Best Acne Solutions?

[Micah]

[quote name='Fragments' timestamp='1285978993' post='2177426']
Doxycyline. I can't go in the sun or drink really.
[/quote]

oo, that means you can't drink milk right

[color=#595959][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=4][quote]I definitely agree. I know some people who have let it go because they don't want to be "vain" or for similar reasons, but my mom always said, if you have acne, something is wrong, and you should treat it as a medical condition. Treating acne is not vain - it's the same as treating diabetes, or a broken leg, or any other countless medical problems we'd have no problem treating.[/quote][/size][/font][/color]
[color=#595959][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=4]
[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#595959][font=arial, verdana, sans-serif][size=4]Ya, it's horrible theres this idea that people should just live with it. Mine was never really bad, more irritating, but I know it can be really painful and causes serious serious self-esteem issues. Whenever I see someone suffering from acne I really just want to be like, go to the doctor, you can get treatment, and it is cheap. But all through high school it never occurred to me to ask my family doctor lol. It was him that finally said, hey you've got a lil acne, want me to fix it? [/size][/font][/color]

[Fragments]

[quote name='Micah' timestamp='1285994536' post='2177464']
oo, that means you can't drink milk right

[/quote]

Yep. But I do, because otherwise life would be just not as good.

I go for, no iron, magnesium or milk within the first four hours after taking it.

The main mal-effects are to do with conceiving. (Not something I'm worried about at the moment obviously, but might be important for others here.)

It makes some other medications less effective, most commonly 'The Pill', but again, shouldn't bother anyone here.
If you are pregnant it can cause permanent damage to teeth, bones etc to the baby, along with some other liver or kidney issues, I can't remember.
And you can't breastfeed and be on it.

But yes, Sophie's medication rant over.

I remembering it having an epic list of side effects. :S

[Micah]

[quote name='Fragments' timestamp='1286004364' post='2177479']
Yep. But I do, because otherwise life would be just not as good.

I go for, no iron, magnesium or milk within the first four hours after taking it.

The main mal-effects are to do with conceiving. (Not something I'm worried about at the moment obviously, but might be important for others here.)

It makes some other medications less effective, most commonly 'The Pill', but again, shouldn't bother anyone here.
If you are pregnant it can cause permanent damage to teeth, bones etc to the baby, along with some other liver or kidney issues, I can't remember.
And you can't breastfeed and be on it.

But yes, Sophie's medication rant over.

I remembering it having an epic list of side effects. :S


[/quote]


Never read the side effects if you HAVE to take something. It just freaks you out. :b

[Sarah147]

Nothing was helping me. And I've tried Proactiv, benzoyl, Salicylic acid, antibiotics, prescription creams, etc.

I finally had had it and wanted to put an end to the problem. So, thus far I'm doing the "last resort" route of using one of the Accutane brand names. This is a special form and high-dose of vitamin A. (By the way, of the four out, Accutane and one other have been discontinued.) I'm starting up my fourth month of the 5-month-plan, and my doctor is very pleased. He says my progress is better than average. There is practically NOTHING there. There are side effects and you have to get blood work, so that part's not fun; however, it permanently shrinks your pores, and for most, it stops the problem. Some have to go on another round or two, and for some, they get ocassional break-outs, but nothing like before.

There are supplements people take while on this medicine that counteract the side-effects. This I learned from researching on google. I'm trying one of the suggestions and it is working for the problem.

Aside from that, ocassionally, I use Witch Hazel, and it works great to cleanse and shrink up pores. This is especially great for other pore issues.

Some people find that cutting out dairy for a while really helps their skin. You might give that a try.

Definately watch stress. I know that's when it's been worst for me.

Fasts, high-vegetable diet, fruit/veg juicing, cleanses -- these help flush out body toxins, which really help your skin.

Using supplements that help the body handle stress are a great idea. I would especially advice the B Complex Vitamins and Magnesium. Note: Common forms of Magnesium cause bowel issues, and aren't very absorbable, so opt for the better formulas: Taurate, Glycinate, or Orotate.


[quote]
[url="http://acnevitamin.org/magnesium-acne-hormones"][size="4"][color="#551a8b"]How To Use [b]Magnesium[/b] to Stabilize [b]Acne[/b] Hormones[/color][/size][/url]
[url="http://acnevitamin.org/magnesium-acne-hormones"]http://acnevitamin.o...m-acne-hormones[/url]



[b]The magic mineral that helps stabilized hormones and is critical for smooth, healthy skin[/b]
What if there was a nutrient that not only played a significant role in stabilizing your hormones but also gives you smooth skin and anti-stress properties. Would this be something that would help your acne condition? You bet.

What is it?

It's the second most abundant mineral in your body.

It is necessary for the body to convert short-chain fatty acids into longer chain fatty acids. Essential fatty acids play critical roles in hormonal balance. It's also critical for your body to construct smooth skin.

So you can see why it is a key mineral for acne sufferers.

What is it? Magnesium, that's what.

Magnesium is found in food sources such as whole grains, seeds, and nuts. However, those foods in excess aren't a good idea for acne sufferers for reasons we've covered.

Anything with chlorophyll will be a good source of magnesium for acne sufferers. Chlorophyll is the part of any plant that makes it green.

My preferred food source of magnesium for acne sufferers is dark green leafy vegetables.

However, here's the problem….

The green leafy vegetables only have as much magnesium in them as was in the soil they grew in. But after years of farming the soil without replacing the mineral base becomes depleted, and as a result the plant become void of minerals.

Because of this I feel it is very hard to get enough magnesium from food sources alone. This is another mineral I feel you are going to need to supplement with from a quality absorbable source.

. . . .
[/quote]

Edited October 2, 2010 by JoyfulLife

[Micah]

i definitely agree with you about stress Joyful. Before i went on antibiotics I could gauge my stress level by my skin lol. The beginning of the semester it would be clear, but come exam time with stress and lack of sleep my skin would smell of elderberries.

Im glad accutane is working for you. My friend used it with really good results.

stupid fi.lter lol

Edited October 2, 2010 by Micah

[Cherie]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1286059774' post='2177537']

I finally had had it and wanted to put an end to the problem. So, thus far I'm doing the "last resort" route of using one of the Accutane brand names. This is a special form and high-dose of vitamin A. (By the way, of the four out, Accutane and one other have been discontinued.) I'm starting up my fourth month of the 5-month-plan, and my doctor is very pleased. He says my progress is better than average. There is practically NOTHING there. There are side effects and you have to get blood work, so that part's not fun; however, it permanently shrinks your pores, and for most, it stops the problem. Some have to go on another round or two, and for some, they get ocassional break-outs, but nothing like before.

[/quote]

Years and years ago, my husband had to take Accutane for his acne. He said it was the only thing that worked for him, too, and honestly I never would have known it was ever a problem for him. He doesn't even have scars or anything, and he said his acne was [i]very, very, very[/i] bad back then (and I've seen pics, too).

I've heard that they discontinued it in 2009, and that it's been thought to cause colitis, Crohn's disease, and some other gastrointestinal problems, but my husband honestly said it would have been worth it to him, because it worked so well.

[Sarah147]

I'm glad to hear Micah and Cherie know people that Accutane helped. I'm wondering how everything will be once I'm off it. I don't know how long it will take to tell if I need a second round.

Yeah, the possible side-effects listed on the package are e x t r e m e. It's shocking just for little 'ol vitamin A. The main problems I've had is some weaker vision, bone pain in my lower back and in my heels, nervousness, major irritability for a time, and slight depression. None of this was going on before the medicine and we looked at everything going on. We expect all of it to go away once I'm off the medication. I've just started on Magnesium Taurate for the bone pain, and now it is bearable for me to walk barefoot; before, it was impossible to walk barefoot.

Edited October 2, 2010 by JoyfulLife

[Cherie]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1286062317' post='2177548']
Yeah, the possible side-effects listed on the package are e x t r e m e. It's shocking just for little 'ol vitamin A. The main problems I've had is some weaker vision, bone pain in my lower back and in my heels, nervousness, major irritability for a time, and slight depression. None of this was going on before the medicine and we looked at everything going on. We expect all of it to go away once I'm off the medication. I've just started on Magnesium Taurate for the bone pain, and now it is bearable for me to walk barefoot; before, it was impossible to walk barefoot.
[/quote]

Wow, God bless you! I will say though, Vitamin A must be one of those things. You'll notice even in fortified foods or vitamin supplements, there's never anything close to 100% Vitamin A in there because too much can be a problem. I remember being cautioned against too much Vitamin A during my pregnancy because it can cause major birth defects -- some people even said to stay away from lotion that contained retinyl palmitate (a pre-formed version of Vitamin A) because of the exposure! lol - It's REALLY hard to find a lotion that doesn't have it!!!

You'll notice, though, a lot of make-ups and skin creams have Vitamin A added, because it does such wonders for the skin. At one point when I was about 13, I was put on Retin-A for acne, which is Tretinoin, the acid form of Vitamin A, so I think it must be in quite a few prescription acne medications.

Anyway, I'm glad it's going well for you! And I'm sure, once you don't need it anymore, the side effects won't end up giving you long-term problems. I know my husband was on it for a long time, and he's just fine.

Edited October 3, 2010 by CherieMadame

[Sarah147]

Praise God! And thank you for the good wishes.

I just re-read and I wasn't specific enough about walking barefoot, and probably because I'm . When I said "impossible," I meant there was tremendous tightness, tenderness, pain, discomfort, etc. It felt like a knife jabbing into my bone. So I had to wear slippers or shoes at all times. Now there is just some tenderness on the sides of my heel, but it's slowly getting better, and I've only been on the Magnesium a few days at a low dose!

Edited October 3, 2010 by JoyfulLife

[Sister Rose Therese]

I'm sure all this depends on skin type, acne type and a host of other things.

What has worked best for me has been St. Ives medicated apricot scrub, which I use about every two days. It's pretty cheap and lasts a long time, but it's what worked for me. I have rather oily skin.

That and not touching your face. The moment you start touching or picking at your face... pimples.

[Innocent]

I can attest from experience that Clindamycin Phosphate lotion gives good results.

[CrossCuT]

To be honest, I have found that pretty much nothing worked on my acne when I was a teen and in high school.
Even now when Im 22 I still have it but its far better off than it had been.
For me I think it I just needed time for it to slowly go away. HOpefully it will continue to lol!

[Hilde]

[u]
[i]
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[u]
[/u]
[u]
[/u]Prescription stuff:[/u]
Differin (vit.A acid)
Clindamycin (antobiotic)
I use the two above.
Tetracyclin(antibiotic tablets) I used those long ago.
Roaccutane(for severe cases) stops your sebaceaous glands from producing sebum)

[u]Over the counter acne treatment:[/u]
Benozyl peroxide( f.ex acne.org treatment)

[u]Over the counter spot treatment:[/u]
Benozyl peroxide - Persa-gel by clean and clear or vanishing cream by clearasil(I've only used the former)
Queen helene's mint julep masque(super cheap and great)
AHA( Mine is from acne.org)

[u]Over the counter creams that heal red marks:[/u]
Aquaphor by eucerin
Neosporin(antibiotic)
Sudocrem( canadian white antibiotic rash/excema cream)

Seriously, the mint julep masque is great. You may look green and silly for a while but it's worth it. I have personal experience with many of the things mentioned above.
Many have horror stories to tell with proactiv. I've never tried it though, so I can't say anything from experience.

You can also try the regimen from the acne.org site(benozyl peroxide) I have some of their products.

What has helped me is doing a regimen of

1.wash
2.treat(BP, Differin or clindamycin)
3. Moisturize

2 times a day.

in addition to that comes spot treatment, exfoliation and masques.

ETA: Diet has never affected my skin's health in any way, and I've never seen a correlation with certain types of food and acne excema or whatever.

Edited October 5, 2010 by Hilde

[jkaands]

Accutane is by far the most effective treatment, especially for a man --it's a powerful teratogen and women taking it have to be on birth control.

Family members who have taken it have tolerated it very well, and their acne has completely cleared without scarring.

[add]

I think the best way to clear up your [i]Complexion[/i] is to avoid sweet or sugary foods like soda pop or chocolate. It also might be advisable to stay away from greasy food like pizza and wings.

I start out the day with a nice cup of plain oatmeal for breakfast. It is a good to start the day and may stave off them snack cravings.



Anyway, my mom always said that harsh chemicals or drugs are bad for your health and should be avoided unless prescribed by your physician. As it is impure and may contaminate the blood.
[b] [/b][color="#0000ff"] ~[/color][b][color="#0000ff"]She was absolutely right [/color][/b][color="#0000ff"][color="#000000"](in my opinion)[/color][/color][b][color="#0000ff"] ![/color][/b]

Edited October 5, 2010 by apparently