[Don]

Preface: I've been suffering from acne since i was in high school. I remember how extremely depressed and desperate i became, even bordering on obsession with my acne. It's needless to say that i "tried everything", antibiotics, changing my diet, creams, etc. If there's one good side for this situation, is that now i definitely posses a lot of knowledge on the subject. Now cutting my bio short, i currently am 99% clear, and have been for about a month now - with no signs of anything changing, and i attribute it all to my latest "regimen" and my latest findings. In a couple of days i have the biggest interview of my life, and I'm very happy to be able to look in the mirror and feel confident that my complexion is no longer an issue. Now these are the things that have been working for me, but that i believe will work for just about everyone:

1. Diet
I'm a firm believer that there's a strong connection between diet and acne, and a lot of studies show this, despite almost all of the dermatologists claiming the opposite. You should be aiming towards eating a paleo diet. Limit as much as possible the consumption of:
> Simple sugars
> Starchy carbs
> Junk Food(high in saturated fats, sugar, additives, etc.)
> Dairy
Instead, eat meat, eggs, fish, vegetables and fruit. What I used to do was to google "(name of the food) acne" and research first if there's any correlation between the two. What you need to keep in mind is that a diet high in sugar and such will cause inflammation and raise your insulin resistance(which stimulates the production of sebum) that in turn is bad for your acne.
2. Hygiene
Again, there's a lot of shit and a lot of methods written about this part. I'm not going to go into detail here because as i said in the preface, i'm only going to write what has been working for me. Because of my bad financial situation I refused to blow money on expensive skincare products. If that's not an issue for you just look for a mild, non alcoholic cleanser, a non-comedogenic moisturizer and Benzoyl Peroxide. I'm not gonna go into detail on how to 'use them' since it's pretty straight forward, except for the BP which you won't need to use regularly, this is not part of the regimen, but it's good to have in hand in case of a breakout and to use on the existing pimples.
3. Lemon Water.
Lemon Water? Yes, lemon water. This baby right here has been so effective and so cheap i consider it a miracle. It will reduce inflammation, cleanse your blood, improve immunity and keep your skin blemish-free. This is all godsend for your quest with fighting acne. You can read more on the benefits of lemon water on google.
What you will need: Water, lemons and a lemon squeezer. If we have it/afford it in Romania, so can you.
What to do: Buy some fresh lemons. No, don't use the shit from the supermarket in the little plastic bottles. Cut up a lime in half, squeeze half of it in a 1L bottle, fill it with water. Now drink it today. There's only one con to this: you will piss a lot. It will also freshen your breath and aid with digestion. Drink a 1L bottle every day or every other day.
4. Yoghurt-Lime juice mask.
Yoghurt contains zinc, and zinc is very very good to treat acne. A lot of people report good results just by supplementing with zinc. The yoghurt will shrink your pores and help fight the blemishes. Lime Juice as we established is packed full of anti-oxidants and other good stuff, it's generally the best "natural" blemish-fighter. Just take 2tbsp of 2% fat natural yoghurt, squeeze some lime juice in it and add some honey if you want to. Wash your face with warm water to open your pores. Spread the mixture all over your face once every 2 days and keep it there for about 15 minutes. Look in the mirror and try not to laugh. Rinse off after 15 min with colder water.

Try it for a week, I'm convinced it's gonna do wonders for your skin. I could go in much more detail but it's late. What you might notice if you have some knowledge on the subject is that this 'regimen' is very simple, but think about it, it's pretty much all you need to fight acne and it's also probably why it works so well: you will keep your hormones in check through diet, you reduce inflammation, boost your immunity and cleanse your digestive system - all of which are proven to help with acne - through the lemon water, and you moisturize, cleanse, shrink your pores and reduce irritation on your skin with the mask. This is so perfect also because many people(including me when i was younger) go crazy with products on their skin out of desperation, which in turn irritates the skin causing even more inflammation and sebum production. But by using only natural yoghurt with lemon juice you will prevent that.

[Basil Ransom]

Great tips.

As for diet, I think your advice is a little too restrictive - it's something each person has to work out for themselves. Personally, I avoid all wheat and keep sugar consumption low. Cow dairy is also problematic, but goat and sheep dairy is not (look up A2 casein to see why). I do eat a lot of potatoes though, and occasionally white rice. No vegetable oils.

Some foods are going to be a lot more causative of acne than others.

[Don]

(01-25-2014 11:42 AM)Basil Ransom Wrote:  

Great tips.

As for diet, I think your advice is a little too restrictive - it's something each person has to work out for themselves. Personally, I avoid all wheat and keep sugar consumption low. Cow dairy is also problematic, but goat and sheep dairy is not (look up A2 casein to see why). I do eat a lot of potatoes though, and occasionally white rice. No vegetable oils.

Some foods are going to be a lot more causative of acne than others.

I agree, the bit on diet was only intended as a small guideline since i don't have the time to write everything on the correlation between diet and acne. If anyone is interested in learning more about the subject i recommend they read The Dietary Cure for Acne

[The Lizard of Oz]

Excellent post, OP. A few quick points:

1. Never use hot or very warm water on your face -- it breaks down the skin's barrier and causes inflammation. Use lukewarm water instead. Also, never use harsh soap on your face either.

2. Cera Ve is a great, great moisturizer.

3. OptiMSM powder is a great supplement to use if you have any skin problems. If you buy this 1kg jar in powder form it will last you forever -- I mean, really, forever.

Good luck.

[Atlantic]

What do you guys supplement milk with for cooking/smoothies etc.

Almond milk?

[Don]

(01-26-2014 04:46 PM)Irishman Wrote:  

What do you guys supplement milk with for cooking/smoothies etc.

Almond milk?

I for one am a very basic guy when it comes to the way i eat, it's all paleo - so no fancy cooking or smoothies - because i'm lazy, but the little cooking that i do is almost always in extra virgin olive oil(would use coconut oil if i had the money). Almond milk would be a fine substitute as long as it's not sweetened and you don't consume big quantities of it regularly.

[redbeard]

(01-26-2014 03:28 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

Excellent post, OP. A few quick points:

1. Never use hot or very warm water on your face -- it breaks down the skin's barrier and causes inflammation. Use lukewarm water instead. Also, never use harsh soap on your face either.

2. Cera Ve is a great, great moisturizer.

3. OptiMSM powder is a great supplement to use if you have any skin problems. If you buy this 1kg jar in powder form it will last you forever -- I mean, really, forever.

Good luck.

Lizard of Oz, dropping knowledge as usual. This CeraVe is great, and the MSM is cheap as hell. I used to take some in capsule form, but didn't feel enough to justify the cost. This powder is extremely affordable and will be a staple in my supplement regime for a while.

Make sure you buy the CeraVe with a pump. You don't want to be dipping your hand into the jar, contaminating the lotion, so get one with a pump like this and keep it clean.

[Riquelme]

I've been following the regimen recommended by acne.org for a good few years now. It's been great for keeping my skin pretty much clear after years of suffering moderate acne up to the age of about 23.

I'll link below but the tldr is:

1. Gentle facewash
2. Benzoyl peroxide 2.5%
3. Moisturize

Full version: http://www.acne.org/regimen.html

If you have sensitive skin prone to drying out it's imperative that you don't let your skin get too dry. This means avoiding most facewashes that you can buy at a supermarket or pharmacy, including the likes of Neutrogena and Clearasil. In my experience these give temporary improvements by drying out the spots very quickly, but lead to big problems as your skin starts to overproduce sebum to compensate for the dryness.

I use Freederm Cleansing Lotion but I'm not sure if it's a worldwide brand or not. I actually only take about 5-10 seconds to give a quick lather and then rinse with cool water. I also only use facewash once a day or sometimes every two days as I feel over-washing leads to dryness which is the number one contributor to outbreaks (for my skin).

So, gentle facewash and a good simple moisturizer. I've always used E45 or Nivea Soft and recommend both. Moisturizing is crucial in this regime as the Benzoyl Peroxide does dry out your skin. On that note, make sure you try a small test patch when you first use Benzoyl Peroxide. When I first tried it I was in the midst of a major outbreak and slathered it on big time. I came out in a horrible red rash all over my face and had to stay off work for a week out of sheer embarrassment.

Similarly along those lines, you need to be drinking plenty of water. I've always noticed that when I do get outbreaks it often comes a day or two after I have slacked on drinking enough water. I find 3.5 litres a day is a good target, slightly more if you're doing sports or sweating a lot.

If you have more oily skin you may find the drying out side of things can be beneficial to your skin. I don't know from personal experience but some discussion on acne.org suggests that people with that type of acne are more able to cope with and benefit from stronger Benzoyl Peroxide; it's also available at 5% and 10%.

Having said all that, my advice to my younger self, and any guys in their teens and early twenties suffering with this would be:

1. If you've had spots for a few months or longer, go to the doctor and get this shit sorted for good. You may think (like I did) that it will go away when you reach 18, or 20, or 23, or 28...sure, it might. Just because your friends' acne cleared up after a year or two doesn't necessarily mean your's will. I know what it feels like - your life on hold... "I'll start meeting hot girls as soon I've grown out of these spots,"...You could be waiting a long time.

2. When you get to the doctor, demand to be put on Accutane. That stuff is game over for acne. Granted, it doesn't sound like the nicest drug to be on for a few months, but if you're really suffering with persistent acne, the results will be life changing. Your doctor may try to put you on flimsy antibiotics or topical medication, but you should be persistent in demanding Accutane. Tell him you are very depressed about the situation, even if you're not. This is the only medication that will mean you might never get another spot again. Worth a little white lie.

3. Once you've got the problem sorted, go out and make the most of it. You will have boosted your SMV by at least a whole point and the new found attention you get will be a delight! Enjoy!

[HectorLavoe]

Dermatologists treat the symptoms not the cause. I had acne on my back growing up, used benzoil peroxide and some pills, it would always come back. It wasnt until I went ketogenic that my acne completely disappeared. I haven't used any sort of cleanser on my face or back in years, I actually rub oil into my face everyday and have no problems. Medication like Accutane from what I understand is just high doses of vitamin a, its purpose is to dry out the oil glands in the skin thus stop break outs. It is not a long term solution, is not natural and will lead to hair loss in a lot of cases. Acne should be treated by the inside out not the outside in, diet alone is sufficient. I would suggest going dairy free keto for a little bit and start adding things back into the diet to see what is triggering the breakouts. I wouldn't even bother with facial cleansers, the acne will disappear once the source causing it removed.

[Malo]

When I had acne at the time, Echinacea root tea did wonders for me. You just drink it a couple of times a day or so, and it's not expensive.

[Rawmeo]

I had severe acne as a teenager, to the point where people were confusing my face with a peperoni & cheese pizza.

I tried creams, special soaps, antibiotics, etc. and nothing did the trick. I even tried "grandma-style" shit like putting toothpaste on the pimples, which changed nothing.

The thing that really worked for me was Accutane 40 (one pill a day until problem resolved). Like potential1 said, when you see your dermatologist, insist to be put on Accutane rather than weak antibiotics or creams. Accutane is overkill but gets the job done, provided that you always carry a lipstick. This medication gets your lips VERY dry, and if you live in cold weather, your lips will crack if you don't put enough lipstick.

In 6 months, I went from "pizza-like face" to a zero-pimple face. Definitely worth it.

[Adrenaline]

I was on accutane about 18 months ago. The stuff works but it wrecks havoc on your liver. I remember being in Thailand at the time so obviously I was going to do a bit of drinking. I was even doing accutane + antibiotics + alcohol for a few days. My liver felt trashed and I got dull aching around the top right corner of my abdomen (around the liver). So the problem is if you use accutane you need to stay away from anything else that significantly affects the liver. My acne disappeared completely at first but it has slowly started to creep back and I still get spots so I don't think it's a permanent solution. My joints never seemed the same after taking it either. I probably wouldn't take accutane again.

[ElFlaco]

(06-07-2016 01:02 AM)potential1 Wrote:  

2. When you get to the doctor, demand to be put on Accutane. That stuff is game over for acne. Granted, it doesn't sound like the nicest drug to be on for a few months, but if you're really suffering with persistent acne, the results will be life changing. Your doctor may try to put you on flimsy antibiotics or topical medication, but you should be persistent in demanding Accutane. Tell him you are very depressed about the situation, even if you're not. This is the only medication that will mean you might never get another spot again. Worth a little white lie.

A few years ago, a friend developed extreme facial acne and had been considering suicide as a result. At that point, he was only leaving the house to go to work. He got on Accutane and in a few months the acne was under control. It saved his life. Along the way, he got tests for liver functioning but even a bad result there wouldn't have stopped him from finding a way to continue the treatment. I think he cycled off it around six months or so.

[Switch]

I took accutane about 3 years ago when i had moderate acne on my face. Resolved it for the most part, although I still do get an occaisonal pimple on my face. In the past year or so I've developed similarly moderate acne on my upper back, and am trying to find solutions for it without resorting to accutane again. I will be cutting out milk, which has had positive effects for my acne before, and also gluten for the most part. Will work well with dropping weight over this summer.

[Chevalier De Seingalt]

If you don't already, change and wash your pillow cover at least once a week (or more often). There can be lots of oil from the hair that gets transferred to your face while you are asleep.

For many people this might not make much difference but for some people it will, and is easy enough to do.

[Remington]

I recently been diagnosed with rosacea. I have already scheduled an appt with my dermatologist. Before I commit and spend the money to see him, does anyone have any suggestions to help with the clearing?

I have been using a special facial lotion in the shower, as well as a Neutrogena moisturizer afterwards.

It doesn't hurt or anything, just stays red all the time, and gets worse even if I'm out in the heat or sun for five minutes.

[D816]

Suffered from 13 years old to mid 20's.
Still have some tiny ones along my hairline sometimes, mostly due to hair product and an insanely dirty work environment. Every now and then I'll even get a regulag sized pimple or two on my cheeks or chin. Really not a big deal compared to how horrifying it used to be.
What worked for me.
A. Quit doing coke and or meth.
B. Don't pop or pick at your acne. Only leads to scars, and a much worse case in the event one flares up where scar tissue resides. EASY FIX, if you're suffering from severe acne (that doesn't need prescriptions), don't look in the mirror. You know what you look like.
C. At your own discretion, slather Vics vapor rub all over your face before you go to sleep. - works crazy well if you haven't picked or popped them. Will open it naturally and cleanse. Really doesn't seem to bother my eyes. Use with discretion.

[AtyourCervix]

Good tips! I gotta try the Yoghurt-Lime juice mask.

[Australia Sucks]

There are even guys in their 30s who still have bad acne.

[Zex]

Mostly everything Don mentioned worked for me. I had severe cystic acne throughout my whole face in early high school. The best dermatologists in NYC said Accutane was the only answer. I had tried other milder medications like prescription cremes and antibiotics which only seemed to make matters worse. Not willing to use Accutane because of the harsh side effects and risk of permanent damage, I did tons of research on natural cures for acne.

A multifacted approach of diet and supplementation worked the best for me. Here is what cured my acne in order of importance, and I'm certain these can work for most people.

1. Food: Take a food allergy test and find out what you are allergic too. Eliminate those foods. Interestingly the foods I was allergic too were mostly the ones not included in the paleo diet, so that is what I essentially ended up following.
I also switched to home cooked foods as I had full control of what exactly went into my body. I cut out all fast food, soda, and all the other garbage that your body does not need. I drink a ton of water per day, along with herbal teas, and the occasional almond milk. That's it.

2. Supplementation: I've tried many of these for both acne and general health, and there are only two that have worked for me. First is Turmeric. Even though I cleaned up my diet and live a healthy lifestyle, I still get the occasional pimple, such as when I am stressed or very rarely give in to a fast food craving with friends. Turmeric is a very powerful anti inflammatory and will help to lower the amount of acne you get. Another is marijuana, whether through smoking, eating, or whatever. You can even just take CBD supplements if you don't want to get high, and they are legal in most states. Another powerful anti infammatory.

I've found that I sometimes slip up on my diet when I am on vacation, partying, etc. Without those two supplements I would certainly breakout, but the powerful anti inflammatory effects of both prevent my acne from appearing. This allows me to have a good balance between a strict diet and occasionally cheat when I am out with friends or chasing lizards. Hope this helps!

[Arkitekto]

A tip if you have an outbreak is to use a topical Pain Relief gel, like Voltaren Gel on the pimples. The Gel will breakdown the cyst and make it go away pretty fast. I used to do that before going to sleep if I had an outbreak of acne.

[Davinator]

I am missing Retin A/Tretinoin.