I'm going to bump this. i cant give you a definitive answer and am curious about this myself and want some actual experienced feedback. my main issue is closed comedones. I get blackheads as well but zits are only occasional for me. it seems that salicylic acid is often recommended over benzoyl peroxide for comedonal acne. I have only ever used BP, I still have closed comedones. does it diminish them? maybe but it's not like they disappear in days. I haven't used the aha from here, the moisturizer doesn't work for me so I'm not sure if the formulation for that would. I actually have yet to find a moisturizer that won't clog my pores (not fun when you're using BP, sigh). anyway, hopefully someone else will chime in!

The best way to get rid of comedones effectively and efficiently is to get them extracted..... but if your skin can handle it use chemical exfoliation. acne.org has an aha lotion that could possibly work

21 hours ago, sosickofzitz said:

I'm going to bump this. i cant give you a definitive answer and am curious about this myself and want some actual experienced feedback. my main issue is closed comedones. I get blackheads as well but zits are only occasional for me. it seems that salicylic acid is often recommended over benzoyl peroxide for comedonal acne. I have only ever used BP, I still have closed comedones. does it diminish them? maybe but it's not like they disappear in days. I haven't used the aha from here, the moisturizer doesn't work for me so I'm not sure if the formulation for that would. I actually have yet to find a moisturizer that won't clog my pores (not fun when you're using BP, sigh). anyway, hopefully someone else will chime in!

Yeah!! I'd really like some actual experienced feedback too (not just thoughts -- but those are good too). 
Also wondering, did the BP help with your blackheads?!! Because I have blackheads too!!
& i've tried salicylic acid peels before (i got a package of 6 at a spa for $750) and i was PRETTY DARN UPSET that even after ALL those peels, my comedones didn't look like they were going away 
those peels only slightly helped the PIH heal faster (which wasn't even all that quick)
out of much desparation i was finally able to go to a derm to see what was up with my skin, and i'm currently on Tactupump (i'm pretty sure that's the Canadian version of Epiduo) but i want to wean off of it because i don't want to rely on medications
i've been researching hardcore into closed comedones treatment, and i'm thinking of trying MUAC mandelic acid peels & serum (so many great reviews on reddit) & this treatment here  https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/517ovt/ba_personal_sometimes_if_nothing_else_is_working/
i'm just really nervous about that one because i can't imagine doing NOTHING to my face for several days 
&& currently i've been using CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin (i don't think it's making my skin worse)
i heard that fatty alcohols (which are in a lot of products -- even in the moisturizer i use, above) do clog pores, so i'd say to look into that 

--on a side note, i think my comedones are probably hormonal (because i don't get my period normally -- like, it's really light that i only use 1 liner!! i get spotting too. TMI i know, but i just want to get to the bottom of what's causing them)
as well, before i got them, i was a regular drinker of peppermint tea (SUPER STRONG, no sugar, 2 tea bags per cup, severalper day) this was in grade 8. then i just stopped with the peppermint tea && opted for water because i was trying to clear my forehead bumps -- it helped with that, but then i got these closed comedones on my cheeks. i dunno if it was because i stopped drinking peppermint tea (which apparently helps get rid of excess androgens)

Sorry for the long post!! i'm just SOO fed up with these damn cc's

Hey i have ccs 2 lol im prone to them but in all my life the only thing that works for my overall acne is not using chemicals/soapon my skin but just extracting them myself. you said you want experience well guess what works for someone might not work for you. you will be just playing russian roulette with your skin. all im saying is just becareful when using chemicals but the best thing is to go see an esthetician or a derm. good luck

49 minutes ago, KenHarrison said:

Hey i have ccs 2 lol im prone to them but in all my life the only thing that works for my overall acne is not using chemicals/soap on my skin but just extracting them myself. you said you want experience well guess what works for someone might not work for you. you will be just playing russian roulette with your skin. all im saying is just becareful when using chemicals but the best thing is to go see an esthetician or a derm. good luck  

Ohh i see i see. Just curious, how do you extract them yourself? Do you puncture with a needle and then "pop" it like you would for a pimple?! I've extracted them before but they still came back && the amount of redness in my skin from extracting made me stay inside for like a week 

I got a facial recently and they did alot of extractions. my skin was so smooth the week after, it was amazing. but I did have an allergic reaction to something they used and my face is in awful shape now from not sticking to a regimen and switching birth control last month. honestly, I have only ever used proactiv; which is a BP cleanser, an aha toner, and a BP lotion; various BP or salicylic acid washes; and something similar to the regimen on here, gentle cleanser and BP treatment. I also have a super awful intolerance of lotions and can't find any that don't break me out horribly. even though I know how bad it is to be applying BP without it. at the moment, I use cetaphil and just spot treat with a light layer of BP in problem areas. I have a moisturizer from proactive I am trying out and I put it on dry areas only. I will say if you use the gentle skin cleanser from cetaphil it's like using the cleanser and lotion in one step. I would definitely recommend trying it. I do need to use a washcloth/scrub of some sort every once in a while because I get flaky skin buildup that makes my face look kind of dull and feel gross. for the record, I have pretty oily skin, big pores. I rarely get typical zits, it's mostly just comedones and blackheads but there's tons of them. other suggestions I have is don't wear makeup. makes it worse. drink lots of water and try to exercise regularly. my skin always gets worse when I'm not exercising.

well i have this thing you're supposed to pick the plaque out your teeth with but used to try to poke a hole on top of the cc n squeeze it out depending on if it is deep or not. but you have to be careful do not apply to much pressure be gentle with you skin. also i use gloves to squeeze most of them out with my 2 pointer fingers. but you need to see a pro if you dont know what your doing. for me i general i keep most of my ccs n regular acne at bay with diet but thats just me.

Retinoids tend to be more effective for comedonal acne. They open up the pores and the pore clogs literally will pop out on their own. The only word of caution is this process often comes with a purging process, as the medication brings all the crap to the surface. My son's going through this now on his back, where he has some bad comedonal acne going on. He went through this on his face as well, and he broke out pretty bad before he started to clear up, but the retinoid did a great job getting rid of all his blackheads and pore clogs on his face, and his face has remained clear of all acne.

Hope this is helpful!

6 hours ago, KenHarrison said:

well i have this thing you're supposed  to pick the plaque out your teeth with but used to try to poke a hole on top of the cc n squeeze it out depending on if it is deep or not. but you have to be careful do not apply to much pressure be gentle with you skin. also i use gloves to squeeze most of them out with my 2 pointer fingers. but you need to see a pro if you dont know what your doing. for me i general i keep most of my ccs n regular acne at bay with diet but thats just me. 

Hmm, what do you do for diet?!
For me, i eat dishes made from whole foods (like lots of veggies, rice, beef, chicken, etc.) -- i stay away from processed things. my oil used for cooking is olive oil (cold pressed & organic). i only drink water or tea (NO SUGAR -- i add lemon slices to it depending on how im feeling).
Do you take any supplements too?
I've been planning on going to a naturopath, just don't have the funds for it yet, so i'm eager to know what's been helping you!!

7 hours ago, sosickofzitz said:

I got a facial recently and they did alot of extractions. my skin was so smooth the week after, it was amazing. but I did have an allergic reaction to something they used and my face is in awful shape now from not sticking to a regimen and switching birth control last month. honestly, I have only ever used proactiv; which is a BP cleanser, an aha toner, and a BP lotion; various BP or salicylic acid washes; and something similar to the regimen on here, gentle cleanser and BP treatment. I also have a super awful intolerance of lotions and can't find any that don't break me out horribly. even though I know how bad it is to be applying BP without it. at the moment, I use cetaphil and just spot treat with a light layer of BP in problem areas. I have a moisturizer from proactive I am trying out and I put it on dry areas only. I will say if you use the gentle skin cleanser from cetaphil it's like using the cleanser and lotion in one step. I would definitely recommend trying it. I do need to use a washcloth/scrub of some sort every once in a while because I get flaky skin buildup that makes my face look kind of dull and feel gross. for the record, I have pretty oily skin, big pores. I rarely get typical zits, it's mostly just comedones and blackheads but there's tons of them. other suggestions I have is don't wear makeup. makes it worse. drink lots of water and try to exercise regularly. my skin always gets worse when I'm not exercising. 

Woahh no way! I've been looking up some good places where i can go to get extractions (never had em done professionally).
How long did your smooth-skin look last?!  I think i may go get some extractions done soon
OH NO!! that sucks to hear !! I hope your skin gets better!!
I 've tried the CETAPHIL Gentle Skin Cleanser, and that gave me a lot of tiny whiteheads, so for now i've been using Cerave Hydrating Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin, and it seems pretty good to me!
I too , rarely get typical zits, and my skin issues are mainly just comedones and blackheads.
I don't wear makeup (only for very important things.. last time i wore makeup was for a job interview!) 

2 hours ago, DeLovely said:

Retinoids tend to be more effective for comedonal acne. They open up the pores and the pore clogs literally will pop out on their own. The only word of caution is this process often comes with a purging process, as the medication brings all the crap to the surface. My son's going through this now on his back, where he has some bad comedonal acne going on. He went through this on his face as well, and he broke out pretty bad before he started to clear up, but it did a great job getting rid of all his blackheads and pore clogs on his face, and his face has remained clear of all acne.

Hope this is helpful!

I'm currently on a retinoid -- 0.1% adapalene with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. I'm just really eager to get off of it after the three months of use is up, because i don't want my body to have to rely on chemicals!
I use it on my back too! There are some bumps there, and the purging process hasn't been too bad for me. Today will mark my 80th day using it! My derm told me to see her after three months of using it ((93 days)) so she can see if it has helped.
I'm curious, how long did it take for your son's face to clear up on the retinoids?! & What type of retinoid was it?! (was it also the 0.1% adapalene and 2.5% benzoyl peroxide)?

Thank you for your insight!!

well something that help like major help is only using distill water one on my skin besides pvt parts n armpits. sometimes i might run the shower water on my skin but only like for 5sec i have hard water in my area, shit is bad for my skin. also to get rid of the dead skin i rub 2 fingers on my face. my diet is like yours lol fruits, veggies, seafood, chicken turkey, oats, olive oil, sesame oil, tofu etc

you and me both! it isn't anything major, just those dreadful clogged pores all between my nose and upper lip that never seem to go away and just look kinda gross. I'm guessing it was the Flux of hormones since I haven't had issues there for quite awhile. I'd say my skin was really good for about 2 weeks following the facial. I was only using cetaphil. then I started switching to my normal routine, dried out really bad and started breaking out and now I'm kinda back to square one. had I not switched pills though I think I would have stayed clear longer. I haven't tried the cerave hydrating cleanser, I did use their foaming one and didn't like it. I don't really care for foaming cleansers as a general rule because I feel all dry and tight afterward. even 'bad' cleansers like harsh clean and clear and St ives scrub don't make me feel the way foamy cleansers do. the cetaphil daily one is pretty good, I typically use that one and stay pretty clear overall but it can leave me with some dry areas and if you don't get it all the way off it leaves a sticky residue.

@KenHarrison: no way!! i heard of hard water being bad, but i didn't think it could be the cause of my clogged pores! i live in an apartment, so i dunno if i have hard water running from my tap. very possible tho, so thank you for that info!! 
after switching to soft water for your skin, did all of your cc's go away?! or do you still have new ones show up from time to time?

@sosickofzitz: are the clogged pores just between your nose and upper lip?! i used to get some there too, but then they just stopped (i'm glad) but then i got them around my chin area
i too hate how the foaming cleansers make my skin feel! i still find non-foaming cleansers (like the Cerave one i'm currently using) to be strange because i'm just accustomed to expecting all cleansers to foam hahaa
are you gonna switch back to the other pill?! you should tell your doctor (if you haven't already) and maybe they can put you back on the other one, or find a new one that could help! 
ohh, and did the closed comedones that were extracted ever come back in the same spot (like they re-filled after the two weeks)? or was it new ones that showed up on your skin?

11 hours ago, wolfchick said:

I'm currently on a retinoid -- 0.1% adapalene with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. I'm just really eager to get off of it after the three months of use is up, because i don't want my body to have to rely on chemicals!
I use it on my back too! There are some bumps there, and the purging process hasn't been too bad for me. Today will mark my 80th day using it! My derm told me to see her after three months of using it ((93 days)) so she can see if it has helped.
I'm curious, how long did it take for your son's face to clear up on the retinoids?! & What type of retinoid was it?! (was it also the 0.1% adapalene and 2.5% benzoyl peroxide)?

Thank you for your insight!!

It took my son a good 4-5 months to clear up. He applied 2.5% BP, and then a very thin layer of .05% tretinoin over the top of this about an hour later. He did the BP application twice a day (morning and night), and the tretinoin at night only. He was also on 100 mgs minocycline.

He still does the Acne.Org Regimen twice a day for maintenance on his face (minus the tretinoin), and as I said, his face has stayed clear, including no blackheads. Tretinoin alone won't prevent new breakouts, so using something like BP is his best line of defense. 

ya, foaming cleansers make me feel way drier than typical acne cleansers do for some reason. with birth control you have to give it about 3 to 4 months to let your hormones settle before switching or it can get worse. even if I were to switch back now, my hormones would be pretty confused for a few months. I have oily skin and live in arizona, it is hot and it makes my face feel just gross most of the time. and no, they didn't come back in the same spots. the breakout I'm experiencing now is actually totally different than what was happening prior to the facial, which leads me to believe it's hormonal. before my breakouts were on the side of my face and forhead. now it's centered in my t zone area. I'm also stressed more than usual so that could be another culprit.

ohh, i didn't know that!
i think the key to the whole closed comedones issue is to find what it is that's causing yours... and that's the part i'm having issues with!! i plan to see an endocrinologist (hormone doc) to see if it is indeed my hormones that are messing up my face, because even if i were to get mine extracted, and even if they wouldn't fill back up, i feel like new ones would appear, and it'd just be the same cycle. i just want to hopefully figure out what's causing them so i can prevent them!!
i hope someone who's had closed comedones & has gotten rid of them, chimes in on this discussion!! it'd be cool to hear what's helped them!
i'm thinking of not doing anything to my face for like 2 weeks, or even a month, to see what my skin is like at its 'base' point, and then go from there, introducing one product at a time, just to make sure it isn't any of the products i'm using that are contributing to the 'dones
i do think also that stress may have something to do with it!! i just recently (in june 2016) graduated high school, so i'm hoping i don't have any stress (since i'm out of school, i shouldn't), and maybe that'll help a little!
it sucks too, that there are just so many different things that could be causing these cc's, and you gotta know EXACTLY which one(s) are to blame
if yours is hormonal, i've heard of EstroSmart (some natural pill that gets rid of excess estrogen made by this Canadian natural health doc) helping! i really want to try it out for myself too, but before i start any 'health' regimen, i have to do some tests to see if it is indeed the hormones causing me this trouble (which i highly suspect it is)
ohh, and when you say "breakouts" are you referring to actual inflamed bumps, or just the cc's?

by breakouts I mean a few under the skin sore spots around my chin...like one at a time and those Itty bitty clogged pores type of closed comedones. I also have a few random tiny limples/clogs on my nose.

On 9/9/2016 at 8:36 PM, wolfchick said:

@KenHarrison: no way!! i heard of hard water being bad, but i didn't think it could be the cause of my clogged pores! i live in an apartment, so i dunno if i have hard water running from my tap. very possible tho, so thank you for that info!! 
after switching to soft water for your skin, did all of your cc's go away?! or do you still have new ones show up from time to time?

@sosickofzitz: are the clogged pores just between your nose and upper lip?! i used to get some there too, but then they just stopped (i'm glad) but then i got them around my chin area
i too hate how the foaming cleansers make my skin feel! i still find non-foaming cleansers (like the Cerave one i'm currently using) to be strange because i'm just accustomed to expecting all cleansers to foam hahaa
are you gonna switch back to the other pill?! you should tell your doctor (if you haven't already) and maybe they can put you back on the other one, or find a new one that could help! 
ohh, and did the closed comedones that were extracted ever come back in the same spot (like they re-filled after the two weeks)? or was it new ones that showed up on your skin?

Yes waay! But just read about hard water n acne. i did not switch to soft water , i just cut back on the exposure of hard water on my skin. like 5-10 min on my face instead of 20/ no soap. You are absolutely right we all need figure out what was the cause of are ccss/acne n mines was diet gluten sugar bad oils , i just hate that my body reacts to all theses foods.         

sosickofzitz: ohh i see; we both have similar issues!! i rarely get the sore ones under the skin, but when i do, they're on my jawline. for the nose, are you referring to sebaceous filaments?! those are the ones i have on my nose and also a little on my chin (i always thought they were blackheads, until now hahaa)

KenHarrison: you said your cause of cc's & acne was diet (gluten, sugar, bad oils). how long does it take for the 'bad foods' to show up on your skin in the form of closed comedones or acne?! like, lets say for example if you had a mighty angus from McDonalds, just 1, would it show up on your skin?! and how long after eating would it take to show up?? & would you get a lot if it was just one burger?  (also, would it be more cc's or more acne--like the inflamed kind?) -- sorry for all the questions!! i'm just trying to prepare/brace myself for anything bad that may possibly show on my skin from having a little bit of something that's not too good for my skin) 

nope, they're actual little whiteheads or something. they are tiny but the nose is just a bad spot in general, you see everything. im slathering benzoyl peroxide on the whole area so hopefully it'll zap them quickly. my nose is not a typical breakout area for me, so not sure why its happening. my nose and cheeks are also covered in the sebaceous filaments, I have very large pores (as does my mom and grandparents, must be genetic) and they all get little black dots with the nasty things but it doesn't do any good to clear them out, they fill back up. my mom constantly complains about her blackheads but I let her know they're actually sebaceous filaments since they fill right back up when she picks at them. she doesn't believe me haha. she isn't acne prone though. she can slather Vaseline on her face and not break out in the least. I have a sister who never ever had pimples and when she was in her very early 20s had a horrible hormonal breakout in her jaw area. she still has scars from it but was able to clear it up with birth control. she doesn't even use anything on her face and sleeps in her makeup and still has clear skin. I just got lucky I guess....I'm 25 and have been treating breakouts since I was in 5th grade. my mom put me on proactive in 6th, it worked well but dried the crums out of my skin. if you haven't tried it and aren't sensitive, I would recommend at least trying it once. you can get a knockoff at walmart for 11 bucks. if the cleanser is too harsh, ditch it and use a nonmedicated one and use the lotion treatment with it. if you add in a moisturizer then you basically are doing the acne.org regmen. personally, I like the toner part of the kit too because it has an aha in it and it seems to hydrate my skin a bit after cleansing. the whole system together is too harsh for me to use now but if your skin is in good shape it should handle it. if you've never used benzoyl peroxide before though make sure to spot test it it's too much for some people.

i used to get really tiny whiteheads on my nose too -- but i got them from trying to 'squeeze' out the sebaceous filaments (they'd fill up the empty hole hahaa). i don't squeeze them anymore. if they're piling up (like if my nose feels fuzzy from them) i just lightly scratch them off with my nails
my mom and my sister have large pores too! i just have a few, mostly the cheek part that's underneath the eye (it doesn't go as far out to the side of my face, so i am greatful for that!!)
ughhpeople are so lucky that they don't have to worry about treating their skin good, and it just stays flawless!
i think proactive may be too harsh for my more sensitive skin; i actually just used Boscia: MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil to take off the foundation & concealer i wore today, my skin feels so smooth; almost as if the bumps weren't there!! i think i may switch to using it more often (for now i just use it to get rid of makeup on the rare days i wear some).
i have a feeling my skin just needs a little break from everything, so as soon as the three months on Tactupump is up, i'm gonna give my skin that break.
i've actually noticed before, that first thing in the morning my skin has way less cc's, so i'm thinking it's because there's nothing being done to it during the night (ie, no irritation), which is why i'm eager to give my skin a break!
have you ever noticed something similar with your cc's?

my skin generally looks alot better in the morning. I think it may be due to the fact that you're a bit puffy when you wake up and just well rested so everything looks alot smoother. personally though, I look like an oil slick in the morning. I know alot of people say they're less oily in the morning but my face is like a mirror. it's been that way ever since I can remember. I did call up my doctor today because I'm pretty sure that this birth control isn't going to work for me and want to go back to my old one. so I'm taking a week off of pills and then I'll start that back up. hopefully my nose clears up and I'll know that's what caused it in the first place. on my last pill, it was my forhead and temple area that I was having trouble with. ever since I started this one it's my nose down to my mouth and my skin just looks dirty like I haven't washed it. I think that's worse haha. sometimes the skin definitely needs a break! mine is a bit over irritated right now, I've been using just cetaphil (which isnt my fave because i dont think it helps with clogging my skin up) and spot treating with benzoyl peroxide but my skin looks dry and dull and flaky (in spots I'm not using the treatment). I just want to scrub it off but that makes it worse most of the time. hopefully it'll normal itself out. I did go through a phase where I dropped everything and only used cetaphil. I stopped getting red pimples but the little bumps went out of control. you wouldn't notice them from a foot or two away and they were super tiny, like pinhead sorry of but skin colored, but I was self conscious about it. my skin was also super flakey then too, I think from lack of exfoliation.

too much oil production maybe?! i typically get oilier in the afternoon, but it's not too bad
i used to have forehead & temple bumps too, but they were different from the bumps i have on my cheeks now. it was back in grade 8. the ones on the forehead & temple were a little more raised, and some of them were even a little bit inflamed. i used to think it was because i had bangs, so i took action & actually wore my hair back (exposing them... i was so embarrassed, but you gotta do what you gotta do). i alsocompletelystopped drinking pop (i used to drink a lot of pepsi), and instead opted for smoothies, and mainly water. those bumps surely, but slowly, went away. then i got bumps on my cheeks in grade 9, then like two years later, some more around the chin area. these bumps aren't as raised, and they're pretty difficult to extract (unless i poke a needle through them.. but even then they're still sometimes stubborn). i currently have bangs, and my forehead is still clear, so i am sure it was the unnecessary sugar that was actually the culprit behind them.
i, too, have flakes on my skin sometimes. i usually just peel them off & then moisturize, and if i'm going outside, i make sure to apply sunscreen.
a good exfoliator i've used has been Boscia: Exfoliating Peel Gel. when you use it, you're literally just rubbing off the dead skin from your face! it's pretty cool

23 hours ago, sosickofzitz said:

I did go through a phase where I dropped everything and only used cetaphil. I stopped getting red pimples but the little bumps went out of control. you wouldn't notice them from a foot or two away and they were super tiny, like pinhead sorry of but skin colored, but I was self conscious about it. my skin was also super flakey then too, I think from lack of exfoliation.

omg, this is exactly what i fear might happen to me, because since it is closed comedones we're dealing with, i think that not exfoliating will exacerbate the whole situation. if they are pinhead-like, though, i think they'll be easier to extract because they've actually reached to the surface. i'm still pretty nervous!!

ya. it was pretty bad. I thought my skin would purge it out so to speak but it stayed the same basically. if I wore makeup I think they would have been far more noticable. my skin also looked kinda dull and not super healthy. I've used harsh cleansers and scrubs and they left my skin a bit drier overall but it looked healthier in general. I'm trying to decide if I should switch to a different cleanser, the cetaphil daily cleanser that I typically use kept me pretty clear but my face always feels tight and uncomfortable with it the entire day. it also leaves that squeaky clean shine. I'm using the gentle cetaphil and am getting that dead skin buildup stuff again (which inevitably led to clogged pores all around my mouth area). I'm considering clean and clear daily pore cleanser. it has lactic acid in it, I know aha are good for moisturizing and getting rid of comedones and dead skin. it is kind of a light lathering cream and little beads, not quite a foam or a heavy gel. I used the St ives green tea scrub and it made my skin look amazing. and then a week later I was broken out all over the sides of my face and got a ton of congestion on my forhead. maybe from over exfoliation since I was just doing the cetaphil daily cleanser up until that point. it's a pain because comedonal type acne is a whole different beast. I don't think we should be rough with it but being too gentle doesn't seem to improve it at all, at least in my case. do you get Millia too? I have that in my undereye area.