[JasonL]

Hello, I am 21 years old and still have acne. It bothers me in everything I do. I don't have it nearly as bad as some people but even alittle acne can bring anyones self-esteem down. I am a decent looking guy 6 feet and about 170 and fairly built but I just don't have any confidence when I meet people because I don't think they see past it. Also I don't believe that A girl would want to go out with me when there is a guy next to me who looks close to the same but has clear smooth skin. And when I see people like that I get so angry at myself, wondering why me. I have been taking Nu-Doxycycline 100mg tablets for about 5 months now. After the first 3 months I went back to the doctor with minor improvements because my outbreaks were reduced. But they are back to normal again. I want any advice on how I can reduce the outbreaks and If anyone has tried any products or anything to reduce the scars too. Any certain products that you have used in the past that have greatly reduced your outbreaks or scars. I have read about products online but you can never trust what they say. A forum is where you get Real, Honest answers from real people. Thank you for any help.

[dyermaker]

A forum is where you get Real, Honest answers from real people

A forum provides people the egotrip, anonymity, and oppurtunity to give unqualified advice.

If you want to know if you're gay, if you should dump that loser, or who to vote for, this forum can help.
If you want to know if you're pregnant, if it's contagious, or what medications to take, talk to a doctor.

Let's say peanut butter and salicylic acid works wonders on our face, but it interacts negatively with Nu-Doxycycline.
We tell you about our wondersolution, and it ends up burning your face off--in which case, unlike now, a girl would be scared away.
You come back and, with the help of someone whose eyes weren't burned off, rant about how us 'real, honest' people gave ****ty medical advice.

You end up with : No face.
We end up with : Sixteen smileys to convey our sincere apologies.

[Papillon]

My brother had wonderful results simply with using anti-bacterial soap, five times a day, a good alcohol cleanser and toner afterwards, and benzoyl peroxide ointment at night. The antibiotics should only be used to treat bad breakouts. It's not a solution.

You have to have discipline.

[moimeme]

Unless you, like me, are allergic to the peroxides, in which case you may burn your face off and have to go to Dyer's solution.

[dyermaker]

Originally posted by moimeme
in which case you may burn your face off and have to go to Dyer's solution.

The peanut butter thing? It has a smell.

[moimeme]

Hey, you gotta suffer to be beautiful! If going about redolent of peanut butter is what's needed, then bite the bullet and exude away. Your face will thank you.

[dyermaker]

I had to look up 'redolent'. Let's get the thread back on track.

I don't want anyone actually trying the peanut butter thing.

Need I remind you people post here asking if they're pregnant? And they're not joking.

[magda]

It's usually not recommended to wash an infected part of your face more than twice a day, because the excessive washing actually causes more oil production. You might discuss using a topical cream or combination with your derm. Differin is a topical gel that works for a lot of people. And pro-activ face wash is really quite nice.

My facial regimen is: pro-activ facewash, morning and night. During the day I avoid washing, but sometimes use a facial towelette to wipe my face off if I've been exercising, for instance. (If you exercise and get sweaty in your forehead, you should always wash up, you don't want that bacteria on your skin. Be sure your hair is clean and you use a good shampoo without added fragrances that can irritate or dry your skin.) In the morning after I wash I apply benzoyl peroxide, though I often skip a day or two. I also use a moisturizer with spf protection from the pro-activ line, or a moisturizer from N.V. Perricone, M.D., http://www.sephora.com/browse/produc...goryId=S15115. (It's very important to stay moist, even though your skin may be oily. If you keep your skin lubed up, your skin won't over-produce oil as it would if you are too dry.) Before bed I wash again and apply retin-a.

I read of someone else on that regimen whose face turned purple and peely for a few weeks, but after that settled down he was spotless and very happy with it. I still break out a little around my time of the month, but otherwise I am okay and my skin is not overly sensitive. I also use a concealer also from the N.V. Perricone line, that is actually a concealer/pore-refiner, which you might consider (even though you did make it clear you are a man.) It's not exactly makeup - It doesn't come in shades, so I don't know if it would match your skin tone. But it does provide you with a little bit of coverage and if anything has a positive effect on your complexion overall, so it might boost your confidence. It matches my skin pretty well anyway, and is unnoticable especially after I apply powder that is perfectly matched to my skin tone. My aesthetician told me that using a powder for cover-up is far better than a liquid makeup because it doesn't penetrate the pores so much.

That's another thing, you might consider going to a salon every now and then for a facial. They usually perform a variety of peels that can help even out and tone the surface of your skin. The horrible thing is, once you're broken out, there isn't much to be done to the zit but put ONE product on it, and wait it out. Trying to scrub them off or somehting just doesn't work and almost always makes it worse! ps. don't forget to get those 8 glasses of water a day, and plenty of rest - they also work wonders! Your skin heals itself the MOST when you're asleep at night, so also be sure that pillowcase is super clean. Change it every other day if you're really broken out, every little bit helps.

You might find that a lot of your "scarring" is actually just discoloration that will go away after a few months. For discoloration you can find slight relief using a skin lightener, like this one: http://www.sephora.com/browse/produc...dPaginate=true And "Mederma" is a common scar "medicine" that is said to soften the appearance. Anything that "softens" your skin, like creams or gels for aging, will also soften the appearance of bumpy scarred skin - temporarily. Actually, grapeseed oil is pretty good for this. You wouldn't think any "oil" could benefit an oily face, but grapeseed is a wonder moisturizer. For real, permanent scarring you will need microdermabrasion or even laser treatments. If the scar is new you can improve it but using treatments like mederma or grapeseed oil regularly (like multiple times a day.) Very very important to get yourself a good moisturizer that will not clog your pores and will provide you ample sun protection, for nearly all acne products leave your skin vulnerable to the sun, and you can worsen your condition or make discolorations darker looking.

..Anyway, good luck. There is nothing worse and more horrifying than looking in the mirror and seeing those horrible blemishes! But the worst thing is the effect it can have on a person's confidence, so don't spare any expense you can afford in the area of expertise and quality products or services.

[lostgirl26]

Well I am a 26F, I have had horrible adult acne. I had seen numerous dermatologists through out HS and adulthood, no one could find anything that worked. I just went to a new doctor in March, he told me that first of all my condition was not as bad as I thought and the first thing that I needed to do was and this is slightly gross to me but to stop picking. I had no idea that I was, its from stress and nervousness it makes it worse. I have had to sit on my hands literally to stop when I realize I am doing it, its such a subconcious action to me. He also prescribed a cream called Benzeclin, its fairly new. It will not work with everyone obviously everyone is different. The other thing too I didn't realize was I was spending tons of money on over the counter creams and soaps, toners going to special stores like Origins or Clinique to get products, it was making my face worse. I did try Pro-Activ about 5 yrs ago and it worked great for the first year or so and then it seemed to not work anymore, not sure what happened. Anyways reeling myself back in, Now I wash my face with a washcloth and just warm water and use the Benzeclin cream every night. No soaps, toners, etc... Watch the picking which is hard, take a multivitamin and drink lots of water. If it flares up more than normal thats a sign that I am touching my face more and I need to watch more and I just use a little bit of the cream in the morning under any light make up I use. Don't feel horrible, I was there were you were, and I still have my days but I am thankful I found this doctor he has really changed my life and the way I feel about myself. I guess it just took a little searching, my best advice is to keep seraching for a doctor that treats you and your problem humanely, it makes a huge difference.

[blind_otter]

Originally posted by JasonL
Hello, I am 21 years old and still have acne. It bothers me in everything I do. I don't have it nearly as bad as some people but even alittle acne can bring anyones self-esteem down. I am a decent looking guy 6 feet and about 170 and fairly built but I just don't have any confidence when I meet people because I don't think they see past it. Also I don't believe that A girl would want to go out with me when there is a guy next to me who looks close to the same but has clear smooth skin. And when I see people like that I get so angry at myself, wondering why me. I have been taking Nu-Doxycycline 100mg tablets for about 5 months now. After the first 3 months I went back to the doctor with minor improvements because my outbreaks were reduced. But they are back to normal again. I want any advice on how I can reduce the outbreaks and If anyone has tried any products or anything to reduce the scars too. Any certain products that you have used in the past that have greatly reduced your outbreaks or scars. I have read about products online but you can never trust what they say. A forum is where you get Real, Honest answers from real people. Thank you for any help.

I had acne in high school. What helped me was a combination of oral antibiotics (tetracycline in my case) and a topical antibiotic called Cleocin (the gel or lotion works best). I've heard really good things about benzacline as well, which is a topical lotion made of benzol peroxide and cleocin.

One things to remember: Don't overdry your skin, as that will irritate it and cause more breakouts. My favorite cleanser, after much trial and error (I still break out before periods) is Phisoderm, for sensitive skin (unscented). Look for a moisturizer that is non-comedogenic and provides SPF 15. Oh and STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE!!!! Drink water, take vitamins, don't have too much refined sugar.

My older sister and I tried proactiv but it didn't work well for us.

If you get a red, swollen nose a lot you may not have acne at all - you may have rosacea.

I also have an allergy to wheat that I did not know about until I was 23!!! Part of my acne was actually an allergic reaction to wheat flour. Now I can't eat bread but my skin is better.

PS - you notice your skin more than anyone else does. You see the flaws quickly because you have started at your own face every day for the past 20 years!

[Dakini]

Dyer's right - never take medical advice from forums!

However, I do realise that people come here seeking guidance, so I will share my limited knowledge on the matter:

Treatment options besides the oral anti-biotics that you are taking are:

1. A topical retinoid (Vitamin A derivative), such as Differin, (mentioned above), Retin-A etc., often used in combination with oral anti-biotics. Be careful, though, as said above, exposing treated skin to the sun can be extremely damaging and worsen the look of the existing acne.

2. Oral retinoids, such as Accutane. These are very difficult drugs to take as they have many negative side-effects - nausea, dry skin, etc., and should by only be used if you have cystic acne. (do not use if you are a woman trying to conceive or are pregnant) (Also, never expose to sun, as it will have even worse effects than topical retinoids.)

3. Phototherapy, such as intense pulsed light or a continuous wave length laser - performed by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. These are newer therapies, and are often used to lessen scaring. However, they are now being used with a moderately high success rate to treat the condition itself.

[Moose]

Originally posted by dyermaker
A forum provides people the egotrip, anonymity, and oppurtunity to give unqualified advice.

If you want to know if you're gay, if you should dump that loser, or who to vote for, this forum can help.
If you want to know if you're pregnant, if it's contagious, or what medications to take, talk to a doctor.

Let's say peanut butter and salicylic acid works wonders on our face, but it interacts negatively with Nu-Doxycycline.
We tell you about our wondersolution, and it ends up burning your face off--in which case, unlike now, a girl would be scared away.
You come back and, with the help of someone whose eyes weren't burned off, rant about how us 'real, honest' people gave ****ty medical advice.

You end up with : No face.
We end up with : Sixteen smileys to convey our sincere apologies.

That has to be the funniest post I ever read!!!

[Naive]

I swear by Pro-Activ. At first it did dry up my face, but now it's so smooooooooooth. It works like a charm!!! When I turned 17 for some reason I broke out and nothing helped. I drank lots of water and it helped somewhat, but not totally. I would cry because it really looked bad and I had always had clear skin so I was not used to looking like that. I stopped using Pro-Active and my skin still looks nice. I wash with mild soap each night though. Give it a try.

[Nocturnalkitee]

JasonL

As they say you are what you eat.

If you reduce your intake of orange juice, soda, fried foods, and chocolate you should experience a dramatic improvement in your complexion.

Eat more leaky green vegetables.

Go to a drug store and purchase a bottle of 200,400, or 1000 units of vitamin E soft gel capsules.

Prick one or more open, apply to any dark or red marks on your face, while you are lounging in your home. With in one to three weeks, you will see a huge different!!!!!!

Vitamin E is thick and greasy, so if your want to use it when you go out, or when you are sleeping use very, very little and massage in like lotion.

Make sure that it is pure vitamin E.

[bluechocolate]

Eat more leaky green vegetables.

If my veggies were leaky I'd take them back to the shop !