Acne D:

Been meaning to post this for a while, but not sure whether to put this in Family or Random? I used to have terrible adult acne. Technically, I still do, but the symptoms/zits are simply not allowed to form any more. I actually had pretty clear skin all through high school. Things started acting up in college, and upon graduation, I had increasing volcanic activity going on. X) I was incredibly miserable, and noticed a huge difference in how people treated me, including at job interviews. I started being carded all the time too, as obviously only teens have acne.

Things kept getting worse with full blown cystic acne settling in to stay. Dermatologists were more hurtful than they were helpful. I swear that none of them ever had a zit in their lives. Outdated opinions about acne were passed along to me; that a healthy diet and sleep is a cure-all, that exercise will make it go away (keep in mind, I was an active runner), that it'll go away if you don't touch your face, etc. Retin-A is still my hated enemy to this day, as every dermatologist prescribed it, despite me telling them that I had tried it for months, then years, with no effect what-so-ever except for flaky skin. I got pretty desperate. Toothpaste? Oh yeah, I've tried it. (Ahem, legal) Steroid injections? Been there. Dancing around under the full moon while making sacrifices to the acne gods? Most likely.

Finally, it got to the point where my only conventional option left was Accutane. I did not want to try it based upon the side effects (liver damage, acne that cleared then worsened dramatically when the meds stopped or when you were on them for a while, etc), as those who did have problems sounded like they all had similar genetics and acne type going on. Finally, I found a program calle Face Reality. Things that worried me were the price tag, the fact I would have to go with long-distance support, and the fact I had already tried things like Proactiv. Things that made me try it including glowing reviews, owners who had had acne in the past themselves, and the fact that they attended symposiums to keep up with actual research into acne. I started about three years ago. My face took about a year and a half to get under control, with some adjustments as time went on. These days, I actually have people just come up to me and compliment me on my skin. It still freaks me out, because I got so used to having big, scarring cysts all over, I haven't quite gotten over how clear my skin is now. XD The staff actually gears the products to your type of acne (as a note, Proactiv only works for certain skin types and acne forms, but it does work well for those who fit into that category...it made mine worse).

I have since added on things such as periodical zinc suppliments, daily fish oil pills, and made sure the medical pills I am on were given an okay for acne at their suggestion. That helped clear up the last stubborn chin cysts that were like, "oh hi, we live here now. FOREVER". I changed the way I eat based upon the fact that I personally had hormone related cystic outbreaks. Cutting excess iodine out of my diet made a tremendous improvement, and I learned to be careful of foods such as seaweed and peanut butter due to my skin type. I also figured out on my own that only commercial milk breaks me out, traditional, no-antibiotic, grass-fed cow milk is a lot easier on my stomach and my face, as is goat's milk.

Miserable really doesn't begin to describe how severe adult cystic acne made me feel. I am not the type of person who cares about my looks either, but not being able to recognize your own face is kind of a bummer, along with the fact that my hot spots and TMJ related jaw pain got much worse with outbreaks (and those buggers hurt like heck on their own too). My husband and I always want to tell people about it who have really bad cases of acne, but for all we know, that would be too embarrassing for them or they may be perfectly content with their face. So, I just try to get the word out online for those who are actively seeking something that will work for them. I do not take suggesting this program lightly, as I absolutely know how heartbreaking it is to waste more time and money on something that only makes things worse. I can't say it'll work for everyone either, just that it has been a huge and positive change in my life and, going by the reviews, has helped out many other people too. It is pricey, but the products last for a long time...I actually scrape the bottles clean too, and it was worth it for me. Does this sound like an ad? Probably. Sorry about that, not really sure how to make it not sound like one. It's something I notice people are really embarrassed about, and will struggle silently. Have any questions? Just ask. Feel free to offer what has worked for you too.

I have the most sensitive skin type. So called 'porcelain' (I call it 'vampire face') skin. It is very pale and will burn rather than tan. I had a mix of inflamed and uninflamed acne, cysts, pimples, black heads, white heads...the works. My face is oily but prone to over drying. The cystic acne mainly occured on my chin and around my mouth, which is common of hormone related acne. Sometimes I get cocky/overly relaxed about my new freedom from acne, and I will miss part of my routine. I'm really bad about that on holidays. I will get a at least a pimple, but often a cyst, as early as the next day, and that reminds me how important it is for someone with my genetics to keep up on things.

For those interested, the website is:
http://www.facerealityacneclinic.com/

I'm so glad you found something that works for you! I am battling moderate acne right now, in my late 30's. I had pretty clear skin all through highschool, with the ocassional zit here and there. I had been on birth control pills for a very long time , starting as a late teen, then through my 20's, and into my early 30's. The only time I went off of them was when I was trying to get pregnant(and was pregnant). I had horrible acne when pregnant. A few years ago, I decided I was going to try to get off of as many prescriptions that I safely could. I was on alot of different pills, and just wanted to simplify things. I decided to go off of birthcontrol pills. I noticed that when I wasn't on them, I wasn't as much of a "you know what" anymore. I couldn't believe it. All these years of having a very short temper and getting very easilly aggitated were being caused by being on the pill. I decided to stay off of them. Unfortunately, thats when the acne started. It got really bad, and I was not used to having that many blemishes on my face. I know what you mean about being really bummed out when your face is full of zits. Some people may think it sounds shallow, but I became pretty depressed about it. I went back on the pill, but it made me "not nice" again, so I went off. It has been at least a year since I have been on the pill, and my skin has yet to regulate itself. I break out really bad when my monthly cycle hits. I barely get the zits healed before I break out again. It sucks!! Unfortunately I know mine is a hormonal issue. I've tried everthing too, though I have not been to a dermatologist yet, funds are pretty tight right now. And, oh yeah, I'm allergice to benzoil peroxide, which is what's in most strong, over the counter meds. I use meds that have salycilic acid in them instead. It helps with the inflamation a little. I'm contemplating going on the pill again, and see how I do now. I've noticed that not only is my face having issues, my neck and back are much oilier than they used to be too. I don't get breakouts there, but its still bothersome. Sorry, that was probably a little tmi. I will definitely check out the site. Thanks for sharing!!

Best of luck in taming your hormones Yomamma! The thing I found out is that not all BCs are created equal, and that people react in wildly different ways to them. I tried Depro-vera for instance, and I became...insane. Not only did it break me out even more with cystic acne, but I went through killer mood swings. I honestly burst into tears of anger when I lost at a board game geared towards preteens. Thankfully, my now husband knew me from before the shot, and realized what was causing my extreme not-niceness. It was...pretty interesting for four months while it wore off. Yaz is my pill of choice. I actually started taking it with four months of active pills, and one month of cycling being allowed, and it has done wonders for me. It has helped with my hot spots (fibromyalgia-type pain), mood, cramps, acne, and unusual and problem cycles tremendously. Thing is, even the new generic doesn't work for me, and I go back to feeling horrible. The patch worked okay for me, but I will kill for my Yaz. Point is, try out different things because it is amazing how differently they can effect each individual.

Depressed really doesn't cover what acne can do to people mentally, and vanity doesn't even enter the equation with the people I've talked to, so I hear you completely on that. I think adult forms especially have been shown to be so deeply tied to hormones, that it seems odd that people still consider it a vanity issue without looking at how it corresponds to things like depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and other hormone related issues. I'm sure the fact that acne is still widely treated as something resulting from 'unclean' habits and something that places blame on the person with acne does not help either, but I am thinking the hormonal aspects will prove to be key with further study.

Did you ever try proactive?

I worked pretty good for me.

Hey Silly Chicken, the thing is Proactiv works GREAT...but only for people with the specific skin type and acne the product was designed for. It has a lot of good science behind it, but the problem is that it is heavily marketed without explaining who it will work for. The product is too strong for some skin types, not strong enough for others, and usually only works on non-inflamed acne. I have very sensitive skin, for example, and it made it very red, irritated, peely, and broke me out even worse due to irritation. Some people who do find it works really well are dissapointed when their skin stops responding to it, and it also typically will only handle mild to moderate acne. That said, it is great for those who it works for, it just has a limited range is the only thing.

I have been battling Acne for 4 years now. I have tried everything!!! A month ago someone told me to try Honey. It has works Wonders!!! Of course it's worse at first as everything gets pulled out but after that it's great. Thanks for the info!!! I'm glad you found something that works for you! \\

Awesome! Like tea tree oil, honey has antibacterial properties, and I can imagine it works in much the same way.

Quote:
Good to know! So do you eat the honey? Or apply the honey to your skin? If so how often/how much?

I've been using Proactiv on and off for 9 years, and have yet to find anything that works as well. I haven't tried the other one mentioned. My skin is just unreal at times. Seems to be hormonally charged, I know when to expect the worse of it. It takes the proactiv about 4 months to get things back on track and looking normal.

Changing my diet has helped a lot too, a lot of water and veggies, recently started juicing veggies too. I drink 2 liters of water a day.

The thing about anything topical is finding one that is just right.. not too harsh.. not too weak. Then you must use it twice daily or it just isn't going to work as well as it could.

I do LOVE the proactiv makeup!

I use lemon juice and honey for my face.