Help/Support ► Acne

[Kagayaki]

I've been dealing with this problem ever since I was 11 or 12 years old. As if you couldn't already guess, I get pimples...and lots of them. And I find it embarrassing that I still get acne at my age. I usually break out hormonally, but it seems that there's a new one every day. I tried literally everything but a skin transplant. Salylic acid is too slow, benzoyl peroxide is too harsh a leaves a white mark, and I tried those multiple step acne treatments, but every time, even when I used the sensitive skin formula, I got orange blotches on my face. Sometimes it just feels better to just pop it, even though I shouldn't. But the thing is, some of my zits are painful and itchy, with pus already threatening to come out. And after that, the swelling goes down. And even if I don't pop them, it leaves a scar anyway because I just get hyperpigmentation.

My skin is sensitive, so I don't really buy synthetic products anymore. My daily facial cleanser is water based, but it does have rice oil in it. But that's okay, because you're not supposed to eliminate your sebum, just control it. They say that you're only supposed to wash your face a few times a week, but if I don't wash my face every day, I break out more, and I become even greasier. My face is greasier than a pizza with French fries on top. I don't use moisturizer because it makes me even more of a grease bucket. And I don't wear makeup as often as I want to because it will cake up...even though I need to cover these scars. :/

So, yeah. I don't know what else to do other than just deal with it.

 

[maryadavies]

I still get the occasional breakout as a middle aged lady (and yes, I pop pimples; oh and I know that's kinda revealing my age a bit) but one thing that works for me is to wash my face, then wipe it with witch hazel. You should be able to get a bottle of that cheap at Wal-Mart or any good drugstore. Since you have been sensitive to acne washes/stuff in the past, I'd say try a bit behind a ear or somewhere that won't show in case that makes you go blotchy before you take the cotton ball to your whole face.


Oh and use a loofa sponge. That also seems to help. Just..don't scour your face like a pan; Be gentle about it. If you scour your face like if you were trying to clean a frypan, you'll make the scarring worse.

As for make-up..I rarely wear any myself (can't afford it), but I do recommend you check around for some for oily skin. That might work better.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Buy some unpurified apple cider vinegar (the kind with the "mother" in it), make a mixture of half water and half apple cider vinegar and use it on your face as a toner either before or after you wash your face. If you do it after, don't worry about the smell because it'll diffuse once it dries. Just put your regular moisturizer on once your face is dry and it'll be fine.

This will not only reduce the scarring, but also prevent breakouts and clear your pores without stripping your face of its natural acidity. It should also help fix the oil issue you have. pH balance is key in maintaining a blemish-free face, and ACV has a similar pH value to your skin.

I used to have some pretty obvious scarring from pimples as a teenager but then I found this stuff and I don't have breakouts anymore and most of the scarring is gone. Most of what is left if from me being inconsistent with my routine XD

I pair it with a witch hazel. First I use that then I use the apple cider vinegar. Don't use makeup. Your face needs time to heal and breathe.

 

[maryadavies]

Spockanort; Maybe after next week, I should go looking for that vinegar! My face isn't as oily as it used to be but I still have blackheads all over my nose that have not ever gone away. (Have to wait for when I get my spending money for the month. Especially since I'm going to get me a new pair of glasses, which do get expensive. Need a new eye exam, luckily the place I want to go does the eye exam for the glasses)

Maybe the local fruit stand/organic food mart has it.

 

[A]

Buy african black soap, there's a brand on amazon called dudu osun you can get it for like $3. Use that on your face every day and moisturize, a good moisturizer is jack black (kinda costly).

Buy aztec clay and apple cider vinegar mix the them together till you have a nice consistency, let it sit on your face for about 45 mins and clean it off after use a moisturizer do this 2-3 times a week.

 

[Taochan]

Have you tried using blotting paper for particularly oily days?

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Buy african black soap, there's a brand on amazon called dudu osun you can get it for like $3. Use that on your face every day and moisturize, a good moisturizer is jack black (kinda costly).

Buy aztec clay and apple cider vinegar mix the them together till you have a nice consistency, let it sit on your face for about 45 mins and clean it off after use a moisturizer do this 2-3 times a week.

I might take this recommendation for myself! I'm always looking for ways to improve my skin quality. My current routine has peaked now that my face has gotten used to the sage cleanser I use, so I need something new to add to the mix.

 

[maryadavies]

Spockanort; I found it on Walmart.com too. Here. I'd only do one 6 pack at a time, and I'm thinking about going for that, tho I'll check some more local stores. Be nice if I don't have to worry about shipping.

 

[robvandam111]

You may thank me. Get the refining mask from proactiv. I lost 50ibs and indulged unneccessary whey protein that's been causing breakouts at my age.

 

[plasmos]

Drink lots of water and go see a dermatologist tomorrow at 9am sharp!

 

[maryadavies]

Lol Plasmos.

Oh and if you'd like to support local crafters, I searched "African Black Soap" on Etsy, which seems to cost less too. I'll check that out more when I have the time.

 

[Kagayaki]

I may have PCOS. I just didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't think it would be too appropriate. But I have seen some doctors and they did mention elevated hormone levels. My insurance doesn't cover full diagnostic procedures, though. I already changed my diet. I only drink water or kefir, and I have a mostly green diet, with the occasional sweet food. Maybe I should go outside more, that would help. XD I can't use moisturizer at all because it immediately makes my face greasy. Right now, I use The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser, which is really gentle, and doesn't overdry. I have Alba Botanicals Acne Spot Treatment and Oil Control Moisturizer. They don't seem to work. My most problematic areas are my forehead, the area around my eyes because I wear glasses, and my hairline because I put so much stuff in my hair. It gets really dry, and I'm trying to grow it out. I also put essential oils on my eyelashes to make them longer, and my lips to keep them moist. So, that also contributes to the amount of excess oil. I also have a lot of clogged pores all over my cheeks, nose and chin. Maybe I'll try baking soda and water to see if that works. I could also try vinegar, but the two are opposite ends of the pH scale. I see a lot of different solutions, but it's hard to tell which is the right one. Different people will say that different things work for them.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I may have PCOS. I just didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't think it would be too appropriate. But I have seen some doctors and they did mention elevated hormone levels. My insurance doesn't cover full diagnostic procedures, though. I already changed my diet. I only drink water or kefir, and I have a mostly green diet, with the occasional sweet food. Maybe I should go outside more, that would help. XD I can't use moisturizer at all because it immediately makes my face greasy. Right now, I use The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser, which is really gentle, and doesn't overdry. I have Alba Botanicals Acne Spot Treatment and Oil Control Moisturizer. They don't seem to work. My most problematic areas are my forehead, the area around my eyes because I wear glasses, and my hairline because I put so much stuff in my hair. It gets really dry, and I'm trying to grow it out. I also put essential oils on my eyelashes to make them longer, and my lips to keep them moist. So, that also contributes to the amount of excess oil. I also have a lot of clogged pores all over my cheeks, nose and chin. Maybe I'll try baking soda and water to see if that works. I could also try vinegar, but the two are opposite ends of the pH scale. I see a lot of different solutions, but it's hard to tell which is the right one. Different people will say that different things work for them.

Oh man...yeah that makes it harder to approach this. PCOS would mean you need some hormonal treatments which would definitely help ease your acne issues.

If you decide to take our tips, you need to spread out everything you try. If you do baking soda, try for 2-3 weeks to see if there is any change. Stop if there is no change or it gets worse and wait a week before trying the next treatment.

(if you use ACV at some point, I am warning you now that it will burn a bit even in a mixture so that is normal)

 

[Kagayaki]

Oh and use a loofa sponge. That also seems to help. Just..don't scour your face like a pan; Be gentle about it. If you scour your face like if you were trying to clean a frypan, you'll make the scarring worse.

I really want a Clarisonic, or a similar facial brush, but those are expensive. I heard they do work, though.

Buy african black soap, there's a brand on amazon called dudu osun you can get it for like $3. Use that on your face every day and moisturize, a good moisturizer is jack black (kinda costly).

Buy aztec clay and apple cider vinegar mix the them together till you have a nice consistency, let it sit on your face for about 45 mins and clean it off after use a moisturizer do this 2-3 times a week.

Jack Black? Aren't those men's products? But then again, is there any difference between men's and women's products besides the smell? XD; Men's cologne usually smells like crap. XP But anyway, I might check out African Black soap next time I go to Walgreens.

Oh man...yeah that makes it harder to approach this. PCOS would mean you need some hormonal treatments which would definitely help ease your acne issues.

If you decide to take our tips, you need to spread out everything you try. If you do baking soda, try for 2-3 weeks to see if there is any change. Stop if there is no change or it gets worse and wait a week before trying the next treatment.


(if you use ACV at some point, I am warning you now that it will burn a bit even in a mixture so that is normal)

Well hopefully, my hormonal issues are getting better, as I finally had a regular period for the first time in months. I still have to shave my face. I have bad genes. If I don't shave my face, I look like a Neanderthal. But shaving also makes my acne worse. But if you do it regularly, don't stop or start suddenly, then it's not so bad. I'm trying to stay away from products with parabens and pheno...whatever that stuff is that makes your skin more susceptible to sun damage. I know that Wikipedia says that there's no effective link to cancer, but that research was inconclusive and Wikipedia sucks anyway. Next time I go to the grocery store, I'm buying a ton of baking soda and tomatoes. And some lemons to help with the dark pigmentation. And I'll buy the Baking Powder foam cleanser from Etude House.

 

[Kounelli]

How are you sleeping at night? The way you sleep can affect your acne too. If you lay on your face at all during the night then the bacteria gets back on it from your pillow, so constantly washing the pillow case or keeping your face off the pillow could help out a bit.

That's honestly the only other advice I can give that was outside of what others were already suggesting. As gross as this sounds, I noticed that I had more break outs on nights I drooled on my pillow and then my face laid in it for long periods of time (and not just drool of course but sweat, grease, etc.). After I would concentrate on those areas and cleaned my pillow case more often, I saw less and less of the problem. Might be something for you to look into as well.

 

[catcake]

Does it matter what temperature water I wash my face with? Like, is it better to wash with warm or cold water? I've heard some people say that hot water is the best but I haven't really noticed any difference myself.

 

[Kounelli]

Hmm that's a good question actually, I know when I got my health card they made sure I remembered to wash my hands thoroughly with WARM WATER for at least 30 seconds to ensure getting rid of as much bacteria as possible, so perhaps it does? Definitely keep the temperature regular though. Washing with different extremes can cause stress on your face, and make things worse. Lukewarm is probably best.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I wash my face with warm/hot water, and rinse with cold water to close the pores.

 

[Deleted member 36435]

I don't have acne but I use cold water because warm / hot water is basically murder on your skin

 

[Dreaded_Desire62]

I honestly try washing my face but no matter how many times that I wash it. I can never see any differences. I am looking for a job and I also have a hard time avoiding picking at my pimples. It leads to them turning into scabs, which I have a few of now. I am considering foundation since I want to look presentable when applying for jobs. Is there any foundation that can conceal my noticeable pimples/scabs and clear them up?