I wonder why...

[the_se7en 1]

Wherever I used prescribed creams, etc. I still continue to have acne but places I left alone seem to be COMPLETELY clear except for one small zit once in a long while which disappears within a day or two at most.

Wonder why? I think all those chemicals and shit have fucked up my skin... I went thru a normal teenager phase where I had acne and I should have cleared up by now if it wasn't for those fucked up medications and chemicals I used. I don't have acne anywhere but my cheeks and nose and before I had acne all over the face. I only ever used creams n stuff on my cheeks and nose

I stopped using everything... starting to feel smoother a little bit, I am not gonna use anymore acne products at all! Nothing... NEVER AGAIN!

[Danny-E 0]

Good luck dude.

[elfgirl 2]

Agreed, seems like the more chemicals I put on my skin in an effort to clear it just made it worse. So, I don't do much just wash with ivory and clean wash cloth and a little neo cream on the zit and it has helped lots.

[Mac 1]

I think tahts a good way to go..when I'm off tane thast what I'm doing

[LionQueen 39]

I've just been skimming thru some threads in the research forum that could explain this. Here's a really, really basic line of reasoning:

-- You notice a few pimples and start slathering your face with acne products

-- A lot of acne products (BP, for example) are extremely drying and can dehydrate your skin

-- Dehydrated skin is actually MORE prone to comedones (clogged pores)

-- More comedones translates into more pimples ... and the cycle continues, possibly worsened by picking and scrubbing

So, going cold turkey on the acne products could definitely help SOME people ... not all!

My acne, for instance, is persistent, comedonal, and will probably always be with me to some extent. Going cold turkey would be a disaster -- I need treatment to keep it in check. On the other hand, I have learned to treat it appropriately and not make things worse by drying it out or damaging it.

Q

[JessFirestone 6]

-- You notice a few pimples and start slathering your face with acne products

-- A lot of acne products (BP, for example) are extremely drying and can dehydrate your skin

-- Dehydrated skin is actually MORE prone to comedones (clogged pores)

-- More comedones translates into more pimples ... and the cycle continues, possibly worsened by picking and scrubbing

getting caught in the acne products cycle-I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I think we all msy have some experience with this. something that turns many people's mild acne into cystic and persistent acne. at the same time that you make your acne much worse, you may also develop sebhorreic dermatitis, which is when your face is put into oil production overdrive. this can lead to round the clock oily skin.

Whenever I see the clearasil commercial with the girl in some stupid play going "OMG! I have a ZIT!" then the announcer comes on "YES-but with new CLEARASIL ULTRA you can see results within 3 days" so she uses it and is able to be in her insipid play and life is grand one again. I'm thinking yeah but for the next 15 years she's going to be drying out her face in a hopeless effort to beat acne while at the same time, giving herself an achilles heel that guarantees she'll never get rid of the acne.

[Guest funky_monkey]

saying that, acne products have come a long long way since I was 13. All you could get was either Clearasil or Oxy, which were at the time harsh anti-bacterial washes which didnt do anything. Who can remember that super-drying Clearasil soap? For years and years, I stayed away from acne products until I joined this forum.

Changing to mineral makeup and using Neutrogena Oil Free Wash have made a marked improvement on my skin.

The biggest reaction I've had by far, was the Clinique 3 step. I came out in boils over night . yuck yuck yuck! Terrible stuff!