I've spent the last week or so researching causes, cures and comedones. I have self-diagnosed myself with closed comedones around my mouth, chin, and jawline. It seems as though the best way to get rid of these things is exfoliation. So exfoliate I will. Before I did my research, I was simply cleansing with a 2% salycilic acid and moisturizing with an oil-free moisturizer, both from Clearproof. My goal is to experiment with BHA, AHA and other methods of exfoliating if I need to to get rid of these suckers. I learned that salycilic acid is a BHA, but it can't exfoliate correctly by just sitting on my face for two minutes and then getting washed off. I pulled out a toner, also 2% salycilic acid, and started using it at nights. New routine for now is: cleanse, *wait 15 minutes*, 2% salycilic acid toner, *wait 20 minutes*, moisturize for the night and the same in the morning minus the 2% salycilic acid toner. I am going to order an AHA, because I read that AHA's are what can get rid of current closed comedones. I also want to try out a simple sea-salt and water toner. Anybody think that I could alternate daily between (BHA in the morning and AHA at night) and (sea-salt toner 2-3 times a day)?
DAY 1 (10-1): Started the BHA 2 days ago. I think a purge is beginning. In the last two days, I've probably squeezed out 6-7 comedones on the left side out my mouth. That side is super inflammed rn. Scabs are starting to form on some of the spots. Fresh aloe is my spot treatment. I probably have about 3-4 comedones that are visible on that side still. The right side hasn't flared up in a while, but I can see 10-12 comedones on that side that are becoming more visible. AHA should be on the way and I can start the sea salt toner as soon as someone says that they think it will be okay to alternate the chemical exfoliants and the salt.
cheers
DAY 4 (10-4): BHA has been going for almost a week now. I've noticed a few random whiteheads around my face, but that wasn't unusual before I started it. Hopefully its just pulling all the stuff out now. The left side that I already squeezed is healing well. Scab are all gone, now it's on to the flaky stage. Still red marks where I popped them, but looking significantly better than it did 3-4 days ago. The right side is coming up really well. The first comedone came to head this morning, but I am going to hold off popping them until tomorrow night and do them all at once. My AHA should arrive today and I'll start it tomorrow. So far, I am really glad I started with the BHA. The initial purge is not going to be pretty, but I can already see the texture of my skin changing. The area where I first popped hasn't created any new comedones since starting the BHA.
cheers
DAY 6 (10-6): Used the AHA for the first time last night. We'll see how it's working in about a week. Everything seems to be calming down, but there are still comedones there. A few have come to a head, and instead of popping them like I normally do, I've been leaving them be. The exfoliants seem to do a good job at just dissolving the heads. I'll check back in a few days.
2 hours ago, KenHarrison said:Hey how's it going... well i have them 2 , im thinking about getting on retin a to see if that helps overall with preventing acne, comedones, and even out my skin complexion. but i might try chemical exfoliants again but the right way lol.
I'm only a week into it, but it seems to be going well. Certainly not making anything worse (not getting new spots). I was expecting all the comedones to come right up as whiteheads, but that hasn't happened. I'm going to keep going with the BHA twice a day and the AHA 3 times a week...see after a month or so how everything is. Patience I think is the key.
Day 10 (10-10): Same old, same old. Just waiting. The texture of my skin is definitely improving and I feel like some of the comedones are definitely disappearing, but nothing is 100% better yet. A few look like they are going to come up as whiteheads soon. Tonight, I'll lancet the tops and put a blister bandage overtop of them to try and at least draw the bottom of the plug up a bit so when I pop them, I won't end up with a hole in my face.
Day 16 (10-16): The BHA is definitely doing its job for me. Since I started using it, I don't think I have noticed one new closed comedone. The problem is, the ones that are there aren't improving much. I've only used the AHA 3-4 times, so I'll keep using that on a consistent basis to see if it will either dissolve them or bring them to a head. I have noticed that using the BHA simply cuts down on the healing time of random breakouts. It really is a product that everybody should have as a part of their routine, even if their skin nothing more than mild acne, which is what I'm fighting. I also have a patch of blackheads on my cheek that I think came from a rare cyst that I treated really badly. I've know they were there for a few weeks, but I have a feeling they will come up in the next couple days.
Day 20 (10-20): Once again...the BHA is doing its job. It is preventing new comedones from forming. But the ones that I have are pesky and staying around. I think the AHA is helping them come to head faster (still painstakingly slow), but nothing is simply dissolving them. I have started using hyrocolloid bandages on spots that have come to a head/post-pop. They are great...really can't say enough. They reduce the healing time and if I slap one on right after I pop, it just leaves a little scab that falls off in a few days. If anybody has suggestions on how to get the closed comedones to just dissolve or come to a head faster, feel free to contribute. I just don't want to put anything crazy-irritating on my skin.
cheers
Day 33 (11-3): It works friends. Only a few comedones left. I extracted 2-3 yesterday before they came to a head. They seem to come out much easier than they did just a few weeks ago. Honestly, anybody with mild closed comedones has to consider a BHA before anything else. I have not seen 1 new comedone pop up after I started using the stuff. It's great. An AHA hasn't proven to be fantastic a bringing the comedones out, but it is def good to improve skin texture, tone, ect.
Will update when everything is gone. TRY A BHA!!
cheers
I just want to come back and finalize this thread. The BHA/AHA combo is really a great thing, not hard at all to add to a routine and super helpful. I found that the root cause of the comedones I had was my toothpaste. I was only getting them around my mouth and when I changed my toothpaste from just regular Colgate to a Sulfate/FluorideFree toothpaste, they went away within one week. I tried so many things and I was so patient and the fix ended up being just a change in toothpaste.I don't plan on stopping the BHA/AHA combination because I feel like it has helped my overall skin tone, but the BHA/AHA did not, as I though, get rid of the comedones caused by toothpaste.
On 5/9/2017 at 11:12 AM, SkilfulJalopy said:I just want to come back and finalize this thread. The BHA/AHA combo is really a great thing, not hard at all to add to a routine and super helpful. I found that the root cause of the comedones I had was my toothpaste. I was only getting them around my mouth and when I changed my toothpaste from just regular Colgate to a Sulfate/FluorideFree toothpaste, they went away within one week. I tried so many things and I was so patient and the fix ended up being just a change in toothpaste.I don't plan on stopping the BHA/AHA combination because I feel like it has helped my overall skin tone, but the BHA/AHA did not, as I though, get rid of the comedones caused by toothpaste.
Sorry I know this is a late comment but, Wow what is your skin care routine now that you've gotten rid of those comedones from hell??! congrats! I too have them mostly around my chin.. I am currently using an aha/bha gel mostly at night from peter Thomas Roth And it seems to work but slowwwwwly... I had already gotten rid of them once already... thought they were gone for good and didn't exfoliate as often, and they came back unfortunately. How did you realize it was your toothpaste? Had you used a toothpaste w/fluoride and gotten clogged comedones in the past?? Thanks for sharing your experience!
I had this exact problem for years!! And I finally solved what to do! I always said if I figure out the solution i will come back to share it with others! I had this problem for probably about 8-10 years since I was younger, and the only way I could get rid of it was by squeezing them only I hated it cuz it would leave scars and red marks behind, I tried everything from OTC to prescription strength to diet to chemical peels etc. So, this summer I finally figured out the cure. I went and got a facial with EXTRACTIONS, and it was from the local spa, not a fancy dermatologist, and doing it yourself wont work, I promise go to a professionalAND heres the important part to keep them from coming back, I stopped using the face moisturizer that had oilin them, so stop using those anything withoiland make sure you get one that says on it, OIL FREE. And I suggest a better cleanser, the cetaphil is not the best for taking off makeup, you can tell because if you tone afterwards it should have zero makeup residue on the cotton pad.The extractions get rid of them and the oil free moisturizer keeps them away. I promise you, try this, the extraction facial may be a little pricey, I paid 50 dollars, however it was worth it. And I actually went through it a second time, bout 2 months later because I ran out of the oil free moisturizer I had and started my old one, and BAM the closed comedones came back after using that moisturizer for only 1 week. Fortunately I didnt get that many so she didnt have to do much. So its been about 5 months now and my face is still bump free! My makeup looks flawless and if I dont want to, I dont have to worry about putting on makeup everyday to cover up my hideous acne.
Now my routine is:
Dermatologica Clean Start Wash Off Cleanser
Witch Hazel for toner
Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer with SPF 15
P.S. Results were instant! Besides the face that my face was a little red due to the extractions. But that went away in a couple days.
Do you really need to use toner if you have closed comedones? I never had problems with closed comedones, but when I started using jojoba as a mositurizer, closed comedones came out from all over my face. I dont know if its purging or breakout. It came out after 2 mos of using jojoba oil. At first It made my skin clear. I dont knos what happened why I broke out after 2-3 mos of using it.