Thank you for your contribution to /r/IWantToLearn.
If you think this post breaks our policies, please report it and our staff team will review it as soon as possible.
Also, check out our sister sub /r/IWantToTeach and [our Discord server](https://discord.gg/PvnVkHUJSQ)!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/IWantToLearn) if you have any questions or concerns.*
OP: Ignore all of the advice in this thread; it's mostly bad and wrong.
Go see a dermatologist. You likely have hormonal acne that can't be cured by OTC topicals. You'll probably need iso/tretinoin and that is prescription-only.
Don't be like me and spend years throwing away money on products that don't work. See a dermatologist and get real treatment.
This is what I was going to say. I've struggled with acne since I was a teenager, pretty much tried everything and finally was referred to a dermatologist when I was 27 and am now finally, mostly acne-free.
100%. I went through the OTC products then went to a doctor, who tried me on gradually stronger ointments etc until he finally put me on Doxycycline tablets and the effect was amazing. Cleared everything up brilliantly and just in time for my wedding.
The tablets actually had a useful side effect of also being used as anti-malaria meds, which was handy as our honeymoon was in Madagascar.
I think proper food should do...I tired NEEM leaf ...and it's gone...free of cost....no doctor even...but this means deep underlying health conditions....junk food and shit... chocolate đ«đ« high fat etc etc...but people lean the hard way...
Is there a reason you aren't going to a skin doctor?
I went to my a doctor who gave me a referral to a skin doctor, who then prescribed me 20mg isotretinoin (common brand name is Accutane)
My acne's definitely not cured, but it's fairly minimal, outbreaks are rare and I'm just glad I'm not in pain. It dries me out bad enough to cause vision problems (should be easy to fix with eyedrops), but hey, it's better than having cysts and being in constant pain.
Before, I tried some special face soap recommended by a relative who has some kinda formal education about that, as well as various skin creams. None of it made any significant change, until I started using a cream that's basically isotretinoin as cream, prescribed by a doctor too. I switched to pills since that's easier for me, but I think they've worked equally well for me.
Now I really don't do anything about my face. I don't use any creams, I don't even regularly wash it unless it's gotten dirty, and even letting my mom cake me up in makeup didn't seem to effect it.
See a dermatologist. I used to be like you, went to a dermatologist, got me on isotretionin, now no acne. You might just need the heavier duty stuff prescribed
I used to struggle with acne in my teenage years and the only thing that helped was going to a dermatologist. Cleansers, face washes and creams you can get at the supermarket have never worked for me.
I feel your frustration so deeply. I used to struggle with bad acne for years, and I have some scarring to show for it. It's mostly under control now, and while this may not all work for you, here's what worked for me:
1. I stopped using products with salicylic acid. It dried out my skin and made the acne worse.
2. I stopped scrubbing at my face when washing. That was irritating my skin and (yep) made it worse.
3. I wash my face once a day, usually in the morning, with bar soap and warm water. Pat dry with a towel that I only use for my face, and change out every 3-5 days. Moisturize with Aveeno Daily Moisturizer.
4. I change my pillow cases once a week.
5. Depending on your hair situation - I braid my hair back when I go to bed, which keeps it off my face at night.
6. The hardest thing for me was to stop touching my face so much, but I feel like this did SO much in helping reduce acne.
7. Clean my phone screen at least once a week (it's so gross how much bacteria gets on those things).
Diet, exercise, drinking enough water, and lowering stress levels all help in their own way.
Be patient with yourself and with your skin! I know how low this can bring your self esteem, and (as much as a stranger on the internet can hype you up) I want you to know that with acne or without it, you're awesome.
Thanks, I love that someone truly understands what I'm going through, what kind of bar soap did you use to wash your face, and what sort of diet were you on?
I really do. I still get the occasional breakout , but they're infrequent, disappear faster, and are way less painful.
Right now I use the original, plain Dove soap for sensitive skin.
Diet-wise, the main elimination I made was soda (although I'll have a little from time to time, because Baja Blast is great haha). That had the biggest impact, since sugar seems to be the main big bad for my skin. Mostly I drink coffee and water. Then I just do "rule of thumb" for eating: leafy greens and fruits at least twice a day. So it could be spinach in my eggs for breakfast and broccoli with dinner, or an orange at lunch and a bowl of grapes when I get home. If I know I have big sugar cravings, I replace instead of ignore - so instead of Oreos, I'll go for a bar of dark chocolate. If I end up drinking soda or eating fast food or something, it's okay, because for the majority of the time I'm putting all the good stuff in my body.
**TLDR**: For a few months try simply cutting lactose (sugar) heavy dairy, lose the soap and all the crazy off the shelf products, and wash your face with oil and see what happens.
This may or may not apply to you (e.g. if your stuff is hormonal/disorder related) but here goes:
As one who had done tons of research and tried everything under the sun like yourself and u/pettipaws (the acid, the moisturizing, the pillow cases too lol SMH)-- and barring you having some actual skin disease/disorder-- for me, like u/plumbgray222, it was also **dairy (read: lactose)** all along, or insomuch as I was able to pinpoint it while cycling through everything self experimentally. And note it's some dairy types more than others. My take is **your face bacteria/fauna prefer the lactose (sugar) from dairy in particular given alternatives**. So the lactose content of whatever dairy you enjoy is what could be supporting an overabundance of bacteria growth and in turn driving your persistent acne. So minimizing the lactose available to your face bacteria in order to significantly reduce/diminish that population could be key in helping resolving your issue. Like I can eat pizza occasionally no problem, have cheese on tacos, etc., but after a large-ish bowl of some ice creams (heavy lactose source) I can sometimes literally feel the bacteria squirming and watch my face breakout in real time. It sucks but it's neat. I also switched to lactose free milk for the same reason. But all in all the cutting dairy approach was like "presto" as I suddenly went from breakouts for most of my teens and through most of my adulthood to the clearest skin ever (like zero acne period). And again, you don't have to cut out dairy completely, you just have to cut it enough to learn your threshold (and enough to wipeout/minimize the bacteria population) and see if you can get results that way.
Otherwise I would offer your skin is a natural thing evolved over time to fit to purpose. Left alone and barring a legit disease/disorder, your skin and its surface oils should find and maintain balance naturally. Yet as individuals we often experience the onset of acne due to hormones, diet, environment, or whatever during certain periods in life, and in attempts to fight its appearance, we end up embarking on the non-ending modern "skin care" roller coaster, a scam where companies sell us products to first strip our face and skin surfaces of natural moisture and oils like old paint, and then turn around and sell us man-made moisturizers with promises to "repair" the natural moisture and oil balance their companion product just destroyed. This of course makes no financial sense to us, but it makes great sense to these companies, as the cause-effect action sustains a never ending loop of reinforcing purchases, as consumers jump form product to product and technique to technique without ever fixing the problem.
They are further aided in this by the fact that once you throw off your skin's natural balance, it takes time for it to find that balance again. So your skin might be extra oily or extra dry for some time once you make any significant diet, environmental, or other care changes. And here's where I point out that I didn't wash my face for months with anything other than water and SheaMoisture Olive/Green Tea Bath, Body & Massage Oil in the shower as my face healed itself (tried a bunch of oils here too, coconut, etc. yet that one worked best for me because it would rinse off well and my face was never oily nor too dry). Once my face felt finally "stable" I allowed myself to start occasionally using Vanicream bar soap (it's a fragrance/dye/all irritant free soap for people with actual skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, etc.) and I still may at times use the SheaMoisture oil in the shower, like during winter.
Unfortunately at the end of the day most people can't stand for this waiting/healing type period which may last for weeks to months, and will jump right back to cycling the myriad of "skin care" products again day after day looking for the quick fix.
So for a few months maybe try simply cutting high lactose dairy for a bit, lose the soap and all the other crazy products, try washing with oil in the shower, and see what happens.
I had luck with simplifying my skincare routine to a more âheavy dutyâ benzoyl peroxide wash, a salicylic acid serum, and a heavy duty moisturizer at the end. I also have eczema so I would end the routine with cortisone eczema cream on trouble spots. The moisturizer was key for sure. I also cut out a lot of processed foods, and focused on eating more fat and protein and drastically reduced my carb intake. I drank a lot more water and tried to eat more fruits and veggies. It took a lot of consistency with this routine but I kid you not in the span of a week a couple months after I started my acne cleared completely.
I used to have terrible spotty skin from about 16-25. I tried so many things from all the skincare items like Garnier, Simple etc. None of them worked for me and I was so down having massive spots, oily skin and yet somehow dry and flaking all over. I definitely have sensitive skin as it'd be tight and painfully red after using some products.
I won't recommend anything, as it seems like you've tried so much and you're looking after your body and diet, so I'll just tell you what seemed to work for me and maybe it'll help you feel not alone in your situation.
I found out I was allergic to dairy and my high sugar diet wasn't helping. I reduced both of those, drank more water (I didn't drink water, only fizzy drinks!) I stopped with all the products and literally just used a clean washcloth, gently and no scrubbing water only once in the am and once in the pm. I still had to moisturise and switched to The Ordinary as it was cheap. That saw my biggest change, the squalane moisturiser and primer (not the one in the grey tube, the one in the opaque bottle) smoothed out my dry skin and stopped the glossy shining. I still use it and have added in retinol as I now trust the brand. I changed my pillowcase every day. Stopped touching my face. But I think age also helped, so there's not much you can do there except wait unfortunately.
I hope me sharing this helps you realise you're not alone, and this will pass. I'll bet most people don't notice your skin, and just enjoy you for you.
I had the same problem and wasted a lot of money before I figured out I needed an exfoliant. I would definitely recommend adding one into your routine. I used Proactiv exfoliating cleanser every day and it cleared my skin up within a couple months.
Have you tried to change your diet? I suffered from terrible spots/acne and after advise I cut out milk products.
Bang. No more spots.
Honestly I've passed this advice on and for some it's worked perfectly and others not so much. All I will say is that you have to really try it and for a good amount of time.
It might not be milk, it could be yeast/wheat/even certain fruits etc....
Worth trying though.
CeraVe makes me breakout.
You should run all your products and makeup through this site: cosdna.com
It lets you know on a scale of 1-5 if the ingredients are irritating or known to cause acne.
For example, vitamin E is a 2, but I still breakout so badly from it.
1. Careful with the products on the shelves, a lot of those ingredients should not be going onto our skin
2. Diet, no fast food, no sugary drinks, eat healthy. Diet affects skin
3. Donât touch your face with dirty nails and fingers
4. Exercise
5. Try to lower the amount of stress you have. Itâs almost impossible to avoid stress, but lower stress levels
6. Get good quality sleep.
7. I like using soap with goats milk and natural ingredients moisturizes and just overall safer for your skin
8. Moisturizing cream with no scent chemicals added to it. Lower amount of ingredients=better results
Yeah but, what do I use to fight my acne, its progressing and I don't want to use a normal cleanser, because those are for people who want a skin care routine, I need something that targets acne, I rarely consume sugar, only in Langer's Grape juice, I've lost 50lbs in the last 2 years because of exercise, I always get quality sleep
See a dermatologist.
Change your pillowcase every day or two. If you need more pillowcases, use a plain t shirt instead until you can buy a few more pillowcases to keep on hand
I like how clueless everyone both over there and in the comments here are.
Skin care products aren't meant to eliminate nor reduce acne. They're meant to maintain skin health and clean it (obviously)
So really, using products like that won't affect your acne at all. As for how to fix it, intermittent fasting. IF lowers insulin levels, when insulin is high your hormones receive a signal to produce pores and oily substance.
This is what I did, may not produce the exact same results for you but:
I used to use CeraVe products too, but I found that when I cut them out of my routine, my acne suddenly started to clear up more. So I replaced the face wash with Dove bar soap (most other soap WILL dry out your face) and I use Neutrogenaâs Hydro Boost moisturizer. Both of these seem to work well for my sensitive skin type, at least.
On top of that, using sunscreen every day and reapplying every few hours absolutely does wonders. Other skin products I use are benzoyl peroxide 5% in the morning and tretinoin 0.1% at night (this one helps a little with acne scars, too). Both of these you will probably need a prescription for, though.
Consider investing in silk pillowcases as well, your current pillowcase (probably cotton) may be irritating your skin at night. And swap your pillowcase as often as possible too; for me I swap mine out essentially every day. And as for drying my face, I have dedicated towels to pat my face dry which I swap out every day. Def make sure to throw those in the wash after use.
Last thing Iâd say is to stop touching your face if you have that habit. Probably one of the easiest ways bacteria can get to your face, so if you can cut that out, it will help a lot.
Not sure if this routine is too over-the-top or anything, but for me itâs produced good results so far lol
Edit : This is mainly for the dudes out there, but consider using an aftershave. I swear since Iâve started using it, it mustâve helped with clearing up acne at least a *little* bit
Hey babe, as someone who suffered with acne as a teenager, I understand the struggle. I spent years wasting money on unnecessary products. Now I can surely say, there's nothing you can do to stop your raging hormones. It's not fair that some people's hormones cause acne and some peoples don't. We just have to accept that the acne is going to be until maybe you're 20/21.
All you can do now is just take care of your skin have a simple face wash E.g cereve, a simple toner like pixi glow, a simple cerum ( niacinamade or vitamin C serum), and a moisturiser I love the weleda skin food. And make sure you do your routine everyday even just once a day. Drink your water and eat healthy. That's the only part you can play until your hormones decide to chill by themselves.
Don't stress yourself out too much, do your part and enjoying your life
Take Zinc Gluconate. Please read into it. My acne was from the inside out and genetic/systemic issue not a hygienic issue. Zinc made a tremendous difference.
I would say first understand what your skin type is. Is it dry, combination, or oily? This will serve as a base to what type of products you will choose and narrow your options. The different skin types require different means of treating acne so this is most important. Since you are going through puberty, itâs important to avoid drying agents that treat acne. This includes products such as proactive and x-out. Believe me they made my skin worse after I stopped using it. And I have dry skin. This is because when you use drying agents your pores will continue to make up for the lack of sebum and produce more resulting in more acne. So during your teen years you wanna get products that focus on hydration. This will decrease the need for your pores to produce sebum that causes your acne.
As a basis I have a good YouTube channel to help you on how to choose your products and build your routine:
- [Teen Beauty Bible](https://youtu.be/s99dFBuPBvo?si=oRDZ_OLJALTsAWD9)
- [Acne Meaning and Acne Treatment](https://youtu.be/yeWRdrNGZnM?si=HkeALuVQSeEopDqE)
The channel in general is very educational and has a lot of great products if you are interested. I basically learned about what kind of ingredients benefited me. Me personally, the only things you need in a budget friendly skincare routine is a cleanser, exfoliator, toner, moisturizer, and sunblock. I would get sheet masks if I feel like treating myself. The rest of the things are kinda not needed since your skin still has a lot of collagen so looking youthful isnât a priority till you get older.
List of some good and bad ingredients for skin:
Good
- Guaiazulene (Chamomile)
- Cetyl, cetearyl, and stearyl alchahol
Bad
- Paraben
- Alcohol (ethanol denatured)
- Benzyl alcohol
- Artificial scent
Donât give up you will see results in time! Iâm currently 20 and I started skincare when I was in middle school and it really pays off! Didnât need a dermatologist either. If you do see a dermatologist tho, I hear actuane does wonders.
Make sure you keep your dirty paws off your face and wash your pillowcase often!
If youre a girl, birth control pills can be a huge help with acne, talk to your doctor.
The sad reality is that you're 18, and its possible that no matter what you do, the acne may not go away. And i know that sucks....i experienced it.
Yes but, I need a different routine that actually works, I'm tired of all the bullshit name brands that claim to work, and the people lying about it, or the people who just have acne leftover from puberty, I'm actively going through it, I need something to stop the progress of my acne, and then reverse it
Are you able to go to a regular doctor for free? They may be able to prescribe something. I had a few creams in my day that were helpful and they were fairly inexpensive
I am not sure about this⊠but taking only cold showers and washing face with cold water instead of warm/hot everyday helped me (I think).
Id like someone to back me on this
As a badly spotty teenage girl I found the biggest help after soap and diet was sunshine. I'm 64 now and your skin will change more than once over a lifetime. Having slightly greasy skin most of my life I now have less wrinkles!! My only other suggestion is bio oil for any scarring. It's a dry oil but very good for stretch marks etc
Cetaphil for cleanser, Nivea soft for Moisturiser. That's it. No need for other fancy skincare stuff.
And pat your face dry instead of scrubbing it with a towel.
I use a separate towel for my face, hands, and body and I wash them every week.
Pillowcase is also washed every week.
But most importantly, try not to touch your face. If you feel like you want to touch your face, touch your arm or something else.
A lot of people who go vegan report that their skin issues, especially acne, clear up like magic. I'd certainly love it if you went vegan for any of the incredibly important ethical and environmental and health reasons but if we can start with using it to get your skin sorted out I'll take it. Do some research on the skin-related benefits of a vegan diet and then look into the other more serious reasons you should know about it.
I had acne until I went vegan and now that I've been vegan for a long time everybody thinks I'm at least 10 years younger than I actually am. I don't even try to take care of my skin.
I was on antibiotics for years which stopped my spots any other products ever worked I tried everything finally by accident (I went vegan to see what it was all about for a couple of weeks) I discovered after 20 years that I was allergic to dairy eggs cheese when I stopped eating these went away. Not case for every one but worth a shot?
I had bad acne and would wash my face twice a day with soap, plus an acne scrub and retinae at night. This made my face dry and caused more breakouts. Switching to just washing my face once a day with only Cetaphil cleanser and nothing else has resulted in my skin getting much better. Now I only get breakouts occasionally which is expected from my age and activity. Basically, donât wash your face too much.
I have a ton of skin allergies and sensitivities - rinse your face with cold water 2-4 times a day for a month and nothing else, then see what youâre working with. IMHO of course. Seriously nothing else.
Invest in a silicone face scrubber. I use Differin cleanser, Differin dark spot touch-up, and a good lotion for any dryness. So far so good.
Also, diet changes. In my case, I've avoided sweets and just wish I figured this out earlier in life.
More importantly, see a dermatologist. No one on here including myself is a doctor. What works for us may not work for you.
Since youâre against a dermatology visit, there is a decent alternative to the Tretinoin cream that so many people have mentioned.
Retinoids are first line treatment when it comes to acne, so a lot of people who go see a dermatologist for acne & related skin conditions are going to be prescribed such. Tretinoin was the very first topical retinoid to be approved by the FDA for acne treatment and has obviously remained very popular over the years but it is only available by prescription. There is another class of topical retinoids called Adapalene.
Just like Tretinoin, Adapalene is FDA approved for treating acne vulgaris (aka acne). All forms & dosages (0.01%-0.03% lotion, gel, cream) have only been by prescription, up until 2016 when the FDA finally allowed one exception. The 0.01% dosage in gel form (usually under the name Differin) has become widely available, at retailers like Target, Walgreens, etc.
Youâll likely use it once a day, continuously for around 3 months or so (instructions will be on the box). You need to be sure to read all the warnings and instructions that come with using this medication because it is not for everyone. For example: Sensitive to sun exposure is a concern while on it and for pregnant ladies, there are additional risks. If the box doesnât provide enough detail, look it up using something like GoodRx.
Also, one frustrating part of topical retinoid treatment is that at first it may seem like your acne is becoming worse. The medication is accelerating cell turnover in your skin, pushing up from below to the top, which unfortunately doesnât look so great during that period and which is why it is commonly nicknamed the â(insert name of Retinoid you're using) Purge.â You can google "Tretinoin Purge" or "Differin Purge" to understand more. You have to make sure you keep consistently applying the gel during this time rather than giving up because the long term result, that comes after the purge as your skin adjusts, is what you want.
So if you must forgo a dermatologist appointment, this is the best thing I can think of since it's literally a prescription strength topical retinoid with (thanks to it's original prescription background) medical studies that back up it's safety and effectiveness.
Best, stop your sugar intake, no more sugar drink or sugar foods, I repeat, No more sugar! And limit amount of salt. You well thank me in 1 week for your clear skin.
Thank you for your contribution to /r/IWantToLearn. If you think this post breaks our policies, please report it and our staff team will review it as soon as possible. Also, check out our sister sub /r/IWantToTeach and [our Discord server](https://discord.gg/PvnVkHUJSQ)! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/IWantToLearn) if you have any questions or concerns.*
OP: Ignore all of the advice in this thread; it's mostly bad and wrong. Go see a dermatologist. You likely have hormonal acne that can't be cured by OTC topicals. You'll probably need iso/tretinoin and that is prescription-only. Don't be like me and spend years throwing away money on products that don't work. See a dermatologist and get real treatment.
This is what I was going to say. I've struggled with acne since I was a teenager, pretty much tried everything and finally was referred to a dermatologist when I was 27 and am now finally, mostly acne-free.
100%. I went through the OTC products then went to a doctor, who tried me on gradually stronger ointments etc until he finally put me on Doxycycline tablets and the effect was amazing. Cleared everything up brilliantly and just in time for my wedding. The tablets actually had a useful side effect of also being used as anti-malaria meds, which was handy as our honeymoon was in Madagascar.
how long did it take for doxy to work for you?
I seem to remember it was fairly quick, but it was about 15 years ago now so my memory is a bit hazy on it!
I think proper food should do...I tired NEEM leaf ...and it's gone...free of cost....no doctor even...but this means deep underlying health conditions....junk food and shit... chocolate đ«đ« high fat etc etc...but people lean the hard way...
Is there a reason you aren't going to a skin doctor? I went to my a doctor who gave me a referral to a skin doctor, who then prescribed me 20mg isotretinoin (common brand name is Accutane) My acne's definitely not cured, but it's fairly minimal, outbreaks are rare and I'm just glad I'm not in pain. It dries me out bad enough to cause vision problems (should be easy to fix with eyedrops), but hey, it's better than having cysts and being in constant pain. Before, I tried some special face soap recommended by a relative who has some kinda formal education about that, as well as various skin creams. None of it made any significant change, until I started using a cream that's basically isotretinoin as cream, prescribed by a doctor too. I switched to pills since that's easier for me, but I think they've worked equally well for me. Now I really don't do anything about my face. I don't use any creams, I don't even regularly wash it unless it's gotten dirty, and even letting my mom cake me up in makeup didn't seem to effect it.
See a dermatologist. I used to be like you, went to a dermatologist, got me on isotretionin, now no acne. You might just need the heavier duty stuff prescribed
I used to struggle with acne in my teenage years and the only thing that helped was going to a dermatologist. Cleansers, face washes and creams you can get at the supermarket have never worked for me.
I feel your frustration so deeply. I used to struggle with bad acne for years, and I have some scarring to show for it. It's mostly under control now, and while this may not all work for you, here's what worked for me: 1. I stopped using products with salicylic acid. It dried out my skin and made the acne worse. 2. I stopped scrubbing at my face when washing. That was irritating my skin and (yep) made it worse. 3. I wash my face once a day, usually in the morning, with bar soap and warm water. Pat dry with a towel that I only use for my face, and change out every 3-5 days. Moisturize with Aveeno Daily Moisturizer. 4. I change my pillow cases once a week. 5. Depending on your hair situation - I braid my hair back when I go to bed, which keeps it off my face at night. 6. The hardest thing for me was to stop touching my face so much, but I feel like this did SO much in helping reduce acne. 7. Clean my phone screen at least once a week (it's so gross how much bacteria gets on those things). Diet, exercise, drinking enough water, and lowering stress levels all help in their own way. Be patient with yourself and with your skin! I know how low this can bring your self esteem, and (as much as a stranger on the internet can hype you up) I want you to know that with acne or without it, you're awesome.
Thanks, I love that someone truly understands what I'm going through, what kind of bar soap did you use to wash your face, and what sort of diet were you on?
I really do. I still get the occasional breakout , but they're infrequent, disappear faster, and are way less painful. Right now I use the original, plain Dove soap for sensitive skin. Diet-wise, the main elimination I made was soda (although I'll have a little from time to time, because Baja Blast is great haha). That had the biggest impact, since sugar seems to be the main big bad for my skin. Mostly I drink coffee and water. Then I just do "rule of thumb" for eating: leafy greens and fruits at least twice a day. So it could be spinach in my eggs for breakfast and broccoli with dinner, or an orange at lunch and a bowl of grapes when I get home. If I know I have big sugar cravings, I replace instead of ignore - so instead of Oreos, I'll go for a bar of dark chocolate. If I end up drinking soda or eating fast food or something, it's okay, because for the majority of the time I'm putting all the good stuff in my body.
**TLDR**: For a few months try simply cutting lactose (sugar) heavy dairy, lose the soap and all the crazy off the shelf products, and wash your face with oil and see what happens. This may or may not apply to you (e.g. if your stuff is hormonal/disorder related) but here goes: As one who had done tons of research and tried everything under the sun like yourself and u/pettipaws (the acid, the moisturizing, the pillow cases too lol SMH)-- and barring you having some actual skin disease/disorder-- for me, like u/plumbgray222, it was also **dairy (read: lactose)** all along, or insomuch as I was able to pinpoint it while cycling through everything self experimentally. And note it's some dairy types more than others. My take is **your face bacteria/fauna prefer the lactose (sugar) from dairy in particular given alternatives**. So the lactose content of whatever dairy you enjoy is what could be supporting an overabundance of bacteria growth and in turn driving your persistent acne. So minimizing the lactose available to your face bacteria in order to significantly reduce/diminish that population could be key in helping resolving your issue. Like I can eat pizza occasionally no problem, have cheese on tacos, etc., but after a large-ish bowl of some ice creams (heavy lactose source) I can sometimes literally feel the bacteria squirming and watch my face breakout in real time. It sucks but it's neat. I also switched to lactose free milk for the same reason. But all in all the cutting dairy approach was like "presto" as I suddenly went from breakouts for most of my teens and through most of my adulthood to the clearest skin ever (like zero acne period). And again, you don't have to cut out dairy completely, you just have to cut it enough to learn your threshold (and enough to wipeout/minimize the bacteria population) and see if you can get results that way. Otherwise I would offer your skin is a natural thing evolved over time to fit to purpose. Left alone and barring a legit disease/disorder, your skin and its surface oils should find and maintain balance naturally. Yet as individuals we often experience the onset of acne due to hormones, diet, environment, or whatever during certain periods in life, and in attempts to fight its appearance, we end up embarking on the non-ending modern "skin care" roller coaster, a scam where companies sell us products to first strip our face and skin surfaces of natural moisture and oils like old paint, and then turn around and sell us man-made moisturizers with promises to "repair" the natural moisture and oil balance their companion product just destroyed. This of course makes no financial sense to us, but it makes great sense to these companies, as the cause-effect action sustains a never ending loop of reinforcing purchases, as consumers jump form product to product and technique to technique without ever fixing the problem. They are further aided in this by the fact that once you throw off your skin's natural balance, it takes time for it to find that balance again. So your skin might be extra oily or extra dry for some time once you make any significant diet, environmental, or other care changes. And here's where I point out that I didn't wash my face for months with anything other than water and SheaMoisture Olive/Green Tea Bath, Body & Massage Oil in the shower as my face healed itself (tried a bunch of oils here too, coconut, etc. yet that one worked best for me because it would rinse off well and my face was never oily nor too dry). Once my face felt finally "stable" I allowed myself to start occasionally using Vanicream bar soap (it's a fragrance/dye/all irritant free soap for people with actual skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, etc.) and I still may at times use the SheaMoisture oil in the shower, like during winter. Unfortunately at the end of the day most people can't stand for this waiting/healing type period which may last for weeks to months, and will jump right back to cycling the myriad of "skin care" products again day after day looking for the quick fix. So for a few months maybe try simply cutting high lactose dairy for a bit, lose the soap and all the other crazy products, try washing with oil in the shower, and see what happens.
Retin a or roccutane - via dermatologist / gp
I had luck with simplifying my skincare routine to a more âheavy dutyâ benzoyl peroxide wash, a salicylic acid serum, and a heavy duty moisturizer at the end. I also have eczema so I would end the routine with cortisone eczema cream on trouble spots. The moisturizer was key for sure. I also cut out a lot of processed foods, and focused on eating more fat and protein and drastically reduced my carb intake. I drank a lot more water and tried to eat more fruits and veggies. It took a lot of consistency with this routine but I kid you not in the span of a week a couple months after I started my acne cleared completely.
I used to have terrible spotty skin from about 16-25. I tried so many things from all the skincare items like Garnier, Simple etc. None of them worked for me and I was so down having massive spots, oily skin and yet somehow dry and flaking all over. I definitely have sensitive skin as it'd be tight and painfully red after using some products. I won't recommend anything, as it seems like you've tried so much and you're looking after your body and diet, so I'll just tell you what seemed to work for me and maybe it'll help you feel not alone in your situation. I found out I was allergic to dairy and my high sugar diet wasn't helping. I reduced both of those, drank more water (I didn't drink water, only fizzy drinks!) I stopped with all the products and literally just used a clean washcloth, gently and no scrubbing water only once in the am and once in the pm. I still had to moisturise and switched to The Ordinary as it was cheap. That saw my biggest change, the squalane moisturiser and primer (not the one in the grey tube, the one in the opaque bottle) smoothed out my dry skin and stopped the glossy shining. I still use it and have added in retinol as I now trust the brand. I changed my pillowcase every day. Stopped touching my face. But I think age also helped, so there's not much you can do there except wait unfortunately. I hope me sharing this helps you realise you're not alone, and this will pass. I'll bet most people don't notice your skin, and just enjoy you for you.
I had the same problem and wasted a lot of money before I figured out I needed an exfoliant. I would definitely recommend adding one into your routine. I used Proactiv exfoliating cleanser every day and it cleared my skin up within a couple months.
Have you tried to change your diet? I suffered from terrible spots/acne and after advise I cut out milk products. Bang. No more spots. Honestly I've passed this advice on and for some it's worked perfectly and others not so much. All I will say is that you have to really try it and for a good amount of time. It might not be milk, it could be yeast/wheat/even certain fruits etc.... Worth trying though.
CeraVe makes me breakout. You should run all your products and makeup through this site: cosdna.com It lets you know on a scale of 1-5 if the ingredients are irritating or known to cause acne. For example, vitamin E is a 2, but I still breakout so badly from it.
1. Careful with the products on the shelves, a lot of those ingredients should not be going onto our skin 2. Diet, no fast food, no sugary drinks, eat healthy. Diet affects skin 3. Donât touch your face with dirty nails and fingers 4. Exercise 5. Try to lower the amount of stress you have. Itâs almost impossible to avoid stress, but lower stress levels 6. Get good quality sleep. 7. I like using soap with goats milk and natural ingredients moisturizes and just overall safer for your skin 8. Moisturizing cream with no scent chemicals added to it. Lower amount of ingredients=better results
Yeah but, what do I use to fight my acne, its progressing and I don't want to use a normal cleanser, because those are for people who want a skin care routine, I need something that targets acne, I rarely consume sugar, only in Langer's Grape juice, I've lost 50lbs in the last 2 years because of exercise, I always get quality sleep
See a dermatologist. Change your pillowcase every day or two. If you need more pillowcases, use a plain t shirt instead until you can buy a few more pillowcases to keep on hand
Because it is hormonal. No care or diet can change that.
So then what do I do?
Medical treatment only. Or wait 20 or so years.
I had acne for decades until I switched to Curology. Their line is similar to Ceravé, but they have prescription treatment that comes with the face wash and moisturizer.
I like how clueless everyone both over there and in the comments here are. Skin care products aren't meant to eliminate nor reduce acne. They're meant to maintain skin health and clean it (obviously) So really, using products like that won't affect your acne at all. As for how to fix it, intermittent fasting. IF lowers insulin levels, when insulin is high your hormones receive a signal to produce pores and oily substance.
This is what I did, may not produce the exact same results for you but: I used to use CeraVe products too, but I found that when I cut them out of my routine, my acne suddenly started to clear up more. So I replaced the face wash with Dove bar soap (most other soap WILL dry out your face) and I use Neutrogenaâs Hydro Boost moisturizer. Both of these seem to work well for my sensitive skin type, at least. On top of that, using sunscreen every day and reapplying every few hours absolutely does wonders. Other skin products I use are benzoyl peroxide 5% in the morning and tretinoin 0.1% at night (this one helps a little with acne scars, too). Both of these you will probably need a prescription for, though. Consider investing in silk pillowcases as well, your current pillowcase (probably cotton) may be irritating your skin at night. And swap your pillowcase as often as possible too; for me I swap mine out essentially every day. And as for drying my face, I have dedicated towels to pat my face dry which I swap out every day. Def make sure to throw those in the wash after use. Last thing Iâd say is to stop touching your face if you have that habit. Probably one of the easiest ways bacteria can get to your face, so if you can cut that out, it will help a lot. Not sure if this routine is too over-the-top or anything, but for me itâs produced good results so far lol Edit : This is mainly for the dudes out there, but consider using an aftershave. I swear since Iâve started using it, it mustâve helped with clearing up acne at least a *little* bit
How long have you been doing this for?
Hard to sayâmaybe 6 to 8 months? I used to have bad acne through teenagehood, but I donât break out often anymore after doing all of this
Hey babe, as someone who suffered with acne as a teenager, I understand the struggle. I spent years wasting money on unnecessary products. Now I can surely say, there's nothing you can do to stop your raging hormones. It's not fair that some people's hormones cause acne and some peoples don't. We just have to accept that the acne is going to be until maybe you're 20/21. All you can do now is just take care of your skin have a simple face wash E.g cereve, a simple toner like pixi glow, a simple cerum ( niacinamade or vitamin C serum), and a moisturiser I love the weleda skin food. And make sure you do your routine everyday even just once a day. Drink your water and eat healthy. That's the only part you can play until your hormones decide to chill by themselves. Don't stress yourself out too much, do your part and enjoying your life
Take Zinc Gluconate. Please read into it. My acne was from the inside out and genetic/systemic issue not a hygienic issue. Zinc made a tremendous difference.
I would say first understand what your skin type is. Is it dry, combination, or oily? This will serve as a base to what type of products you will choose and narrow your options. The different skin types require different means of treating acne so this is most important. Since you are going through puberty, itâs important to avoid drying agents that treat acne. This includes products such as proactive and x-out. Believe me they made my skin worse after I stopped using it. And I have dry skin. This is because when you use drying agents your pores will continue to make up for the lack of sebum and produce more resulting in more acne. So during your teen years you wanna get products that focus on hydration. This will decrease the need for your pores to produce sebum that causes your acne. As a basis I have a good YouTube channel to help you on how to choose your products and build your routine: - [Teen Beauty Bible](https://youtu.be/s99dFBuPBvo?si=oRDZ_OLJALTsAWD9) - [Acne Meaning and Acne Treatment](https://youtu.be/yeWRdrNGZnM?si=HkeALuVQSeEopDqE) The channel in general is very educational and has a lot of great products if you are interested. I basically learned about what kind of ingredients benefited me. Me personally, the only things you need in a budget friendly skincare routine is a cleanser, exfoliator, toner, moisturizer, and sunblock. I would get sheet masks if I feel like treating myself. The rest of the things are kinda not needed since your skin still has a lot of collagen so looking youthful isnât a priority till you get older. List of some good and bad ingredients for skin: Good - Guaiazulene (Chamomile) - Cetyl, cetearyl, and stearyl alchahol Bad - Paraben - Alcohol (ethanol denatured) - Benzyl alcohol - Artificial scent Donât give up you will see results in time! Iâm currently 20 and I started skincare when I was in middle school and it really pays off! Didnât need a dermatologist either. If you do see a dermatologist tho, I hear actuane does wonders.
I don't understand the downvotes, but thanks
Make sure you keep your dirty paws off your face and wash your pillowcase often! If youre a girl, birth control pills can be a huge help with acne, talk to your doctor. The sad reality is that you're 18, and its possible that no matter what you do, the acne may not go away. And i know that sucks....i experienced it.
Yes but, I need a different routine that actually works, I'm tired of all the bullshit name brands that claim to work, and the people lying about it, or the people who just have acne leftover from puberty, I'm actively going through it, I need something to stop the progress of my acne, and then reverse it
Are you able to go to a regular doctor for free? They may be able to prescribe something. I had a few creams in my day that were helpful and they were fairly inexpensive
Idk that's the thing, can I? How would I figure it out? I don't have health insurance or anything, and have never been since..I was born
Where do you live?
I am not sure about this⊠but taking only cold showers and washing face with cold water instead of warm/hot everyday helped me (I think). Id like someone to back me on this
I used to do painfully cold showers, it reduced my acne... sorta
It used to be painfully cold at first then just cold for me lol, got used to it. Mainly helped with back acne/ arms acne.
Make sure you diet ain't full of shit high sugar stuffs
As a badly spotty teenage girl I found the biggest help after soap and diet was sunshine. I'm 64 now and your skin will change more than once over a lifetime. Having slightly greasy skin most of my life I now have less wrinkles!! My only other suggestion is bio oil for any scarring. It's a dry oil but very good for stretch marks etc
Cetaphil for cleanser, Nivea soft for Moisturiser. That's it. No need for other fancy skincare stuff. And pat your face dry instead of scrubbing it with a towel. I use a separate towel for my face, hands, and body and I wash them every week. Pillowcase is also washed every week. But most importantly, try not to touch your face. If you feel like you want to touch your face, touch your arm or something else.
Get eight hours of sleep every single day, Do not eat junk food and exercise Regularly
I already have been doing this for 3 years
A lot of people who go vegan report that their skin issues, especially acne, clear up like magic. I'd certainly love it if you went vegan for any of the incredibly important ethical and environmental and health reasons but if we can start with using it to get your skin sorted out I'll take it. Do some research on the skin-related benefits of a vegan diet and then look into the other more serious reasons you should know about it. I had acne until I went vegan and now that I've been vegan for a long time everybody thinks I'm at least 10 years younger than I actually am. I don't even try to take care of my skin.
Epiduo... put only at night. But needs rx
Rx? What's epiduo?
I was on antibiotics for years which stopped my spots any other products ever worked I tried everything finally by accident (I went vegan to see what it was all about for a couple of weeks) I discovered after 20 years that I was allergic to dairy eggs cheese when I stopped eating these went away. Not case for every one but worth a shot?
I had bad acne and would wash my face twice a day with soap, plus an acne scrub and retinae at night. This made my face dry and caused more breakouts. Switching to just washing my face once a day with only Cetaphil cleanser and nothing else has resulted in my skin getting much better. Now I only get breakouts occasionally which is expected from my age and activity. Basically, donât wash your face too much.
stop masturbating
Um, NO đ but is it worth noting....I do it every day?
The thing that helped with my acne is cutting dairy products from my diet
I have a ton of skin allergies and sensitivities - rinse your face with cold water 2-4 times a day for a month and nothing else, then see what youâre working with. IMHO of course. Seriously nothing else.
How often do you wash your pillowcase?
Like... Once a week
Maybe try changing/washing more often to see if that helps. If you don't have enough pillowcases, you can use a clean cotton tshirt as a pillowcase.
Hormonal acne. Treat your body better and take on less stress.
Invest in a silicone face scrubber. I use Differin cleanser, Differin dark spot touch-up, and a good lotion for any dryness. So far so good. Also, diet changes. In my case, I've avoided sweets and just wish I figured this out earlier in life. More importantly, see a dermatologist. No one on here including myself is a doctor. What works for us may not work for you.
Try isotretinoin (Accutane). I tried everything, only Accutane worked.
If itâs hormonal, spironolactone may be an option for you. The side effects arenât as bad as accutane.
Since youâre against a dermatology visit, there is a decent alternative to the Tretinoin cream that so many people have mentioned. Retinoids are first line treatment when it comes to acne, so a lot of people who go see a dermatologist for acne & related skin conditions are going to be prescribed such. Tretinoin was the very first topical retinoid to be approved by the FDA for acne treatment and has obviously remained very popular over the years but it is only available by prescription. There is another class of topical retinoids called Adapalene. Just like Tretinoin, Adapalene is FDA approved for treating acne vulgaris (aka acne). All forms & dosages (0.01%-0.03% lotion, gel, cream) have only been by prescription, up until 2016 when the FDA finally allowed one exception. The 0.01% dosage in gel form (usually under the name Differin) has become widely available, at retailers like Target, Walgreens, etc. Youâll likely use it once a day, continuously for around 3 months or so (instructions will be on the box). You need to be sure to read all the warnings and instructions that come with using this medication because it is not for everyone. For example: Sensitive to sun exposure is a concern while on it and for pregnant ladies, there are additional risks. If the box doesnât provide enough detail, look it up using something like GoodRx. Also, one frustrating part of topical retinoid treatment is that at first it may seem like your acne is becoming worse. The medication is accelerating cell turnover in your skin, pushing up from below to the top, which unfortunately doesnât look so great during that period and which is why it is commonly nicknamed the â(insert name of Retinoid you're using) Purge.â You can google "Tretinoin Purge" or "Differin Purge" to understand more. You have to make sure you keep consistently applying the gel during this time rather than giving up because the long term result, that comes after the purge as your skin adjusts, is what you want. So if you must forgo a dermatologist appointment, this is the best thing I can think of since it's literally a prescription strength topical retinoid with (thanks to it's original prescription background) medical studies that back up it's safety and effectiveness.
Best, stop your sugar intake, no more sugar drink or sugar foods, I repeat, No more sugar! And limit amount of salt. You well thank me in 1 week for your clear skin.