Acne.org Products
Hi.
I'm 29 years old (next week) and I never suffered with acne as a teen. My acne started 2 years ago out of nowhere! I couldn't think where it came from as I had not changed my skin care routine and thought it must be my contraception I had a mirena coil and after reading about how it can cause / make acne worse, I decided to change and opted for the implanon implant instead, I had had this before and never suffered with bad skin so I thought I ahold give it a go again. 6 months later there's no change to my skin I am getting extremely painful cystic acne on my chin and jawline... even some in my neck!! - I became slightly suicidal off the implant so decided to try natural for a while.... maybe all contraception was bad... fast forward 4 months...like clockwork the acne was there... always around the time of the month but they got so bad that by the time they began to heal it was my period again and they were back again!!!! Aaarrggghh!!!!!
During all this time I spent hundreds of pounds on products. My bathroom liked like boots!!! I tried all the clearasil products, Proactiv and many others over the counter, I've tried many different antibiotics and topical creams on prescription but nothing seems to work. I've now been on the combined pill for nearly a month and quit dairy - milk products to be precise. I've also been using epiduo for a month and my face hurts so bad I try to blend it with my moisturiser but even a bit of vaseline stings my face. It's now the 17th January 2017 and my period is due 23rd (my birthday) and I've had 5 big friends all pop up at the same time along my jawline to say hello.... it's not just about looks, they are soooo painful.... I just wish I had more options but I feel like I have ran out. I have given everything at least 2-3 months and when I hit that stave having given up dairy and using the pill and epiduo.... I seriously dont know what else I'm going to do
I will add photos and lists of everything I've tried but my battery is dying and I just want to get this posted for now.
Any tips, ideas, advice is welcome. What doesn't work for me might work for you.... we are all in this painful spotty boat together.
Every adult acne sufferer on here seems to say it came on suddenly roughly 2 years ago. I find that kind of weird...am I the only one that's noticed this???
One of the things I noticed recently is that there have been some big shifts in the cosmetics industry to switch to cheaper ingredients (like everything else). I hate to say this--they give us a millions excuses as to why they are opting for these new ingredients, but I have the feeling we are being lied to for the sake of profits. But some truths you can't hide...they have taken out non-comedogenic ingredients and replaced them with comedogenic ones. My skin has paid the price.
I was on this merry-go-round with my skin (or should I say 'downward spiral'?)...until I got fed-up about 2 months ago and drastically cut-back on all the products. I mean, when I researched, I discovered that the acne treatments are the biggest offenders for comedogenic ingredients!
I also noticed that the holy grail products I used to rely on had been reformulated and now contained offenders that they didn't before. I thought there was something wrong with me or my skin...and now I really think it's the products.
Just for an FYI...I am currently washing with Clinique Mild bar. (ALL the others contain pore-cloggers! This one DOESN'T)
I am toning with a 50/50 mixture of Dickinson's Witch Hazel and Mario Badescu Aloe Vera Toner (No cloggers!).
I am spot-treating (yes, only spot-treating) with Oxy Maximum Action Pads (again the only one I've found without pore-cloggers) and/or Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. (Sulfur is comedogenic--but this stuff is super effective.)
I really struggle with keeping my skin clear. I just don't know what is causing it. It's always around my chin and jawline therefore I am assuming it is hormonal. I am hoping that if I give it another month or 2 on the combined pill that this will help control the outbreaks. I used proactiv religiously for 2 months solid and never seen an improvement. The rest of my face was amazing but my chin and jaw were the same as they ever was - full of painful cystic acne. Since starting epiduo, up until last night I noticed a difference in the type of spot that was coming to the surface. They were smaller whiteheads that popped without touch, like a force was behind it. I thought that this might have been purging so I looked at this as a success and was positive I was on the road to recovery... until cystic spots broke out yesterday... now I feel back at square one. My doctor basically said you me that this was it. There wasn't much else she could offer me and told me to hope it worked...
So... 9 days in and I've not had another breakout. I have stripped back all my spot treatments and creams and gone back to my skin routine before I had acne.
A blackhead scrub facial wash
Cleansing water
Nivea creme
It's all very bizarre that I have not had any. I am continuing on the pill and so far things are going OK. It does lead me to be suspicious of all the different acne treatments I have tried the last 2 years. I will post again in a few days but for now I'm enjoying not having a sore and unsightly chin and jawline 🙂