[Maven]

I don't know if this is the right place to put this, but I haven't noticed a Beauty forum. Maybe it belongs in Health, but I don't think so. If it gets moved, it gets moved.

I am 45 and I have quite a bit of acne and blackheads. I used to use Oxypads, but they dry out my skin. I was wondering what you guys use and recommend? I prefer something simple, preferably not three different products or having to wash your face with a treatment three times a day, but if the best treatment you know requires that, then share it with me, anyway. Thanks!

[gismo]

When i was a teenager, i had really bad acne and blackheads even boils to an extent espesially behind my ears i was prescibed a gel called retine A (i think that's how you spell it) it worked only for the spots tho, it really dried my face, so i stopped that ,now many moon's later (i'am 49 ) i have very bad scarring from both spots and boils , guys used to call me pizza face, some people even thought i had been slashed with a blade, sorry back to the subject, i now use simple soap on my face twice a day, but clean it first with simple cleansing wipes for the blackheads, but i very rarely get full blown spots that regime seems to work for me, good luck, i think it's trial and error with cosmetics
gismo xx

[Evening]

I'm 25 and suffer from acne, it absolutely gets me down because everyone else I know has great skin. I've got large pores, wrinkles, and my mother and father had adult acne. I've tried prescription stuff as well as the usual stuff you get from shops. But treating acne will depend on the cause. Mine is obviously a hormonal thing, as it comes and goes. A doctor told me I should be going on the pill to try and treat it, but I don't want to pay that much.
My advice would be to find the source of it, then go from there. Treating acne will depend on that factor for one, plus your age, level of severity and skin type. You could try seeing a doctor about it to see what they say.

[Tamster]

This wont be of much help either but, I had clear skin as a teen and twenties. In my 30s, and 40s i had breakouts and terrible blackheads. now that i turned 50 I again have clear skin. I quit picking completely and it made all the difference. I use warm water and huggies natural care baby wipes to wipe oil from my face. I do still have problems with oily skin in places but it has remained clear for 2 years. I tried everything too pads, proactive, etc. nothing worked better than hot water for me.

[spondiferous]

I am cyclical with acne. When I get it it's really bad, volcanic actually. When it's gone you can't even tell. I agree with not picking, it not only leaves scarring but it spreads the acne. (Not saying you're doing it but if you are, it's something to think about.) I have sensitive skin; I can't use chemicals, and even if I could I'm an all-natural girl anyway. I use tea tree oil and just dab it right on the area(s). You can get little vials of it (I have gotten mine at the Body Shop in the past) but you can probably get it at most health food or naturals stores). A clay mask once a week might help draw out the oil and then just make sure you follow it up with a moisturizer (oil free of course) so you don't completely dry out your skin; that can cause more oil to be produced by your skin in compensation. And I would say that even if you don't have a lot of money, I would try to find the best quality stuff you can. And by that I don't mean one of the fancy department store brands, I think they're ****. Loaded with chemicals and whatnot. Do some research online and find some natural brands that use actual plants and minerals. That's my two cents. Good luck...

[yellowted]

I had what was thought to be really bad acne right up to my mid thirties, turned out it was a dairy allergy causing it!
try completely cutting out all dairy, cheese, cows milk, butter, cream, ice cream, even down to fortified chicken (bernard matthews for one adds milk to their chickens to bring them up to weight and most cooked chicken products have milk in as a moisturisor)
try using rice or almond milk instead, check spreads some say they are sunflower but still contain milk/lecithines or lactose, even some bread contains milk as it helps the yeast to work.
you will need to try it for at least two months to see any great results. do not be fooled that it is not the cause if you then eat /drink milk products and the acne does not return immediately, it takes a few days for this to happen, by which time you will probably have forgotten what you ate. that is why it is not commonly linked, because of the time delay, but trust me it definitely was for me as every time i try dairy a few days later the spots are back, not full blown acne but definitely if i continued with dairy they would become full blown.
ps if you try this then please remember to take a calcium and vit D suppliment too as although calcium is found in green veg and the like you would have to eat a mountain ful every day to absorb enough!

[lynn P.]

I had adult acne but don't have it anymore. When my 15 yr old started getting it, I took her to a dermatologist. Better to get a prescription cream because drug store brands are strong enough. He prescribed Differin cream but only use sparingly because it can dry the skin. I got her a gentle cleanser Cetaphil for oily skin - wash twice daily. Use only non comedogenic makeup and always wash at night. I used a prescription Vitamin A cream called Strivectin.....its also good for wrinkles.

Be aware of touching your face because that puts bacteria on the face. Change your pillow case regularly. Don't try to squeeze the acne.

[lynn P.]

drug store brands are strong enough.

I meant to say aren't lol. I do this all the time.

My face has been breaking out since I was 10, and so I have tried everything under the sun (am now in my mid-30s).

I also use cetaphil face wash (as was already mentioned here) when I take a shower, and clindamycin phosphate pledgets at night (they can dry out your skin a bit, so I usually put a light layer of the lotion I mention next on as well), prescribed by my derm. I also use the sensitive skin, oil free, hypoallergenic neutrogena lotion on my face after I shower. He recommended cetaphil lotion and I used it for awhile but noticed a few ingrediants that made no sense for my skin, as it was NOT oil free.

And my back started breaking out like CRAZY when I turned 30 (some obvious hormone crap). I take a prescription pill for that, also perscribed by my derm, called spironolactone. It takes awhile to work but then once it kicked in I was good.
I wish you best of luck...having skin issues has been awful for me!

[Maven]

Thanks, everyone. I will try some of these suggestions. Maybe it would be a good idea to see a dermatologist for it; I never thought of that, because I figured it was only for people who have tried everything and nothing worked, but I can see a doctor would be able to tell me what's probably causing it.

Originally Posted by Maven

Thanks, everyone. I will try some of these suggestions. Maybe it would be a good idea to see a dermatologist for it; I never thought of that, because I figured it was only for people who have tried everything and nothing worked, but I can see a doctor would be able to tell me what's probably causing it.

I highly recommend it...of course, I have seen mine for 26 freaking years! (And very grateful my parents took me when I started breaking out.) My face would be a wreck if it were not for my derm., and I have no scarring. He actually said once I had the hardest (not the worst, the hardest) case of acne he had ever treated. Gee, I am so honored!

[snydercharles425]

What are the best products?