Crying my eyes out b/c my face is getting worse (long)

[diablo2g]

I dont even know where to begin. It's 4:00 am and I can't sleep. I am so upset and I'm crying my eyes out. For the longest time, my skin was great and now, lately, I don't know what it is, I just keep breaking out and I don't know what to do anymore. I had this perfect cleanser (St. Ives Clear Pore Cleanser) and it kept my skin so clear it was ridiculous. Now they have discontinued that cleanser and my skin has been suffering ever since. There have been no drastic changes to my lifestyle or diet. In fact, I'm eating even healthier now and drinking more water. I don't know if something in my body changed internally or what, but this crap needs to stop. I desperately need to find something that will stop the pimples!

I've treid the following:

Clean & Clear Daily Pore Cleanser: DOESN'T WORK!

Nutrogena Deep Clean Cleanser: DOESN'T WORK! (Neutorgena products don't usually do much for me)

I even bought a bottle of tea tree oil and added it to my cleansers. That seemed as if it was helping for a while but now I have a fresh set of pimples on my face that will turn into dark scars whether I pick at them or not. If this doesn't stop, my face is going to be covered in dark spots. I don't even wanna be around my boyfriend cuz I feel so self conscious. My mom, of course, loves to remind me about my skin every chance she gets. And even though I see so many acne cleansers in the stores, how can I know which one will actually be the one to work? How much money can I realistically spend trying dozens of cleansers?

I don't yet want to start considering prescription pills and all of that so I turn to you guys. Mainly I just want a cleanser that is really known to help clear skin. I really really just wanna keep it simple and just be able to wash my face, moisturize, and go about my business. I have an acne spot treatment but I want the pimples to stop coming! PLease help! Flood me with your suggestions.....

 

[speerrituall1]

Sorry to hear this, it sounds as though a visit to a dermatologist would be a good idea.

 

[luvmylittleboy]

I'm sorry your going through this...I agree & do think a visit to a dermatologist would be a good idea, they maybe able to set you up on some skin products that would work for your skin type. Good luck....

 

[beautynista]

Sorry you're going through this, but I totally feel your pain! I really believe that you shouldn't focus too much on the cleanser though, since you're going to wash it off anyway. You should really look into treatments. I would start to look into products with a higher % of AHA's/BHA's which might not be available at the drugstore. One regimen that worked for me was Murad Acne Complex Kit, which includes a cleanser, 2 treatments and a moisturizer. I used it every morning and night, and my skin dried out big time in the first week but you really need to be diligent in applying it twice daily to see results, and just live with peeling skin for a bit.

Once your face clears up, you can use a treatment for your scars. Look for lightening products that have some of those ingredients: Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Kojic Acid, Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid. Or you can try a peel. Just make sure to wear sufficient sun protection while using these treatments.

You can try Murad's Acne Complex Starter Kit to see if it works for you. I started off with that, and it worked so well i bought the full-size set.

Also, definitely see a dermatologist! Good luck and HTH!

 

[empericalbeauty]

Dude forget all those expensive brands. My mother had to slap this into my head..LEAVE YOUR FACE ALONE! give it some breathing space. What I used now? Dial anitbacterial soap and nivea moisturizer. If you want to be fancy, go to the natural health store and buy sandal wood essentail oil [the one diluted with jojoba oil already] and use it as a toner, thats what this specific stuff is made for. Too much chemicals will damage your skin. And if you use product upon product at one time how do you know which one is working?

Hun, we all get acne. Mine used to be ultra horrible. I still have scars to prove it. I can choose to use peels and stuff, But i dont want my skin to think out so I will continiuosly moisturizer my skin and at night use a fade cream in hope that while moisturizering, it will fade my scars and I dont have to do much. Give it a try..Just stick to 2 products or 3. A wash, Toner, and oisturizer for about 1 month. Consticency is crucial when it comes to skin care.

You and I are the same. I think secretly whenever my mother puts down my face she has some kind of mental orgasm because the rate at which she does it is too ridiculous!

 

[Aquilah]

I'm sorry to hear this sweetie! I think maybe it might be time to take a trip to the dermatologist. Try checking out the skin care line Clinical Basic Skin Care. It's a great brand, and the lady who owns the company is also a licensed esthetician. Also, try not to stress too much because stress can also lead to severe breakouts. I wish you luck on finding something that works well for you!

 

[laura112]

I know you said you wanted to keep things simple but have you ever heard of N-Lite? It's a laser treatment that really worked for me. It is expensive and I know laser treatment sounds kinda scary but it really helped me and cleared up my horrible acne skin.

Here's a link (It was on 'This Morning' that's how I heard about it!)

N-Lite Acne Treatment

 

[angel_eyes4evah]

Wow. I'm sorry for you hunyy. When I was 11/12 I got really bad acne. Nothing I used on my face or changed in my diet helped. Its all those dang hormones!!! Go see a dermatologist. I got acutane and it helped so much. I just wish I had gone to my derm earlier before it got out of hand. Best of luck to you!!!

-Kristen

 

[mabelwan]

Originally Posted by Aquilah /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sorry to hear this sweetie! I think maybe it might be time to take a trip to the dermatologist. Try checking out the skin care line Clinical Basic Skin Care. It's a great brand, and the lady who owns the company is also a licensed esthetician. Also, try not to stress too much because stress can also lead to severe breakouts. I wish you luck on finding something that works well for you! Ditto on that! I'm sorry you are going through this.

 

[makeup_obsessed]

I know what you are going through. When I was 10, i started breaking out (young, I know, and I hated it). I had constant pimples....never had one clear face day. When I was 15/16, i finally started to have clear skin. What helped me was going on birth control, it was tri-cyclen (the high dosage one). Also the one cleanser and toner that saved me was Garnier Pure line. I dont know if its available in the states, but it saved me.

Look at the ingrediants in your St. Ives cleanser, and then go compare at a store where you normally get your cleansers. Also, if there is someone working there, a beautician or someone, tell him/her that they discontinued your fav line, and ask what the closet thing would be.

Be gentle with your skin. Dont wash your face 1000times a day, twice is plenty. Keep eating healthy and drinking water, and try not to stress out too much. The more stress you are under, the more you will break out. Also, maybe go call up a beauty parlor and treat yourself to a facial (they will have a facial specifically for acne).

What also helped me, is not using foundation all over my face. I wash my face, then moisturize, and only apply cover-up on the problem areas. Maybe look around and find an acne clearing cover-up.

Keep your head high, and dont get upset. It will clear up. Beauty comes from within.

 

[jdepp_84]

the best would be to go to a dermatologist. They should have something for you. Just don't stress out, your skin will look gorgeous once you find the perfect product

 

[Leza1121]

Hi,

I'm very sorry to hear that you're going through this. Sometimes, it's not just what we put into our bodies, but also things like haircare or makeup products. Even makeup tools such as sponges, brushes, etc... can cause breakouts, especially if you do not clean the sponges (daily) or the brushes (once a week shampoo, daily cleansing with brush cleaner). Another thing to keep in mind, how often you touch your face without realizing it. Are you under a lot of stress?

Take stock of the above. If all is in order, then I would see a derm.

Hope this helps.

 

[monniej]

Originally Posted by Leza1121 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi,
I'm very sorry to hear that you're going through this. Sometimes, it's not just what we put into our bodies, but also things like haircare or makeup products. Even makeup tools such as sponges, brushes, etc... can cause breakouts, especially if you do not clean the sponges (daily) or the brushes (once a week shampoo, daily cleansing with brush cleaner). Another thing to keep in mind, how often you touch your face without realizing it. Are you under a lot of stress?

Take stock of the above. If all is in order, then I would see a derm.

Hope this helps.

great advice leza!
also remember that most times less is better!

 

[Leza1121]

Originally Posted by monniej /img/forum/go_quote.gif great advice leza!
also remember that most times less is better!

Hey Fellow Esty,
Thanks!

 

[Nox]

Perhaps your body is telling you that it is not liking something that you are in regular contact with. You may be one of those ladies who is ultra-sensitive to toxins and impurities in the environment. It could be the air, what's in your local drinking water, a certain food preservative (a certain fruit preservative causes me to break out 100% of the time I come into contact with it).

So there may be nothing wrong with you, but your insides are letting you know there is something it's not liking in your environment.

I just always have a hard time believing that cases like this are strictly internal.

 

[girl_geek]

Sorry you are going through this, but trust me, a lot of us have already been there if that makes you feel better!

(Or are there!)

Rather than type it all up here, I'll just point you to my notepad, I have a lot of acne information I've compiled -- most of it is advice given to me by my dermatalogist, plus a few other things I've picked up here and there. But there's much more you can do to prevent acne than simply using a cleanser!

As for cleansers, I personally found that cleansers didn't make a bit of difference with my skin! I've tried several and my face was always the same. However, the prescription creams I used to use, and now the 2.5% benzoyl peroxide formulas I use now (specifically, Neutrogenia On-The-Spot) work great to keep my acne at least mostly under control! (I use the BP each night on all of my acne-prone areas as a preventative treatment, not just a spot treatment. My dermatologist recommended this method, and they also recommend it at Acne.org.) I still get a few occasional blemishes, especially around that time of the month, but it's nothing I can't hide with a little concealor!

Of course I still use a cleanser to get rid of oil and makeup, but it doesn't seem to matter which cleanser I use.

Also, you might want to look at other areas of your life because it may be an allergic reaction or a bacterial infection instead of acne. One example story: I had a friend in high school who had terrible acne, and tried several very strong prescription medicines and nothing helped. Finally doctors discovered that it wasn't acne, but a bacterial infection caused by her loofah sponge which wasn't completely drying between each use! I've also heard stories of people developing allergic reactions to food or cosmetic products that they mistake for acne -- that's why some people swear their acne went away when they gave up chocolate, but it might have just been an allergic reaction!

Finally, keep in mind that takes 2-4 weeks after the pore clogs before you actually see the pimple! So everytime you try a new product, stick with it for at least 2 or 3 months before trying a new one, so you can tell whether the product is actually working! Plus, switching products too often or using too many products can confuse your skin and make it react by producing more acne!

Hope that helps, and hope you find something that works for you! And even though it's easier said than done, don't cry about your skin -- you are definitely not the only one and many of us have dealt with acne! Heck, I am 25 and I still have oily skin and acne like a teenager!

 

[PerfectMistake]

I really know how you feel. I have tried many many things to help with my face! Things have made it better (like the regimen I am on right now) - but nothing makes my acne totally go away. Sorry you are having problems, it's so frustrating I know, I have been dealing with it for probably 5-ish years now!

Good luck sweetie

 

[Jennifer]

i'm so sorry

i went through the same thing. everyone gave great advice. good luck and keep us posted!

 

[tandcmum]

sorry i have no advice as my skin has always been the exact opposite, very dry with eczema and it has upset me too the way you are feeling.

Just wanted to give you a ((((((hug))))))) to let you know that I'm sorry you are going through this

 

[Angie2006]

I lived thru the same thing....it SUCKS. I started skipping school in 7th grade because my skin was SO bad...I never went to school on picture day. Other days were terrible too because kids are so mean, they teased me everyday on the bus. I cried after school nearly every single day.

I too tried ALL the OTC stuff. Also went to general family doctors and all they would do is give me antibiotics (which did nothing more than give me yeast infections) and occasionally topicals like differen or cleocin T...also did nothing.

All of the concoctions I was trying only made it worse because I was drying out the top layer of skin and there was still a ton of oil underneath...so what happens? More acne!

My mother just kept telling me "All kids get acne, it'll go away, it's part of growing up" Finally, when I had my own insurance at the age of 20, I went to a dermatologist and got on Accutane. It took 3 times and there are a lot of side effects but I'd do it again in a second!

Get to a dermatologist, who knows, maybe you don't need accutane...maybe something more mild will work for you.