ACNE- Is there a dermatologist in the forum?

[Hain]

Because I am not the only person in TFP-land with it... post when you need answers to your epidermal infirmity.

:Gripe: I am fed up with my acne becuase I have had it since I was 12-years-old. I have used every non-prescription wash from Dawn dishwashing liquid to Proactive and Dermafina. Great wastes of money those last were. I have taken every prescription medicine from minocycline to Acutane--the worst medicine ever created because I had every side-effect! except DEATH and CLEARING OF ACNE! And best of all it is getting worse with the coming summer.

I need something to clear it FAST.

The only things that really work would be my combination of a dishwashing soap then a milk-based soap followed by a moisturizer if the day is cold or dry. I am fed up with constantly washing and watching what I eat. Don't bother saying, "Eating isn't a factor of your acne," because I know from experience, it is. And if you think washing less will help--done that and the acne just flares when not washed. I persisted with this theory because it might calm when not agitated, but it became unbearable.

If you need the gory details I'll share them. I haven't a camera to take a photo of what it looks like, even then I would be hesitant, because it gets bad. I am not talking about "oh no a pimple on my nose" bad, I mean large quarter-sized cancerous lumps on my forehead. I am not exaggerating at all.

Because it has been hopeless in the past but I may get something new here, any suggestions?

Let's give a thanks to the moderators of TFP. I am an idiot at times but with the help of some understanding moderators, this thread is where it belongs.

[MEAD]

im sorry to hear that man. I suffered with acne for a long time, and I know how much it can kill your confidence. It undermines you every second of the day. However, i tried a few medications and ended up having to take Acutane and thankfully that worked, but I had to take two sessions of it, it all took about a year, but since then I barely get acne, however my skin is much more dry, something I need to start correcting. All I can say is that you should see a dermatologist regularly. I understand how frustrating this condition is, I feel for you.

[SPQR]

A big part of keeping your face clean is to never ever touch your face except when cleaning it. I've had some pretty unpleasant acne (with light scars to prove it) and nothing would make it get worse like touching, prodding, picking or squeezing it. It's a tough thing to avoid touching your face, especially since acne generally itches like hell, but really you don't want to mess with it at all until it comes to a ripe "head" and you can carefully lance the thing.

[matteo101]

I had rather bad acne, it wasn't really acne, but I would have atleast 4 pimples on my face at all times. My sister was on proactiv and i tried it out, and it actually worked. I must have had a different type of acne than you. I am still using it, and I get the ocasional blemish, but for the most part my skin is clear.

[f6twister]

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=62846
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=14968
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=37141
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=37499
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=37142
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=32744
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=15027

One of these should be able to help you. If not, there are quite a few I didn't list.

[Hain]

^ After my blonde moment ended, I searched through them too and found many of the same suggestions or ones that I have already tried. And Acutance can burn in hell for the shit it did to me. I experienced clinical depression, sleeplessness, and do I need to go into the eeriness of sudden bleeding from the face, as well as other places?

And yes I do have different acne than you. My skin has nodular acne, where the pours close up from the build up then the skin cells begin to die around the cyst. This leads to scars no matter if I pick them or not, wonderful isn't it?

The main thing that I want to get rid of is the acne on my upper body. I have various body cleaners but they never work unless I shower three times a day--and no hot water tank in the world is made for that much showering.

Oh and if someone wants advice just incase, I'll drop some points I know:
1: If you experience acne that is contained to certain sides of your face and body, wash your pillow cases and blankets often.
2: If you have a really oily face, don't doubt this but you can use dishwashing soap. And believe it or not, get laundry detergent that is non scented. Ones with scents will irritate the skin.

[Holdem Dvorak]

Hello Brother Augi,

I'm not a doctor, but I pretend I'm one because I have BLS certifications. Now I myself suffer from acne and I am here to say there is no CURE. There are only treatments that irritate and make your skin greasy.
Pimples are the subcutaneous surfaceing of white blood cells. Do not pop or pick at them. As much as they annoy you YOU CAN NOT POP OR PICK.
Now the only thing i can suggest would be to wash your face twice as much as you already do. And I know you probably wash your face more than the normal person as it is, because you have suffered bad skin.

Just keep trying different methods.
HoldemD

P.S. I just heard of a new treatment called "Zapzit" or "Zapzyt" not sure of the spelling but the commercials were pretty classic. Hehehehe. Plus the name rules.

[f6twister]

By the way, I do know what you are going through. I am 28 and still have acne. I've been on enough meds to make my own pharmacy, none of which provided good results. I was one of the first 100 people to take Accutane. While I didn't suffer from the depression and other mental side effects, I had severe physical side effects and will never take the crap again. It also didn't provide good enough results to make it worth while.

I have found *nothing* which has helped me in the last 17 years. My dermatologist is hoping that it will go away on its own in the next couple of years. I am not that optimistic. I hope you find something that works for you. And when you find it, send it my way so I can try it too.

[JStrider]

ive given up... mines not too bad... but nothin has really helped...

i havnt tried acutane cuz my dad tried it and it didnt help... and hes still got acne... just like mine...

[Hain]

This is exactly what I am trying to avoid. I have seen people in their late 40s with acne and it really removes all hope for me since I have the same acne, albeit more undercontrol then they.

What has happened in our systems to cause such bad skin? I do not believe that people 50 years ago had the same out break of acne as we have today.

[Cowman]

what happened in our systems?

my guess would be hormone injected meats etc cause problems with our hormone levels...which leads to a variety of problems, one of them being acne

try eating organic meat and vegetables

[AngelicVampire]

I find Erythromycin works nicely, there is a stronger acne treatment (at least in the uK you need a hospital dermatologist to prescribe it) however it can cause liver problems.

[pappymojo]

I think that sweating can help your skin to clean itself. I'm in good shape, but I jog a lot mainly so that I can sweat. I find that it helps to keep my skin clean. If you don't jog you might be able to find a gym in your area with a sauna. That would be my recommendation.

Oh, and drink lots and lots and lots of water.

Neither is an quick and easy solution, but then again I've found that quick and easy never really works as well as I hoped.

[snowy]

Originally Posted by AngelicVampire

I find Erythromycin works nicely, there is a stronger acne treatment (at least in the uK you need a hospital dermatologist to prescribe it) however it can cause liver problems.

That would be Accutane. My best friend is on it right now--I'm amazed at the difference it has made in his horrible skin. His face has completely cleared up.

As for your own skin, I recommend you become a bit of a girl about your skin. Have you tried some good ol' fashioned beauty remedies? Exfoliating with a facial scrub every few days is a good idea, as is using a mask with kaolin to bring out impurities. Using a gentle cleanser is a good idea--cleansing only does so much. Actually putting something on your face that stays there makes all the difference. If your skin can handle it, use a moisturizer with AHA, preferably glycolic acid. I recommend Neutrogena's Healthy Skin. Before the moisturizer, use a cotton pad soaked in witch hazel to tone. Use witch hazel throughout the day as necessary to cleanse your t-zone, especially your chin after eating. Make sure to wipe down things that come into contact with your face--telephones are a particularly good example. Don't touch your face if you don't have to. Change your pillowcase often. Use a 10% benzoyl peroxide on each blemish--apply with Q-tip. If you must squeeze a pimple, use Q-tips instead of fingers. Afterwards, apply either a tea tree treatment or Bactine.

Do not use products with menthol or eucalyptus oil--those are just irritants.

These are the over-the-counter solutions I would recommend as they are proven to actually fight acne. Proactiv is just an overpriced version of sulfur soap (the active ingredient) and can irritate skin. The amount of benzoyl peroxide actually present in any of their lotions is not enough to really make a difference in drying out or treating existing acne.

For more information on skin care and skin care products, I recommend you check out Paula Begoun's book, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me. She does a good job of profiling nearly every skin care product out on the market. Good luck.

[Hain]

If you're suggesting this to me, yes I have tried the exfoliation methods, various facial masks, and I am pretty sure I have used Neutrogena products galore. I used witch hazel but not as you indicate. I'll give it a try. Thanks .

[JustJess]

I would have to recommend two things: regular facials from someone who uses Dermalogica, and using Dermalogica at home. Works best when you really foam it up and work it into your face. The facials thing... my dermatologist told me that it can really help keep things less clogged. The witch hazel idea sounds great - another one is the exfoliant stuff from Aveda (it's got plant stuff and salicylic acid in it) just as a refresher.
Sorry I'm not more useful... but I wish you a lot of luck.

[Biscuit Buns]

Stop using harsh shit on your face. Drying your skin out will do absolutely nothing but cause your skin to create more oil to compensate for the oil you just stripped out of your pores. The more you do this, the more oil your skin will produce, which will prompt you to wash your face even more and your skin will hate you for it and show you exactly how much it hates you. Skin likes to be left alone as much as possible.

BE GENTLE. Use your hands and fingers to wash your face. You don't need the manual exfoliation of a washcloth - when it comes to manual exfoliation (as opposed to chemical), we all tend to overdo it. Overdo it and your skin will become irritated and angry.

Use a gentle cleanser. My sensitive, acne-prone skin prefers either an oil cleanser (half olive oil/half castor oil) or a nice, handmade bar of goat's milk castile soap (much different than mainstream "soap"). Oil cleansers, which are just oil, gently dissolve oil and gunk in your pores. Most people with acne have been "trained" to avoid any oil at all costs. This is just a marketing gimmick and is a load of crap. Regardless, most people are not open to the idea of cleansing and/or moisturizing with oil and I'm not looking for a brawl , so if you want more info on this, PM me and I'll send you one of my articles on it. As far as soap and cleansers go, hand-processed/handcrafted soap is much different from mainstream soap. Hand-processed soap generally still has the glycerin left in it, while soap produced by larger corporations generally have the glycerin extracted (huge money in glycerin). Hand-processed soaps made by home crafters are usually made with higher quality ingredients and no fillers. They tend to be less drying and less irritating. If you can find a lavender, tea tree, goat's milk soap, that might be your best bet. Lavender and tea tree oil are excellent for acne or unbalanced skin while goat's milk contains lactic acid, a gentle chemical exfoliant.

Exfoliants. Chemical and manual. I, personally, never recommend manual exfoliants. It's simply far too easy to overdo it without realizing it. Chemical exfoliants work by breaking down the bonds between the dead skin cells so they can be easily and evenly flushed away. Look for a mild alpha-hydroxy acid to clear away the outermost layers of dead skin. Apply a mild beta-hydroxy acid to exfoliate deeper, within the pores to clear out the accumulated gunk. You can use both of these products, but never together. Alternate - one in the morning, one at night. If your skin dries out, you're using too much, too frequently, or too high of a potency. Your skin should be comfortable, save for maybe a slight sting during application if you have any spots.

Disinfecting. Sometimes, we have an imbalance of "bad" bacteria. You can take care of this in numerous different ways. People who prefer more earth-based methods will find happiness in tea tree and/or lavender essential oil (NOT fragrance oils - must not be synthetic). If you're not interested in more natural methods, you'll find some help with the use of a peroxide lotion (Oxy is a biggie that comes to mind).

When you use chemicals (well, anything, really), always start with the lowest possible does/potency and work up until you find something that works. Don't start from the highest and work down - you'll just make your skin angry.

Moisturizers. Your skin should never feel tight or dry and if it does, take action to fix your skin before your skin is forced to fix it itself (which will lead to overcompensation for oil loss). The most natural and best thing you can put on your skin is oil. I'm not talking about an oil slick, but a mere drop of oil rubbed between damp palms and patted over or gently massaged into your skin. Again, this isn't a popular thought, because of mainstream acne marketing techniques. Your skin produces its own oil and with proper internal hydration, that is the best moisturizer there is. Extra virgin olive oil is always an excellent choice because of the anti-oxidant properties, but some find it a bit heavy. Grapeseed oil is a nice, light oil to try in this case. Some people also like jojoba because it is chemically similar to our own naturally produced sebum.

Diet. Skin is your largest organ. One of its many jobs is to help expel toxins through the pores. You need adequate hydration (WATER!) and you need good nutrients from your diet to feed and nurture your body (including your skin). Drink lots of water to help flush toxins out.

If you need to draw some impurities from your skin (say, T-zone area), try unflavored Milk of Magnesia. Sounds odd, but it's one of the very best things for drawing gunk from your skin. Very powerful and a nice plus to that is that it is VERY soothing. Apply a very thin layer to a spot or area that needs a bit of help and let dry for 10 minutes. Rinse off and moisturize if the area is tight.

Work with your skin, not against it. Problems arising in your skin indicate a problem elsewhere. Whether it's an internal problem (hormones, diet, etc), an external problem (bacterial imbalance, harsh cleansers, no moisture, etc) or a combination. Everyone's skin is different and different things work for everyone. Whatever you do, treat your skin like you love it (even though you hate it right now) and it will eventually love you back.

Anyway, I hope at least some of this information helps you or someone else.

[Grasshopper Green]

That was very informative, Biscuit. I too use handmade soap (not on my face, just in the shower) and I can tell the difference in my skin since I started using it. Anyway, some useful stuff in there even though I wasn't the original poster. Thanks!

[cyrnel]

The biggest help for me was getting enough sleep. My teens and early 20's were pockmarked nightmares of 18-36hr days. I was 25, with endless failed product tests behind me, before I noticed a few good 8-10hr nights of sleep would clear my mess. Even now, in my grumpy oldness, a big sugar or chocolate influx with a late night can bring back the fun.

Acne sucks, but keep trying. Between the various products, a healthy diet & sleep cycles, you'll at least reduce it.

[Hain]

OK embarrassing question: what would anyone suggest for removing black heads and such from nose and cheeks? I have been using masks and those aren't working as promised and the stupid pull away strips are so useless many analogies come to mind.

Biscuit Buns, what about faces that just produce oil. The moisturizers I use help but to an extent till it just seems to add to the problem. When I don't use a moisturizer, my face will be less oily but the redness forms again and there seems too be no happy middle ground.

Did you personally experience results from oils instead of mainstream crap moisturizers?

[StarCrossed]

I used to have some bad acne. I tried a lot of things for years and no over- the- counter crap worked (for bad bad acne...over -the- counter products, is like throwing rocks, in a modern day war), after millions of products later and desperate as hell, i finally went to the dermatologist. I was prescribed the strongest minocycline, which is a antibotic. And on top of the internal; i used retinal-micro (external). The micro gel burns at first, then you start getting used to it and it becomes normal. It worked for me, and i thought nothing would. I asked my doctor about acutane, but he told me, my acne wasnt bad enough for acutane. And i thought acne couldnt really get worse than my condition. So yeah the minocycline and the retina micro gel worked for me. It took about a year for it all to clear up; that was with using both medications. Also, dont wash your face more than two times a day. Over washing doesnt make it better. I just use Dove Nutrium soap, once when i wake up, and once before bed. Besides medicine and soap, drink lots of water and a better diet will help out. Also, i wouldnt suggest using moisturizers. When i had bad acne, just the thought of using moisturizers, made my skin oily. Just stick with mild soap, and your meds from the dermatologist, and if your skin gets dry, dont worry about that yet, rather dry, than oily. Once you have it under control, then worry about the dryness. Last thing, dont feel unconfident about yourself just because of your acne. If you have a problem with it and self conscious about it, then that is gonna show, and the people you are talking to will see that in you, and they'll feel awkard too. I know it tough living with that kind of condition, but just remember its only temporary. I am feeling you on this issue, good luck.

[Hain]

Biscuit Buns, thank you. The oil moisturizers were a big help. In just a week I see improvement, a week! I still use an antibacterial and a milk based soap before I put on the moisturizer but it works great! I am hoping to get the blasted crap gone before the summer starts.

[Temporary_User]

i suffered from acne when i was younger and it didnt go away till about a year ago. im 20 now.
what i started doing was shower w/ neutrogena foaming face soap (orange in a pump bottle). I would always wash face last in the shower, then turn the hot water off and the water would get cold as hell, and I would let that splash all over my face for a while.
I heard that hot water opens pores, which then i clean. and the cold water closes the clean pores.
if i have to shave that day, i will skip the cold water in the shower and then shave immediately after the shower (face wet, nothing touching it) and after rinse w/ warm water to get the shaving creme fully off, then cold water to close my pores.
I would also use aqu di gio aftershave by giogio armani, because it also helps closes the pores and didnt seem to irritate my skin.

oh and nomatter what i would use neutrogena face moisterizer. it has spf 15, and if i didnt use it, my face would become almost too dry, which would lead to oily skin. i dont use that on my forehead though, because it seems too oily then. and my forehead is fine w/out it.