Zits and what to do HELP - Page 2

[Xenogenesis]

Was it accutane or Retin A they say to watch out for *teenage depression*? And what are the ingredients in Proactiv?

[applejuice]

I grew up in a household that used only natural products. I was a vegetarian/vegan for most of my early life, and I was blessed with -yes- adolescent acne from age nine until I was thirty-eight! The only time I did not have acne was during my four pregnancies. Therefore, it may have been horomone related. I NEVER was on the birth control pill.

I broke out on my face, my arms, my chest, my back, even my legs! Nothing seemed to help. When I went to college, I got antibiotic treatment and Retina-A and still little relief!

I kept my skin pristinely clean and disinfected w/ peroxide, isopropyl alcohol, witch hazel, and OTC products that basically just cost money and did nothing else.

Through it all, I did take lots of Vitamins, especially A, C, and E, and minerals as zinc and calcium. I never did scar, and I have few wrinkles since I do have still lots of moisture in my skin.

I guess, a blessing finally.

Post Script:

None of my beautiful children have suffered as badly as I did with acne. They had alittle, but not much.

[MysticHealerMom]

I think diet playings a big role. Sugar is a nasty culprit. During puberty with everything going on, dietary sugar makes things go haywire. Cutting out dairy was good, too, but I wanted to re-opt the sugar suggestion. I was a sugar fiend as a kid. My acne never went away just because I outgrew it - I mean, I didn't outgrow it - but when I cut sugar in my diet WAY down, my skin cleared up very well. I was able to enlist a breakout, on accident, with a huge box of candy that I had to eat - gar, sugar is a harsh mistress, and so often we're pointed away from it as a culprit.

Best wishes,

Lori

[granolamom]

Pro active truly worked on my thirteen year old DD.

I researched every agent in the product before I placed my first order. I found 'Nothing" which could causelong term harm.

After 2 weeks on Proactive, Kaci's face completely cleared up.

It may be worth trying.

Good luck to you and your son,
Granolamom

[DharmaDisciple]

what to use for sensitive skin

My dd is like me ( I still get spots at 30) We are vegan and have hardly any sugar...might try the nettle tea though.

Dd has skin like me in that it is oily but very sensitive- I have tried everything for her from tea tree to neutrogena, to dead sea soap olive oil soap to pH balanced and they all make her face blotchy and strip her skin- just like mine. She is getting spots and it's getting her down. What can I do.....I used to make a cleanser using 100ml mineral water with lavender, bergamot and a bit of tea tree, which you wipe on with a cotton wool- this is all I have left to try. I have spent a fortune on products only to find them no use- I really feel for her.

[anythingelse]

Hi! Since posting my 13 yr old has turned 14 now and had a huge growth spurt. He is still really suffering with acne. So far we have tried
*limited certain foods and adding vitamin supplements
*tried the proactiv products which caused his face to not only still break out but be dry and flaky sore
* tried an erythromicin clear topical solution which did nothing
* also He spent 3 months on tetracycline and his skin really cleared up great, I thought he could maintain it with the tea tree soap use also, but since stopping the oral med it got back to lots of infected pimples.
SO he is trying the tetracycline again and using a product called Differin for topical use. He has no acne on his cheeks it is only on his forehead and nose, really made me wonder if it was related to shampoos or if the way he wears his hair but the dermatologist says he thinks that ds touches his face rubs forhead and nose maybe a lot. Very frustrating! I have watched him and he wears glasses and does have a nervous habit of rubbing his forehead & resting his forehead on fingers when reading etc. Dermatologist blames this on hormones 'testostrone surge' and told ds the only sure way to get rid of this type of acne is castration (my dh and ds did not laugh) So anyway I will let you know how the differin product works out and post again. This seems to be one of those frustrating things for parents to watch their kids go through, I would take all his zits and stick them on me to have if I knew how

[Marg of Arabia]

"Was it accutane or Retin A they say to watch out for *teenage depression*? And what are the ingredients in Proactiv?

It was accutane. I took it twice and never had any trouble......

[Lucky Charm]

Marg,
The ingredients in Proactiv include benzoyl peroxide (2.5%....5-10% are in products like stridex), gycolic acid, aloe vera, and i think witch hazel.

i have bought these items at the store to use, but it never quite works as well as the procativ! i cannot tell you why!

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

They claim the benzoyl peroxide in the Proactiv products is finely milled. Maybe that's why it works so much better. I tried it and it works great, but I have sensitive skin and ended up with hives all over my neck and chest even though I was only using it every other day or every 3rd day. Now I do not use the cleanser, only the lotion occasionally, and the toner daily.

[Lucky Charm]

Lea...i think it being finely milled is the reason why it works so well also.

I have sensitive skin....no hives, but after 3 days of using the system twice daily, my skin was red and irritated. (but also clearer!). now i use the cleanser every morning in the shower, and skip the lotion and toner. i only use the toner if pimples start coming back, which is rare.

[Golden]

Another proactiv praiser here!
I will say that when I first started using it over a year ago though, I had a VERY long adjustment period with it. It had all of those things others here have mentioned: dry, painful, red, burned looking, skin. They tell you to use all three products 2x a day. I did that initially til i couldn't handle it anymore (3 or 4 days maybe). Backed off for a week, let it calm down, and VERY slowly eased back into it. It took about 3 months, I would say. On average, now, I use all 3 products once a day and the astringents/clarifying/toner stuff a second time. Total success.

Nothing else has worked.

I called couple of times in the beginning, and they told me to do what I did above. And to save all the bottles, empty or full, and if I wasn't happy with it, to send the bottles back for a refund (minus shipping).

The one major drawback though to this stuff is that it makes your skin very sensitive to the sun. Then again, I think tetracycline does too.

Here is a link to their key ingredients:
proactiv ingredients

No I don't sell the stuff. Just someone who would avoid eye contact and social interactions with people from the painful, unsightly zits.

Golden

[anythingelse]

If you don't mind sharing- Marg- how long did you take the accutane and how long did it take for your skin to show signs of clearing up? Thanks,
Mary

[Seeking Refuge]

I agree that diet plays an important role but you can't always control what a teenager eats.

You might try these two treatments in conjunction use the astingent after you wash facial area and the mask a cuple of times a week.

Blemished Skin Mask:

1 ripe tomato chop
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 tb Instant style oatmeal or old
-fashioned rolled oats

Blend all until just combined. Apply to skin,making sure the mixture is thick enough to stay on blemished areas:
cheeks, forehead, or chin. Add a bit more oatmeal to thicken the
mask, if necessary. Leave on 10 mins, then scrub off with a clean
washcloth dipped in warm water.

Herbal Astringent for Oily Skin


1 ounce Chamomile
3 tablespoons Witch hazel
1/2 teaspoon Cider vinegar
1 ounce Peppermint extract
8 ounces Water
Few drops of peppermint essential oil 1/4 teaspoon
Boric acid -- optional

Boil chamomile, witch hazel, vinegar, peppermint and water. Cool and strain. Add remaining ingredients in a spray bottle and shake. Keep refrigerated

Good Luck,

Steph

[Natashka]

Vanna's Mom: if you believe that the breakouts ARE related to shampoos/conditioners, check out Paula begoun's books or her website www.cosmteticscop.com. -- she explains what ingredients in hair products are pore-clogging and how to try to avoid those ingredients to see if the skin gets better.

[Alexander]

gently rub all effected areas with pure olive oil for 2-3 minures a day.

works like magic.


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