Losing my battle wi...
 
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Losing my battle with adult acne. advice?

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(@greylavender)

Posted : 12/14/2015 10:01 pm

Attached are pictures of my skin from different angles, the first handful are without makeup, right after a shower and the last few are with makeup in bright lighting... these were super upsetting for me to see and realize even my makeup can't cover up this issue. 

Ive been struggling, and I mean STRUGGLING with acne since I've been 16 years old. I'm now 26, and it's STILL. HERE. In my teenage years, I tried every prescription medication/cream/gel you can imagine, except accutane (I was always too worried about the side effects and still am) Now that I'm an adult, I'm just plain tired of it and need a solution to end this problem for good. 

Every pore on my face is constantly clogged. And I truly mean EVERY pore. If I sit for hours in front of the mirror... which occasionally I do, I can squeeze every pore and clogged white substance will come out of every one.. especially on my nose and cheeks and lately my neck. If I unclog everything on my face, I'll have a smoother surface for a few days, my makeup goes on better and things aren't so bad, but they clog right back up again in a few days. I've tried the method of not popping anything as well, and my face does look less irritated during that time but there's still bumps all over the place that are ready to explode. 

Over the last weeks I've cut out dairy, gluten, sugar and all junk food. My acne has lessened (less painful under the skin cysts) but I still have the every-pore-is-clogged issue, and the pictures below were taken today so obviously the diet isn't doing much for me. 

Things I've tried in my adult acne journey: 

Various Sulfur washes (even pure sulfur) 

Proactive 

AcneFree Kit 

Teatree Oil

Apple Cider Vinegar 

 

I wash my face every night with Bare Minerals Purifying face wash, which I recently switched to after using Dove sensitive skin bar soap for years. I occasionally use St Ives Face Scrub to remove dry spots and buildup. 

I use Bareminerals makeup every day, which is supposed to be the best for your skin. Going makeup free is not an option for me at this point due to my self consciousness. I recently started trying a Bareminerals night treatment makeup that is supposed to help cell renewal while you sleep and still allows skin to breathe (obviously also not helping) 

If anyone has any advice I'd greatly appreciate it. My acne has changed who I am as a person. I know I'm not my best, most confident and happy self because of it and I'd love to be free of this terrible skin that makes me feel so trapped. 

 

Thank you in advance 

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(@kelly-jones)

Posted : 12/17/2015 7:59 am

IT IS THE WATER!!!! Weacne prone ppl are allergic to chemicals. STOP using them!!

Our skin and hair can't handle Free Chlorine (Cl-), Combined Chlorine (Sodium Hypochlorite), Hydrogen Sulfide (rotten egg smell) andIron Oxide (rust water)

Get a filtered shower head!!!! You will be amazed how your water is damaging your skin and hair. A filter will filter chemicals making your hard water softer. Trust me, I have tried everything before I started washing my body with only filtered water. Wash your face with combinations of honey, lemon, and coconut oil and sugar for exfoliation. Thayers Witch Hazel (No Alcohol) as toner. Use aloe Vera gel as moisturizer. Tea tree oil is great too. Stick to natural products as listed above.

Don't use lofas and do use wash cloths but oxiclean them when washing, do not bleach them

Birth Control is a Big No as is Man-Made antibiotics. Opt for natural antibiotics such as garlic and orgeano

If for some reason the moon turns purple and this does not work, get tested for food allergies ex dairy or gluten and Do educate yourself on GMO's

You all are Beautiful Best Of Luck!!

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(@chi00)

Posted : 01/06/2016 10:25 am

I used tactupump while at home for a week and it killed my skin, it felt raw, was red and VERY DRY and literally felt like a bad sun burn, then I went up to my cottage and my cousin had the same perscription, so I just tried to use it again and IT WORKED WONDERS! For the week that I was there... Weird? when I got back home I continued the same skin care regimentI was using at the cottage(spectro gel combo skin,herbal spot serum, tactupump, thenreal aloe Vera cut from the plant)AND AGAIN I HAD THE WORST REACTION! Like what? So I went to my dermatologist and she said to look into the type of water at my house compared to the cottage, so turns out we have a SOFT WATER filter at the cottage, and really hard water where I live at home, she recommended me invest in a soft water pump but they're around $900so I've been washing my face using Aquafina water bottles, this brand of water has been proven to be the softest, it has been changing my skin for the better! Try it out, and do research of the effects of hard water on ur skin! It's bad!

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(@cam0175)

Posted : 01/06/2016 5:16 pm

Ask your doctor to do a low dose accutane regime and tell him that you're worried about the side effects ...he will adjust the dosage so our body can adjust to it slowly ...good luck

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(@jmtm18017)

Posted : 02/07/2016 4:17 pm

I'm 35-- I had a very similar experience in my mid-late 20s. My acne somehow changed and turned into "a million little zits that never go away" whereas when I was a teenager they were bigger, less numerous, and once I'd pop them, they'd heal. Enter my mid twenties and they became tiny little deep cysts that would magically grow back over and over again.
Ironically, I did try bare minerals for a while and it didn't seem to help. Nowadays I try to go with as little makeup as possible. I also had a Mirena pulled a few years ago, and although I've had bouts of bad skin it's not as bad as it was when I was on the Mirena.
My dermatologist realized after a few rounds of antibiotics and a trial on spironolactone that my acne was resistant to treatment, so he put me on Accutane. As the previous poster wrote, if you are concerned about the side effects, ask for a lower dose. Honestly, I had fewer side effects with Accutane than I did with most antibiotics.

DeLovely liked
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(@virginiajames)

Posted : 02/13/2016 12:10 am

Hi, Its good to know that you have cut out all the junk food and dairy from your diet, I would suggest that you include omega 3 fatty acids in your diet, these are present in your flax seeds, fishes like salmon etc, it will reduce the inflammation and prevent further breakouts. You can also use CLEAR CELL medicated acne lotion, which is medicated acne face wash, it does not have any non-toxic elements so you can use without any concerns, my friend had same problem too so she started using it and it really worked for her.You can get more details regarding the lotion from this link. All the best.

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(@leelowe1)

Posted : 02/13/2016 6:24 pm

I am 32 and am dealing with chronic acne since 16 so you're not alone. You should definitely try to cut down on the makeup as no matter how healthy it is touted, makeup is foreign to the skin and bare minerals i a known allergen with its bismuth. You should definitely see a term since the over the counter stuff is not working. The diet aspect can take a few months versus weeks so keep at it. Also there is bc or spiro. As for accutane, it is a very dangerous drug but the majorirty of people will do one on it. I did 3 courses and still have acne so if you do decide to try it ,keep in mind that if your acne is primarily hormonal, actuate will be a short term fix.

One step at a time though. Try to stay encouraged, document your progress with pictures and force yourself to keep going out, being with loved ones and appreciating life.

beecakes and DeLovely liked
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(@sendmeangels)

Posted : 02/22/2016 10:56 pm

Sorry, but crazy diets just don't work for most people. It's the very rare person that has a food sensitivity that would cause an acne flare. Believe me, I tried every fad and supplement known to man to no avail. You aren't really using a host of good products either. Normally patients are started on a prescription retinoid and something that is designed to kill bacteria (like benzoyl peroxide). I'd see a doctor who can get you started on two topical acne medications. If you don't see any relief after about 4-6 weeks, I'd bring up Accutane.

If you think it's a hormonal issue (like PCOS), you can go the Spironolactone route. If you have missed or irregular periods, abnormal hair growth, excess weight, etc, those are a few things that would raise a red flag and point to a hormonal issue. And PCOS is very common.

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(@love17)

Posted : 03/05/2016 12:37 pm

Have you tried acnecide? That's what helped me.

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(@kasyani)

Posted : 03/07/2016 1:04 pm

On 2/23/2016 at 3:56 AM, SendMeAngels said:

Sorry, but crazy diets just don't work for most people. It's the very rare person that has a food sensitivity that would cause an acne flare. Believe me, I tried every fad and supplement known to man to no avail. You aren't really using a host of good products either. Normally patients are started on a prescription retinoid and something that is designed to kill bacteria (like benzoyl peroxide). I'd see a doctor who can get you started on two topical acne medications. If you don't see any relief after about 4-6 weeks, I'd bring up Accutane.

If you think it's a hormonal issue (like PCOS), you can go the Spironolactone route. If you have missed or irregular periods, abnormal hair growth, excess weight, etc, those are a few things that would raise a red flag and point to a hormonal issue. And PCOS is very common.

Me and my daughter are two of those rare people that has a food sensitivity,I expect there are more people who are than you think,it's just the chance's are low for them realising the connection,but agree that some diets are crazy,we eat unhealthy food once or twice a week,as long as we avoid our poison it's not a problem.

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(@abf32)

Posted : 03/09/2016 10:10 pm

I too suffer from adult acne. I don't really have any advice, but know that you are not alone!

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(@rajnikant)

Posted : 04/07/2016 4:20 am

i m 24 years old and my face is full of acne..... i used lots of cream...even doing face therapy.... but acne is not removed..... now i m fed up.... even people start taunting me..... i feel so ashamed..... please tell me gud cream or medicine..... which help me to reduce acne.........

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(@viseslav-tonkovic-capin)

Posted : 04/10/2016 2:00 pm

On 4/7/2016 at 4:20 AM, rajnikant said:

i m 24 years old and my face is full of acne..... i used lots of cream...even doing face therapy.... but acne is not removed..... now i m fed up.... even people start taunting me..... i feel so ashamed..... please tell me gud cream or medicine..... which help me to reduce acne.........

1. see your dermatologist

 

2. if for whatever reason you cannot see a dermatologist or your primary care doctor then the only non-prescription medications are salicylic acid cleansing pads (or washes) and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (not higher concentration) cream/lotion which you can leave on the skin from 1 hour to the entire day depending on your skin sensitivity. Check out Acne.org regimen for example.

 

3. I would not use any unproven remedies as they can cause allergies

 

4. you must understand that there are 3 strategic steps in fighting acne: 1. improve mood (reduce stress by sleeping long enough, by sharing your journey so that you get support from others such as right now on the Acne.org, exercise, etc.) 2. improve nutrition (eat foods from farms, not from factories; eat foods that your great-grandmother would recognize as foods; eat sugary foods not more than once weekly, get some fish oil, eat fermented foods etc.) and 3. skin care (as discussed above). People make mistake and rely only on skin care and then wonder why they still have acne!

 

Thank you for sharing with us your journey and keep us posted! We will all learn a lot from it.

 

Best!

 

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(@leelowe1)

Posted : 04/10/2016 3:10 pm

1 hour ago, Viseslav Tonkovic-Capin said:

1. see your dermatologist

 

2. if for whatever reason you cannot see a dermatologist or your primary care doctor then the only non-prescription medications are salicylic acid cleansing pads (or washes) and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (not higher concentration) cream/lotion which you can leave on the skin from 1 hour to the entire day depending on your skin sensitivity. Check out Acne.org regimen for example.

 

3. I would not use any unproven remedies as they can cause allergies

 

4. you must understand that there are 3 strategic steps in fighting acne: 1. improve mood (reduce stress by sleeping long enough, by sharing your journey so that you get support from others such as right now on the Acne.org, exercise, etc.) 2. improve nutrition (eat foods from farms, not from factories; eat foods that your great-grandmother would recognize as foods; eat sugary foods not more than once weekly, get some fish oil, eat fermented foods etc.) and 3. skin care (as discussed above). People make mistake and rely only on skin care and then wonder why they still have acne!

 

Thank you for sharing with us your journey and keep us posted! We will all learn a lot from it.

 

Best!

 

Your advice is very balanced..... Thanks for sharing

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(@snarkygirl)

Posted : 04/11/2016 10:52 am

Hi, I'm dealing with similar and I think its hormonal. Get your hormones checked. Id see both a derm and a gyno. Try cutting out dairy and reducing sugar. I'm trying evening g primrose oil and spearmint.
Btw youre a pretty woman in your pics despite the acne!

On 3/6/2016 at 1:04 PM, kasyani said:

Me and my daughter are two of those rare people that has a food sensitivity,I expect there are more people who are than you think,it's just the chance's are low for them realising the connection,but agree that some diets are crazy,we eat unhealthy food once or twice a week,as long as we avoid our poison it's not a problem.

i dont think its rare. I think most people just dont know they have food sensativities.

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