4 years ago I broke out in the worst possible acne case. I cringed when I touched my face so I didnt do that often. I barely looked in the mirror. It was so bad I didnt want to leave the house. Well I left it for one day and I was humiliated in front of other people. A lady came up to me and said "oh dear how did you burn your face" . At that moment I wanted to fall through a hole because everybody turned around and looked at me. My face turned red which made it so much worse. I told her why I broke out and left as quickly as possible. I cried, I cried and I cried some more. You better believe I didnt leave the house again. (SERIOUSLY). My hubby suggested for me to try Proactiv. I didnt want to because I heard some other people complaining about it. I tried almost everything else but since NOTHING worked I decided to give Proactiv a try. Like I said its been 4 years and my face is completely clear now. Even the scars lightened up a little bit. I wish I had a picture to show of my face before and now. But I didnt want a reminder so I didnt take pictures. I wish I had because I want to let Proactiv know how grateful I am for their product. I know it doesnt work for everyone but it most definitely worked for me. Sometimes it does get too drying so I cut it down to once a day and I'm good to go.

I read here the Proactiv mask works for on-the-spot treatment. I need to try that because I still break out occasionally. (trust me nothing like before).

I am so scared of breaking out in cysts for my wedding.

I still have new breakouts and scarring, I can't go out without wearing makeup. Taz seems to have helped a little bit with discoloration, but it's not stopping new zits. I apply nightly.

__________________
Most Wanted: TR Green Rainbows! 26/27

You should try flax, neptune krill oil or evening primrose oil. Google those and choose one! Your acne sounds hormonal. And those three can help with that.

__________________
If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky.

Awwwww You know, the funny thing I learned is that OTHER PEOPLE never notice even a quarter as much as YOU do yourself. I think this has even been scientifically proven!

Wish I could go back and tell my 16 year old self that!!

__________________

*gathers Jess, Linds, Shelley and Princess into BIG HUGS*

Linds - I was probably 11 when I first started dealing with it and am now 27. There has to be something out there that makes this stop!

And jess - OMG the wedding. It brings me to tears every time I think about my skin looking like this on my wedding day. My first question to EVERY photographer has been "do you do retouching?". *hugs* we'll get through it though! We'll get through it and our weddings will be beautiful and so will we! Have to keep positive thoughts about it because I swear stressing about it makes it worse!

Have any of you tried SpectroJel? I have been using that 2x a day to wash along with PC 2% liquid at night and Impruv moisturizer day and night and I have not broken out since. I was taking Diane-35 for about 3 months and started this regimen during that time. After I stopped it I haven't had a breakout....even through 'that time of the month'. My red marks are slowwwly disappearing. I find the less I do, the better my skin behaves.

Even if you are opposed to hormonal treatments it might be worth trying to see if it could clear you up at least for your wedding. I have a co-worker that has struggled w/ acne for a long time and I have seen an improvement w/ Diane-35. I must also add that my hair was also less oily while on that pill. However, it did a mess with my mood which is why I had to stop taking it...but everyone is different.

Not sure about them, but my regimen goes like this:

AM: Wash face. Put on Paula's BHA liquid, AHA, Duac. Put on makeup that looks terrible over the Duac because it never sits well on the skin with that stuff.
PM: Wash face. Put on Tazorac - leave on overnight. Yes, my skin has built up a ridiculous tolerance to it now that I don't do short contact therapy.

I also take Spironolactone 2x per day 50 mg each time. This makes me bleed every two weeks. It also keeps the oilies away. So I am back on Mircette to try to control the bleeding. Yep, not working. Yasmin worked wonders to make my face look great...but the other side effects...I couldn't deal with them. Needless to say I'm not happy in the least to be back on the pill.

SO basically...I have a "period" every 2 weeks and break out every day (yes, there's a new one daily).

I've tried cutting out different things, adding them back in, doing next to nothing, doing more than I do now. Whenever I do less, my skin gets worse and the oilies are awful. What I do now is the bare minimum to keep the status quo.

Can you get Spectrogel in the US?
Here is my current regimen:
AM: Wash face, apply PC 2% BHA, moisturize (usually PC oil-free moisture) and then primer and MMU + concealer

PM: Wash face, apply Taz (also got the tolerance going on- leave overnight). Sometimes apply moisture 1 hour later, but usually not.

The taz seems to be evening out a little texture, but my chin is still scarred enough that I can't go w/o makeup. I started taking Fish Oil capsules at the rec of my dr., but after seeing jenn's post, might switch to flax.

Jess- The wedding thing is really scary! I am hoping and praying that the wedding does not coincide with the week before, during, or directly after my period. Highly unlikely.

__________________
Most Wanted: TR Green Rainbows! 26/27

I don't know if it is available in the US but I would like to know what Jenn thinks about it. I've been using it for about 2 1/2 years now. I try other things but I always go back to this. It cleanses best if you massage it...not just a quick wash and go.

here is my regimen:

AM: wash with spectrojel, apply impruv, concealer, MMU (EM)

PM: wash with spectrojel, apply PC 2% liquid, wait a while, then apply Impruv, lip balm (If my face feels really dry I apply Impruv first then pat the BHA on after.)

SilverVT, thank you for the hugs I'm 28 and I've been dealing with this since I was in 5th grade, so about the same amount of time.

This is gross... but I have to ask.... does anyone else get cystic acne on your neck? Mine used to be a lot worse, more of the chest and back, but completely cleared up for a few years and didn't really scar. Now (and I don't remember ever having this) I get them on my neck and nothing seems to control it. I'm using non-clogging shampoo and conditioner, and wash before and after using it with Neutrogena Body Clear wash (which helped me a couple of years after Accutane).

BTW, I just tried PC Blemish Fighting Solution for the first time 4 days ago and I am still fighting off a face-and-neck-covering scaly, lumpy, itchy rash that even spread to my eyelids! (I forgot that I was mildly allergic to BP-- I guess I am REALLY allergic.) Sigh.

__________________

Jessani I just saw your pic and your skin looks great!

^That would be the makeup ;P Without it, there is blotchy goodness...

__________________
Most Wanted: TR Green Rainbows! 26/27

You're being too hard on yourself.

I swear by Microdermabrasion!
When is your wedding? Try starting it 2 to 3 months before your wedding.
For example the first month you might go once and then again in two weeks, and then the next month only once and maybe before your wedding 2 times that month. But it will make such a difference!
It really elimates scarring.
I wish I had a before and after picture of my skin. I got stitches in my forehead and they scar is almost completely faded. And I just used microdermabrasion. And it rally keeps my skin from breaking out and my forehead used to break out horribly. Now my skins stays pretty much perfect except during that time of the month.
I also take minosin (that is totally spelled wrong, minocyclin) it's an antibiotic that really clears up my skin as well. They have really helped me.
However the antibiotic can make you real light sensitive so if you plan on tanning doing do it or if you plan on doing the micro you really can't tan either until like a week aftr the treatment, depending on yoru skin.

I honest to God stopped using everything on my face and it cleared up. My routine: wash face, put on olay moustirizer. and take BC, which I think has helped. I've traded my clear face though for a few extra pounds, also thanks to the BC. I barely break out anymore. My biggest problem these days are the scars on my cheeks from when I used to break out a lot. They are deep and look terrible without makeup. I can't afford microdermabrasion, and I'm a little young, so I guess I just have to deal with them for a while.

__________________
WANTED BEFORE WINTER:
-Fitted Leather Blazer, any brand, Small, black or dark brown
-Paige skinnies in Eclipse/Dark Resin/Other Rinse wash 27
-Fitted black blazer, size 4 or 6, any brand.

^^ Susan Lucci's at home kit works pretty good too. I've used that once a week sometimes in the summer or when I can't afford getting treatments. Or at home peels work good.

I have thought about buying the neutrogena one but I just can't see it being very effective.

__________________
WANTED BEFORE WINTER:
-Fitted Leather Blazer, any brand, Small, black or dark brown
-Paige skinnies in Eclipse/Dark Resin/Other Rinse wash 27
-Fitted black blazer, size 4 or 6, any brand.

Do not tan, it worsens scars (pigments them) and it will take ages for them to go away then.
Were your scars pitted?

__________________
If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky.

Is the only way to stop hormonal break-outs to go on BCP? I notice that when I break out it is only during that time and I usually get one bad/almost cystic like zit. I don't want to take BCP though, so I am wondering if Mirena IUD would help any?

__________________
The spirit of the Dojo!

^^ No, the Mirena can't help. Neptune krill oil, flax seed or evening primrose can help.

__________________
If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky.

This is a dumb question, but are fish oils helpful as well, or just flax oil?

__________________
Most Wanted: TR Green Rainbows! 26/27

Just flax seed, as far as I know.

__________________
If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky.

Why was I thinking fish oil was supposed to help your skin as well? Maybe not acne per se, but just overall. Although lately I've been reading that apparently fish oil is the cure for EVERYTHING that ails you since it seems to be recommended for everything under the sun. *lol*

Lol!!! I know what you mean.
Well, anyone who is not a vegetarian, and doesn't only eat meat from grassfed animals, needs mor Omega-3, to balance the Omega-6 from the meat. So they're not all wrong.

__________________
If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky.

I've read this too. I take fish oil every day and it seems to help "balance" my skin, i.e. keeping it from getting either really dry or oily. I think it's also keeping my skin clearer, but PC BHA is probably doing most of that.

I have read lots of amazing stories about fish oil curing cystic acne. Do a search for "fish oil" on makeupalley.com. You can read about people's different experiences with it.

Also, acne.org has a lot about fish oil. Google "fish oil" and "acne" and you'll get a lot of info.

__________________