use cleocin if needed as well (its antibiotic gel) or after i shave.

I can mix it with bp, but i rarely do. I use my retinoid at night sometimes with cleocin and sometimes not. Depends. Remember i said it increases its efficiency? Well that means extra peeling, flaking as a result so it depends how my face is doing. Go easy and go slow.

THe only crappy thing about retinoids is the dreaded initial breakout. Which is why you use a test area, go slow, use a pea-dime size amount or less. I think oral antibiotics or topical help prevent/minimize the duration of the IB. It did for me.

No i do not advocate for salicylic acid (SA). I think its the worst product created because of my experiences. It causes dryness, possibly more irritation, and more breakouts. Also, it should not be used with retinoids at all from what i have seen due to interactions and i believe it.

St Ives is a rough exfoliation imo.It didn't work for me; too hard on my skin probably because of the tretinoin.

i have a spray bottle diluted with tea tree oil and water that works pretty dang good. I did this to prevent antibiotic resistance from cleocin use as i anticipated using it long term. I have since weened my use of cleocin to more of the tea tree oil. I will never get over the smell but it also works. Just diluted it, always. I use it after showering and in the morning.