Acne...ugh

[Squiggy]

Like many, many other teens from around the world, I suffer from acne. I don't mean a few little pimples here and there, I mean my forehead basically looks like a forest of clustered red dots. (Sorry, tmi)

My current skin care routine is simply washing my face and applying a small amount of lotion. Before that, I used a product called Up & up Cleansing Acne Treatment containing salicylic acid. A pretty generic brand you can find at Target. It worked to clear up small amount at a time, but after a while it just stopped working completely. I then switched to a face wash called Clean & Clear Acne Face Wash containing benzoyl peroxide. Bad idea. My entire face broke out in a rash. (I have very sensitive skin) So now I'm looking for something that will work to clear up mild-to-severe acne, and that is gentle on sensitive skin.

If anyone has some ideas on a product that may work for me, that would be awesome.

-Mika

 

[Amy SF]

I'm sorry you're having acne troubles. I've never tried this myself, but maybe pure aloe vera gel would help. At the very least it will soothe your skin and help with the redness and inflammation. And pure aloe vera gel is something everyone should have in their bathroom anyway.

 

[Nina]

Perhaps try some natural treatments. I find these are much easier on delicate skin. Tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar are two of my favorite natural treatments. They both have strong antibacterial and antifungal properties. (Make sure to dilute them with a bit of water before applying, though. ) Aloe vera gel and steamed oats are both great ways to soothe and reduce swelling/redness on the face, too.

 

[Squiggy]

Thank you both, I actually do have some aloe vera gel, I've been using it on my rash. I might continue it though, just as part of my skin care routine ~ thank you for the suggestion.

Nina - Ooh, natural remedies, I didn't think too much of those. Do you know where I might get some tea tree oil?
The only natural remedy I've tried so far was honey and cinnamon, unfortunately it also gave me rash. :/ (Probably the cinnamon)

 

[Nina]

Thank you both, I actually do have some aloe vera gel, I've been using it on my rash. I might continue it though, just as part of my skin care routine ~ thank you for the suggestion.

Nina - Ooh, natural remedies, I didn't think too much of those. Do you know where I might get some tea tree oil?
The only natural remedy I've tried so far was honey and cinnamon, unfortunately it also gave me rash. :/ (Probably the cinnamon)

I know you can get some from either Walgreens or Walmart.

 

[Amy SF]

I just discovered a fresh, brand-new zit on my left cheek. It looks like I'll be trying out those remedies as well.

 

[Squiggy]

Thanks, Nina. c:

Amy - Lol, I guess we can try them out together then. xP Let me know if any of 'em work for you. ^^

 

[ledboots]

Squiggy, sometimes small things like changing your pillowcase often, making sure your hair products aren't irritating your skin (or making it oily), and taking a daily multivitamin can help.

 

[Squiggy]

Thank you for the information, ledboots. I will try those out too. I'm hoping my transition to a plant based diet will also help reduce the amount of acne I'm getting :/

 

[Andy_T]

I don't know whether it is any consolation to you (or maybe a shock for the future), but there are also people who are definitely much older than in their teens who have similar problems.

I have the issue that both shaving and not shaving (i.e. letting my facial hair grow) seems to irritate my facial skin, leading to skin impurities at times.

 

[Squiggy]

Hehe, didn't mean to generalize. But yes, I do know both adults and kids younger than there teens can, sadly, get acne.

I don't get these when not shaving, but I do sometimes get small little red dots (shaving bumps) from shaving.

 

[shyvas]

Like many, many other teens from around the world, I suffer from acne. I don't mean a few little pimples here and there, I mean my forehead basically looks like a forest of clustered red dots. (Sorry, tmi)

My current skin care routine is simply washing my face and applying a small amount of lotion. Before that, I used a product called Up & up Cleansing Acne Treatment containing salicylic acid. A pretty generic brand you can find at Target. It worked to clear up small amount at a time, but after a while it just stopped working completely. I then switched to a face wash called Clean & Clear Acne Face Wash containing benzoyl peroxide. Bad idea. My entire face broke out in a rash. (I have very sensitive skin) So now I'm looking for something that will work to clear up mild-to-severe acne, and that is gentle on sensitive skin.

If anyone has some ideas on a product that may work for me, that would be awesome.

-Mika

Acne is a very complex skin condition due to hormonal imbalance and over productive sebaceous glands. I would suggest dumping harsh oil based cleansers as they tend to irritate acne prone skin which is already stressed. The more you wash and eliminate the oil on the surface of the skin, more oil will be produced.

You could try a good dermatologist recommended wash that is gentle such as Neutrogena :

Oil-Free Acne Wash Redness Soothing Cream Cleanser

From what you have described, your acne is moderate to severe and I think that it would be worthwhile to consult a dermatologist.

Acne can cause permanent scarring and it very stressful as it leads to low self esteem.

You could also consider eliminating dairy from your diet, steering clear of the sun and using make up that clogs up the pores.

I hope this helps.

 

[Squiggy]

Thank you very much, shyvas! Very helpful.
I'm already starting to eat less of and completely get rid of main dairy products and eggs. (Hoping to be 100% vegan)

I will be sure to check out the oil-free wash. Thank you for the suggestion. ^-^

I've been using the aloe and it's helped quite a bit for the pain. (My acne is more cystic, making it fairly painful) It's also helped soothe my rash from my last experience with the benzoyl peroxide product. Thank you all so much for your replies. They have been informative and useful to me.