I am a 67 year old male and have had acne for 55 years. Some of it pretty bad at times. Like
everyone here I have tried and failed time after time to control it.
It was never that I wasn't willing to do what I needed to do to fix it, it was that I didn't know what to do that would work. Everything I tried got mixed results at best and they always came back. This has been going on for the last 50 years on my face.
About 2 months ago I decided I was going to try once again with frankly not much hope the
outcome would be any different but this time what I did differently actually worked.
I came here to Acne.org to tell my story in hopes it might help others. I have no financial interest in
anything I am about to tell you and consider my evidence as anecdotal at best if you wish.
Progress started when I went to a new dermatologists who told me to wash my face with a sulfur soap every day both morning and evening and follow up with an application of Metronidazole .75 cream.
She prescribed Doxy-cycline 100mg and told me to take it 2 times a day. I have been on this treatment under 8 weeks and have seen really good results for the first time in my life.
I don't put anything else on my face and this routine alone has made a significant difference however, I took the dermatologists suggestions a bit further.
First, I purchased one of the inexpensive small rotatory brushes with bristles designed to clean your face. I bought one that is battery operated that I can use in the shower. I use this device 2 times a day with my sulfur soap, then apply my Metronidazole right after.
Second, for about $30 I purchased a portable high frequency machine. You can find them on amazon and ebay. It's a device that I run over my face after I apply the Metronidazole. They claim the high frequency machine helps the skin absorb any topical solution you apply, and the electricity kills bacteria.
I've used the high frequency machine now once a day for about a week or so and I can state for a fact it has helped speed things along very nicely and you can zap individual blemishes. I have the violet color and it really helps.
The long term plan as laid out by my dermatologist is that the sulfur soap and Metronidazole are forever and once my acne is under control, try to reduce the strength of the Doxy-cycline to 40mg for maintenance.
The combination below has really improved my own condition and might warrant a discussion with your own dermatologist in whole or part. It certainly was with mine.
Sulfur soap with facial brush 2x day
Metronidazole .75 cream 2x day
high frequency machine 1x day - buy on amazon ebay web <$50
Doxy-cycline 100mg 2x day
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