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My Current Struggle After Stopping Acnefree Regimen

MemberMember
0
(@cob2048)

Posted : 05/04/2015 6:54 pm

Hi everyone,

 

I've posted to this forum a lot and always ask for suggestions but never get any so, I figured I'd make one last go and if it's the same result, I won't bother anymore. But perhaps someone can take something away from this too so it's not all selfish on my part.

 

I'm 32 and have suffered from acne since I was in middle school. I went to a dermatologist up until college and after prescribed ointments and pills never worked, I started using the 3 step Acnefree. Overall it worked better than anything else I tried. After using it for over ten years, I was able to keep my face under control but still saw I was still breaking out so I didn't know why I was still using it. I recently changed my diet and that's been adding to some improvement but not a whole lot. I've tried stronger BP washes and SA but nothing worked. So, probably about five months ago, I decided I wanted to start weening off of Acnefree's 3 step regimen, and see if I can just use the BP face cleanser. I decided to do it slowly: by doing one part of my face at a time. I'll spare all the long details about weening a part of my face at a time and going a few times a week, a couple, one time, etc.

 

Now, present day, several months later, I'm successfully ONLY using the 2.5 BP cleanser on my face in the morning. Nothing else except neutrogena sensitive skin moiserizer on my neck after I shave.

 

Basically, I don't have really bad pimples like I used to, but still get small whiteheads from time to time. I'll go a week and be fine then suddenly break out with a bunch of little ones, or a medium one once in awhile. I believe stress caused it some of the times too (being stressed at work basically 35 hours a week doesn't help.) BUT, I still don't have things completely under control, but it's nice at least I don't have to spend the time using the toner and lotion when it didn't really do anything different than what I see now by just using the cleanser.

 

Where I'm at now though is...since I've successfully stopped using the toner and lotion and only use a cleasner, can't I switch to a less harmful cleanser on my face now? Perhaps the BP in the cleanser is still causing my breakouts and not allowing my face to be better( which I've read about.) If this is a good idea...what cleansers could I choose from that are good for sensitive skin but may make my face not breakout and look better?

 

I don't know who else to turn to.. I can only read forum posts so much...because when they don't pertain exaclty to my case...I don't know what to try...there's so many options....any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading.

 

- Chris

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MemberMember
12
(@pinkberry)

Posted : 05/05/2015 7:27 am

You could try weaning off the cleanser slowly, maybe alternate nights with a basic cleanser such as Purpose or Olay Sensitive. (I wouldn't recommend Cetaphil, doesn't really clean well and leaves a film on the face.) The BP cleanser you are using sounds pretty mild and it's only in contact with your skin briefly so it may not be making a huge difference one way or the other. If you wean off of it but then start breaking out more you may want to keep using it. You may find its the one thing keeping breakouts at bay.

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MemberMember
113
(@canucklehead12)

Posted : 05/05/2015 11:05 am

Hi everyone,

 

I've posted to this forum a lot and always ask for suggestions but never get any so, I figured I'd make one last go and if it's the same result, I won't bother anymore. But perhaps someone can take something away from this too so it's not all selfish on my part.

 

I'm 32 and have suffered from acne since I was in middle school. I went to a dermatologist up until college and after prescribed ointments and pills never worked, I started using the 3 step Acnefree. Overall it worked better than anything else I tried. After using it for over ten years, I was able to keep my face under control but still saw I was still breaking out so I didn't know why I was still using it. I recently changed my diet and that's been adding to some improvement but not a whole lot. I've tried stronger BP washes and SA but nothing worked. So, probably about five months ago, I decided I wanted to start weening off of Acnefree's 3 step regimen, and see if I can just use the BP face cleanser. I decided to do it slowly: by doing one part of my face at a time. I'll spare all the long details about weening a part of my face at a time and going a few times a week, a couple, one time, etc.

 

Now, present day, several months later, I'm successfully ONLY using the 2.5 BP cleanser on my face in the morning. Nothing else except neutrogena sensitive skin moiserizer on my neck after I shave.

 

Basically, I don't have really bad pimples like I used to, but still get small whiteheads from time to time. I'll go a week and be fine then suddenly break out with a bunch of little ones, or a medium one once in awhile. I believe stress caused it some of the times too (being stressed at work basically 35 hours a week doesn't help.) BUT, I still don't have things completely under control, but it's nice at least I don't have to spend the time using the toner and lotion when it didn't really do anything different than what I see now by just using the cleanser.

 

Where I'm at now though is...since I've successfully stopped using the toner and lotion and only use a cleasner, can't I switch to a less harmful cleanser on my face now? Perhaps the BP in the cleanser is still causing my breakouts and not allowing my face to be better( which I've read about.) If this is a good idea...what cleansers could I choose from that are good for sensitive skin but may make my face not breakout and look better?

 

I don't know who else to turn to.. I can only read forum posts so much...because when they don't pertain exaclty to my case...I don't know what to try...there's so many options....any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading.

 

- Chris

 

You could always try switching to a honey cleanser! It is a great natural gentle cleanser and helps moisturize the skin. I completely ditched using BP, cleansers, toners and moisturizers and went to just using water. After a few months of no cleanser I re-introduced manuka honey as a nightly cleanser / mask and my face has never been better. It has amazing anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties as well.

 

You'll definitely purge a bit for the first few weeks though, but it is very healing for the skin compared to the harsh chemicals in most cleansers etc.

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MemberMember
0
(@cob2048)

Posted : 05/06/2015 3:38 pm

yeah I guess I could just stick with the BP cleanser. But I like the idea of trying something different if it'll stop pimples more. or maybe I'm just supposed to go through this the rest of my life like a lot of people do. I'll look into the honey cleanser as an option too, thank you.

 

Weird thing...since I am just going to use the BP cleanser from Acnefree, I bought their large bottle they sell alone of it...and I broke out a lot in certain areas. I saw that it wasn't as thick as the one that comes with the regimen...seems more watery, not as thick, doesn't lather as well, so I had to buy the regimen to get the normal one back. Then in future I'll have to buy it online. that's annoying and a waste, now I have a toner and lotion I'll just toss. Why would they sell it alone in a large bottle with a more watery formula? I saw some reviews saying the same thing...so it didn't lather my face as much and I broke out.

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MemberMember
24
(@invisiblenetrix)

Posted : 05/11/2015 6:40 am

I stopped using Dan's cleanser and moisturiser. Felt like it did nothing for me.

 

I've since replaced it with sea salt to help with dark marks and changed to a cetaphil moisturiser that doesn't break me out. I've been documenting my journey through the blog in my profile

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MemberMember
45
(@geminirock19)

Posted : 05/12/2015 11:00 am

Your skin and history sounds similar to mine. I've been messing around with Acnefree for the last 8 years in one form or another. First was the "Severe" kit, then I tried to move on to the BP wash, which ended up way too harsh on my skin and not helpful, at all. Finally last year I seem to have fallen into my perfect face routine (which still includes one acnefree product) First off... for face wash, it's all about Olay. It's so gentle yet powerful, I swear it gives my face a glow and controls oil better than any other. I use the one for combination skin (foaming), there's also a sensitive one that's foamy I think. They're at Walmart, super affordable. Then for the BP, I use the acnefree original terminator 5% ONLY... not the 10% in the orange bottle. I have to go through the internet now to get it, but it's worth every penny. I slather that all over, then again on my problem area (chin and lower portion) Then, in the mornings only, I finish it off with sensitive moisturizer from Equate (the only one that's not broken me out) it's a knock off of Neutrogena's. No moisturizer at night for me.

Give these a try and see if they work!! This is when I started to magically clear up. Nothing to lose, really.

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