Help!!! 29 yr old suffering from acne, oily skin + wrinkles!
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Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:21 am

Ok all you experts, please help! I've had acne for about 9 years now. I've been using benzoyl peroxide gel for about 3 years and my skin is aging soooooo much. My husband commented on it a few weeks ago. I tried to stop using it, but my face got so clogged and broken out that I caved and started using it again. Argghhh! Anyway, I just ordered a Clarisonic and starting taking Nettle Root which is supposed to eliminate oily skin. So, now I'm wondering what in the world to use on my skin to cleanse and moisturize. I want something that is natural, but so far haven't found anything that does what it says. I would settle for something that isn't totally natural I guess. I think I'm going to try something for normal/combo skin since I'm taking the nettle root to reduce oiliness. I think I'm starting to see some results, but it's only been about a week and I think it takes a while to build up in your system. I'm clueless when it comes to proper skin care...

I also really need some kind of eye cream.

Any suggestions?

free skin care · Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:31 am

Retin A for your would be ideal to address oilyness, pimples, and most importantly wrinkles! But it can't be used with B.P. If you dont want to do that, I would go to the dermatologist and get the acne taken care of. There are lots of options from antibiotics to accutane. Then you can use Retin A, a vitamin C serum, Niacin, etc to address the wrinkles. Also a chemical peel might be a nice refresher for you, which can also help jump start the acne treatment. I dont know if you already so do, but a high SPF sunscreen is essential, and even more important than a night treatment in preventing wrinkles. Use one containing Mexoryl like the ones from La Roche Posay.

Eye cream can temporarily reduce the look of wrinkles and help your concealer go on better etc, but unless it has strong actives it will not actually make the wrinkles go away. you can use some the the actives i recommended in your eye area as well, diluting them with a basic moisturizer if they are too strong for your eye area.

For cleanser dermatoligists recommend items that do not disrupt the skin barrier. Foaming agents can often harm your skin. Use something like Cetaphil or L.R. Posay has a similar one. No need to spend a lot on a cleanser. Since you have acne, a salicylic acid one would be good for you. But depending on your other acne treatments it may cause irritation which can also contribute to aging. Generally I don't think that cleansers are THAT important, id rather spend the money on topical treatments that stay on my skin.

free skin care · Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:59 pm

right, don't spend a fortune on high priced cleansers or moisturizers, they alone are not going to erradicate acne.

Quote:

I've been using benzoyl peroxide gel for about 3 years and my skin is aging soooooo much

that's way too long to give a product its fair chance. if a product is effective, u should expect improvement in 3 mths i think. your skin has become too dependant on BP, it's a repetitive vicious cycle, u should definitely stop using it once and for all. I'm no expert, rather a philosopher. english is not my first language though.

free skin care · Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:49 pm

Have you tried Accutane? There's a thread raving about how Accutane got rid of their acne.

free skin care · Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:09 pm

Have you tried the oil cleansing method (ocm)?

I have verrry oily skin, and its the only thing that reduces my oiliness, the nights I cleanse with normal stuff I wake up with slippery oily skin, Laughing

but after OCM nights, my skin only has a slight sheen. Can't recommend this enough, esp for oily skin.

Not sure how this will affect acne though, Ive heard there s a purging stage though I never experienced it.

free skin care · Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:19 pm

BP isn't worth the trouble, IMO. I have been using Buzz on Acne for 3 weeks now. I can't say it's miraculous (although some would say so) but it's a hell of a lot better than BP. Less drying and the non-acne parts of my skin are firming and my pores look better overall.

Still getting some acne but it goes away faster. No irritation from the stuff either, unlike BP.

free skin care · Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:00 pm

I've always suffered from pretty severe acne and I am a firm believer in Tazorac, but I also have been using Buzz on Acne for about 3 weeks - and there might be something to this. I am clear right now (I wasn't a few weeks ago) - I need to see if it lasts though. My daughter has been using it too and her skin has really responded to it. It also improves the basic look of the skin rather than drying it out. My daughter was using Duac (bp + antibiotic) and Buzz on Acne has worked better for sure. It might be worth a try - it's about $27 - you can see if you are clear by the bottom of the bottle (that's what we're doing around here) - I think we will be re-ordering though (much to my surprise!).

Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:10 pm

I would try organic! I suffered with acne long ago, but my girlfriend has adult acne. She uses Miessence organics for acne and her skin cleared up in approx. 2 months. She still uses the line daily. I seen mention of Rocky Mountain Soap Company on here and decided to take a peak at their site, which also looks good(all natural) I have not tried these products personally,but does not hurt to research Smile

free skin care · Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:20 pm

You sound kind of like me. Are you on birth control? That could help you with your oily skin. Look up the reviews of various types on acne.org. Alpha beta peel by md skincare works a treat if you can afford it. Sadly, right now I cannot. Sad

What's your diet like? I believe it makes a huge difference. When I eat fast food I break out the next day. I notice when I'm in a line up at a fast food restaurant the customers often have skin problems. I think we need to nourish ourselves properly to see good results on the outside.
I bought nettle tea too! Maybe we can correspond about it.
Good Luck!!

free skin care · Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:07 pm

Try the PCA cleanser for oily skin. It's very reasonably priced and I've personally found it to be a miracle cleanser. I buy mine at skincarerx.com and it's under $20 and lasts 4+ months.

free skin care · Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:05 pm

Tigerlily, I totally agree with amonavis!

Retin-A immediately came to mind when you said "wrinkles-acne-oily skin". I started out with Retin-A Micro 0.04% because it is better tolerated and doesn't give you the peeling red face that makes people give up on Retin-A.

Benzoyl peroxide contributes to ageing. I would stop it.
The oil cleansing method gave me the worst case of cystic acne I had in a long time....so be careful with it - it isn't for everyone.

Here is a link to some solid skincare basics that aren't connected to any brand names!:

http://www.smartskincare.com/skincarebasics/

I hope this helps you even a little!
Very Happy

Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:54 pm

P Girl wrote:

Try the PCA cleanser for oily skin. It's very reasonably priced and I've personally found it to be a miracle cleanser. I buy mine at skincarerx.com and it's under $20 and lasts 4+ months.

EDS carries the PCA Skin line too:
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/Physicians-choice-skin-care-products.htm

There is also Herpanacine Skin Support System which works for many skin issues:
http://www.diamondformulas.com/herpana.htm

Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:03 am

what about checking your diet? I think this may make a difference. I've been pursuing healthy diet from last year,and avoid any of those junk food, taking supplements, and my skin now looks well, as well as my hair.

free skin care · Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:48 am

I think you should try Accutane! My father and brother have tried it and they both have no more acne! And trust me they had a lot!

free skin care · Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:48 pm

Don't waste money on Benzoyl peroxide. I had been fighting my acnes for almost ten yeas. I tried almost everything, including detoxing, dairy free, vegetarian....Acnes and acne scars leave me unstoped searching, buying and disappointment. Finally, I was advised by a dermatologist who does fraxel treatment for fixing my acnes scar in the UK to use Obagi. At the first time, I tried Obagi Clenziderm, but I don't like No3 which contents Benzoyl peroxide. I started using Obagi Nu-derm later on. It works. Unbelieveable! A life without acne is fantastic! I believe your skin will improve if you starting using Obagi Nu-derm.

Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:03 pm

Bira wrote:

Have you tried Accutane? There's a thread raving about how Accutane got rid of their acne.

I'm one of those anti-prescription,do whatever you can before you rely on drugs type of people. I've researched AAccutane and the risks outweigh the benefits for me. Thank you for your suggestion, though... the search continues...

free skin care · Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:12 pm

tigerlily wrote:

Bira wrote:

Have you tried Accutane? There's a thread raving about how Accutane got rid of their acne.

I'm one of those anti-prescription,do whatever you can before you rely on drugs type of people. I've researched AAccutane and the risks outweigh the benefits for me. Thank you for your suggestion, though... the search continues...

I have to agree. I've heard some scary things about Accutane.

However, I don't think you should discount Retin-A (I prefer Tazorac) because it combined with the PCA oily skin cleanser has changed my skin.

Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:38 pm

Tigerlily, Read the testimonials and the FAQ's and order Buzz on Acne as quickly as you can! I am blown away! I came on here to thank the posters on EDS that introduced me to Buzz on Acne! Be sure to read about benzoyl peroxide in their FAQ's as I was also seeing what you are talking about. Buzz on Acne has no benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid and up until this point has been very hydrating. It is also said to be anti-aging as other posters have said. I am so excited about the results that I have been seeing from this product that I just had to come on here and thank everyone for their posts about this. It is truly an amazing product!

free skin care · Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:05 pm

My 19 year old teenage son has suffered with horrible acne over his entire face for at least 2 years. He now has the pot mark scars. He skin was always red and irritated looking. Nothing has worked to clear it up, including meds from the Dermatologist, until he started using the LightStim Acne blue light device. After only a week his skin has calmed down and is much improved. Most all the spots are dried up and there are only scattered new ones. Large portions of his face are now acne free.

free skin care · Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:42 pm

it's said that men suffer more severe acne all over due to their androgen (male hormones)levels, we(women) also have androgens but in lesser amounts

Tue Mar 10, 2009 7:55 am

Ok, so I've been using the Clarisonic for 8 times, and this is the clearest the skin on my cheeks and forehead have been in a long time. My chin kind of freaked out, but it seems to be calming down now, too.

Thank you so much to everyone that posted so far. I'm researching each suggestion. I'm also breastfeeding right now, so that rules out a few options...

I'm thinking about using the Buzz on Acne externally and the Herpanacine internally.

I'll keep you posted...

Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:28 am

looco wrote:

what about checking your diet? I think this may make a difference. I've been pursuing healthy diet from last year,and avoid any of those junk food, taking supplements, and my skin now looks well, as well as my hair.

That's really a great suggestion and a good place to start for many people.

I've gone through periods of juice fasting, colon cleansing, liver and gallbladder flushes, candida diets (which omit pretty much all acne causing foods), etc. So, I've really exhausted many of my options. I know for sure dairy is a contributor to acne in my case.

I've been researching alternative health (herbs, supplements, cleansing) for about 4 years now I guess. One of my biggest problems is lack of patience. I think I might have had this thing licked by now if I would have stuck with some of the things I've tried for more than a week or two...

I love to learn and read and am always excited to try new remedies. I need to cool it I think. This Buzz on Acne product sounds great and seems to produce results rather quickly. The only thing I'm kind of concerned about is the silver in the product. I saw this guy on the news that turned blue from using colloidal silver internally and externally for years. I wonder if this is a risk?

Anyway, I'm willing to use it in the short term for immediate results while the Herpanacine is working internally. Maybe I can quit the Buzz on Acne when the Herpanacine has done it's thing.

free skin care · Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:23 am

I sympathize completely Tigerlily. Acne can be so frustrating especially as an adult. We feel like we're grown up so why can't our skin act accordingly. I wonder if an allergy test would help? I think Milbader is onto something when she suggests you use a blue led device. If you have the cash why not go for it. People have seen excellent results. When you are done breast feeding you could go for Levulan/pdt treatments. I've researched them and they seem to yield wonderful results for resistant acne.
Oh gosh I saw that guy. He looked like a blue Santa claus. Poor soul!

You know yourself better than anyone so I think you recognize you need to give your skin a break! That's what my best friend says to me when I get overzealous with my various treatments. I tend to break out at that point. Also your skin needs to adjust to anything you use. It's not fair to the skin or the product if you jump from one to the next. You'll just end up irritated (mind and body). In any case best of luck and I hope you are enjoying your new baby. You must be so happy!

free skin care · Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:28 am

Oh I forgot to ask. How is your nettle tea? What brand do you use. I have Traditional Medicinals "organic nettle tea". It's not exactly a taste sensation but i'll down a cuppa right now while I read the forum.
p.s. it says to steep for 10 minutes! Now that's a strong tea!

Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:56 pm

I've heard AHA can cure acnes.

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