Ways to prevent acne

[RetiredMod]

After reading a recent thread I thought this would be a good thread to have in our Best of Forum considering how many people ask about it. I'll start off with a few, please add to it.

1) Shower multiple times daily. This is especially important if you were just doing physical activities and sweating. I'd recommend showering first thing in the morning, after workouts and before bed.

2) Use a loofa to reduce body acne. Just don't overdo it. I wouldnt do it more than once every 2-4 days otherwise my acne gets worse due to irritation. (Which brings up another point, don't overdo washing your face or it WILL make it worse).

3) Use proactiv. That **** is great IMO, get the number off their website, call them up and order the 3 step kit, dont sign-up for the monthly membership thing though, its not worth it. Just order as needed. Here's the number to call to order, its open 24 hours a day, 1-800-730-0500


4) Use high dosages of b5

5) Tanning. Just don't over do it and I'd recommend using a moisturizer if you get pretty tan otherwise you'll find yourself peeling.

6) Hot compresses daily (at least daily). You can do this a few times each day, as long as you dont scrub, just put a face cloth under hot water, ring it out a bit, and then just hold it to your forehead, shoulders, etc. The hotter the better to an extent (don't burn yourself though).

7) Avoid wearing hats when you sweat or at all.

8) Avoid using hair products (especially waxes). Sometimes these can cause skin irritation...just something you should be aware of.

Like I said please feel free to add to the list, I'll move this thread to the Best of Section once there are a bunch of responses.

[LostProphet]

Tea tree oil is awesome for drying up a nasty spot. Just apply with a cotton bud twice daily.

[fizler]

I had pretty bad acne when I was a kid, I see the best doctor in my area at $150/30 minutes. Infact I am going back tomorrow. It's REALLY pricey but you have to do it or take heat from having zits at age 20+.

Acne causes problems, not only because it makes you feel bad about yourself but because some shallow chicks might blow you off or think you don't take care of yourself.

What I have done, change my diet, try and get more sun and drink a gallon of water a day.

For diet, greasy food DOES cause acne for me. So does sugary foods FOR ME. You have to find out what causes it for you.

If you get acne around your mouth and chin ony, change toothpaste or mouth rise.. rembrant is what my DR recommened and it helped out for me.

They have so many drugs out there now that can help with acne. Accutine is the most hardcore out there, the last time I checked. I've done a cycle but I still get acne. Most people never have it come back.

[WTFRUDOING]

Caffeine brakes me out bad. I don't eat chocalate drink tea coffee soda anything and my acne is not bad at all. I had horrible ance as a teen. Took accutane and worked wonderfully. From time to time it tries to come back but nothing serious.

[TheRock]

Yeah bro, I think this would be a great addition to the Best Of section, Mcbain.
I'd definetly be interested in the threads progress.
I also heard about Tea Tree oil being good as well. Might try it soon.
Thanks

[fizler]

Just got a RX for some new drug called

Doryx 100mg

Also trying out Rosula lotion and triaz cleanser. Hopefully my acne takes a hike. I'll keep this updated

[Trickybastard]

Bro, I've had a doc tell me that tanning could cause the acne to get worst (i've also read articles on it somewhere). So if you do try tanning, I would keep a close eye to see what happens. If its getting worst, stop!

I've been using a body scrub on my back for a while. It seem to have contained it... Its kind of like a soap but has small sand like particles in it. It basically exfoliates, unclogs pores...

Also I've been rubbing aloe vera plant on my acne before bed and its been healing well. Its probably helped the most out of all that stuff I've tried...

[fizler]

I was told today that tanning will cause more oil production but overall it should help. Swimming in a pool she told me would be better. To bad I don't have one :(

[Trickybastard]

mmm, I just bought a house with a pool... I guess I should be in there more... :)

[mrabercrombie13]

I remember a while back a bro posted about SEBAN Pads. They're like those acne wipes except they're suppost to stop the oils that your face produces for up to 12 hours. These really do work great. And for the most part, they're cheap. Im pretty sure they'll work if you rub them on other parts of your body too, but Im not sure. Heres a link to buy them, this is the cheapest Ive found them:
http://www.hocks.com/acne/acneproducts08.htm

Scroll to the ones that say "seban pads 60 ct."
Those are them.

[TheRock]

Well there was this one year i want on vacation to cyprus and it was EXTREMELY hot...when i got back my acne had vanished. Probably from a combination of the sun, the beach and hotel swimming pool. My doctor told me that the sun is a natural curative as well as salt water.
However that vacation was 6 weeks long. I went back there for 2 weeks last year and it didn't do anything for my acne. I guess the duration of my stay played a big part too.

[Jen_Ess]

Originally posted by fizler
I was told today that tanning will cause more oil production but overall it should help. Swimming in a pool she told me would be better. To bad I don't have one :(

tanning in a tanning bed is best because you don't really sweat in them. If my skin seems crappy one week I just go to the tanning salon and it clears right up like magic. The reason why tanning outside is so bad is because the sun makes you sweat which clogs your pores and that in turn causes more oil production, making things worse. The swimming pool is good because chlorine dries your skin out in a good way, as does salt water from the ocean.


And for the record, the number one spot treatment is toothpaste (white paste better than gel kind). Put it on before bed, let it dry, and when you wake up in the morning the spot will be dramatically reduced. I swear by this method.

[mrabercrombie13]

Originally posted by Jen_Ess

And for the record, the number one spot treatment is toothpaste (white paste better than gel kind). Put it on before bed, let it dry, and when you wake up in the morning the spot will be dramatically reduced. I swear by this method.

When you say spot treatment, do you mean for oily spots or for actual pimples? Ive never tried toothpaste before, but I've heard that it works.

[RetiredMod]

Sweating can help unclog pores, you just need to make sure to wash off after you sweat or it will make acne worse.

[d piece]

Originally posted by mrabercrombie13
I remember a while back a bro posted about SEBAN Pads. They're like those acne wipes except they're suppost to stop the oils that your face produces for up to 12 hours. These really do work great. And for the most part, they're cheap. Im pretty sure they'll work if you rub them on other parts of your body too, but Im not sure. Heres a link to buy them, this is the cheapest Ive found them:
http://www.hocks.com/acne/acneproducts08.htm

Scroll to the ones that say "seban pads 60 ct."
Those are them.
Wow I wish someone told me about these sooner, I just ordered a thing of them, ill let everyone know how they work.

[OldUser982]

washing in the shower with a salicylic acid facewash (neutragena oil free acne wash), then following that by applying vanishing 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, and a moisturizer after it dries. a good peroxide cream is Neutragena on the spot acne treatment.

this really helps get rid of breakouts

[Jen_Ess]

Originally posted by mrabercrombie13
When you say spot treatment, do you mean for oily spots or for actual pimples? Ive never tried toothpaste before, but I've heard that it works.

mostly just for pimples themselves but I dont see why you couldnt spread it over a larger surface area to dry it out.

[B.A.D]

Originally posted by d piece
Wow I wish someone told me about these sooner, I just ordered a thing of them, ill let everyone know how they work.


any updates d-piece?

[d piece]

Originally posted by B.A.D
any updates d-piece?
lol its only been 3 hours since I ordered them! I got 2nd day shipping though so it should be here soon enough.

[B.A.D]

Originally posted by d piece
lol its only been 3 hours since I ordered them! I got 2nd day shipping though so it should be here soon enough.


lol

[RetiredMod]

ill bump one last time then into the best of section so there arent so many acne posts lol

[mrabercrombie13]

Originally posted by McBain
ill bump one last time then into the best of section so there arent so many acne posts lol

Before you put it in the best of section, does anybody ever use rubbing alcohol or benzoyl peroxide for pimples? A girl that does runway modeling in New York i know, told me, "thats one of their secret weapons for acne". But I cant remember if it's rubbing alcohol or benzoyl peroxide. I wasnt even gonna mention it because I cant remember, but maybe someone else knows...

[ctbbuilder]

if i'm not mistaked benzoil peroxide is the active ingredient in many acne fighting products...the other one is salicylic acid....i had a friend who used to put rubbing alcohol on his zits - he insisted that it dried the **** out of them and they peeled off quicker

[LOWTESTOSTERONE]

Originally posted by McBain


Like I said please feel free to add to the list, I'll move this thread to the Best of Section once there are a bunch of responses.

How about a big one- Vitamin A

Take tons of it. (it's toxic if your not careful)

It will clear up even the worst case of acne.

50,000iu's/day will clear up acne for a upcomming special event.

Just don't stay on it all the time or your liver will blow up.:)

[ahhchon]

most pills doctors prescribe are damn good. the thing is that you need to drink a lot of water for them to work. i was on pills for 2 months and didn't notice any change. then i started drinking lots of water (due to working out) and my acne cleared up a lot.

right now i take pills and i'm on a ProAcne 3 step thingy. my girlfriend purchased it for me 2 days ago and i've allready seen improvement. my face is a dried out but that'll be fine in a few days. it was 20 bucks after a 5 dollar cvs coupon.

good luck, DRINK LOTS OF water.

john

[psikooz]

My doctor gave me this cream called "benzacclin" Its a benzyol peroxide cream with a antibiotic in it. IT works really well. After 2 weeks no new pimples have formed, and my face is clearing up well. I cant wait to see what happends after another 2 weeks.



Also were a sunscreen when using products with benzoyl peroxide, it dries your skin out, so a sunscreen will help protect your skin .

[LOWTESTOSTERONE]

Originally posted by psikooz


Also were a sunscreen when using products with benzoyl peroxide, it dries your skin out, so a sunscreen will help protect your skin .

Tanning actually clears up acne I have found.

Also- There is a permanent acne cure available called ACUTANE that if administered properly by a doctor can cure even the most severe cases of acne in a short time, and it does not return.

[RetiredMod]

Originally posted by LOWTESTOSTERONE
Tanning actually clears up acne I have found.

Also- There is a permanent acne cure available called ACUTANE that if administered properly by a doctor can cure even the most severe cases of acne in a short time, and it does not return.
not entirely true, i know people who have used accutane and their acne comes back, sometimes it works permanently, other times it doesnt, in either case the side effects from accutane can be pretty severe in relation to other acne treatment medications and thus its not a good idea to resort to accutane unless your exhausted all other options IMO

[LOWTESTOSTERONE]

Originally posted by McBain
not entirely true, i know people who have used accutane and their acne comes back, sometimes it works permanently, other times it doesnt, in either case the side effects from accutane can be pretty severe in relation to other acne treatment medications and thus its not a good idea to resort to accutane unless your exhausted all other options IMO

I agree. Accutane is for people with severe acne.

A few pimples does not mean you should take accutane.

Accutane requires constant liver and blood work to make sure health is maintained, it is a harsh treatment for the body to endure.

However; it WILL clear up even the most severe cases of acne PERMANENTLY. Some people acne does come back after treatment, both another treatment and it's gone for good.


If- administered properly by a doctor, and perhaps even repeatedly cycled treatment for severe cases- I am pretty sure that accutane will clear up any case of acne forever.

Side effects are extremlely dry skin and hair, and chapped lips.
Sometimes it even drys your eyes out.. and drys the inside of your nose and creates minor nose bleeds.

It can also cause your liver to blow up- if your not careful or under care of a professional doctor.

[TheRock]

Just come back from vacation and a combo of the sun, swimming pool and the sea has approximately halfed my acne i'd say. I still have a bit but its far less noticeable..This was for 2 weeks..if i stayed longer i'm sure i would have got even better results. I am expecting its most unwelcome return though :) Nevermind.
I did tan for 4 weeks in a sunbed and that made my acne worse it seemed..so for me personally, the natural sun works better. Or maybe it was the salt and the chlorine of the water? Try them all and see what you think! :)

[TheRock]

For any bro's that are interested I have some before and after vacation pictures of my acne. The before pic is about 3 months old (although my acne was of that same severity about 2 weeks ago as well) , i look a lot smaller there than in the after pic cuz i'd just started back up at the gym. I've lost a bit of mass on vacation as well..i was 197 before leaving..today i weighed at 189.
The 'after' pic was taken today. The acne hasn't cleared up completely but a lot of whats left is scars. Hopefully this will give you a rough idea of what 2 weeks of sun, sea and (no sex:() chlorine did for me.

[acutofcoleman]

Get a good nights rest! Sleeping will regenerate your skin and give your immune system a chance to recover. If I don't get a decent nights sleep I get acne comin up, when I have an early night it goes away the next day.

Also shave with good moisturisers and keep yourself clean and tidy otherwise the facial hair starts to gather bacteria and dirt which will lead to more acne.

[matt25]

when i start getting acne i just use Oxy pads for a couple of weeks and it goes away. Itz good it the acne isnt 2 serious and it is very cheap 2

[Johan]

i wash my face with a after shave that has alcohole in it. Before I started that I had bad acne on my face, now its completely gone :)

But it seems like the ****ers just moved and settled on my back and shoulders instead :(

[matt25]

lol, happened 2 me 2 with the oxy pads :-(, so i juss had to start using it on my back and shoulders too and it worked :-)

[Variance]

anyone check out clearskin.net its a great page for acne.

[EEZerik]

i had mild acne as a teen(still am a teen-19). However face isn't as clear as it once was(minimal"scarring"). What's a good way to get rid of this besides giving it time?

[liftingchic]

good idea guys.. tanning and b5 seems to helping my a great deal.. everyone just asks me whats up with the acne all the time.. i just say since i never got pimples and **** when i was a child.. i getting them now( i am 20).. hehe seems to work

[BiggerThenYou]

I currently use retin a mico 1%. Amazing. I used accutane in the past but it contined to come back. Applied nightly, retin a mico has cleared me up completley. Any doc will perscribe it. I just told him I used my sisters and it was working. Good luck!

[Not So Big]

Originally posted by McBain
3) Use proactiv. That **** is great IMO, get the number off their website, call them up and order the 3 step kit, dont sign-up for the monthly membership thing though, its not worth it. Just order as needed. Here's the number to call to order, its open 24 hours a day, 1-800-730-0500


is there any side effects from this? its just a face wash and like gel and stuff rite?.. no pills? i been on minocycline fo rlike 5 or 6 months and wanna try something new cause its not working. got a site for it or something i guess im wodnering.

[LostProphet]

Originally posted by Not So Big
is there any side effects from this? its just a face wash and like gel and stuff rite?.. no pills? i been on minocycline fo rlike 5 or 6 months and wanna try something new cause its not working. got a site for it or something i guess im wodnering.

http://www.proactiv.com/

[Not So Big]

Originally posted by LostProphet
http://www.proactiv.com/ when u took it did it make u break out more at first.. or ur skin get red or anything? it doesnt mention that on the site i dont think..im gonna order the 3 step kit

[LostProphet]

Originally posted by Not So Big
when u took it did it make u break out more at first.. or ur skin get red or anything? it doesnt mention that on the site i dont think..im gonna order the 3 step kit

I've never used it.


From what I've read it seems to be a fairly decent product. I would get some if I ever got bad acne and could afford it.

[Chris]

I had moderate acne on my face, neck, back and shoulders until about 3 months ago. On my neck, shoulders and back it was cystic acne, which are really big, underlying pimples that never become a whitehead but remain a huge, red bump. Picture having one of these on your neck. God it sucked. Especially when you get a new girlfriend and then you are invited to the lake, etc. You know how it goes.

So when that happened, I needed to stop thoes damn zits. It's not like she really cared or anything, but I did. Here are some things I tried:

1. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Body Bar. These are around $5 each, but if any soap helped with my acne, it was this (even if it was all in my mind). Tea Tree Oils are natually antibacterial, so that was the reasoning behind using these.

2. Queen Helene Mint Julep Face Mask. You can get this pretty cheaply at Wal-Mart. These face masks unclog your pores and leave your skin nice and clean. You can put it all over your body as well.

3. Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Medication. This stuff is probably the best known treatment for acne. A guy named Dan created "The Regimen", which uses BP as the main treatment. I tried the regimen and it seemed to be working but my skin started drying out really bad and getting red so I stopped. Check out www.acne.org for more info.

And now for the last one, the one that "cured" my acne.

4. Minocycline. Minocycline is an antibiotic which kills bacteria. Apparently the bacteria that has been causing all my acne. I don't get anymore of those huge, red pimples on my back, shoulders or neck anymore. I rarely even get pimples on my face either. It's awesome.

Acne is just one less thing I have to worry about now. It shouldn't even be something I have to worry about anyways at age 28! But, some people are unlucky.

I am on 100mg a day. I started off at 50mg but this didn't seem to be doing much. I do not have insurance so it is kinda expensive. They are about $1.20 for each pill. I want to start ordering off the internet soon though.

Just to let everyone know, I have heard antibiotics don't work for everyone, and that eventually they do stop working (which is what I am worried about), but for the time being, and hopefully until I "grow out" of acne, it IS working.

If you have tried everything to get rid of your acne but it won't go away, I recommend going to your doctor and ask him to put you on an antibiotic like minocycline. If you are on it long enough, they may have to take a blood sample later on down the road because it might get kinda rough on your liver. But my doctor said people have been on antibiotics for years.

It might not work for you, but the chances are pretty good. It is working for me, even if is a temporary thing. Acne is one of my worst enemies and I'm sure yours too so I am only too happy to help you get rid of it. If mine ever does come back, I might consider Accutane, but I am pretty scared of that stuff after reading these forums-----> http://www.xsorbit1.com/users/davec/index.cgi Plus, that stuff is REALLY expensive. Anyways, take care.....

Chris

[mcelligott]

I would reccomend staying away from accutane. It can clear up acne permanently because it changes your hormonal structure. Severe depression is a side effect of accutane. I took it in high school and developed some anxiety that still stays with me to this day (never had a problem with that before the medication). The accutane didnt do the trick for me but I cleared up (my face) on my own by washing my face twice daily, drinking plenty of water and applying a benzoyl peroxide based creme on bumps.

Like others in the thread have stated, Proactive is probably the best choice on the market currently. My sister and 2 male cousins have used it and they cleared up very quickly.

[Nick Taboada]

I wouldnt recommend swimming for acne. I'm on a swim team, and when i have breaks from it for like a week or so, my acne clears up, but once i start swimming again it comes right back. I think the chlorine and all the chemicals irritate my skin and clog the pores. Maybe though if its only for like 15 min it would be beneficial, but at 2 hours at a time it screws your skin up big time.

[Chris]

Hmm that's weird. I was beginning to think that the chlorine in the pool would kill the bacteria on the skin, along with the UV rays from the sun, It was only a theory though. How would chlorine clog pores?

[Imaplayer99]

i swim everyday on a team, and all it does is dry my face and make my acne a deep red....

[marcello]

McBain, i don't agree with at all about hot compresses or showering too many times per day. Your skin with just get aggravated and inflamed.
Cold compress if anything!
B5 aka Panthiotic Acid @ 10 grams per day until it is controled works well.
20mg of acutane every other day if it gets bad.
Bleach in the bathtube helps but use creme afterwards.

[milk dud]

what about skin bleach creams. i have allot of face redness due to small zits

[wtsoufee]

3) Use proactiv. That **** is great IMO, get the number off their website, call them up and order the 3 step kit, dont sign-up for the monthly membership thing though, its not worth it. Just order as needed. Here's the number to call to order, its open 24 hours a day, 1-800-730-0500

5) Tanning. Just don't over do it and I'd recommend using a moisturizer if you get pretty tan otherwise you'll find yourself peeling.



I agree with the proactiv, for some added improvements in the clearing of these areas on the skin. As for tanning...
"While small amounts of sun exposure may superficially improve skin tone, continuous sunbathing increases plugging of the pores — producing comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) and small pimples. And of course, sun exposure carries more serious risks, like skin cancer."

yay...my first official post!

[egon]

proactive, morning and night, use a non-oil based lotion as needed

1 gal of water a day

lots of fresh fruits and vegis

find out what foods make you break out and stay away from them

don't touch your face with ANYTHING. the only time you should be touching your face is when you wash it

if you can help it, don't pick at your whiteheads... unless it's formed a full white head, then grab a needle and use q-tips starting under and slowly working your way up

if you shave, run your mach-3 shaver under hot water to heat the blade up, then shave using your cleanser. don't shave over your acne if you can help it.



visit http://www.acne.org and read up

[wes pike]

to a certain extend even carbonic acid might help you easening acne.

drown a piece of cotton-wool into a glass of mineral and plaster it on the spots, where your irritations are...let it appeal for a while...it really helps!

[Bi-Cep]

I have found out from personal expiriences that stress can cause breakouts!......When I have alot of school work and work period, I can see many small zits popping up! When I enjoy my weekends, rest, and have fun, my face feels more comfortable! Could stress play a factor in acne?

[Blood Rush]

Accutane comes in handy if you get really bad acne. It DOES NOT change your hormonal structure, I don't know where the hell that came from. It dries up the oil glands in your skin, reducing the chances of acne. For the last 3 years I've had nodular acne, the worste kind there is. I went on it the first time when I was 14, prescribed by doctor with a 95% chance of it working, but age plays a factor and I was too young to take advantage of its full effects. So I'm now finishing up my second time of taking it at 16 and I've never had clearer skin. The only side effects I have EVER experienced are minor joint pain, and dry lips. But I was taking 80mg a day by prescription so I can see why. The pills come in 10-20-40mg doses and can be bought over the counter. Might not be called Accutane, but Amnesteem. Amnesteem is the generic version of it, and is made by the same company and works just as good. Anyway, hope that helps if you really need it. If its bad acne, don't second guess it and get rid of it. Overall, no negative affects that you can't solve.

Hope this helps!

Nick

Oh yeah, and lay off the pop, it makes people break out if you drink too much. And stress or being nervous all the time can play a factor in getting acne.

[Leeburn]

The sun and the salt water and chlorine = best treatment for any acne get as much of this as possible but bit hard when u live in england and its winter.

sunbeds = un-natural light and fecks ur skinup

exfoliate in the shower the face then tighten pores then mosturize twice a day mornin and night best product (l`oreal pure zone)

diet

drink loads of water all the time not good for sleeping though as u piss all night instead of sleep

drink green tea this is quality stuff hi in antitoxandants calms the body aids in weight loss and def good for acne

Brazil nuts awsome for acne contains selimum and high in zinc also contains unsaturated fats also very very high in protein

fuit eat as much as possible except oranges cause they can provoke acne

supplements

evenin primrose oil very high in vitamin e

cod liver oil natural oil helps the skin


these should do the trick bet it wrks obviously u cnt eat **** like hi fatty and sugar foods

[swolldiddy]

Getting in a sauna is great for your skin, so if your gym has one, get in it for 5-10 minutes and then use acne creams and washes on your face and back.

[talas]

these sound like good tips. on my last cycle i had to stop my face boke out so bad it was scarry. and they would not stop coming.