My Acne Diary

Proactiv

2009-08-31T06:25:00.000-07:00

I just got the Proactiv 30-day kit, which includes cleanser, toner, treatment lotion and mask. The cleanser contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, the toner contains glycolic acid, and the repairing lotion likewise contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. These ingredients are proven to work against acne, so I'm really crossing my fingers that they will work for mine! I will be patient this time. I have the mask on right now.:) It feels rather nice, but smells very medicinal. It has sulfur in it which is supposed to be a good anti-acne ingredient as well. They say I'll see results within 3-4 weeks of using the entire regimen. Unless I get an adverse reaction, I'll definitely try and stick to this until I finish it up. I hope I see results.:)

Current Acne Regimen

2009-08-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Night:
Wash face with Clinique Liquid Cleanser for Oily Skin. Let dry for about 10 minutes.
Apply Clearasil Stayclear Vanishing Acne Treatment Cream (10% benzoyl peroxide) all over the face.

Morning:
Take oral Doxin (Doxycycline) 100 mg.
Take a bath and wash face with Clinique Liquid Cleanser for Oily Skin.
Apply Clearasil Stayclear Vanishing Acne Treatment Cream all over the face. Wait 10 minutes.
Apply Maybelline UV Base SPF35 PA+++. Wait 10 minutes.
Apply MAC Studio Fix Foundation Powder.

Observations:
The Clearasil's making my skin really dry, but it's really helping with my acne. The big cystic ones have shrunk in size, and basically my skin is clearing up a little bit after just a week of using it.

Every night, whenever I see infected pustules, I prick them myself. I don't pop them just like that. I wash my hands thoroughly with soap and water and then with alcohol before the process, clean the area with alcohol (I do the process after washing my face at night), use a sterile Gauge-26 or 27 needle to prick the white dot on top of the pimple where all the pus is, and use sterile cotton buds in applying pressure to get the pus out. Then I clean the area again with alcohol. Sometimes I apply antibiotic ointment like Terramycin.

Pricking the pimples properly and aseptically lessens the chance that they will rupture by themselves and form scars. The needle incision is a clean cut and that makes the skin heal better. This makes my infected pimples disappear faster. I don't prick it unless there's already that white dot on top, though. Otherwise it's more painful and it's likely that only blood will come out.

My Acne Diary

2009-08-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

I'm making this blog to document my journey through acne. The destination, hopefully, is total cure.

I've tried going to different dermatologists in the past, and they disappointed me. They didn't really listen to my concerns and just assumed that since they were the doctors, they knew best and I just had to follow everything they said. Even when I was trying to tell one doctor that I was having an adverse effect from the treatment she was giving me - resulting in severe itching, crusting, darkening and thickening of my skin - she brushed it off and said very few people got allergies from that drug. I realized that most of these dermatologists don't really know what acne sufferers are going through. I bet most of them never had a pimple in their life.

Right now, I'm trying to determine what works best for my skin. I'm seeing noticeable effects with benzoyl peroxide and regular exfoliation. My problem is that I tend to be impatient - I want my acne completely gone now, but of course that's not gonna happen. I know I need to give my skin time to adjust to the treatment and let it work. I hope that in time, I'll get my clear skin back and be able to face the world acne-free again.