Hi, I have suffered from moderate to severe acne since I was 13 and now I'm 21. I've tried different over the counter products such as products from the Proactiv, Neutrogena, Clean and Clear and Clearasil line. In the last four years, I have been acne free (I tried once to stop using my medication and I immediatly got acne again) and I wanted to share my routine with everyone.
Gender: female
Age: 21
ethnicity: south asian
acne type: moderate to severe; on both cheeks, chin, jaw, upper lip and forhead, hyperpigmentation and rolling pit acne scars
Type of skin: dehyrated oily acne prone
Prescription medication used (prescribed to me by my dermatologist):
Clindoxyl Advanced gel ( with Benzoyl peroxide 5% and 1% clindamycin)
clindamycin 4% with Dormer 211 oil free fluid moisturizer (it's a base for the medication) mixture cream
tretinoin 0.01% gel
Skin Care products used:
Marcelle Ultra Gentle Cleansing Gel
- 100% PERFUME FREE, PARABEN FREE, HYPO-ALLERGENIC, OIL FREE, SOAP FREE, SULFATE FREE, AND NON COMEDOGENIC
Impruv Face Cream (generally used during late fall and winter)
- hypoallergenic formula, is non-comedogenic, contains no dyes, perfumes or preservatives.
Dormer 211 Ultra oil free fluid moisturizer (generally used during early spring and summer)
- oil-free, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic
La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 60 fluid sunscreen (use all year)
- fragrance-free, paraben free, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic and water resistant.
NOTE: You can buy Marcelle Ultra Gentle Cleansing Gel and La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 60 fluid sunscreen at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart and Rexcell in Canada. Dormer 211 Ultra oil free fluid moisturizer and Impruv Face Cream are difficult to find in stores. Dormer 211 Ultra oil free fluid moisturizer can only be bought at the pharmacy counter, but usually the pharmacy do not have any on hand so you would have to ask them to order it for you. I've only seen a few Shoppers Drug Mart (actually just one) sell Impruv Face Cream (found it in the skin care aisle).
Morning Routine:
1. I cleanse my entire face with Marcelle Ultra Gentle Cleansing Gel (it does not foam so use fingers)
2. I pat dry my face with a towel and waited 10 minutes
3. After 10 minutes, I apply Clindoxyl Advanced gel ( Benzoyl peroxide 5% and 1% clindamycin) to my entire face (avoid around eyes, nose, mouth, hair and eyebrows)
4. I wait for my face to dry (Clindoxyl Advanced gel leaves face sticky for a few minutes)
5. I apply the clindamycin 4% mixture cream to my entire face (avoid around eyes, nose, mouth, hair and eyebrows)
6. I wait for my face to dry (clindamycin 4% cream leaves face sticky for a few minutes)
7. I either apply the Impruv Face Cream or Dormer 211 Ultra oil free fluid moisturizer over my entire face
8. If I'm going out, I apply the La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 60 fluid sunscreen
Evening Routine:
1. I cleanse my entire face with Marcelle Ultra Gentle Cleansing Gel (it does not foam so use fingers)
2. I pat dry my face with a toweland wait 10 minutes
3. After 10 minutes, I apply tretinoin 0.01% gel to my entire face (avoid around eyes, nose, mouth, hair and eyebrows)
4. I wait for my face to dry (tretinoin 0.01% gel leaves my face sticky for a few minutes)
5. Now I apply the clindamycin 4% mixture cream over my entire face (avoid around eyes, nose, mouth, hair and eyebrows)
6. I wait for my face to dry (clindamycin 4% cream leaves face sticky for a few minutes)
7. I either apply the Impruv Face Cream or Dormer 211 Ultra oil free fluid moisturizer over my entire face
I did not start using all three medications at once. For the first eight weeks, I applied the Clindoxyl Advanced gel in the morning once every day to my entire face and I applied tretinoin 0.01% gel once every evening daily to my entire face (avoid around eyes, nose, mouth, hair and eyebrows). My dermatologist and I saw a decrease in existing acne lesions, but I still had large whiteheads and pustules forming. From week 9 to 12, my dermatologist added clindamycin 4% mixture cream to the routine, to be used every morning and evening to my entire face (avoid around eyes, nose, mouth, hair and eyebrows) after apply the other medication. In the first month of adding and applying clindamycin 4% mixture cream twice a day, I saw a 50% decrease in the formation of acne lesions, 70%-80% decrease in the formation of acne lesions in the second month and 90% decrease in the formation of acne lesions in the third month. No longer do I have acne forming and existing acne lesions are gone. Now all I have are red hyperpigmentation and miner rolling pit scars on my cheeks.