Acne.org Products
Heyyo, I'm new to this forum but joined because I'm having some serious issues getting my skin under control, and need some advice if possible?
I used to use a ton of things on my face, alcohols, BP, SalicylicAcid, you name it, sometimes all at once, and other times switching products very frequently (I had mild-moderate acne as a teen). As you can probably guess, my skin didn't like that and ever since trying products I've always had issues.
After I stopped wearing makeup entirely and cleaned up my diet, I havent broken out like I used to in the past, but now Im facing just very temperamental and uncomfortable skin that Ive been trying for more than a year to resolve with no results. Currently my skin feels extremely tight, it hurts to smile or even laugh, and when I do, my face then produces a lot of oil and gets red. Sometimes I even have a mild burning sensation with it, as though my skin is hot. I see a lot of fine lines everywhere, and when I smile or scrunch my face, my skin looks very leathery. You can see my pores, and most all of them seem to be filled with dried up gunk (sebum, I assume) that keeps filling and seeming to just pile up. I've tried moisturizers ad infinitum, and whenever I do, I only become greasier, and break out. Most of my breakouts are just clogs and small whiteheads, up until I recently used the Cerave Moisturizer cream and hydrating cleanser and I've gotten a few real pimples like I used to get as a teen. It had gotten wonderful reviews though, so now I'm stumped on what to use. Ive since stopped that and Im just using water until I can get my bearings, but even thats stripping and irritating.
I also tried not washing for about a month, and while I didnt break out, my skin developed dry red patches and was just overall uncomfortable.
It seems that no matter what I do, nothing is working and Im becoming quite hopeless with it. Its not only aesthetically terrible to look at (Ive covered all my mirrors, lol,) but even uncomfortable to move my face like I used to because of how tight it feels. My skin never used to be this way until I used a lot of products, and I just need some sort of regimen to calm everything down that shouldnt break me out
As an added note, I eat fairly healthy, (no sugar or white bread, limited red meat, no dairy, tons of water, no caffeine), try to sleep adequately enough (in college though so thats hard), change my pillowcases, clean my cellphone, all that golden star stuff, but again, nothing works!
Sorry for the long first post, but I just really need a solution!
Thanks much! J
It sounds like you are trying to fix two problems at once and in my opinion you should focus on repairing the acid mantel of your skin first, the protective barrier first and help calm inflammation with ingredients like aloe, chamomile, arnica and such. you may need a slightly occludive product to help keep in the moisture. Most acne clients panic when they are told that, but the dryer you are, the more oil your body will produce (trying to protect itself) and because your dry the oil gets trapped and will cause a break out, becoming a viscous circle. very gentle exfoliates and lots of hydration will be a good place to start. Breakouts may get worse before better as it can take up to 90 days for some to surface. Dry dehydrated skin isnt the way to get releif from acne so listen to your skin if its getting to dehydrated. Try and find a good esthetician in yout area that deals with acne and can help walk you though the changes in your skincare routine 
These are just a few thoughts hope it helps xo
Hey ABB skincare, thanks for replying!
So you think I should focus more on moisturizing then, despite any breakouts that might happen? How can you tell if it's more of a breakout surfacing than just a product breaking you out? And do you have any recommendations for any moisturizers/cleansers?
I think you're right about trying an esthetician, I didn't even think of that! I've gone to the derm like twice but he just kind of shrugged his shoulders and told me to exfoliate, lol
Hi! Your post sounds like my life for the last half a year haha. It's literally been the most annoying thing ever. It can be described as "Sensitized Skin", which is similar to sensitive skin. The difference is that sensitive skin is a genetic skin type while sensitized skin is more of a condition that happens as a result of our lifestyle, the products we use, environment, etc. I would look it up online for more info!
Something that has really helped me was switching my skincare products to ones geared towards sensitive skin rather than ones targeted towards dry skin. At first I tried using a bunch of products geared towards dry skin in the hopes of getting more moisture into my skin, but it didn't work out like I hoped because of the state of my skin. So, I would try to focus on products that are both hydrating AND geared towards sensitive skin. Avoid alcohol in products (the only exception is Cetyl Alcohol). Neutrogena's Oil-Free Mositurizer is a good one & also the Olay Oil-Free Sensitive Skin Moisturizer with SPF 30 for the daytime. You want to be extra on-top of using sun protection when your skin barrier is compromised! Lush makes some nice natural cleansers & face masks - I'm not a big fan of their moisturizers though. Also, using raw honey as a face mask every now and then is great for calming down redness/irritation.
Another thing that helped me was incorporating an AHA chemical exfoliant into my routine. This really helped me to clear away some of the congestion on my skin like you have described. This one is tricky though, because it's hard to find a chemical exfoliant that is also good for sensitive skin (Or at least I haven't been able to find one). I use a mild one and it took some getting used to. It made my skin red so I use it at night only.
This is something that I am still dealing with/experimenting with myself, but these changes have helped me a LOT so far. I use the CeraVe cleanser too in the morning and I agree it's just OK. I'm looking elsewhere.
Hey KelBell812, thanks for your reply!
If it's sensitized skin it's just been going on for so long! Is sensitized skin prone to redness? I had thought it was rosacea for a while, but my derm said it didn't look like that, so I'm not sure.
Do you think the Neutrogena hydro boost gel cream would work? Looking at the ingredients, it doesn't seem to have any alcohols in it.
Would a BHA work just as well? I had bought a Neutrogena gentle scrub that has a bit of salicyclic acid in it, I think like .5%. Would that be safe to use once a week to help with the congestion?
Thanks so much!
@RespectedFigNo problem! Yes, it is! Redness, dehydration, tightness, uneven texture, rough patches and most of what you've described are all symptoms along with others! Mine has been going on for awhile, and I honestly think it's because since I started breaking out again last year I've switched up my skincare routine too many times to count & put my skin through a lot. I believe that it can last for as long as it's left untended to.
The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream is actually something I've been interested in trying myself but haven't yet. So, if you do let me know how you like it! And yes, a BHA will also work. The only thing about face washes containing AHA/BHA is that they aren't as effective because you are washing them off. Something that you leave on the skin like a lotion or toner would be more beneficial. However, that being said the face wash will also be less likely to cause irritation for that same reason, so there's no harm in starting with that and seeing how it works for you.
Here is a good article if you are interested in reading more on sensitized skin: [Edited link out]
I have a bad habit of constantly switching my skincare too, it's honestly like an obsession! It's like, if something doesn't work in a week, I freak out and give up, move on to something else. But I seriously don't get how it's lasted this long, even sweating while exercising burns!
That picture on the article link actually looks a loooot like my skin as of now, that blotchy redness and crepey look.
Do you think using water only with that moisturizer, and then the exfoliant once a week could be alright? I've talked to some people who literally only wash their face like twice a week and they eat whatever they want with no skin issues. Just makes you wonder if you're trying too hard, you know?
I'll let you know about that moisturizer too!
@RespectedFigI'm the same way with switching products! I have never tried the "water only" wash method so I'm not sure how it would work. I've heard different things from different people.
I hear you though - I know a lot of people that don't give a second thought to their skin. I used to be like that in college before all this stuff started happening. I can't tell how much of it happened on it's own and how much of it I've made worse by using the wrong stuff on my skin. But I'm too afraid to not use anything because I feel like my skin needs to be "treated". If my skin was normal I might feel better about it, but when it comes to stuff like acne or any other type of skin condition I have always viewed it as something that can't just heal on it's own - much like if you got a rash on your arm or you were sick, you would use a cream to treat the rash and medicine to treat the illness. The skin is our largest organ and it's what protects our entire body, so when I think of it that way it makes me want to take care of it. I know that I have done some damage to my skin and that's why it's like this, so I want to help it heal. I just need to figure out the best way for me to do that!