Help With Acne

Oct 18, 2016

Kiara H.

I have recently started getting acne a couple of years ago. I've never had acne in high school until my senior year. I have tried different acne treatments and cleansers and none seem to work. at the moment I am using OXY maximum strength which is 10% benzoyl peroxide and I've been using it for weeks now but that's not helping either. I also use the witch hazel toner and a retinol cream at night and sunscreen in the morning. I also take birth control pills and it doesn't seem to help either. I started getting acne before the pills so that's not the problem. does anyone know of a way I could get rid of my acne or help it in any way
thanks :)

Oct 19, 2016

Leuca S.

Acne is a multifaceted issue that for some people needs to be addressed from every possible angle to see actual results.

I personally don't like OXY's products because they seem to enjoy not only using a % of BP that's often stronger than most people need (which can cause irritation and ironically more acne), they add extra ingredients like fragrance which can make the product finnicky with skin. At the drugstore, Clean and Clear / Clearasil generally have the best BP formulas in my opinion.

Witch hazel is likely not helping your acne at all. It's highly tannic and the distillation process ensures there's extra alcohol in the end solution, which means it's pretty irritating to the skin, which can cause acne or exacerbate existing acne. I'd get rid of it. Finding a toner that is gentle and skin type appropriate can absolutely help acne even if that toner doesn't have ingredients specifically labeled as acne fighters. I've seen some decent toners from Andalou Naturals (the fragrance tends to be at the very end of their formulas), and I used to use Derma E's Pycnogenol toner, which is basic, but very gentle. (I would still use it if I had it in my cabinet). This is a category that has scant options at the drugstore that have any business touching your face.

It's also important to note that the products you are using to help fight the effects of acne (retinol, sunscreen, etc) are formulas that need agree with your skin on their own, or else they will add to your problem. If your retinol or sunscreen products have formulas that are clogging your skin, you will not see an improvement in your acne.

A well formulated salicylic acid product is a worthwhile (and often necessary) addition to any skincare routine unless you are allergic to aspirin (they're chemically related). I honestly don't know of any drugstore formulas that are really good in this category of product; the best on the market for the price that I've seen are from Paula's Choice. Clearasil might have something called Overnight Lotion still, which may be worth a try if you can find it. Salicylic acid is crucial to a lot of acne treatment regimens because it's one of the few ingredients that can work inside your pores to clear out junk. It's also mildly antibacterial and can help with redness at 2% and less.

It can be worth it to add a niacinimide product to your routine. Olay's Regenerist Serum (I like the fragrance free one) has a good starting amount and a lightweight formula that I find doesn't clog my skin up. You can get it at a great price on Amazon.

Oct 19, 2016

Ivey S.

I would take a step back. It sounds like you're putting a bunch of products on your face & when I had acne, that set it off. I would stick with one cleanser. You could try washing your face in the morning and the night or just at night. A cleanser that worked for me was the biore charcoal cleanser. Or if you're looking for higher end, Murad helped me as well. For my acne spots, I use clean and clear persagel. I ONLY spot great with this because it is strong. And that's all I do to my face. You can also put a hot towel on your face before you wash it, and a cold towel after. This can expand your pores, and then make them close again. You can contact your doctor and ask for a birth control pill that specifically controls acne. Hope this helps. :-)

Oct 19, 2016

Brooke W.

I had the exact problem. I used tons of products to try and help my acne and it wouldn't work. Eventually I "gave up" and just used Clean &a Clear morning burst every morning and night. Eventually my skin started to clear up. I think clearer skin came with me getting older and also letting my skin breath.

Oct 23, 2016

Ashley H.

Benzoyl peroxide never really worked for me but my acne started getting better when I switched to salicylic acid. I use the brand Zapzyt for their cleanser and acne spot treatment. I also noticed that when I used Mario Badescu's glycolic acid toner my skin became super clear. I need to start using it again! I don't know why I stopped. I would also recommend drinking apple cider vinegar diluted in water. Google the recommended amount, it really depends on what works for you.