Calamine Lotion

9 days ago I went on vacation and didn't bring my acne medicine (Mario Badescu) because I thought my skin was undercontrol and I could go without for a few days. By day 2, my skin was a disaster. I was in a drugstore and bought this out of desperation because I had read online that it could work. My skin looked better in I'd say, 3 days. Now I'm home from vacation and am still using it and my skin looks fantastic. I haven't even bothered to use my other acne meds yet, I kind of want to see how long my skin stays clear without those. And to be honest, my skin looks better using the pink calamine lotion than anything I've used in years. (I started breaking out after I had my first child, 3.5 years ago, and it's been a battle ever since.)

I am in my mid 30s and battling harmonal/cystic acne. I spread a thin layer over my acne and spots and leave it ovenight.In the morning, pimples dont disappear but reduce by 80%. Again, if i apply it when its a tiny red bump under my skin, it doesnt disapper totally but the size is very tiny -to me much better than a large pus filled cyst. It aids in drying the cysts faster and doesnt leave a black dark spot. I have tried various products both natural and medicinal but this has worked for me. I use the one from Target.

Bottom line: It helped soothe my super sensitive skin, reduced irritation and inflammation, and helped my seriously broken out skin heal in little under a month. I recently had one of my TERRIBLE breakout, where I had cystic acne, whiteheads and blackheads covering my forehead, both temples, jawline and chin :(. I started out using topical clindamycin 1% (prescription) along with 5% Benzoyl Peroxide, but that was seriously irritating my sensitive skin. In a moment of desperation, I stopped using them and applied Calamine lotion to my skin as a thin film using a clean, dry makeup sponge (be sure to shake well, it is very liquid-y) to help calm it down for the night. My skin immediately felt less irritated, and I left it on overnight. I repeated this for a few nights, and eventually discovered that Calamine helps me tolerate my other topical treatment and helps them work better!!!!! I settled on the routine below, which helped my skin clear up. My routine during severe breakout: -Zinc Pyrithione cleanser (I use Dermazinc Soap or Dermadoctor's Born to be Mild) -Apple Cider Vinegar (started at 1/4 strength, moved up to full strength) let it dry. - Apply Clindamycin 1% let it dry - Apply Benzoyl Peroxide. I've found that using 5% Benzoyl Peroxide diluted with equal amounts of fresh aloe vera gel helps with avoiding irritation! let it dry - Apply Calamine lotion with dry makeup sponge ONLY on areas that are breaking out or prone to breaking out. Once the initial layer dries, I take a Q-Tip and reapply a thicker layer to cystic/bigger acne. Leave on for the night. If I'm not going out, I'll also do repeat this routine in the morning. If I am, I do everything but the Calamine lotion. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL KINDS- The clear kind (generic or Caladryl Clear) is NOT calamine lotion, and it does not work as well for me. BE SURE TO LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS AND LOOK FOR THE KIND THAT CONTAINS: CALAMINE ZINC

I'd been using this without results and then realized something incredibly important: don't keep this on for much longer than ~45 minutes! Otherwise it seems to have the opposite effect, and instead clogs your pores. The best thing to do is apply it for like half an hour or until it dries, wash it completely off (I use a mild thing like cetaphil and an exfoliant like baking soda), and then repeat that process like 3 times. You will definitely see a difference. Exfoliating helps the process - you don't want to leave the calamine lotion in your pores. The first time or two you use it, it will bring everything to the surface, so don't get upset if it seems like it's making it worse - it isn't. You can immediately apply it again and it will draw the stuff out of your skin. This made my acne go from severe to light-moderate in less than a week - some days can even go outside without makeup!

I had big horrible cyst on my chin... It hurt to even smile ! I put this stuff on and left it over night and it was gone next morning and no swelling no redness it helped!!

Fantastic product, so glad I found it, very cheap and easy to use, with great results. I use this as a spot treatment before bedtime and leave it on over night it greatly reduced the size and redness of problem areas more than any other products I have tried. Def. recommend it! but make sure to get one with good ingredients.

In my opinion, I think Calamine Lotion works for acne! For me I apply it in a mask once a day (when I have time), and leave it until I am ready to go to sleep and wash it off then-can be anywhere from 30 minutes to over 3 hours. I don't think it cures the acne but it stops it from getting any bigger, and reduces redness and irritation. When my skin is really dry but I want to use this product, I mix the Calamine lotion with Vitamin E oil or Polysporin Cream and apply that ONLY on the dry areas and regular Calamine lotion everywhere else. How much oil or Polysporin you add depends on what consistency you want, just add until you get the mixture that feels right for you. I usually try to add 2/3 Calamine to 1/3 Vitamin E oil or Polysporin. It leaves my skin smooth and soft, and pores are smaller. Some other general tips I have picked up over the years for what works for me: 1. Moisturizer in both the morning and evening. I use Jamieson Provitamin Vitamin A Night Cream, and during the day same brand but the Vitamin E day cream. After I apply the moisturizer I put on my day and night acne cream over the moisturizer. This reduces the oiliness and helps prevent acne. 2. NEVER EVER PICK AT ANY TYPE OF ACNE!!!!!!!! I used to pop and try to drain all my pimples but it only makes it worse. If you leave it and just apply creams, it will be way better. I have made this mistake countless times by convincing myself it will be better after I pop it, BUT IT NEVER MAKES IT BETTER!!!!!! 3. Try not to spot treat with acne creams because they can irritate the skin. Just apply a thick layer.

Using a Q-Tip, I apply it as a spot treatment every night before bed. When I first began using it, I had a number of painful, cystic pimples that wouldn't go away--even with benzoyl peroxide. After the first night of using calamine lotion, the cystic pimples were smaller, less noticeable, and a lot less painful. After three nights, they were almost completely gone. This is by far the BEST spot treatment I have ever tried! And best of all, it's CHEAP!!

I have tried epiduo,UT,pretty much everything but accutane. i came accross this a few days ago and decided to try it. i had this huge pimple beside my mouth that wouldnt pop. well i dotted this on and a few hours later i lightly touched it and all the crap came out!! i was overjoyed. i now use this as a mask to zap all the oil. i also use cetaphil gentle skin cleanser so my face doesnt get dry. i heart the cleanser because its versatility allows it to be used as a wash and a lotion. p.s when ever i used calamine lotion it feels like a mini vaccum cleaner in my pores!

I cannot recommend this enough. If you're sick of irritation from bp or just want better skin tone. less clogged pores, blackheads, all that... this is a God-send for me. I use twice daily after showering, just after moisturizing.