You can have clear skin...a support thread for those who want rid of spots

[AnyFuleKno]

I've been meaning to start this for ages. Following the success I and a number of other MNers have had with the acne.org regime, it's time we had our own thread. Sign up here if you've got spots you want rid of, or pimply teens needing help. I am planning to go through the steps of the regime (it's pretty easy and above all cheap). Also feel free to discuss other methods.

I'm in . I havent used that method yet so would be interested.

i use the method but think i need to be a bit more hardcore as i stop brestfeeding seem to get a new break out every feed i drop.

bump

ok sorry ladies, I forgot I had started this!

here is the detailed regimen link

I'll explain it more simply here. What you need:

Benzoyl Peroxide (BP) in 2.5% concentration - go to your chemist and ask for panoxyl aquagel 2.5%, it costs about £2.70 for a tube.

Gentle face wash/foaming cleanser - NOT cleansing wipes and not soap.

Moisturiser.

Memememe! I'm so fed up with teenage spots... I'm nearly 30 for goodness sake!

I will go to Boots and get some of that panoxyl aquagel stuff, sounds a bargain if it works

The key to everything is to be really gentle - no rubbing, scrubbing, scraping or picking.

You can use this on your face/back/chest, wherever you get spots.

Week 1 - this week it's night time only. Cleanse really gently and pat skin dry. Squeeze some of the BP Gel out - this week you'll use a thumbnail sized blob. You want to spend about 3-5 minutes smoothing it over your skin, not rubbing it in but letting it absorb THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! by the way be careful as the gel can stain so you'll want to cover your pillowcase and be careful not to get it on your clothes. Leave it for a bit (up to 15 minutes) to fully absorb/dry. Moisturise.

What to expect - if you use too much gel to start with you might get a bit red/flaky - if so, use less next time. Your skin will get used to the BP. We'll be ramping up the amount next week.

I've been doing this thing for just over a week. I'm atm!!

a good moisturiser after the Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5 is the key

I've neve4r had anything spotty in my life - til I hit 38
in the last year I've got throughly sick of it... but this regime works :)

Marking thread - I've been meaning to do this for ages (also suffering from late 30's acne - worse than when I was a teenager I swear).

I must admit, having suffered with spots from the age of puberty (now nearly 40), and tried most things, I am a bit sceptical with this regime, would love to hear how others have got on with it.
I am looking into buying a skin lamp, anyone tried that?

is this for teens too ? dd seems to have just koads of under the skin bumps ( non eruptive iykwim) find clearisil etc too harsh just nakes her skin dry out but bumps remain !

Here are my before and after shots:

before, yuck

another before

even in soft focus, it ain't good

after, excuse wanky self photography

spinsugar, definitely worth a try for you, my skin was always better in summer as well. I used to get the jaw ones as well, really sore!

sane, yes I think it would be perfect. it is so much gentler than clearasil which IMHO just makes things worse by making the skin sore.

Anyone who's not sure, I would encourage you give it a go for two weeks. It's under £3 for the stuff.

Thanks AnyFulekno, brave of you to put up your pics, but must say that after photo is a very different shot to others so you can't really see your skin very well. Did it clear up completely? Had you tried other things?

Tesco's Vitamin E range has a very good face wash, moisturiser and night cream. All at 72p each. The face wash feels really gentle on your skin and almost glides on but still manages to lift off all the grime. I only picked it up because it was cheap and they'd run out of my usual Nutragina blue scrub stuff but I think I'll stick with it.

The moisturiser and night cream have left my skin feeling smoother than I've ever known it. They aren't greasy either - or you would be able to fry chips in my T-zone

I don't work for Tesco, honest

yes that's a fair point whether, I'll look for a closer shot. It did clear up completely. Unfortunately I've got a bit of scarring from years of spots, wish I'd done it a long time ago.

I tried lots of other things. Clearasil, oxy facial cleansing and gel, exfoliating, sunbeds (!), you name it. When I was a teenager the doctor prescribed antibiotics and a BP in much higher concentration which burnt the crap out of my skin. I promptly binned the lot.

I found acne.org when I got engaged. The night I took those before shots I was pretty upset, wondering how I could stand up and get married in front of people with my skin looking like that. This was in August '05. The second pic is the following february. You can see that the skin on my cheeks is clear (I have a bit of scarring on my chin).

another after pic, ignore scruffy man next to me, don't know who he his hem hem

Anyone else? Or have I scared you off with my photos

ok might give this a try with me and my DD, what cleanser and moisturiser have you used?

I use dior foaming moisturiser. acne.org recommends Neutrogena and Clean and Clear cleansers. I think any cleanser that is not too drying will work. Cleansing wipes aren't good as they leave a residue - best to go for one that you wash off.

I have got products from a clinic with BP in them - cant remember the make now and it does work a little for me if I follow the regimen exactly but makes no difference to the hormonality of my spots iyswim - was this the case with you as well or not?

Try using evening primrose - use the oral capsules - from the vitamin counter - and dab the oil directly onto the blemish - I have found it very effective - when other remedies have not worked at all.

Do you have to use this regime forever, once you've started it?