Hello everyone I'm sorry for the long post but I am desperate my name is Anthony I am 25. Until I was 17 I had clear along then I got a pimple and I started using products which made it worse then when I was 18 I stopped and my skin cleared up. I used caress bar soap and lubriderm on my face. In 2010 I stopped again and decided to try clinique and it tore my face up and I had 100s of whitheads on my face. I have obsessive compulsive disorder and used to take medication but don't anymore but I started picking and this has been my life for 5 years. Right now I use men's science face wash with men science lotion. Every time I try use products my face breaks out bad. My heart is not great and I deal with chronic pain and joint issues. I eat pretty healthy and have been gluten free 6 weeks today. I get hair folleculitis or how ever you spell it on my legs a little bit and where the pore gets clogged and everything else is pretty clear back and chest get blackheads but that's it really. I don't have inflammatory acne but I get comedones everywhere even behind my ears. It's so embarrassing and I just met the most beautiful girl I have ever met and this girl on a scale of 1-10 is like a 9 no joke. I'm like a 6 hahah maybe a 7 on a good day if I'm lucky. Anyways I picked the crap out my face and she wanted to hang tonight and I am so scared. I don't want to be judged even though she already knows but I really tore up my face. But my main question is what should I do for this skin. I am afraid to try differing because I have ocd and I kept looking at all the bad reviews. I'm afraid to take antibiotics I have tried vitamin d, zinc, glucosamine, everything breaks me out in a few days. My family has clear skin but my mom has oily but clear skin. If I don't pick my face will fill up with clogged pores. I bought the regimen but am afraid to try it because I don't really have active acne just oiky clogged nasty pores. Also ordered the aha yesterday. I tried paukas choice but quit after a week because it tore up my face too and created active acne. Sorry for the long post. Just looking for help. I am just feeling so down and I want this to get better because I am such a good guy and just want to feel confident again.
Cliff notes
-Picking skin problem with diagnosed ocd
-Afraid to try anything but was prescribed differing but never tried it.
-embarrassed as all hell and can't even show my face to girl.
-bought regimin but don't know if its right for skin because I don't have inflammatory acne until I pick it.
- wondering if I should try differin, duac, or something else?
Thanks a lot I understand nothing is going to make it better now but I am just lost as to what to do to really remove the comedones that keep forming. I am obviously doing something wrong because I am getting them for a reason. Has anyone here tried differin, duac, or anything else like that? Does the stridex really work?
I use Noxzema for my closed comedones but Stridex is the same idea so I assume it works.
The reason they work is the 2% Salicylic Acid which unclogs pores.
Yes many use differin successfully for comedones. Try to get over your fears by slowly starting and once it begins working for you you will become more confident.
Benzoyl Peroxide brings down the redness and swelling of inflamed comedones and eventually makes them disappear. Wash your face twice a day to prevent oily skin and comedones. Moisturizer after.
Good luck!
Hey Anthony, I too suffer from clogged pores and although I don't think I have OCD, I do pick at my skin and look for every little imperfection. I am currently dealing with about 7 hyperpigmentation spots on my chin after a picking episode 2 weeks ago; I am so embarrassed to even be seen by my husband! How sad is that? He knows how embarrassed I feel, but he is so supportive and is helping me through the whole process of 1. Not picking & 2. Not being so vain. My word of advice is to stop picking at your pores, clogged or not, this will only spread bacteria and make it worse and worse down the road. As others have said, try SA or BP once every other day; work up your tolerance to it... otherwise you will get dry and this will cause your body to increase more sebum (oil)...which leads to more breakouts. After you use the SA or BP every other day for a week, increase it to 1x a day, then 2x a day a week or two later. Slow and steady wins the race.
Remember, don't pick -- find the right products that work for you. In my signature you can see the products I currently use and have achieved great results with... as long as I don't pick!
Lastly, if this girl is turned off by your minor imperfections, she's not worth it (b/c your skin is not bad at all!)...remember, at the end of the day you need somebody in your life that sees you beyond your skin; you are not defined by your skin.... no matter how hot or attractive she may be! And that's coming from a 25 year old myself 
All the best,
Hey Anthony, I too suffer from clogged pores and although I don't think I have OCD, I do pick at my skin and look for every little imperfection. I am currently dealing with about 7 hyperpigmentation spots on my chin after a picking episode 2 weeks ago; I am so embarrassed to even be seen by my husband! How sad is that? He knows how embarrassed I feel, but he is so supportive and is helping me through the whole process of 1. Not picking & 2. Not being so vain. My word of advice is to stop picking at your pores, clogged or not, this will only spread bacteria and make it worse and worse down the road. As others have said, try SA or BP once every other day; work up your tolerance to it... otherwise you will get dry and this will cause your body to increase more sebum (oil)...which leads to more breakouts. After you use the SA or BP every other day for a week, increase it to 1x a day, then 2x a day a week or two later. Slow and steady wins the race.
Remember, don't pick -- find the right products that work for you. In my signature you can see the products I currently use and have achieved great results with... as long as I don't pick!
Lastly, if this girl is turned off by your minor imperfections, she's not worth it (b/c your skin is not bad at all!)...remember, at the end of the day you need somebody in your life that sees you beyond your skin; you are not defined by your skin.... no matter how hot or attractive she may be! And that's coming from a 25 year old myself
All the best,
Hey! Thanks so much that means so much to me for you to take the time to write something like that! I definitely know the feeling of hiding because I have been doing it for years. I am about to check out your products you use right now. My problem is being afraid to get out of my comfort zone. I am afraid to make it worse. You are very right about life being about the person not my skin. I just feel so afraid to even look at her because I have only hubgvout with her twice but she wanted to hang out today but I bailed but thankfully she said she was not feeling good. I might baik on her tomorrow too because she knows my car is messed up. Her and I are going up north Wednesday which I know my face will look better but this is still so embarrassing. I'm supposed to be a confident man. Not the one in a relationship that is weak. This ruined a four year relationship in the past and I have been single two years because I was afraid to even date but I can't pass up this girl.
Hey! Just responded to your PM!
Hey Anthony, I too suffer from clogged pores and although I don't think I have OCD, I do pick at my skin and look for every little imperfection. I am currently dealing with about 7 hyperpigmentation spots on my chin after a picking episode 2 weeks ago; I am so embarrassed to even be seen by my husband! How sad is that? He knows how embarrassed I feel, but he is so supportive and is helping me through the whole process of 1. Not picking & 2. Not being so vain. My word of advice is to stop picking at your pores, clogged or not, this will only spread bacteria and make it worse and worse down the road. As others have said, try SA or BP once every other day; work up your tolerance to it... otherwise you will get dry and this will cause your body to increase more sebum (oil)...which leads to more breakouts. After you use the SA or BP every other day for a week, increase it to 1x a day, then 2x a day a week or two later. Slow and steady wins the race.
Remember, don't pick -- find the right products that work for you. In my signature you can see the products I currently use and have achieved great results with... as long as I don't pick!
Lastly, if this girl is turned off by your minor imperfections, she's not worth it (b/c your skin is not bad at all!)...remember, at the end of the day you need somebody in your life that sees you beyond your skin; you are not defined by your skin.... no matter how hot or attractive she may be! And that's coming from a 25 year old myself
All the best,Hey! Thanks so much that means so much to me for you to take the time to write something like that! I definitely know the feeling of hiding because I have been doing it for years. I am about to check out your products you use right now. My problem is being afraid to get out of my comfort zone. I am afraid to make it worse. You are very right about life being about the person not my skin. I just feel so afraid to even look at her because I have only hubgvout with her twice but she wanted to hang out today but I bailed but thankfully she said she was not feeling good. I might baik on her tomorrow too because she knows my car is messed up. Her and I are going up north Wednesday which I know my face will look better but this is still so embarrassing. I'm supposed to be a confident man. Not the one in a relationship that is weak. This ruined a four year relationship in the past and I have been single two years because I was afraid to even date but I can't pass up this girl.