Skin Help

[SuzeQuze]

A clay mask can help too cuz it pulls the junk out of pores.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

put on night cream after

hmmm...La Mer anyone? lol

I'm loving mine.

[EnchantedSLN]

Originally Posted by kak125

So my question is, does anybody know of a really good deep cleansing mask and facial scrub that helps get rid of blackheads? Also, I am interested in trying to find something to brighten up my complexion along with helping some of my fine lines. I am only 28 but I do have some lines around my mouth and eyes. I have done those glycolic acid peels (40%) but they dont seem to do very much for me but irritate my skin even more. I have very sensitive skin and basically most of the products I use seem to make it irritated or dry it out. I use cetaphil moisturizer which works fairly well but I am looking for something even better. There are just too many products out there and I cant figure out which ones are best.

I went through a ton of prescriptions and they all dried my skin out and made it worse. I hate to sound like an infomercial, but I'd say give Proactiv a try. I started using it toward the end of this summer and am really happy with it. The only annoying thing is that you use the 3 bottles at different speeds (or at least I do) so you have to buy more kits or buy the one you run out of individually, which is more expensive. I was using the liquid cleanser fastest so I started alternating it with plain witch hazel (which is the main ingredient and can be bought in the skin care aisle of a normal grocery store for like $3). It still works great. And the scrub is good because the 'beads' are very fine so they don't feel like they're tearing up your skin.

The only thing I ever got by prescription that helped was sodium sulfacetamide (10%) & sulfur (5%) lotion. It smells kind of funny in the tube, but you use so little of it (like a spot treatment at night) that it's not noticeable on the skin. I've kept using it with the Proactiv and my skin cleared up a lot.

Bare Minerals is great! I remember sararhiannon raving about it a long, long time ago and I finally decided to try that this summer too. At the risk of sounding like an ad again, it goes on light & covers really well. It is a little expensive, but you use *very* little so one container lasts forever.

[amber]

Jesus Christ, I've been talking about this all week. And on my myspace.

Okay, first of all, I just got a peel. However, it was the fruit acid one, not the "chemical" one. So it's not very drying, and I recommend it. Next tues I'm getting microdermabrasion and a stronger peel concurrently. Plus a bit of laser work, but you didn't ask about that.
I had chemical peels at my derm 11 years ago (age 20) - they were good, too. But if I were you, I would get the fruit acid one. I'm not sure why you were warned away from them because you are in your 20's - anyone can benefit from having the dead cloggy skin removed from their face. I am 31 now.

Okay - but I just found this over the counter peel thingy that worked really, really well - comparable to my fruit acid one at the doctor place. Seriously.
It's Mychelle Pumpkin peel - all ingredients are pumpkin related - the point of pumpkin is that it has a lot of vitamin A, which is what Accutane and Retin A are based on. I didn't notice it to be drying, (but I put moisturizer on afterwords) it did help my blackheads. Not sure about my fine lines yet. They seem less, but it's hard to tell. And my skin is sensitive and dry, even though it's also oily. I mean, it easily gets dried out.

Mychelleusa.com is the site, but I just tried it and it's down or something.

Seriously. Also? I got the little trial tub at Whole Foods for just $2.50. rock.
Masks never work very well for me, and they dry my face. But this? heaven.

Also? I have seen many of the people who answered you - and i think my skin may be closer to yours.

[kak125]

Wow, thank you so much everyone for all of your replies.

Let me try and answer everyone.

I try not to use benzoyl peroxide anymore because it really dries out my skin and makes my face red. For some reason my skin is really really sensitive.

I have used proactiv in the past and it worked for a while and then my skin went crazy again.

I have also tried retin-a, retin-a micro, duac gel, klaron lotion, cleocin-t, aknemycin, and many more others with no such luck. It seems that I find something that works fairly well for a little while and then my face goes crazy again.

I have a CVS right down the street from me so I am going to try that mask for sure.

I am really interested in that pumpkin peel too. It sounds like a great product and I have heard a ton of great things about it.

I really want to get a chemical peel. I have some scarring and my pores are just huge. My skin is strange in that it could be greasy one day and really dry the next. I try to use cetaphil lotion twice a day after I wash and tone my face.

I go back to my dermatologist on march 11th and I am thinking about begging for accutane. I have had crappy skin since I was 19 and am really sick of it. I work for a computer company where I am interviewing people and meeting with clients all the time, so I would really like to have nice skin. I just really would like to clear up my skin without all of these drugs though.

What is strange is that the only time I had perfectly clear skin is when I was doing atkins. I often wonder if something I am eating is breaking me out. Any ideas?

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by kak125

I go back to my dermatologist on march 11th and I am thinking about begging for accutane. I have had crappy skin since I was 19 and am really sick of it. I work for a computer company where I am interviewing people and meeting with clients all the time, so I would really like to have nice skin. I just really would like to clear up my skin without all of these drugs though.

What is strange is that the only time I had perfectly clear skin is when I was doing atkins. I often wonder if something I am eating is breaking me out. Any ideas?

I used Accutane for 5 months a couple of years ago. If you'd like to talk about it privately, PM me.

[amber]

Originally Posted by kak125

Wow, thank you so much everyone for all of your replies.

Let me try and answer everyone.

I try not to use benzoyl peroxide anymore because it really dries out my skin and makes my face red. For some reason my skin is really really sensitive.

I have used proactiv in the past and it worked for a while and then my skin went crazy again.

I have also tried retin-a, retin-a micro, duac gel, klaron lotion, cleocin-t, aknemycin, and many more others with no such luck. It seems that I find something that works fairly well for a little while and then my face goes crazy again.

I have a CVS right down the street from me so I am going to try that mask for sure.

I am really interested in that pumpkin peel too. It sounds like a great product and I have heard a ton of great things about it.

I really want to get a chemical peel. I have some scarring and my pores are just huge. My skin is strange in that it could be greasy one day and really dry the next. I try to use cetaphil lotion twice a day after I wash and tone my face.

I go back to my dermatologist on march 11th and I am thinking about begging for accutane. I have had crappy skin since I was 19 and am really sick of it. I work for a computer company where I am interviewing people and meeting with clients all the time, so I would really like to have nice skin. I just really would like to clear up my skin without all of these drugs though.

What is strange is that the only time I had perfectly clear skin is when I was doing atkins. I often wonder if something I am eating is breaking me out. Any ideas?

That's exactly like my skin. Weird. And you should beg for accutane, that they haven't given it to you already is lamorama. You're paying them.
For a long time doctors said there was no connection b/t diet and skin. Probably bull****. I read some interesting things from Dr. Perricone, but then, he is also trying to sell products. However, he is a doctor, has been studying dermatology for a long time - so. I was reading his book in whole foods and he has an anti inflammatory diet (for no skin inflammation, but also joints - everything) - you might want to read that part. One of his things is "no sugar - sugar is highly inflammatory" - so if you were not eating sugar on Atkins (you're not supposed to, right?) maybe he has something there.
I took the accutane treatment 2.5 times - PM me if you want to know things - I can give you the secret to only having to take it one time....
I'll tell you about my peels next week.

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by amber

I took the accutane treatment 2.5 times - PM me if you want to know things - I can give you the secret to only having to take it one time....
I'll tell you about my peels next week.

Accutane was rough on me, but I was older than the usual patient (in my early 30's), and my doctor thought it was easier for younger people to tolerate. It was rough, but it was SO worth it. I'd do it again in a minute. I'm very fortunate to only have to have done it once though. Amber, did you experience any of the side effects? I experienced EVERY one of the side effects, and then some.

[amber]

Originally Posted by jannieC

Accutane was rough on me, but I was older than the usual patient (in my early 30's), and my doctor thought it was easier for younger people to tolerate. It was rough, but it was SO worth it. I'd do it again in a minute. I'm very fortunate to only have to have done it once though. Amber, did you experience any of the side effects? I experienced EVERY one of the side effects, and then some.

uh...my lips were cracked on the side and I didn't really sweat - it was great, I didn't have to wash my hair for days and days if I didn't want, instead of the every day or it's greasy thing I have going otherwise.
I can't think of any more side effects. Also, the reason I took it too many times was that my derm didn't realize that my skin kept breaking out because it was clogged with dry skin from the other treatments and he hadn't given me a goddamn peel. My new derm realized that, gave me some peels, and voila.
What are the other side effects? Besides hideously deformed children I mean.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by kak125

Wow, thank you so much everyone for all of your replies.

just a suggestion...why don't you post a picture (or just partial one of your problem areas) so we can see exactly what you're talking about. that way we'd be able to really tell just how radical you should get. if this is too sensitive and you don't feel comfortable doing that, I completely understand. I just thought it may help us who have been through similar experiences to help make a more informed decision.

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by amber

What are the other side effects? Besides hideously deformed children I mean.

My lips were beyond cracked. If I smiled, they bled. My face broke out worse than it EVER had. I was a walking zit for about 4 of those five months- HUGE horrible looking zits. The bottoms of my feet ached- I was told it was joint pain. Depression, fatigue, headaches- I think that's it. It was so awful.

My problem was not severe acne, but chronic acne. It started in my twenties (I had gorgeous skin in high school which in retrospect, was probably better for my mental health in the long run), and was completely resistant to any other treatment--- and I had them all.


Accutane did it for me- I don't think I've had one zit in the 5 or so years I've been off it. Now, I'm at the point where I want to try some peels to make my skin look better. I don't have extensive scarring, but I do have a little bit. I may have to try your pumpkin peel, Amber.

[amber]

I didn't even have a hint of those thing. And my skin cleared within 3-4 days of starting it. Of course, yours turned out much better in the long run. My skin definitely still breaks out. Actually, I got the accutane largely not because of my face, but because I had horrible, terrible, cystic and regular acne on my back and chest. Everywhere. ewww, bacne!!! My face wasn't gross.

I think it's really weird you had acne for four months. Was that really one of the side effects? I don't remember that. Freak. Out.
Oh, and my peel at the aestheticians was just ....uh... $80. It would surely be cheaper wherever you live. Ask for the fruit acid one if you get one! My lady said it's fairly new.

[sara1998]

I've taken Accutain 3 times now. I had severe chronic acne when I was a teenager. My face was really REALLY bad. So, once I got my own insurance (I was 18) I was put on Accutain. Talk about the drug from hell. All three times my side effects were the same: I would smile and my lips would bleed. My cholesterol would go throught the roof. Depression, blurred vision, dry eyes, mouth, hair, skin. But, it really is the miracle acne drug. Keep in mind that it is terribly expensive. I was on it the first time for 6 months, and worked up from 1 to 4 pills a day. The same for the second time, when I was about 22, and I just finished my last dose in September of last year. I'm still battling my cholesterol from that time. I was on it for 9 months this last time, and only took 3 pills a day, but that was because of my cholesterol problem. (that has to do with my age and weight, too) Now that I'm almost 30, I really want lazer surgery. I have pretty extensive scarring, and I'm sick of it. I don't know what my face looks like without zits or scars, so I have to wait about a year after I've been off Accutain, then I can get a lazer peel. Pretty expensive, but the dermatologists have already told me not to waste my time with dermabrasion or chemical peels. So, probably about this time next year, when the tax check comes in, I will have my lazer surgery done.

[amber]

/\
I'm suprised your derm said those were a waste of time. Did your derm give you peels after every cycle of Accutane that you took? I mean, you have to have strong exfoliation after it. Let me ask you this - is your derm the one who will be doing the laser peel? Is it the most expensive treatment?
Just Dermabrasion (not micro) is thousands of dollars and months in recovery.
I'm confused, Maria, tell me more.

People with nice skin don't realize how debilitating acne can be to someone's self esteem. Also some people think that people with acne don't clean themselves enough, or something.
I just wanted to say that. It's really affected people in my family.

[Stephanie]

playing devils advocate just remember if you try accutane it will shrink the meibomian glands in the eyelid and can cause your eyes to feel very dry--such that some people can no longer tolerate contact lenses or have to take restasis (rx drops) permanently to help the tears.

I was always afraid to take it, although surely i needed to.