Advice for those with acne with pics

[Daisyandbabies]

Hello,
So I wrote on here recently about trying to improve my skin for my wedding in July. I've always had bad skin and am now 29 with some pitted acne scars, uneven skin texture and really large pores. When I'm mid cycle, I tend to get a few spots on my chin but everything was somewhat under control with Proactiv that I order from America.

Decided to try and improve my crappy skin with Effaclar duo acne system. This has amazing reviews and I was so excited to try it and get away from the Proactiv and the benzoyl peroxide in it.
Here's what happened:
Day 1:

^^
As you can see, I didn't have any active acne and was just trying to improve my general skin. My skin stayed like this for 2 weeks.
2 weeks in:
Starting to break out on my chin. Got a massive acne cyst that needed antibiotic cream

3 weeks in:
The worst my skin has perhaps ever been in my life. I cried just looking In the mirror and was embarrassed taking my child to school. This is when I decided to stop with the Effacalar duo. Safe to say this product is horrendous for my skin

I agree, it's rubbish.

I use panoxyl and body shop aloe mask
m.thebodyshop.co.uk/h5/products?path=%2Fshop-by-range%2Faloe%2Faloe-soothing-rescue-cream-mask-100ml.aspx

I don't use the mask every night I also use alpha hydrox souffle
www.amazon.co.uk/Alpha-Hydrox-Souffle-45-ml/dp/B000G8LWZI/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456656886&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=Alphw+souffle

I also use an acid eye gel.

Panoxyl is amazing stuff.

Decided to go back to Proactiv. I can't recommend this product enough. It contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, which is obviously what makes it worse. This isn't present in the UK version of the Praoctiv sold in boots so please don't buy that one. I get mine from US eBay. If Benzoyl peroxide has worked for you in the past, I would really, really recommend it over products such as Effacalr duo. It actually has bad reviews but I think it's so over marketed in the USA that people with 1 spot now and again are using it and of course, reacting badly to the benzoyl peroxide. If you have actual acne prone skin, this product is just brilliant.
I've been using in again for 5 days and now the damage from the Effacalr duo is going away, albeit leaving behind purple marks that you can see. I noticed a difference after only 1 night of using it again.
Hope this helps somebody as its really hard to find reviews with pictures of products that are genuine and not sponsored by the company!

I meant benzoyl peroxide makes the product work not worse! Xx

I really rate the US proactiv. Such a shame they don't sell it that version over here. I hate their stupid purchasing system anyway, wish you could just flipping well buy it in boots!

Tate, I couldn't find panoxyl in any chemist and what I could find online was only 10% benzoyl peroxide which is too strong for me. I wish they did at 2.5%, would save me a lot of money getting Proactiv from America! X

Zgaze, it really is really good isn't it. It's such a shame it isn't available to people here as it genuinely works, at least on my skin. When I see someone with bad acne I'm always dying to go up and tell them to order it off eBay, haha!

Learn my lesson though, if someone isn't broken, don't fix it! I was after perfect skin which I'm never going to have X

^ something. Need to stop thing to multitask, haha X

• trying! I give up, haha X

I could only find 5% panoxyl online when I looked as well

The only benzoyl peroxide cream I have found in the Uk is Acnecide at Boots pharmacy. I can't recommend it enough.
After a month of use, my skin is clear.

That's fab! I haven't seen that one, glad it's cleared your skin!

Acne.org's 2.5% benzoyl peroxide cleared up my acne.

^ acne.org *2.5%
Just to add another bp recommendation

I'm glad you've found something that works for you; we're all so different! Effaclar duo + has been a miracle for me, especially in reducing pore size and old red scars.

Oh no! I've literally just bought this!
I guess it won't hurt to try it for a few days.

You can dilute panoxyl 10 by mixing a small amount with moisturiser.

Is Panoxyl 10 bad then? I've been using it on my acne and it works really well didn't realise I should be diluting it

It depends how dry it is making your skin but it's usually advised to use a moisturiser before or after using the bp cream.
Your skin does become used to the treatment over time so if you have no redness or irritation you needn't worry.

I was told on MN that benzoyl peroxide is very ageing for your skin (gulp)
Is this because it dries out your skin? I have no idea.

Good advice, I've never throught about diluting it! I looked into acne.org's bp but it worked out more expensive than Proactiv x

Duac from the doctor, contains 2.5% bp, and an antibiotic, in case a prescription is cheaper than buying from America

It probably isn't ideal, I mean it's bleach and a strong chemical. Acne isn't ideal either though and neither is the stress that comes with it. I've used it for many years and decided to give other more natural, gentler things a try, hence the Effaclar. Turns out, I'm must rather use the chemicals that have bad acne.
10% is fine as long as it doesn't dry or irritate your skin, I've just found that 2.5% works just as well at treating and preventing acne without ever irritating my skin X

I looked at Duac but now I'm too scared to mess around with anything besides Proactiv only 5 months before my wedding, especially after this Effacalr disaster X

I'm with you! Oil cleansing method ruined my skin, and it too a year to get it back to a normal amount of spots. I'm now using some Korean products in conjunction with the duac, and whilst it's nowhere near good, its better than its ever been. And I think that's the best I can ever hope for.