Saphire_Alexi
June 2nd, 2009, 08:05 PM
Heyy, I want to pursue a career in being a musician or actress (the American dream, lol) but my acne is causing me horrible self esteem issues, any advice on how to treat WITHOUT BUYING ANYTHING? but if you dont know how to w/o anything, just tell me what to buy :P
Cuz its on my face, neck chest and back, but worst on my chest and back :(SO PLEAASEEE HELP ME ASAP!!!
Zazu
June 3rd, 2009, 01:30 PM
You can ether get a topical solution (a cream applied directly to the skin) or you can get tablets to take which contain antibiotics which target the bacteria which cause acne.
Both work pretty well, I use "lymecycline" tablets for my acne and I went from having really bad acne to now having no spots at all
sebbie
June 7th, 2009, 04:12 PM
Heyy, I want to pursue a career in being a musician or actress (the American dream, lol) but my acne is causing me horrible self esteem issues, any advice on how to treat WITHOUT BUYING ANYTHING? but if you dont know how to w/o anything, just tell me what to buy :P
Cuz its on my face, neck chest and back, but worst on my chest and back :(SO PLEAASEEE HELP ME ASAP!!!
Go see your doctor they will refer you to a dermatologist (Doctors who specialise in skin).
They will diagnose your acne, how severe it is and advise the best treatment. As said above treatment can be tablets, cream,medicated facewash etc.
Important thing to remember acne is just spots, every teen will get spots so do let it affect your confidence or self esteem.
The Joker
June 7th, 2009, 10:00 PM
The stuff I used seem to work pretty well, it was the Oxy pads. Problem was I didn't stick to using it, but it worked decently, but you have to have continued use of it, not just whenever you feel like it.
rubidoux
June 7th, 2009, 10:59 PM
You can't expect it to magically go away. You have to buy something.
The best non-prescription acne treatment I've ever used is the Murad system. It's better than Proactiv, Clean and Clear, Neutrogena, or any of that other crap. I recommend it to everybody who asks me about this stuff. If that doesn't seem to be clearing it up as much as you'd like, look into seeing a dermatologist. He/she can prescribe something stronger to you.
Bougainvillea
June 8th, 2009, 01:50 AM
They have new age treatments for that. I got one. My face clear for about a YEAR. But if you are perscribed a medicine called "Minocycline", stay AWAY. Do NOT take that perscription.
bowlheadhere
June 20th, 2009, 02:41 PM
Heyy, I want to pursue a career in being a musician or actress (the American dream, lol) but my acne is causing me horrible self esteem issues, any advice on how to treat WITHOUT BUYING ANYTHING? but if you dont know how to w/o anything, just tell me what to buy :P
Cuz its on my face, neck chest and back, but worst on my chest and back :(SO PLEAASEEE HELP ME ASAP!!!
I would seriously recommend going to a dermatologist if it is as bad as you say. I had a friend who was in a similar situation, and they went to a dermatologist, well, their dad, and now its all gone. The only thing remaining is a couple of scars, but it is SOOOOO MUCH BETTER! Clearer than my skin now.
google_lover
June 20th, 2009, 02:57 PM
Acne can be a very socially debilitating condition. Many people who suffer from severe acne often feel very self-conscious, which is perfectly understandable. Society imposes ideal images onto us, especially us vulnerable adolescents.
Often tmes, we feel that there is nothing we can do to improve our situation except turning to medication. Sometimes this is necessary, but it should only be used as a last resort. We put far to much stock in doctors' opinions these days. That said, I am in no way suggesting that medical advice should be ignored. What I do advocate, however, is that all decisions made by the patient should be informed choices. Remember: it is your body, not the doctors - you are the one who will have to live with the side effects.
For instance, I myself suffer with mild acne on my face and moderate acne on my back. I've had it for the last four years. It never caused many problems: the facial acne is of a standard for any teenager, whilst the acne on the back (albeit non-scarrng) was bad enough for me not to go around topless or even go to the swimming pool due to self-consciousness. My doctor had prescribed me several anti-biotics with middling efficacy. Eventually, my doctor referred me to a consultant dermatologist about three months ago.
Now, normally, one would expect a consultant to make the right decisions - decisions that would be of greatest benefit to the patient. Not in this case. When the consultant examined my face (which was in quite good condition at the time), he gave a small sound indicating that he had an idea of how to treat me. Upon examining my back, his "diagnosis" was confirmed. He resumed his seat behind his desk and asked: "What do you know about Roaccutane?" I had heard of Roaccutane (or Accutane in the US), but the only thing I knew about it was the be-all-and-end-all of acne treatments. Guess what he decided to put me on.
He proceeded to talk for about the twenty minutes, trying to sell me the idea. It went like this:
DOCTOR: What do you know about Roaccutane?
ME: Well, I've heard of it before. It's pretty stong, isn't it? Like the be-all-and-e--
DOCTOR: Well anything you might have heard about it being linked to depression is unsubstantiated. There have been no proven links between use of the drug and suicide. That story which you might have heard about the young man in the US flying a plane into a building has been completely distorted. It's transpired that the boy hadn't actually started the treatment when he did that. There is no evidence which suggests that Roaccutane is linked to depression or mood swings. Etc, etc.
WTF?! Had I mentioned suicide or depression? No! He kept trying to convince me that there were no links. He then went on to tell me of the other "minor" side-effects: dry eyes (fix: eye drops), dry skin (fix: moisturise four times a day), dry nose (fix: put Vaseline up your nose), stomach upsets, etc. They don't sound too minor to me! I had dry skin as it was, so I would have ended up like sandpaper. He also mentioned that there might be some "mild liver enzyme impairment, but it should fix itself once the treatment ends."
He also told me how Roaccutane works. It reduces the size of your subaceous glands (sweat and grease producing glands beneath the skin) and liquifies the sebrum (the grease that causes pores to clog). So it actually changes your skin's chemical composition and is irreversible. That's why it dries out your skin.
The omniscient doctor proceeded to prescribe me the maximum dosage of the drug: 1mg per kg of weight, which would've meant 70mg per day. We said our goodbyes and paid up (€150 for 20 minutes). I didn't sound convinced by the treatment, it seemed to be very stong relative to the severity of my acne.
Once I returned home, I did my own research and found out some nasty things on the IPHA website. Apparently, before treatment commences, it is recommended that liver and kidney function tests be carried out to ensure the patient is fit for the therapy. It is also recommended that the patient is started on a lower dosage and works up to a dosage that is approriate for the severity of the condition.
In anecdotal evidence, I had a friend who was prescribed Roaccutane by a different dermatologist. In fairness, he did need it - the acne covered the entire of his face and manifested itself in largs, sore, pussy blotches. I was nowhere near this level of severity. He confirmed that he had suffered from severe mood swings, sometimes ending in moderate depression (albeit, not clinical).
Needless to say, taking into account the cost-benefits, I decided against the treatment, coming to the conclusion that my acne is not severe enough to justify such a strong treatment. If I were to be in a position where I was at risk of scarring, I would have taken it. Again, I emphasise that Roaccutane should be a last resort.
So having turned my back on the "miracle drug", I decided to attempt to rid myself of acne.
Before I continue, I would like to pre-empt my advice by saying that I have not ridden myself completely of acne. However, I have signifcantly improved it. I also acknowledge that research doesn't support some of the advice; all this is anecdotal evidence. The following treatments are taken at the person's own risk. I hold no responsibility for what happens if you choose to follow these methods of combatting acne. It's always important to consult your family doctor before starting any treatment, pharmaceutical or alternative. Some things can interfere with other medications, so be careful folks!
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NOW LISTEN UP! HERE'S THE ADVICE:
The first thing you have to do is take a look at your diet. Do you consume a lot of chocolate, sweets, processed foods, fatty foods, take-aways, etc.? If you do, STOP! All these things affect your skin and grease production. No offence Americans, but you seem to eat a lot of sugary, processed food. Even your fresh fruit is sprayed with colourings to make them seem more attractive(!). So please, try and return to more natural, pure foods if you can. Cutting out snacking on chips (crisps), soft drinks and other sugary stuff can really help. Instead, try some seeds or nuts, etc. They might appear bland at first, but that's because your mouth is used to tasting salty or sugary things. It has "forgotten" how to taste more subtle flavours. Also remember that being overweight has nothing to do with skin quality.
Water is a very important aspect too. You should be aiming to drink around 2.5 litres a day. It seems like a lot, but if you take it in 500ml bottles at a time, or always have a glass of water beside you instead of a soft drink. Water helps your body to flush out toxins that accumulate and partly cause acne. Water is good. Remember too that bottled water varies in flavour. For instance, I prefer Volvic over Evian water because it has a crisper taste. So make sure you find a water that you like - it'll make it easier to drink.
Unfortunately, food has been grown and genetically developed in such a way, many of the nutrients have disappeared from our diet. That is why it is paramount that we take a good, comprehensive vitamin supplement. Comprehensive means one that includes all the vitamins (A, all the Bs, C, D, E, K), minerals (iron, magnesium, selenium, calcium, etc.), and other things (edit). An Omega-3 supplement is also very beneficial. Although it doesn't improve the skin significantly, it does improve concentration and energy levels when taken in conjuntion with a healthy diet, so I just thought I'd mention it. :)
It is also a good idea to avoid citrus fruits - apples, oranges, lemons, limes, etc. These can increase acne for some reason; possibly due to the whey in some of them. However, they can be taken in moderation (I have a large glass or orange juice everyday).
Some claim that there is no scientific connection between people who stay indoors and acne. I have a response: rubbish! It makes perfect sense that people who do not go out often enough end up with bad skin. Sunlight aids in the production of Vitamin A - a vital substance for healthy skin - and those who don't get enough of it can expect to suffer from some form of bad skin. Sitting in front of a lovely window won't do it either - you have togo outside. Glass prevents the UV rays from reaching your skin (Yes, yes, I know: "UV radiation causes skin cancer". Too much of it does. Take everything in moderation). If you have acne on your back, take off your shirt, cloth block alpha-radiation too. Basically, go out and work in the garden for an hour. :)
But if you go out into that garden, you'll inevitably end up sweaty and generally yucky; time for a shower. Personal hygeine is terribly important. You should either shower or wash with a face cloth everyday. Don't take really hot showers either. As pleasant as they are after a long day working (academically or otherwise), hot water really dehydrates and damages your skin. So turn down the heat! Ideally, wash your face twice a day: once in the morning with a mild, exfoliating cleanser and once at night with just water.
Again, you don't need really, really hot water, just "very warm". For guys, I'd advise doing this after shaving. The warm water you use during shaving allows your pores of open (sorry, girls, don't know what you can do. :P). It also washes the soap from your face that could potentially clog your pores. After washing your face with cleanser, rinse it in cold water to close your pores again (easy in summer, very, very difficult in winter :P)
Regarding cleansers: I recommend a mild cleanser with exfoliating beads.Depending on how severe your acne, you don't need to use it every day (I'd normally use it 5 days a week). And remember: if someone recommends a cleanser and you use it, only to find that it makes your condition worse, don't assume that cleansers don't suit you. Different cleansers use different chemicals, so try different ones until you find one that suits you. Maybe your skin can't tolerate the exfoliating beads? That's often an issue, if it is, just forget about them and switch to a cleanser that doesn't have them.
Depending on the type of acne you have, sometimes you can squeeze the spots (zits). One piece of advice: DO IT GENTLY! If you're too rough with your skin, you'll scar yourself for life. If it doesn't go too easily, leave it for a few days until it develops into a head, even if it looks awful. Once these have been squeezed and all of the pus/whitehead has been removed (again, take it easy to get it all out), apply some surgical spirit using a cotton bud. I won't lie; it can sting like hell. But it only lasts for a few seconds and is well worth it. Surgical spirit (NOT methylated spirits - that's toxic) is an anti-septic and kills any bacteria that's present in the pore, therefore preventing reinfection. Another very versitile anti-septic is TCP. Once the spot is dead (depending on how big it was, it might take 1-3 days), the spot will scab over. These can often look worse than the original spot. A quick way to heal these is to use a zinc-based cream lik Sudocrem or zinc oxide ointment. Zinc promotes the regeneration of skin and helps to heal wounds. it really works! Apply is sparingly to the spots when you go to bed. Don't cover your entine face with it. Often they are paraffin-based creams and will clog healthy pores, so only apply it to affected areas! The cream can also be used on the back, etc.
Herbal remedies. Often discarded as just yucky-flavoured water, but I swear: THEY WORK! Just make sure you get good quality ones like those from A. Vogel. Two remedies that I found very useful are Milk Thistle and Echinacea (labelled "Echinaforce" by A. Vogel). Milk Thistle is used to increase liver function. I am convinced that it improved my acne, my cousin was advised to take it in the early 1980s as she had very bad acne, and it worked wonders then too. This is normally taken as drops in water or fruit juice daily (be warned: by improving your liver function, it also increases your bowel movements, making them more, uh, liquid. :)) Echinacea is a natural anti-septic. When taken in drops in water, it can be used to boost the immune system. It can also be used by dabbing it onto acne to kill them and reduce redness. Again, it really works and must be persisted with over a period of about a week.
Finally, don't forget that you can be genetically predisposed to acne (i.e. if your parents had it, it's likely you'll have it too), so it's not always your fault. Just remember that everyone gets it as a teen - it's a part of life. Just go with the flow. Unfortunately we live in a world where appearance is incredibly important, but remember that it's what's inside that counts (as corny and clichéd as it sounds). True friends won't care about your appearance, it's what makes you you that counts.
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I hope my advice has been helpful. If anyone has anything to ask or wants me to clarify something I've said, just PM me. :) I'm here to help.
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