Skin Problem

[Epical]

Disclaimer: as I'm typing this, it has gotten to be pretty wall-o-texty, but it's worth it, so bring your own weapons.

From about grade 9 all the way until the end of high school, I used to have pretty bad skin. I totally know what you mean about a confidence destroyer, and it was probably the thing that bugged me the most out of anything I can think of at the time. What made matters worse was that all my friends and people I hung out with didn't have visible acne... at all. D: So I was like some mutant being which probably got a lot of side-looks and comments behind my back.

In my first year of university, after about 4 years of constantly worrying about my face, I finally decided that I needed to fix this once and for all. Now, by that time I had tried EVERYTHING on the market. Everything. Pills, tablets, creams, scrubs, cloths, sun, dieting, water, everything. I'm pretty positive I funded that market for those years and made some companies some good coin. But despite all of that, nothing worked long term. As Isla said earlier, your skin is a reflection of what's going on inside you, so anything topical is a temporary fix to the symptoms, and not the solution to the problem. So Proactiv, while good for spot treatment on people who don't fully break out, isn't the solution to your dilemma. The same goes for other things that are similar in nature.

So, I finally went to a good dermatologist and told him my story, basically saying that I'm at wit's end... if there's anything out there, some sort of heavy last resort that's proven to work, I'm down. He mentioned blue light therapy and skin grafting, but I said I don't want to deal with how I look quite yet, I want the problem gone. So then he told me about Accutane, and signed me up on 6 months worth of perscription. I'll skip to it and just let you know the shit works. The medication is a CURE to acne. I don't exactly know what it does, but whatever it is, it's what needs to be done.

Now, having said that, it's some pretty intense stuff. It will dry you out worse than a grape in 150 degree weather. You'll learn to never be anywhere without a stick of lip balm/moisturizer on you, and liberal amounts applied. Also, you'll have headaches and stomach aches... not too often, but more than if you weren't taking it. The worst thing was the bleeding noses. You'll have them... really bad ones... lots. I have some funny stories I'll save for another time where I'll be walking with some friends/randomly sitting and talking/laying down/running and all of a sudden I'll just start pouring blood. =\ There were times when someone looked elsewhere, and when they looked back at me it was as if I had been hit in the face with a brick. But I digress, you'll get a sheet with all the side-effects listed and how to prevent and/or deal with them.

Despite saying all that, it was so worth, and I'd do it again in an instant. It has been three years since I stopped taking Accutane and I'm 100% clear. Always. Some friends who I hadn't seen in a while commented on my skin the second they saw me, one female friend actually landed a bit wet one on my cheek lol. My confidence levels have gone through the roof/sky, and it is such a different ball game now I can't even stress it. So, I'm a huge advocate of it and 5000% recommend it to you or anyone else reading this with the same problem.

Your daily routine will have to change a bit, though. Since it is so drying, you'll have to put on face lotion (Glaxal Base worked perfect for me) once a day to balance it out, as well as a couple shots of nasal spray a couple times a day, and the aformentioned lip moisturizer (I've used Nivea's Labello and it's awesome). You'll also learn not to sit up too fast when you're on it, nor yawn with your mouth and nose fully extended, etc etc... you'll be extremely sensitive to pretty much everything. You'll probably cut pretty easily too. Oh, and winter will suck if you don't live in Arizona/California/Florida/Nevada/any hot place. A personal tip from me is to WASH YOUR HANDS LIKE THREE TIMES A DAY AT LEAST. You wouldn't believe how gross they get, and how they unconciously make their way up to your face during the day. I used to rest my hands on my chin/check/jaw line/temple/forehead/brow line and then would be baffled as to how I would have zits and pimples arise in those areas. Well, it's pretty obvious now, so avoid touching your face at random unless you need to scratch/move hair/whatever. As far as washing your face goes, don't use something as simple as bar-soap or on the other end of the spectrum, any fancy stuff that has a billion chemicals in it. All you need to do is start off by washing your face when you wake up and when you go to bed (or whenever you shower, do it then and take either the morning/night one out depending on which is closer). I forget the exact product I use for my face, but it's a simple cleanser that's great for your skin... I'll get the name when I get home. Once your skin starts improving, you can get away with washing it once a day before you go to bed or when you shower. It's some pretty delicate stuff, so you don't want to keep working it too much. Oils are natural for your skin, but copious amounts (which will be fixed by Accutane) is bad, and causes acne.

Anyways, now that I've typed way more than I planned on, here's a quick cliff's notes: go to a derm, tell him you want Accutane. He/she will calculate how much you need depending on your body weight, and you'll be assigned increasing amounts (one pill every other day -> one pill every day -> one pill and then two pills alternating -> two pills every day -> reverse back down until you're at one every other day -> stop... it'll take a few months). You'll need to prepare for it, but it's totally worth it. It is a CURE to acne, not a temporary fix so you can go out and look good for a party on the weekend... I'm talking rest of your life type thing.

If only I put this much effort into school lol...

[Exoduso]

lol, my dad always tells me that last line.

Did you have mild acne? my derm claims it mainly works on cysts, and I mostly have white/blackheads, which is why i'm still debating whether or not I should go on it.

I've been on minocycline for about 6 months now and i've been clear... but about a month ago he took me off it and I started breaking out like before I went to a dermotologist, which was frustrating as hell so he put me back on it and now I have a morning cream AND a nighttime cream.

I'm sick of all the creams and washes and shit though, I just want it gone. I'll be 21 soon, can't keep dealing with this shit anymore.

Can you still do sports while on accutane? I play soccer and go to the gym 4-5 times a week.

[Epical]

Did you have mild acne? my derm claims it mainly works on cysts, and I mostly have white/blackheads, which is why i'm still debating whether or not I should go on it.

No, I had pretty serious acne. To compensate for that, I had to go to two tablets a day every day for a while, it was some pretty serious shit. In your case you can stick with one every other day/one a day for a while and it should be fine. Maybe at the height of your perscription you may go 1, 2, 1, 2, but that's to fix your pores.

I've been on minocycline for about 6 months now and i've been clear... but about a month ago he took me off it and I started breaking out like before I went to a dermotologist, which was frustrating as hell so he put me back on it and now I have a morning cream AND a nighttime cream.

I used to be on the exact same stuff. The blue/orange pills? Yeah, they suck. PLUS I had to do the cream as well. Same thing happened to me... things were looking good when we stopped and all hell broke loose. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

I'm sick of all the creams and washes and shit though, I just want it gone. I'll be 21 soon, can't keep dealing with this shit anymore.

I remember me saying this once upon a time.

Can you still do sports while on accutane? I play soccer and go to the gym 4-5 times a week.

Absolutely. I've played hockey for 16 years now, and I wasn't about to stop due to some random side-effects. You'll probably get some headaches while working out/playing soccer, and I can almost guarantee a bleeding nose or seven... but you'll be fine.

[Exoduso]

I wonder if it actually helps the white and blackheads though... it seems to work great for people with a moderate/severe acne because it takes care of all their cysts, but I mainly have those annoying whiteheads that pop once every couple of days, and my nose is a blackhead valley.

I know accutane clogs the pores up so it should help regardless of whether its a cyst or a whitehead, but I wonder..

And I talked with my derm about it, he said that if he were to put me on Accutane he would put me on a full course. I weigh around 150-152 pounds so he said it would probably be about 80mg pills, not sure if its once a day or every other day, but he says that regardless of the severely of the acne he gives a full course just to make sure it gets it all. But he did mention it's like using a canon to kill a bird in my case, since my acne really is extremely mild.

At the same time though, it's very persistent and just won't go away. I've been on Murad and it did so much damage that I just stopped after a couple of months. I haven't gone on proactiv because I know the results will be more or less the same, at least with what i'm using now from my derm.

I changed my diet and turned it upside down already, I don't eat any junk food or greasy foods, i've even stopped drinking milk (rice milk is okay once you get used to it..) and trying to east less and less dairy products. I even cut down on eggs and started buying organic for when I do decide to eat them. I only drink water, and lots of it, but still... nothing helps. Let's just say that if it was my diet it would've fixed it by now, so saying it's mostly your diet and what goes on inside your body isn't entirely true.

[Jefe]

Overexposure to the sun does indeed damage one's skin. But anyways, I'm lucky I don't suffer from acne; sometimes I get 1 but the shit sticks out.

What does the trick is peroxide 2.5%, don't need anything stronger because it may damage a person's skin. Also, avoid touching the face! Wash your bed sheets, towels, and pillow covers often. Be careful when shaving/drying the face because: irritation = pimples.

Have a balanced diet and exercise regularly. That works for me.

Hey Exo, do you jog a lot, how much distance per hour? I used to play futbol when I was young and exercise once in a while and want to see how good I'm vs others ;o (jogin').

[Exoduso]

I've been away from "soccer" for about 3 years now because of a back surgery, i'm getting back into it now. I haven't run in a really long time though, but when I was playing club/high school soccer, running during practice used to be enough for me to be in tip top shape.

I'm actually excited to play college soccer now, I gained about 20 pounds since then and most of it is muscle mass, so i'm not that skinny kid that can be pushed around now.

[Epical]

I wonder if it actually helps the white and blackheads though... it seems to work great for people with a moderate/severe acne because it takes care of all their cysts, but I mainly have those annoying whiteheads that pop once every couple of days, and my nose is a blackhead valley.

I know accutane clogs the pores up so it should help regardless of whether its a cyst or a whitehead, but I wonder..

And I talked with my derm about it, he said that if he were to put me on Accutane he would put me on a full course. I weigh around 150-152 pounds so he said it would probably be about 80mg pills, not sure if its once a day or every other day, but he says that regardless of the severely of the acne he gives a full course just to make sure it gets it all. But he did mention it's like using a canon to kill a bird in my case, since my acne really is extremely mild.

He's right, and that's true. But like you said, you're sick of it, you want it gone, and this is the way to do it. Now, don't get me wrong, you may randomy ONE little tiny pimple from dirt or something, because unfortunately it doesn't make you indestructible, but it would be stupid to assume it does. Just continue one with your day-to-day life, and it'll be gone in a couple days.

For the record, the Accutane stays in your system 6 months-1 year after you've stopped taking the actual tablets, so you'll still be dry and stuff until then, but again, it's worth it.

[Exoduso]

Yeah but again, the question is whether or not it'll be effective on the whiteheads. I don't want to go through all that suffering if it won't do the job, you know? heh.

[Epical]

It will. When I first started, I was the most skeptical person out there seeing as I had gone through everything else, then this came along and was boasting itself as the "cure" for acne.

[GSDragoon]

Disclaimer: as I'm typing this, it has gotten to be pretty wall-o-texty, but it's worth it, so bring your own weapons.

From about grade 9 all the way until the end of high school, I used to have pretty bad skin. I totally know what you mean about a confidence destroyer, and it was probably the thing that bugged me the most out of anything I can think of at the time. What made matters worse was that all my friends and people I hung out with didn't have visible acne... at all. D: So I was like some mutant being which probably got a lot of side-looks and comments behind my back.

In my first year of university, after about 4 years of constantly worrying about my face, I finally decided that I needed to fix this once and for all. Now, by that time I had tried EVERYTHING on the market. Everything. Pills, tablets, creams, scrubs, cloths, sun, dieting, water, everything. I'm pretty positive I funded that market for those years and made some companies some good coin. But despite all of that, nothing worked long term. As Isla said earlier, your skin is a reflection of what's going on inside you, so anything topical is a temporary fix to the symptoms, and not the solution to the problem. So Proactiv, while good for spot treatment on people who don't fully break out, isn't the solution to your dilemma. The same goes for other things that are similar in nature.

So, I finally went to a good dermatologist and told him my story, basically saying that I'm at wit's end... if there's anything out there, some sort of heavy last resort that's proven to work, I'm down. He mentioned blue light therapy and skin grafting, but I said I don't want to deal with how I look quite yet, I want the problem gone. So then he told me about Accutane, and signed me up on 6 months worth of perscription. I'll skip to it and just let you know the shit works. The medication is a CURE to acne. I don't exactly know what it does, but whatever it is, it's what needs to be done.

Now, having said that, it's some pretty intense stuff. It will dry you out worse than a grape in 150 degree weather. You'll learn to never be anywhere without a stick of lip balm/moisturizer on you, and liberal amounts applied. Also, you'll have headaches and stomach aches... not too often, but more than if you weren't taking it. The worst thing was the bleeding noses. You'll have them... really bad ones... lots. I have some funny stories I'll save for another time where I'll be walking with some friends/randomly sitting and talking/laying down/running and all of a sudden I'll just start pouring blood. =\ There were times when someone looked elsewhere, and when they looked back at me it was as if I had been hit in the face with a brick. But I digress, you'll get a sheet with all the side-effects listed and how to prevent and/or deal with them.

Despite saying all that, it was so worth, and I'd do it again in an instant. It has been three years since I stopped taking Accutane and I'm 100% clear. Always. Some friends who I hadn't seen in a while commented on my skin the second they saw me, one female friend actually landed a bit wet one on my cheek lol. My confidence levels have gone through the roof/sky, and it is such a different ball game now I can't even stress it. So, I'm a huge advocate of it and 5000% recommend it to you or anyone else reading this with the same problem.

Your daily routine will have to change a bit, though. Since it is so drying, you'll have to put on face lotion (Glaxal Base worked perfect for me) once a day to balance it out, as well as a couple shots of nasal spray a couple times a day, and the aformentioned lip moisturizer (I've used Nivea's Labello and it's awesome). You'll also learn not to sit up too fast when you're on it, nor yawn with your mouth and nose fully extended, etc etc... you'll be extremely sensitive to pretty much everything. You'll probably cut pretty easily too. Oh, and winter will suck if you don't live in Arizona/California/Florida/Nevada/any hot place. A personal tip from me is to WASH YOUR HANDS LIKE THREE TIMES A DAY AT LEAST. You wouldn't believe how gross they get, and how they unconciously make their way up to your face during the day. I used to rest my hands on my chin/check/jaw line/temple/forehead/brow line and then would be baffled as to how I would have zits and pimples arise in those areas. Well, it's pretty obvious now, so avoid touching your face at random unless you need to scratch/move hair/whatever. As far as washing your face goes, don't use something as simple as bar-soap or on the other end of the spectrum, any fancy stuff that has a billion chemicals in it. All you need to do is start off by washing your face when you wake up and when you go to bed (or whenever you shower, do it then and take either the morning/night one out depending on which is closer). I forget the exact product I use for my face, but it's a simple cleanser that's great for your skin... I'll get the name when I get home. Once your skin starts improving, you can get away with washing it once a day before you go to bed or when you shower. It's some pretty delicate stuff, so you don't want to keep working it too much. Oils are natural for your skin, but copious amounts (which will be fixed by Accutane) is bad, and causes acne.

Anyways, now that I've typed way more than I planned on, here's a quick cliff's notes: go to a derm, tell him you want Accutane. He/she will calculate how much you need depending on your body weight, and you'll be assigned increasing amounts (one pill every other day -> one pill every day -> one pill and then two pills alternating -> two pills every day -> reverse back down until you're at one every other day -> stop... it'll take a few months). You'll need to prepare for it, but it's totally worth it. It is a CURE to acne, not a temporary fix so you can go out and look good for a party on the weekend... I'm talking rest of your life type thing.

If only I put this much effort into school lol...

Depends on how much the side effects hit you. Yeah it works for acne, but a lifetime of something like abdomital(my spelling sucks) pain, joint pain and an entire body that's dried out all the time sucks. I even stopped early. It's been like 5 years since I got off the accutane and can't wear my contacts all day because they dry out too much. My hands are always getting cut on simple accidents, and my face will still peal. Seriously, if you go on the accutane, make sure you get all the blood tests done(with fasting) and read over the side effects really well. Some of them go away and some still stick around, just not as bad.

[Tomodachi]

Depends on how much the side effects hit you. Yeah it works for acne, but a lifetime of something like abdomital(my spelling sucks) pain, joint pain and an entire body that's dried out all the time sucks. I even stopped early. It's been like 5 years since I got off the accutane and can't wear my contacts all day because they dry out too much. My hands are always getting cut on simple accidents, and my face will still peal. Seriously, if you go on the accutane, make sure you get all the blood tests done(with fasting) and read over the side effects really well. Some of them go away and some still stick around, just not as bad.

It's abdominal I think, and yea, sounds like some pretty bad side effects, I don't have bad acne but I still have some and it's pretty annoying, but accutane sounds blargh...but I don't know lol

[Jaybar]

I, too, took Accutane, except I was 13 when I first signed off on a 4 month dosage. I had tried many medications and topicals but nothing was ever permanent (as a few others have said).

I started out at I think 40mg pills, but eventually went up to 100mg (those were big ;o). Anyway, my symptoms weren't as sever, unlike Epicals. The most common though IS the drying skin (especially lips...boy my lips kinda got bigger because of the chapping).

At the time (back in ''99-00) the most severe possible side effect for me would be liver failure. I had to take blood tests every month to make sure I wasn't becoming susceptible. Other than that, my major side effect that wasn't physical was Depression.

I never wanted to commit suicide when I was in the depression phase, but it really sucked. The depression crept on even after treatment for a couple years (Not sure if it was just mental or not). Kinda ruined my highschool years (i.e. don't take it so young) since I never really wanted to be with anyone or do anything other than mandatory school work.

But today, I'm 100% clear (Back-ne a little bit, but out of sight out of mind) and living well, and no more depression (stopped around Sophmore-Junior year of highschool, I got off treatment towards end of 8th grade). And yes, it's a HUGE CONFIDENCE BOOST. I never worry about my face in the morning (now it's my hair...fuck).

Best of luck to you. I would try testing for allergies, though. My step-siblings found out their all allergic to wheat foods. Out of the three, only one has very severe break-out cases (hives/rashes/sickness). Glutton-free foods are also quite healthy for you.

[archibaldcrane]

if you're normal or even slightly ethnic tanning isn't a big deal.

Goddamn abnormal darkies.

And all of you are way off the mark - if you want to get clear, you need to be audited by a certified Church of Scientology auditor until you have rid your body of thetans, a process which will probably take years and cost thousands of dollars.

Good luck!

[Zoot]

I was reading this thread at work, and honestly about to pull my hair out due to some of the misconceptions people seem to have with skin care. What I'm referring to is people regurgitating myths about skincare and then people saying, oh that's just a myth! Some of what is written in this thread is solid advice, others just made me and my hippie self cringe.

I used to work in skincare, i.e., I was a manager of a store called Origins (which is basically a natural health care line - not organic, natural). What this means is that I don't have extensive knowledge of the objective science behind skincare, but I do know what causes what and by what means. I had to know these things, or else I'd get tons of returns and my return customers wouldn't have any faith in me. So although I am no expert when it comes to medicine, I can assist you in figuring out where your acne is coming from, what can help and certainly won't harm, and what some things are to avoid.

What is acne?

Acne is an inflammation of an irritation of the skin. A pocket of oil forms in the outer layers of the skin and becomes swollen. Acne can be caused many things, such as:

-Hormones
-Lack of Sleep
-Diet
-Genetics
-Improper skin care/Irritation of the skin
-Stress
-Allergens
-Bacteria

So if I have acne, does that mean I have oily skin?

No. As stated, acne is caused by a myriad of things. You can have anywhere from combination to very dry skin and still have acne. You want to make sure you know your skin type before purchasing any acne medicine. The truth is, you don't have to apply topical formulas to all areas of your face. You only need to treat the affected area. If you tend to break out along the T-Zone of your face, you have combination skin. If you break out often, you have combination to oily skin. If your skin feels parched when you pinch it, and you find you need a heavier moisturizer in the winter, you have dry skin.

When I use those acne products, what are they doing for me, specifically?

Each type of acne requires a different medication. Benzoyl peroxide is a chemical that can treat all forms of acne, specifically bacterial acne (which is more prominent in adolescents). However, in association with this medicine you get the effect of drying out the skin. This medicine is purely cosmetic - it only deals with appearances and will only help if your acne is caused by constant bacterial infection. Also, if you stop using this form of medicine, your acne may return - and if you did not properly moisturize while in use of these products your skin may be worse because of irritation. This is why pro-active works for some people and not for others. Accutane helps with the same form of acne.

So wait a minute. Are ALL of the treatments out there JUST for bacterial acne?

Many are, because this is the form that is most common. You will also find that if you do have acne, this type of acne likes to coexist with the other forms. So what measures can be taken to help with other forms of acne?

Here are a few tips:
1. Get plenty of sleep at night. At least seven and a half hours, some people may require more.
2. Eat foods high in healthy fatty acids, such as salmon, steamed broccoli (non steamed is hard on the digestive system), avacados and organic fruits rich in antioxidants.
3. Avoid any and all foods with saturated fat, trans fat or fried foods.
4. Drink cranberry juice or other juices strong in Vitamin C and antioxidants to help flush out your system. (Make sure there's no sugar added, sometimes glucose in itself can cause a skin reaction)
5. Do not touch your face at all during the day, wash your hands regularly and your face at least three times a day.
6. Use the proper moisturizer for your skin, do not agitate the affected area by cleansing it too roughly.
7. Do not smoke, or be around smoke or other pollutants.
8. If you have bangs or hair that hangs in the affected area, cut them or move it away permanently.
9. If you find yourself excessively stressed, try meditation or natural options, practice deep breathing (counting from 1 to 10 very slowly and deeply).
10. Avoid excessive sun exposure.
11. If you exercise, take a shower afterwards. Don't allow any sweat to dry onto your skin.

These are just some helpful hints. There is also skin care out there for you, but I wouldn't recommend any of it until I have a proper understanding of your lifestyle.

I heard the sun can help with acne. It even helps with my uneven tone. Is it really bad for me?

So does the big, warm ball in the sky really hurt my skin? While you may have the appearance of being healthier with a nice sunny glow, there are some sad but true long term effects to tanning. The first is that it is a major cause of skin cancer. The number one leading cause, in fact, is long term exposure to tanning in tanning beds.

The second is that it is the number one cause of the loss of collagen and breakdown of antioxidants in your skin. What is collagen? It's the natural stuff that makes your skill bounce back into place. How does this happen? UV rays break collagen down at a cellular level, and trust me honey, that stuff ain't easy to reproduce.

In order to help you with your specific skin care needs, I'd have to ask you some lifestyle related questions.

First would be, what type of skin do you have?

How often do you break out?

Where is the affected area?

What is your biggest concern when it comes to your breakouts? (whiteheads, blackheads, redness)

How much sleep do you get, on average, per night?

What is an average day like for you?

[Cheerios]

And yet other places say diet has nothing to do with acne

[Correction]

And yet other places say diet has nothing to do with acne

If acne were a symptom of only one type of skin disorder we'd have cured it for good years ago. As it stands we have to accept that anything can trigger acne, adolescent or adult. This is why dermatologists continue to make money

Edit: Fuck these blurry, cut-off-at-the-bottom smileys.

[tommygunnz]

Honestly, I'd rather be happy, healthy looking, and good looking into my 40's than worry about skin cancer when I'm 60 (healthy tan, not leather-look)

It's like that south park song about smoking, if it gives me cancer when I'm 80 I don't care, who the hell wants to be 90 anyways.

Edit: On topic I guess, I have kinda crappy acne when I'm really pale / winter, keeping tan makes a world of difference, for more than any expensive medications.

*cues lame comment about going outside and stop playing so many damn games sheltered inside all day to all the zit faced teens*

Sorry but alot of time it's a true stereotype with gamers/kids that spend too much time on the internet in America at least =(

That said: Im a ;ong time lurker but pretty much every post I read of yours I agree with Sath.

As shallow as it may sound I agree, I tan once or twice a week especially in the winter and just try to be active outside in the summer shirtless. It feels great and at the end of the day or when going out on the weekend I look and feel great as well. I have never had really any skin problems in H.S. except maybe one here and there (of course always in the most noticeable places haha) so I cannot relate all the way. But anyone I know who has had severe problems and started tanning I saw a huge difference in weeks.

Let's face it, everything guys do is for chicks, chicks dig tan dudes with clear skin. Go get a little skin cancer and get some pussy now while you're young dude. Yes I know I sound like a guido but Im not, I just like dating good looking girls

[Venga]

Roaccutane. 3 months on this bad boy and you're fixed. Side effects inc dry skin and depression (like 1 person in 10,000 kill themselves) but this only applys if you're seriously depressed anyways, it kinds just hightens it. It also reduces redness and scaring. You may aswell ask for this too.

[Zoot]

What tanning is doing for you is drying out the "puss" from the acne irritation. It has the cosmetic effect of seeming to help the problem. It can also even out your skin tone (Until age spots inevitabely occur, of course). If you do tan, I recommend using a sunscreen and not a tanning lotion. A sunscreen prevents only harmful rays, whereas a sunblock reflects the sun's light.

There are so many things that play a factor in acne, because as was said, your skin is an outward expression of how your body is functioning on the inside. Anything from an internal inflammation to sleeping on a dirty pillow can cause acne or make it worse.

[Pun]

I've been battling mild acne since I was like 15 (I'll be 20 soon). I've tried proactive, murad, and others I can't even name anymore and none of them worked for me.

My mom had been working in a doctor's office for 13 years and just recently quit and now works at a dermatologist office (lucky me!) A few weeks ago she brought me some samples of this stuff called BenzaClin. Naturally I was extremely skeptical, but I agreed to try it anyway just for the chance to get some real help. I put it on before I went to sleep, and when I woke up, there were immediate results. Needless to say, I was pretty shocked and excited. I've been using it these past few weeks and it is really clearing my skin up nicely. I would ask your dermatologist about it. It does require a prescription, but I'm sure he/she can give you a few samples to try out if he/she has any. I couldn't be happier with it!

Here's the site if you want to check it out: http://www.benzaclin.com/
Hope this helps