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(Weird, potentially gross thread alert.) Acne, How to Kill It?

JR

JR

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SO here is the deal: I am 18 years old and still have some pretty massive issues with acne, especially on my chest and jawline. I am sure there are some doctors on here somewhere (or heck, average joes with a little know-how) that can give me some advice. I have 3 months until college, and would love to have it reduced by then.
 
Talk to your doctor and let him molest your skin via Acutaine.
 
My best friend's son has real bad acne and he takes some kind of medicine that helps out a lot. Only drawback is that he has to go in every so often so they can make sure he is not pregnant so he can continue to take the medicine. True story.
 
I had it terrible when I was in high school. Went with acutane and literally cleared it up in a month.
 
Tetracyclene, worked for me when I was 16 or 17
 
No shame in asking. It is written into our "Bro Code". Help another bro out. I guess first off, stress and an unhealthy diet can make those skin problems much worse. I know that sounds very simple, but your 18, thinking of and working towards college, I am sure your stress levels are pretty high. And I know at the age of 18, being on the run as I am sure you are, its not always the easiest thing to eat healthy (cut out the greasy fast food and other junk). Those are two things I would look at getting under control. Its not going to cure you tomorrow, or even next week for that matter, but over the long term, it would surly help. My GF was a Clinique cosmetics business manager for years, she says around the jawline and your lips, is due primarily to stress. She also says while she was a Clinique business manager for all those years, the best product she has found is available at Walmart and it is called Acne Free. It runs about $18 for the kit and lasts about 2 to 3 months. And it includes cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. All oil free. She also says, STOP STRESSING. And drink more water. Good luck man.
 
Acutane. I had it horribly a few years back. After a few months of that, it was gone and doesn't really come back.

BUT, taking acutane does 2 bad things to you. It makes your lips so incredibly, unhealably (?) dry, and it makes you more depressed than normal. So be prepared for that.
 
I never really had it, but my friends in hs took acutane. It worked really well for them, but they had to keep moisturizers on them constantly. You can also look into pro-active. My cousin took that a few years back and it helped her quite a bit.
 
Go see a doc. There are heaps of prescription meds available to help clear it up but some of them can have some pretty nasty side effects so that is a decision you have to make after talking it over with your doctor and pharmacist. Be aware that none of them are instant fixes though. They take time to work. And for what its worth the evidence linking diet to acne is questionable at best. It is caused by a bacteria.

I said a tap tap tappity tap
 
JeffReedMO said:
No shame in asking. It is written into our "Bro Code". Help another bro out. I guess first off, stress and an unhealthy diet can make those skin problems much worse. I know that sounds very simple, but your 18, thinking of and working towards college, I am sure your stress levels are pretty high. And I know at the age of 18, being on the run as I am sure you are, its not always the easiest thing to eat healthy (cut out the greasy fast food and other junk). Those are two things I would look at getting under control. Its not going to cure you tomorrow, or even next week for that matter, but over the long term, it would surly help. My GF was a Clinique cosmetics business manager for years, she says around the jawline and your lips, is due primarily to stress. She also says while she was a Clinique business manager for all those years, the best product she has found is available at Walmart and it is called Acne Free. It runs about $18 for the kit and lasts about 2 to 3 months. And it includes cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. All oil free. She also says, STOP STRESSING. And drink more water. Good luck man.
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Thank you for this info Jeff. I definitely need more water, I know. I would like to think I am not really stressed (especially not since my scholarship came in) but that could just be me kidding myself.
 
JR said:
Thank you for this info Jeff. I definitely need more water, I know. I would like to think I am not really stressed (especially not since my scholarship came in) but that could just be me kidding myself.
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Well, I would at the least try maybe something like Kelly recommended, which can be had for cheap, before going the prescription route, which can get expensive and as many of the others have said, have some negative side effects (mood, dry skin, etc). I am 30, and contrary to what was said before, stress and a poor diet contribute to me flaring up from time to time. Kelly dealt with many of these issues when she was at Clinique for others, and she had some thyroid issues last year and has battled breakout pop ups since then herself. Good luck man. Kelly said if you have any issues or other questions, you can PM and she will answer them for you. It was her job. She is used to it.
 
As other have said-get your stress, food, water, etc in order.

I had bad acne in my late teens as well and actually still have issues from time to time. My remedy-get the biggest cotton balls you can get from Wal-mart, Walgreens, etc. Dip them in apple cider vinegar (the specific one linked to below) and rub onto your skin. Yes, it may burn and yes you will smell like vinegar. After 10 minutes, dip another cotton ball in Witch Hazel and wipe off all the apple cider vinegar. If I leave the ACV on my skin, it dries it out too much and has led to scarring. Repeat 2-3 times per day. I'm not a huge fan of taking a prescription pill for acne. You have it in a specific area so I would suggest some type of topical treatment (unless doc says otherwise)


http://bragg.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1
you can find this in most supermarkets, Whole Foods, etc

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dickinson-s-Original-Witch-Hazel-16-oz/20463901
You can get this anywhere. It will be next to the rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, etc.
 
Oily skin is part of the problem associated with acne so I suggest trying out some oil absorbing sheets. They wont cure the problem but they can help reduce outbreaks and should be used as part of your acne fighting regimen. Also grab some makeup remover towelettes, they should be in same section. When you're outside playing golf use the towelettes during the round to help keep your face clean. Sure its women products but just look past that. The key is to be constantly cleaning and drying out your face. No oil, no acne. That is basically how the wonder drug accutane works, it sucks every single ounce of oil and moisture out of your face but then also makes you want to kill yourself so theres that.

Heres links to the products I mentioned

Oil Absorbing sheets
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Clean-Clear-R-Oil-Absorbing-Sheets-Cleansers-50-Ct/10801468
clean-and-clear-oil-absorbing-sheets.jpg


Makeup removing towelettes
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-Or...TowellettesCleansing-Towelettes-2-pk/11047656
 
I've tried every cream and they work for a while. I went for the Acutane evaluation but it just didnt. sit right with me after talking with the doctor. Especially the depression part.

After 20yrs of my face breaking out, I found something that works drug free. Its called the Clarisonic Pro brush. My cousin recommended it to me and she had worse acne than me. Look into it and read about it. You have to buy the Pro model. Don't waste your time with their cheaper models. The Clarisonic Pro and a good acne facial cleaner should clear you up. There is a body brush you can buy for your chest.

Downside is that it wil cost you $$$ but well worth it. The brushes will run you about $30 a pop. The Pro unit about $200. Like I said if you want to do it drug free this is the way to go.

I wish I would have known about the Clarisonic Pro years ago. Would have saved me the agony of my acne from the college and adult life.


**Tappin' from the center of the middle of the fairway**
 
the only thing that helped me was proactive the active ingredient is benzoyl peroxide which is a common medication used for acne. It really irritated my skin at first, but i was acne free for a while. Then I found a cheaper more widely available version called acne free, the concept and ingredients are the same and the benzoyl peroxide is 10% instead of 5%. After a few years I just used normal neutrogena face wash which is way cheaper and not as irritating but I wouldn't recommend this until after you get the acne under control with the big guns.
 
I forgot to mention the others are right about trying to keep your face oil free. Main reason why I never could use a moisturizer. My face would break out instantly if I did until I started using the Clarisonic Pro. Now after washing, I need to put an oil free mosturizer on to keep my face from getting oily. Sounds like the opposite of what you want to do but it works and your face will look better throughout the day.

My cousin says I'm such a chic now whenever I meet up with her because all I talk about with her now is the Clarisonic and mosturizers that work and don't work. I tell her I'm just "metro" :D

**Tappin' from the center of the middle of the fairway**
 
I never had bad acne, just like 5-10 spots at a time.
Improved when i turned my awareness to keep my damned hands from touching my face every few minutes.

If you live in the US your issue might well be the other way around too. The people i met on my 2 week trip and during exchange programs would shower at least twice a day and use disinfectant all the time. Wouldn't suprise me much if skin became much more easily irritated when its continually harassed like that, and react more strongly to whatever ... er... "dirt" eventually comes through.

Improved further as i simply grew older. 25 now, and i'm not considering the 1 or 2 tiny pimples popping up occasionally an issue.
 
Proactiv will work pretty well. Using all the steps should clear it up in a month.
 
TheIcemann said:
Proactiv will work pretty well. Using all the steps should clear it up in a month.
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Doesn't work for me at all.

Big thanks to jeff and Kelly, who have worked with me through PM. Decided it is probably best, for the type and severity of acne I have, to see my doctor about a prescription medication, with continued focus on better diet and water intake.
 
JR said:
Doesn't work for me at all.

Big thanks to jeff and Kelly, who have worked with me through PM. Decided it is probably best, for the type and severity of acne I have, to see my doctor about a prescription medication, with continued focus on better diet and water intake.
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Just wondering, did you use face moisturizer with spf15? the benzoyl peroxide in proactive leaves your skin venerable to UV rays and without some oil free face moisturizer proactive won't work
 
leiruagetro said:
Just wondering, did you use face moisturizer with spf15? the benzoyl peroxide in proactive leaves your skin venerable to UV rays and without some oil free face moisturizer proactive won't work
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I do use a moisturizer and toner, but not a sunscreen.

The primary issue, which I discussed with Jeff, is not my face, but my chest, which isn't exposed to UV. Apparently it is a type of acne not easily treatable with benzoyl peroxide or sacylic acid treatments, no matter how intensive. The stuff on my face is just a minor nitpick compared to my chest.
 
If it's ever getting bad on your face, do yourself a favor. Go out, buy some towels. Each night, put said new towel on your pillow case. ALWAYS A CLEAN TOWEL, DON'T REUSE UNTIL YOU WASH THEM! This will do more for reducing acne than any medicine you can buy.
 
JR said:
I do use a moisturizer and toner, but not a sunscreen.

The primary issue, which I discussed with Jeff, is not my face, but my chest, which isn't exposed to UV. Apparently it is a type of acne not easily treatable with benzoyl peroxide or sacylic acid treatments, no matter how intensive. The stuff on my face is just a minor nitpick compared to my chest.
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Ah that makes sense, well good luck man I had my years of uncontrollable acne and I know it sucks!
 
I was fortunate not to have bad problems with acne. All the medications are one way to go. One thing I've found interesting when talking with my dad, who had it bad in his younger years, he said he never took anything, but once he started getting out in the sun, and tanned up a bit, it all went away. Maybe something to try?
 
Don't know about that one, man. I am pretty damn tan.
GolferMahn said:
I was fortunate not to have bad problems with acne. All the medications are one way to go. One thing I've found interesting when talking with my dad, who had it bad in his younger years, he said he never took anything, but once he started getting out in the sun, and tanned up a bit, it all went away. Maybe something to try?
Click to expand...
 
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