Hi all,
I'm 24 yo female, have had acne since teens and it's never really 100% cleared, other than when I've been on dianette (but it took 6 months to work)
I've been off bc for 12 months and have been using bp on and off for years. I had some success with the regimen but it made my face so irritated and dry and the texture of my skin was awful so I stopped using it.
Basically my acne tends to centre on my cheeks, I get the odd one or two on my chin and forehead and its mostly pustules and papules, never any large cysts or anything. The texture of my skin is very poor, in the light it looks like I have thousands of clogged pores and lumps, huge open pores and it can be quite oily around my nose and cheeks (esp around the time of the month)
I think that my skin may just be really really sensitive, I don't understand why it hasn't cleared up for all these years and I don't know if the acne I get now is the same type of acne I used to get as a teen... I'm suspecting whether it is just super super irritated from years of using harsh treatments and chemicals? I don't know if it is hormonal given the lack of cysts/spots around my chin and mouth.
To my own stupidity I tried acv about a month ago as a topical, it brought out hundreds of tiny spots and I don't think it was a purge as the rest of my skin didn't look good, it just looks irritated and sore. I then started using dan's bp as a spot treatment and ester lauder night repair serum and reviva 10% glycolic peel on alternate nights, I'm not sure if it has helped but it doesn't seem to have made it worse. I went to the drs last week who prescribed zineryt lotion as I didn't want to have a harsh topical like bp anymore. This seems to have made it worse and more sore too.
My skin is now absolutely horrendous and I'm contemplating stopping zineryt, stopping everything altogether and just washing and moisturising (and using E/L serum as this seems to hydrate my skin a lot) or starting the regimen again to clear up.
My skin looks inflamed and is so bumpy, it looks like crap and is really getting me down.
I'd be grateful for any advice/thoughts - please see pics. The white stuff on the hrs is bp.
By the way I wash with cetaphil and moisturise with simple light moisturise.
Hey don't feel discouraged. I feel as thought all this irritation might be because of using too many irritating products way too often. You need to give your skin some time to heal all the trauma from all those products with a high percentage of active ingredients. I actually had acne just like yours prior to starting the regimen and I think you should come back on the regimen but follow it strictly. Do exactly as Dan advises and you will see results (I also did see improvements in my skin). While on the regimen I suggest using all his products and no extra scrubs, masks or products and you'll def see the results. Don't give up! Give it three months on the regimen and you won't regret it!
Hey don't feel discouraged. I feel as thought all this irritation might be because of using too many irritating products way too often. You need to give your skin some time to heal all the trauma from all those products with a high percentage of active ingredients. I actually had acne just like yours prior to starting the regimen and I think you should come back on the regimen but follow it strictly. Do exactly as Dan advises and you will see results (I also did see improvements in my skin). While on the regimen I suggest using all his products and no extra scrubs, masks or products and you'll def see the results. Don't give up! Give it three months on the regimen and you won't regret it!
Thanks for your reply, glad to hear that you had some success with the regimen. I just don't think it will work for me anymore, it seems to give me clogged pores and horrible dull skin. I think I'll just have to use bp as an on the spot treatment and just completely reduce the topicals from now on, I think my skin has just given up after years of harsh treatments. I'm going to try the less is more approach and see if my skin balances itself out. I'm at the end of my patience with it all its getting me down so much 
Hey don't feel discouraged. I feel as thought all this irritation might be because of using too many irritating products way too often. You need to give your skin some time to heal all the trauma from all those products with a high percentage of active ingredients. I actually had acne just like yours prior to starting the regimen and I think you should come back on the regimen but follow it strictly. Do exactly as Dan advises and you will see results (I also did see improvements in my skin). While on the regimen I suggest using all his products and no extra scrubs, masks or products and you'll def see the results. Don't give up! Give it three months on the regimen and you won't regret it!
Thanks for your reply, glad to hear that you had some success with the regimen. I just don't think it will work for me anymore, it seems to give me clogged pores and horrible dull skin. I think I'll just have to use bp as an on the spot treatment and just completely reduce the topicals from now on, I think my skin has just given up after years of harsh treatments. I'm going to try the less is more approach and see if my skin balances itself out. I'm at the end of my patience with it all its getting me down so much
Just truck on through you're already at your all time low. You don't have anything to lose. But it is ultimately your decision. The clogged pores are the effects of bp. It is bringing everything to the surface that has been trapped in your 7 layers of skin. It only means it's working. Be positive and stay strong. You are amazingly beautiful despite the superficial outer appearance.
Have you tried a retinoid cream or gel? I have been using differin for about a year and a half now, I also was prescribed dianette and I am now on cilest. As well as the differin I like to use aha in my regimen to clear out my pores so I have an aha wash and a salycilic acid serum that I alternate with the differin. Moisturiser is important too, I often apply my topicals over my moisturiser if my skin is too dry and only use cream cleanser with a wash cloth or tissue to take off. Would you consider going back on birth control? I'll probably stay on mine until I decide to have kids, my skin is too unpredictable without it. Your skin really isn't that bad but I know how frustrating it can be. I was also off the pill a few years ago and skin was fine for about a year then gradually got worse again, so I've kinda admitted defeat on that one xx