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    Thread: Acne

    1. #1
      Yay Avatar working Dizko's Avatar
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      Acne

      I dont have a huge amount of spots, but they are there and they are annoying.

      I wash my face about twice a day and shower every 1-2 days.

      I've been looking for some ways to treat it and I've sorta started developing my own system. Basically it involves not drinking milk (ive notcied that if i have milk and cereal i will breakout with lots of redness and spots the next day),, drinking loads and loads of water, and often putting toothpaste on a moderatly sized spot, which dries it out and is normally gone in the morning.

      My system is kind of working, but its slow and I'm not even really sure why/if its working.


      Anyway the reason i made this thread;

      I found this site. They have a really good plan and some good looking products on sale. But they are in the US and i dont know if i can be bothered getting the products shipped to the UK, and if its really worth it.

      I could do that, or i could continue as i am and hope for the best.

      Does anyone have any advice? Im sure theres lots of acne-sufferers out there with some advice
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    2. #2
      Member Robot_Butler's Avatar
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      I'm glad you mentioned milk. That turned out to be the biggest contributor to my acne when I was a teenager. Even now, when I drink milk, I notice a change for the worse with my skin.

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      Here's what I can say:

      The sun.

      Get an adequate tan. In fact, let your skin burn. Your acne will shrivel up and die. On spots where I've been burned badly enough, my acne disappeared forever (7+years). Whenever I have acne and go to the beach or tanning, the acne disappears. Plus you look good with a tan. If you make sure to keep your skin in a nice tanned condition and wait it out (age-wise), the majority of your acne will cease to torment you.

      I need to follow my own advice and get out into the sun more often.

      You should also note that I live in Florida. So the strength of the sun is probably stronger than other places...

      Don't complain about cancer. Compared to people who tan or get ridiculous exposure, a little trip to the beach or out to a pool or whatever for a couple of hours is nothing, and can eradicate your acne.

      I haven't noticed this milk phenomenon... I stopped drinking milk products, mostly, for about 4 years and still had (relatively) tragic acne I'm sure there are a ton of factors. All I know is that no matter what, making sure you fry in the sun eliminates all of them...
      Last edited by Shift; 11-04-2008 at 10:37 PM.

    4. #4
      Yay Avatar working Dizko's Avatar
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      Yea the sun is a great one. However Northern Ireland is never sunny enough to give you sunburn >_<
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      Quote Originally Posted by Dizko View Post
      Yea the sun is a great one. However Northern Ireland is never sunny enough to give you sunburn >_<
      Ah, bummer. Still, just trying to get out, keep your face turned up to the sun (assuming that's your target area, it isn't always ), when you are out in it, etc. can help. Even the slightest amounts.

    6. #6
      Yay Avatar working Dizko's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by Shift View Post
      Ah, bummer. Still, just trying to get out, keep your face turned up to the sun (assuming that's your target area, it isn't always ), when you are out in it, etc. can help. Even the slightest amounts.
      Thankfully it is my face. =P

      Thanks for the advicesszszszz Shift.
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      Quote Originally Posted by Dizko View Post
      Thankfully it is my face. =P

      Thanks for the advicesszszszz Shift.
      No problem Helping you, waging war against acne... we all win! Except for acne. Who doesn't matter anyway.

    8. #8
      Listen to the Trees Ailos's Avatar
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      My apologies Shift, but I have to contradict you.

      The sun can temporarily reduce acne by making the skin inhospitable to P. Acnes, and also by drying out the skin upon receiving damaging UV radiation. However, this is a temporary effect and will soon stop working. Not only that, any amount of sun damage will lead to an increase in the chance of developing skin cancer (UV radiation creates tyrosine dimers in the DNA of skin cells).

      However, I can't argue against a nice tan. There are enzymes called photoreactive enzymes (PRE) that repair these tyrosine dimers upon exposure to blue-spectrum light. PRE is actually added to sun block now, but if you want a safe tan, perhaps you could locate PRE without UV blockers (though your skin will still exhibit aging).

      Back to acne, I had acne for the longest time and nothing seemed to work on the topical level (though I had it on my back, chest, face, and neck). I ultimately went to my dermatologist, who recommended isotretinoin (Accutane). Despite it's scary reputation (with claims of depression, suicide, etc.), he seemed to think it was fine. And it works. I'm still on it now, and my skin is as clear as summer blue skies. Studies actually show that the incidence of suicide is actually higher in the general population than in the population taking isotretinoin. I have noticed a slight fluctuation in mood, but I've always kind of been that way.

      Though if you find response to topical treatments, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, etc., then that's great. You may also want to look into systemic antibiotics, though they run you the slight risk of colitis (at least some of them do).

      Anyways, hope that helps!

    9. #9
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      Quote Originally Posted by Ailos View Post
      My apologies Shift, but I have to contradict you.

      The sun can temporarily reduce acne by making the skin inhospitable to P. Acnes, and also by drying out the skin upon receiving damaging UV radiation. However, this is a temporary effect and will soon stop working. Not only that, any amount of sun damage will lead to an increase in the chance of developing skin cancer (UV radiation creates tyrosine dimers in the DNA of skin cells).

      However, I can't argue against a nice tan. There are enzymes called photoreactive enzymes (PRE) that repair these tyrosine dimers upon exposure to blue-spectrum light. PRE is actually added to sun block now, but if you want a safe tan, perhaps you could locate PRE without UV blockers (though your skin will still exhibit aging).

      Back to acne, I had acne for the longest time and nothing seemed to work on the topical level (though I had it on my back, chest, face, and neck). I ultimately went to my dermatologist, who recommended isotretinoin (Accutane). Despite it's scary reputation (with claims of depression, suicide, etc.), he seemed to think it was fine. And it works. I'm still on it now, and my skin is as clear as summer blue skies. Studies actually show that the incidence of suicide is actually higher in the general population than in the population taking isotretinoin. I have noticed a slight fluctuation in mood, but I've always kind of been that way.

      Though if you find response to topical treatments, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, etc., then that's great. You may also want to look into systemic antibiotics, though they run you the slight risk of colitis (at least some of them do).

      Anyways, hope that helps!
      Yea, maybe it doesn't work for all people. Whenever I get a tan my acne disappears. Whatever you try and works, I guess. Also, I'm not a huge supporter of getting ridiculous amounts of sun exposure. You know how people go on vacation to some sunny destination, and spend a few hours tanning in the sun? That's what I'm talking about. Most people do this anyway, without getting skin cancer, and that's what I'm suggesting. Compared to the little sun exposure I get over the span of my life, it's insignificant. This is for those of us who are pale and never really get that sun-time in Eh, people can make their own judgments. Sun has always caused my acne to disappear. Getting exposure, even in low doses regularly, will clear it up.

      Doryx is an antibiotic prescribed for acne, and it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun. It did shit for the acne on its own, but when I combined it with spending time in the sun, it worked amazing wonders

      A word of caution against Accutane: my brother went on it, and his lips got detroyed. He has this problem now where they are constantly chapped, chafed, peeling, and painful. Since we are in Florida it's not particularly bad, but whenever we go into cold dry weather his lips begin to peel, ooze, and get extremely painful and swollen. This problem started after he started Accutane, and the dermatologist told us that the medicine was in fact the cause... it seems that this is a common side effect. So his acne cleared up, but his lips are ruined (he's 22, so at an age where probably his acne would have gone away or been close to, but his lips are destroyed now). It's been about 4-5 years since he started and he still has this severe, painful, and embarrassing problem. I don't know if it will go away eventually, and I also don't know if there are preventative measures you can take to avoid it (meaning, he's not the sort of guy to put lotion on his lips every night if something like that helped, although in retrospect he probably would after suffering but hindsight IS 20/20)
      Last edited by Shift; 11-05-2008 at 05:41 PM.

    10. #10
      Listen to the Trees Ailos's Avatar
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      Oh, I wasn't arguing that no-sun is a good thing. There's actually just as many people with skin cancer that get no sun as those that get too much. Sun is healthy in moderation, like anything else =] .

      You do have a good point about accutane drying out the mucus membranes. My lips are fairly chapped, but I find lip-balm can work wonders if applied regularly (though I do admit, even some people find this inadqueate).

      But, like anything, nothing is perfect. Accutane just worked well for me, but it's usually prescribed for those who show signs of cystic or scarring acne, not for those exhibiting non-scarring comedones on the face. Just experiment with OTC remedies, and if you find something that works and you like it, stick with it.

    11. #11
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      my skin isn't perfect but i try and do as much exercise as i can, which i notice helps considerably. i walk many places. make sure you don't have a crappy diet, and try not to be stressed - when i am stressed my skin is at its worst. i also drink lots of water.
      also, don't try and squeeze every blackhead, because not every one will develop into a spot - and you will often make your face look a lot worse because it will become swollen and inflamed. don't bother with any american products, there are plenty of options here: although, i would suggest the most natural remedies (herbal jazz).

    12. #12
      BRAIN EXPLOSION!! Neeros's Avatar
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      I have a couple every once in awhile, they usually just go away after a few days. If it does not go away in a week or so I just pop it in the shower and wash it off real good with soap. Keeps me good.
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      They wanna put me on Accutane. The problem with Accutane is the possible long-term side effects. What are your thoughts on those, Ailos?


      Quote Originally Posted by Neeros View Post
      I have a couple every once in awhile, they usually just go away after a few days. If it does not go away in a week or so I just pop it in the shower and wash it off real good with soap. Keeps me good.
      Causes scarring X(
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    14. #14
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      I have had the same problem. I had mild acne on and off, but last year and this year it got much worse. Nothing completely disgusting, but I had enough red dots on my face to get me pissed and take action. I tried nearly every over the counter product: Acne Free, Neutrogena, even Proactiv. I came to realize theyr'e all the same thing, using benzyol peroxide to treat the acne. While benzyol peroxide sometimes works, there are some major cons to benzyol peroxide, however.

      1)Over time the skin gets immune to it
      2) if you stop using it the acne will come back WORSE
      3) it can damage your skin.
      4) its just a temporary solution. Even if your skin clears up and you keep using it, the acne WILL come back.

      Last week I got fed up with this (i was developing a nasty red patch on my chin, it turns out it was so red because of the benzyol peroxide). So I went to the dermatologist and he gave me a whole new regimen. I am supposed to take antibiotics in the morning/night, use Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash, apply some cream with a huge name in the morning and evening, and use Retin-A three times a week. So far its been a week and I'm seeing results, even though the doctor said I should start seeing them in two weeks

      I knew that there were prescription creams the dermotologist could give you that would heal your acne last year when it started getting bad, but I wanted a quick overnight solution to fix it fast. This impatience only led to a whole year of increasingly bad acne. Don't make that mistake, screw online regimens, screw over-the-counter products, and screw proactive (it was actually the worst one I tried, made my face break out like crazy). Just go for the real stuff that works permanently.
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      Level 5 WakataDreamer's Avatar
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      Don't do Accutane, it's nasty stuff, the nuclear bomb of the acne product world.

      Don't use nukes when Uzis will suffice.
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      The sun suppresses the immune system the same as antibiotics.
      Try the sun once, and get a real good dose of it.

      ..If it works you may want the see your dermatologist and he can prescribe some antibiotics that will keep the acne away.

      ...else try the "proactive" as advertised on TV. Theres a also an alternative brand at Walmart.

      The sun is the best source of vitamin d too.

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      see your doctor fer sure, as there are several types of acne,
      there are plenty of things that work, but there's no one product that works for all acne,
      Proactive seems to work for a lot of people,
      there's a lot of bad products out there, don't rely on claims a product makes, rely on doctors, friends family and peers, and yourself to figure out what works best -
      for me, the only thing that worked was retinol-A.
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      Quote Originally Posted by Ponicorn View Post
      see your doctor fer sure, as there are several types of acne,
      there are plenty of things that work, but there's no one product that works for all acne,
      Proactive seems to work for a lot of people,
      there's a lot of bad products out there, don't rely on claims a product makes, rely on doctors, friends family and peers, and yourself to figure out what works best -
      for me, the only thing that worked was retinol-A.
      My doctors constantly put pressure on me to do Accutane... bastards. I almost did it, I've got a month's supply in my bathroom, but I pulled off because I think it will damage me in the long run.
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      Lucid Knight Ponicorn's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by Black_Eagle View Post
      My doctors constantly put pressure on me to do Accutane... bastards. I almost did it, I've got a month's supply in my bathroom, but I pulled off because I think it will damage me in the long run.
      its believed that doctors write prescriptions for certain drugs cause they get more $ out of it, even if it's not the best drug for the job. I don't know how that works though, so i won't comment on it.

      do your research, watch out for bull@#$% - cause there's a lot of it!
      and just try different things till it works. and yea, you don't wanna do something that's gonna cause permanent damage; patience is very key.

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    20. #20
      Member maxy126's Avatar
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      erm i have tablets i got from doctors free cuz im only 16 and go collage it wasnt workign at first but they up the dosage n stuff and lately i got some cream too its all good
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      Start using acne medication. It will not have visible effects for a while, but you have to consistently use your medication anyway.

    22. #22
      BRAIN EXPLOSION!! Neeros's Avatar
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      I've recently started to apply milk of magnesia too my spots with a cotton ball before bed a few times a week. I didn't think it would work but the few spots on my forehead have been clearing up fast.
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      Go natural.

      If you've kept trying all different types of drugs, medications, or topical applications and they are not working, then I suggest that you should not use ANYTHING.

      A simple wash of the face WITHOUT soap or any of those crazy Neutrogena or Accutane or whatever you guys are talking about will take care of any (future) acne. All the chemicals from any topical stuff will cause more harm than cleaning to your skin IMO.

      And BTW...if you're taking a hot shower without washing off with cold water, you're more likely to suffer from acne and frizzy or damaged hair. Hot water opens pores <-- I repeat, Hot water opens the pores on your face and exposes them to all types of stuff. You should practically slam cold water on your hair, face, or body after taking a hot shower or just take a cold shower everyday.

      And...one more thing...hot showers lower sperm count temporarily.

    24. #24
      BRAIN EXPLOSION!! Neeros's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by DestFinis View Post

      And...one more thing...hot showers lower sperm count temporarily.
      /turns up the hot water
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    25. #25
      feel my noodly appendage Flying Spaghetti Monster's Avatar
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      anyone tried apple cider vinegar?
      heard that shit owns acne pretty hard.

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