Hey guys, so I made a post on here about 6 months ago, and looking back at the photos I posted (see them here ) my acne has got so much worse, I suppose you don't really notice it and how bad it's gotten because you look at it everyday, but when you see it at the side of those photos you can really see how bad it's got... I really don't know what to do.
The acne is mainly located on my cheeks, though sometimes I do get breakouts on my forehead and chin, I've not had completely clear skin for so long I've always got spots on my face... I don't know what to do. It is really bringing down my confidence.
Can anyone suggest anything and also tell me what stage my acne is? What should I do?
Photos are attached below.
Thank you.
Hi, it's varied over the 6 months, I've been very inconsistent with the products I've been using because not much is working, however pretty much always consisted of the following (just different products/brands):
Morning: wash face with tea tree cleanser in cold water, then moisturize
Night: wash face with tea tree cleanser and 2/3 times a week I exfoliate, followed by using a direct spot treatment gels such as Clean & Clear's advantage treatment gel.
Hi Amy,
Would you be able to tell me the skincare regimen you have been following for the past 6 months?
To me your skin looks very irritated.
I had incredibly similar acne to you, almost identical, and I put it down to a few things:
1. I was using harsh cleansing products and over exfoliating my skin
I am willing to bet that your tea tree cleansers foam up and leave your face feeling squeaky clean? I used to use these kind of cleansers too, and although they are marketed to people with acne prone skin, what they are actually doing is stripping your skin's acid mantle (the acidic layer of your skin which protects it from bacteria) and leaving it completely exposed.
2. I was experimenting with way too many products
I would jump around from face wash to face wash, treatment to treatment, never giving anything the adequate amount of time to work for my skin. I was always searching for that ONE PRODUCT that would clear my skin, but the sad truth is that for most people that doesn't exist. Healing your acne requires a whole body approach, not just one topical treatment.
3. Food allergies and digestive issues.
Unbeknownst to me I was suffering from food allergies. I would never have thought this contributed to acne until I saw the results for myself. I cut most dairy and all gluten out of my diet entirely. And it was a struggle at first, but if you suspect you may have a food allergy that's causing your acne I strongly recommend experimenting with an elimination diet for a few weeks to see if your symptoms improve. When I had got to the point where NOTHING was working for me and I couldn't leave the house because of my acne, saying no to pasta and pizza didn't seem like such a big deal!
4. Hormones
Sorry if this is an over share, but I used to suffer from really bad pre-menstrual symptoms. I would be so irritable! Trust me, my boyfriend didn't like hanging out with me around that time of the month! And my cramps were so severe that I would be crippled for days. Turns out that when I fixed my diet everything changed. It took a month, and the next period I had I experienced almost no PMS and my cramps were none existent. Which just goes to show that your diet can really effect your hormones, and therefore your skin.
I know that when I first started to read about all these "natural" remedies for acne I thought it was a load of crap, to be honest. And I understand if that's how you feel too and you can go ahead and disregard this.
But I would be happy to give you more advice about some stuff you could try out if you are interested in taking this route!
Thank you for sharing your experience with these products. (2) I use products for about a month until I change if I see no results, I'm impatient!
I would be interested in reading about the natural remedies and to hear what worked for you. Are you acne free now?
To me your skin looks very irritated.
I had incredibly similar acne to you, almost identical, and I put it down to a few things:1. I was using harsh cleansing products and over exfoliating my skin
I am willing to bet that your tea tree cleansers foam up and leave your face feeling squeaky clean? I used to use these kind of cleansers too, and although they are marketed to people with acne prone skin, what they are actually doing is stripping your skin's acid mantle (the acidic layer of your skin which protects it from bacteria) and leaving it completely exposed.2. I was experimenting with way too many products
I would jump around from face wash to face wash, treatment to treatment, never giving anything the adequate amount of time to work for my skin. I was always searching for that ONE PRODUCT that would clear my skin, but the sad truth is that for most people that doesn't exist. Healing your acne requires a whole body approach, not just one topical treatment.3. Food allergies and digestive issues.
Unbeknownst to me I was suffering from food allergies. I would never have thought this contributed to acne until I saw the results for myself. I cut most dairy and all gluten out of my diet entirely. And it was a struggle at first, but if you suspect you may have a food allergy that's causing your acne I strongly recommend experimenting with an elimination diet for a few weeks to see if your symptoms improve. When I had got to the point where NOTHING was working for me and I couldn't leave the house because of my acne, saying no to pasta and pizza didn't seem like such a big deal!
4. Hormones
Sorry if this is an over share, but I used to suffer from really bad pre-menstrual symptoms. I would be so irritable! Trust me, my boyfriend didn't like hanging out with me around that time of the month! And my cramps were so severe that I would be crippled for days. Turns out that when I fixed my diet everything changed. It took a month, and the next period I had I experienced almost no PMS and my cramps were none existent. Which just goes to show that your diet can really effect your hormones, and therefore your skin.I know that when I first started to read about all these "natural" remedies for acne I thought it was a load of crap, to be honest. And I understand if that's how you feel too and you can go ahead and disregard this.
But I would be happy to give you more advice about some stuff you could try out if you are interested in taking this route!
To be honest a month is a pretty reasonable amount of time to trial a product and see if it is working for you!
So, on to my acne.
I am the clearest I have been since my acne started to worsen about 5 years ago.
At this point in time I have no cysts, 2 active pimples, hyperpigmentation and some clogged pores. It continues to improve day by day.
Okay, so for me, supplementing my diet has played a role, I take 2x 1000mg Omega 3 Fish Oil pills, 1x Vitamin D3 25ug and 1x Zinc Gluconate 15mg with my dinner. I saw skin changes with supplementation within a month.
Next I started to look at my diet. I was avoiding dairy with almost no significant change and then I read this article about acne and gluten:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maura-henninger-nd/gluten-and-acne_b_2601648.html
After reading this, I decided that I was ready to try eliminating gluten from my diet. I knew all the stuff about not eating 3 greasy hamburgers and a load of chocolate every day if you had acne, but I had never considered the fact that my diet maybe wasn't as healthy as I thought it was. I drank tea and coffee, ate pizza and pasta fairly regularly, and I store bought almost everything. So I was eating a lot of processed crap basically. Cutting out gluten forced me to cook meals at home, eat more fruit and veggies and become healthier in general, and this has made the biggest change in my skin. It's around 6 weeks since I cut gluten and I have gone from having at least 6 cystic pimples at a time, to absolutely no cystic pimples.
Lastly is my skincare regimen. I been 28 days now on the "no wash" caveman regimen. So nothing touches my face. Drastic I know but I first read about it here and it made total sense to me:
http://thelovevitamin.com/3135/caveman-regimen/
I have been keeping a log which you can read if you're interested:
I realise this is not ideal for everyone, as most people wear makeup every day. I totally understand that because I did too before I started the caveman.
So in regards to your skincare if the caveman regimen is a little too extreme. I strongly recommend ditching the harsh cleansers and moisturizers full of chemicals. It is worth looking into the oil cleansing method which you can read about here:
http://www.minimalistbeauty.com/oils-specifically-for-acne-prone-skin/
or if that doesn't interest you, just choosing as gentle a cleanser as possible one that is non-foaming and aimed at sensitive skin, not acne.
Are you in the UK?
If so, the cleanser I was using when I wore makeup was the Boots Botanics 82% Organic facial cleanser. It's easy to get your hands on and it costs about 4. Even less in the sales. That stuff is a great transition into using more natural, skin friendly skincare.
Hi,
First, don't feel alone, really, we're all on the same boat here.
I guess JLopez have said everything haha
But, really, when you said you've been very inconsistent with the products you've been using, I know it's hard, but you have to be patient, it's a long-term work!
Be brave!
JLopez is giving great advice.
You're gorgeous! Just had to say. Your skincare routine is pretty light, so I don't think you're irritating it too bad. I have a few similarities as JLopez, probably should have more, but my skin is in pretty good shape acne wise. Very rarely will I get a pimple, no cysts ever, and some pesky blackheads. Eliminating dairy actually worked for me, it was life changing, and I take the same amount of D3. I need to go gluten free too, I think that's worth a try but I'd do one at a time to see what makes a difference. The only thing I use on my skin is Albolene moisturizing cleanser to remove make-up, so I never do anything involving soap and water.
I went to the doctor last year and he advised the no dairy and I got on clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide for a few months. No face cleansers, just the topical and lotion. That cleared up my severe acne, an issue that I'd had for over a decade. I think I needed that harsher beginning phase to dry out all the acne I had growing for so long and kill bacteria. From there I kept the diet change and stopped the harsh products. Kept it clear. Staying active is definitely helpful. Lots of water, 8-10 cups a day. I should note that I have PCOS. I have high testosterone levels, which contributed to my issues. A gynecologist can test your hormone levels if you're ever curious about that. I would recommend getting a doctor/gynecologist involved. They're helpful. The only other things I'm strict about is keeping my hair off my face at all times and changing my pillow case every other day.
amy27 - I agree that JLopez has good advice for you. The other thing that came to mind is what are you using to exfoliate? It is best to stay away from products that contain 'scrubbing particles' as they can actually cause microscopic tears in your skin which only cause further irritation and make your skin worse. Try and be as gentle as you can and make sure anything you put on your face is non-comedogenic. If you want to check your beauty products for irritants look at cosdna or beautypedia where they review all sorts of beauty products. If that is you in the picture then you are a very beautiful girl - so be confident!
whaatsheorda - your acne is pretty mild in my opinion. The regimen would probably work quite well for you - ie. mild cleanser, 2.5%benzoyl peroxide and non-comedogenic moisturizer. Might be worth a try. Also Jlopez has good advice. Good luck!
I would say your acne is moderate. If you can, definitely go see a derm if the over counter products are not helping. Jlopez is right in terms of mentioning diet. While diet is not the end all and be all of acne (i know as i've tried to clear my acne via diet for YEARS), for many people, it does make a difference.
If a derm is out of the picture, try the regimen from this site as it does work. You can also look into natural supplementation for hormones if you suspect that it is what is driving your acne.
Stay strong and don't beat up on yourself as acne is a disease and has to be systematically treated as such.
I agree completely with Leelowe1, but also think everyone has given some excellent options. At this stage, it looks like your acne is becoming more moderate to severe and when it starts to feel like it's progressively getting worse it's definitely time to see a professional dermatologist. I completely understand that they are expensive and/or take months to get into in some cases (I've heard the UK takes a while to get into specialists) however you could always make an appointment and while you are waiting really try to stick with something and trying JLopez's ideas just may clear you right up! But if not, then you can see a professional and get an effective treatment. I've really been there Amy27 I've had severe acne and the only time I ever got clear was after seeing a dermatologist. But that doesn't mean other things won't work beautifully for you
My acne is particularly stubborn
Hey, JLopez,
I've only had these problems for around 10 months. I just recently changed face wash to clearasil. It's improved my skin for sure. I do get to use a honey face mask maybe once a week
I personally haven't had good experiences with acne face washes like clearasil, but if it's working for you great! But please keep in mind that harsh, foaming face washes aimed at acne prone skin can be a temporary solution that will eventually worsen the problem as your skin becomes dry and irritated, meaning that you are forced to use increasingly harsher cleansers and treatments; leaving you stuck in a vicious cycle.
I may not be the right person to advise you on this because I personally prefer (and have had greater success) using natural skincare and diet to heal my acne.
But the honey face mask is a good place to start and please try to be gentle with your skin!
Hi 
I had a breakout very similar to yours as a result of using grape seed oil on my face. I tried everything, and whilst before I was kept pretty clear before with diet, nothing was touching it. It was irritated, sore, getting worse by the day and leaving worse hyper pigmentation than I'd ever had. I went to see a dermatologist in London, and I've seen the biggest difference in 3 weeks, just from ditching the irritating (and multiple!) products I was using. I've stopped using make up wipes, changed my cleanser, changed my make up and used some topical treatments as well as oral antibiotics and I'm really hopefully that this will work.
This article ([Edited link out]) has a very similar regime with products that are all available in boots. A referral in the UK takes a while, you could always stick with something like that, get yourself a referral and see how much changes whilst you wait. Sometimes you need a bit of help, and I'd definitely see a dermatologist. There's been such a massive change in my face I wish I'd done it sooner.
Thank you for taking the time to post this, I'm going to look into this further! I wear make up most days, so I shall take a look at the oil cleansing routine. I'm glad your acne is clearing up
To be honest a month is a pretty reasonable amount of time to trial a product and see if it is working for you!
So, on to my acne.
I am the clearest I have been since my acne started to worsen about 5 years ago.
At this point in time I have no cysts, 2 active pimples, hyperpigmentation and some clogged pores. It continues to improve day by day.Okay, so for me, supplementing my diet has played a role, I take 2x 1000mg Omega 3 Fish Oil pills, 1x Vitamin D3 25ug and 1x Zinc Gluconate 15mg with my dinner. I saw skin changes with supplementation within a month.
Next I started to look at my diet. I was avoiding dairy with almost no significant change and then I read this article about acne and gluten:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maura-henninger-nd/gluten-and-acne_b_2601648.html
After reading this, I decided that I was ready to try eliminating gluten from my diet. I knew all the stuff about not eating 3 greasy hamburgers and a load of chocolate every day if you had acne, but I had never considered the fact that my diet maybe wasn't as healthy as I thought it was. I drank tea and coffee, ate pizza and pasta fairly regularly, and I store bought almost everything. So I was eating a lot of processed crap basically. Cutting out gluten forced me to cook meals at home, eat more fruit and veggies and become healthier in general, and this has made the biggest change in my skin. It's around 6 weeks since I cut gluten and I have gone from having at least 6 cystic pimples at a time, to absolutely no cystic pimples.
Lastly is my skincare regimen. I been 28 days now on the "no wash" caveman regimen. So nothing touches my face. Drastic I know but I first read about it here and it made total sense to me:
http://thelovevitamin.com/3135/caveman-regimen/
I have been keeping a log which you can read if you're interested:
I realise this is not ideal for everyone, as most people wear makeup every day. I totally understand that because I did too before I started the caveman.
So in regards to your skincare if the caveman regimen is a little too extreme. I strongly recommend ditching the harsh cleansers and moisturizers full of chemicals. It is worth looking into the oil cleansing method which you can read about here:
http://www.minimalistbeauty.com/oils-specifically-for-acne-prone-skin/or if that doesn't interest you, just choosing as gentle a cleanser as possible one that is non-foaming and aimed at sensitive skin, not acne.
Are you in the UK?
If so, the cleanser I was using when I wore makeup was the Boots Botanics 82% Organic facial cleanser. It's easy to get your hands on and it costs about £4. Even less in the sales. That stuff is a great transition into using more natural, skin friendly skincare.
Hi everyone, before I start I'd like to thank everyone for posting their suggestions and advice for me I've taken it all into consideration.
So it's been just over a month since I posted this, where my acne was at the worst it had ever been for a while. Considering many people said about using harsh products could be causing a problem I have limited exfoliating down to 1/2 times a week depending on how my skin is doing that week, right now I don't feel like I can cut out exfoliating completely - I use St Ives Apricot Scrub - Blemish & Blackhead control
I have continued to use my facial cleanser twice daily because I wear make up pretty much everyday (can't leave the house without it, need to cover my acne!) so I need a cleanser to make sure the make up is all completely off my face at night... however I am looking for a a more gentle cleanser to use as JLopez mentioned that The Body Shop - Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser could be too harsh... so if anyone has any suggestions let me know!
To what I've added... I have tried drinking more water, although before I generally drank a lot anyway, but I've increased this - this is the only change I've made to my diet, but I may cut out sugary foods "completely"...
Once a week I have been steaming my face for 10-15 mins as I read on a blog that this helps with acne, I then follow this up with a mud mask which I think works well together - I think this has helped me have less breakouts - though I still get breakouts 
Recently I've found this Witch - blemish stick, I've only had it a week so I can't say much about it yet... But I use it all over my cheeks and since using it I haven't had another pimple appear other than the ones that were already there. I got this because the spot treatment I used previously was out of stock so I thought I'd try this - I was drawn to this because it's natural and contains witch hazel, which I previously used and I found it worked, though it may have been too harsh because it was pure witch hazel - which is why I stopped using the pure witch hazel.
I am also looking for a new moisturizer to use before applying make up, so I need something that absorbs well and isn't oily but doesn't clog my pores - any suggestions?
Here are some pictures of my skin now - you can see since last month there is improvement... whether this is just a fluke or the things I've changed have made improvements because my skin seems to go through spells where sometimes it seems okay then next day I could have a crazy breakout which lasts ages!
Hey guys, so I made a post on here about 6 months ago, and looking back at the photos I posted (see them here ) my acne has got so much worse, I suppose you don't really notice it and how bad it's gotten because you look at it everyday, but when you see it at the side of those photos you can really see how bad it's got... I really don't know what to do. (...)
hey guys! So it's been nearly 3 months since my original post on this thread and from the first post to this you can clearly see the difference! I'm still getting pimples here and there however nowhere near as often or as painful or big (my guess is hormonal and stress!)
I'm pretty much doing the same routine as last month - however I've nearly completely got rid of exfoliation, I may be doing it once every two weeks or something? It really helps control the blackheads on my t-zone! So I'm thinking I might just concentrate the exfoliation on those areas and completely avoid my cheeks.
I'm still using the same cleanser, however I'm considering also limiting this to only once at night to make sure all of my make up is removed.
I'm still doing the 10-15 minute weekly steams and masks - I think they really help prevent the breakouts! (also it's really relaxing! 
)
Update on the blemish stick: now I've had it a longer amount of time I can properly review it, I've continued to use this every night and I really believe this is helping to limit the amount of breakouts I have - also the breakouts that are currently there significantly reduce in redness and in size by the next morning! I apply this pretty much all over my face (considering I get acne everywhere).
I've changed my daily moisturiser and I'm using Simple Kind To Skin light moisturiser with SPF 15 in the morning before I apply my make up - really like this moisturiser! It absorbs quickly and isn't oily or greasy and the makeup looks good over it! I chose the one with SPF to further protect my skin and avoid the hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks darkening!
If anyone has any questions - let me know
Hi Amy27,
Just wanted to chime in and say congrats! Your skin is looking so much calmer! Although I'm afraid I'm going to be repeating myself
Of course what you do with your skin is your decision and everyones skin is different. But I can guarantee with absolute certainty that the St Ives apricot scrub is not helping your skin. Please, please consider finding a more gentle exfoliation method. Products with harsh beads and particles cause microscopic cuts to the surface of the skin, which allows dirt and bacteria in and causes massive irritation. I understand that you want to exfoliate a few times a week, and this can be beneficial to skin which isn't shedding at the correct rate, but abrasive apricot scrubs are only going to cause you further problems. Please consider a gentler, pH balanced exfoliation method, such as the oatmeal cleanse. There's a great video here:
And onto the cleanser: the reason The Body Shop Tea Tree cleanser is too harsh for sensitive, acne prone skin is because it contains a number of irritating cleansers and surfactants, which act as a "soap" on the skin, stripping it of all its protective natural oils and disturbing your skins acid mantle. I would recommend replacing this with a gentle, cream or milk cleanser which thoroughly cleans (and removed your makeup properly) without stressing your skin out. If you are in the UK, pop to Boots and get your hands on the Boots Botanics 82% organic cleanser. Massage it into your skin and remove gently with a nice warm cloth. It is fantastic for skin cleansing.
Once again, these are all just recommendations, and you can do what you like! But I think kicking those irritating products could be the final step in clearing your skin (since you have already made such progress!)
Good luck.
Hey!
Thank you for the suggestions again, when I'm next shopping I'll pick up the cleanser you suggested or something of the sort! I'm also on my way to completely getting out of the habit of wanting to use the scrub on my face and thank you for the video I'll replace the scrub with this method 
Thanks again!
Hi Amy27,
Just wanted to chime in and say congrats! Your skin is looking so much calmer! Although I'm afraid I'm going to be repeating myself¦
Of course what you do with your skin is your decision and everyones skin is different. But I can guarantee with absolute certainty that the St Ives apricot scrub is not helping your skin. Please, please consider finding a more gentle exfoliation method. Products with harsh beads and particles cause microscopic cuts to the surface of the skin, which allows dirt and bacteria in and causes massive irritation. I understand that you want to exfoliate a few times a week, and this can be beneficial to skin which isn't shedding at the correct rate, but abrasive apricot scrubs are only going to cause you further problems. Please consider a gentler, pH balanced exfoliation method, such as the oatmeal cleanse. There's a great video here:And onto the cleanser: the reason The Body Shop Tea Tree cleanser is too harsh for sensitive, acne prone skin is because it contains a number of irritating cleansers and surfactants, which act as a "soap" on the skin, stripping it of all its protective natural oils and disturbing your skins acid mantle. I would recommend replacing this with a gentle, cream or milk cleanser which thoroughly cleans (and removed your makeup properly) without stressing your skin out. If you are in the UK, pop to Boots and get your hands on the Boots Botanics 82% organic cleanser. Massage it into your skin and remove gently with a nice warm cloth. It is fantastic for skin cleansing.
Once again, these are all just recommendations, and you can do what you like! But I think kicking those irritating products could be the final step in clearing your skin (since you have already made such progress!)
Good luck.
I'm on the regimen for 2 months now but I still break out like hell. I haven't had continuous progress because everytime my acne subsides, it would flare up again the next 2-3 days. I noticed from my picture taken before I used the regimen that I have more scars now than before. But honestly, the regimen is healing my active pimples faster than anything else. However, I don't know if I'm doing something wrong cus acne just won't leave me alone. I follow Dan's instructions, though. It's VERY frustrating.