So, what really are the best ways to go about acne?

[KeepTheHair]

Is there some supplements? Some dietary changes? What the hell can I do to get rid of my acne?


I am currently taking a mild dose of acutane and it has pretty much cleared up most of my face, which is fine. I don't want to take the higher dosage because I don't want it to cause hairloss or so. I also use Dr. lees retin A on my acne but really...it just persists. I am talking about the acne on my shoudlers chest and thats about where it's at. What the hell can I do to get rid of this crap?


Thanks for any help and resources.

 

[Todd]

IMO: azelaic acid 20%

It may or may not work on hairloss, but it DEFINETLY works on acne.
I used when I was 15 for one year, and after that, no acne.

 

[KeepTheHair]

Is that a topical cream or so? Where can I get azelaic acid?

 

[captain_que]

So did azelaic acid permanently cure it? Also, what kind of acne did you have?

 

[Todd]

I wouldn´t know about permanently...I don´t have acne anymore, but I would say that´s more likely due to the fact that puberty´s over. (I´m 26 now)

I didn´t have severe acne, it was your typical puberty acne, but it was uncomfortable enough. Azelaic acid is sold under the brand name skinoren in Europe. It contains 20% azelaic acid, and is a lotion. It´s a prescription, but I also think you can get it without a prescription in lower doses (15%, 10%).

 

[toocoolforhair]

Over the years I've found that facial washes actually make my skin worse. The only solution I've found that works for me is:

1. Wash my face with cold water morning and night.
2. Apply 5% Benzoyl Peroxide at night on any acne.

Initially it took me a couple of months to get results with this regimen, but it worked and now my skin is relatively clear. I still suffer from random breakouts though; maybe they are connected to life events and stress.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Not to sound like an infomercial but Max Clarity foam is wonderful. The treatment uses the versa foam technology like the rogaine foam. Its amazing how this stuff goes on so clean and leaves your face feeling so refreshed and clean. And if your skin tends to be oily it helps with that too. I wish this stuff was around when I was younger. I hate how benzyl peroxide creams or gels leave your face greasy. This stuff leaves no greasy film and because its a foam it penetrates the skin better and is more effective. Maybe that is why rogaine foam could be more effective as it penetrates the scalp better as well than the liquid.

 

[Maelstrom]

Dr. House - is your experience of the Max Clarity foam a personal one?

I'm 36 and still prone to acne. Had it quite severe for many years when I was younger. A sulfur soap and a 10% benzoyl peroxide wash is what I'm using now with fair success.

I like the sound of the Max Clarity foam but I don't think it's for sale here in the UK. I know Panoxyl do a foam benzoyl peroxide wash too and I could get that on ebay.

Tea tree oil is helpful too.

 

[DoctorHouse]

I would never recommend something I have never tried. I used it now since I unfortunately still get an occasional break out as an adult and it makes the skin look great. I virtually have no more break outs since using Max Clarity.

 

[Jacob]

Versa foam? Hmmmmm..interesting.

Get's good reviews here: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Max-Clarity-Foam-t260092.html

I thought this was interesting: http://ifrenel.com/ You apply it dry..don't even wet your face in the morning. Various clays and encapsulated s.a. I guess it's basically a sebum absorber(and yes, they're working on a scalp product)

In Ifrenel s.a., the salicylic acid molecule is entrapped in a microscopic capsule made up of starch molecules and mixed with the clay. This microencapsulated salicylic acid stays longer on the skin surface after rinsing and continues the process of dead skin removal long after the clay-sebum complex has been eliminated from the skin. Thus, Ifrenel s.a. continues to work for you throughout the day.

Edit..hmmm Dr. Marty Sawaya wrote this? http://www.ifrenel.com/upload/about/ifrenel_dr_marty_sawaya_oily_skin_acne.pdf

 

[HughJass]

posted this in another thread-

Treloar V, Logan Ac, Danby FW, Cordain L, Mann NJ. Comment on acne and glycemic index. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Jan; 58(1): 175-7

In this study, the dietary GI of patients with longterm
acne was significantly higher than that of the
healthy control subjects. These data force us to
disagree with the authors’ conclusion that ‘‘results
of this study do not reveal a relationship between
high glycemic index diets and acne.’’ On the contrary,
the correlation between high GI diet and acne
of greater than 2 years’ duration appears to be very
real and deserves further rigorous study.

Cordain L, Lindeberg S, Hurtado M, Hill K, Eaton SB, Brand-Miller J. Acne vulgaris: A disease of western civilization. Arch Dermatol 2002; 138:1584-90

Within the dermatology community, a general consensus has emerged that diet is unrelated to the etiology of acne. Except for 2 poorly designed studies, now more than 30 years old, there are few objective data to support this notion. In contrast, a large body of evidence now exists showing how diet may directly or indirectly influence the following 5 proximate causes of acne: (1) increased proliferation of basal keratinocytes within the pilosebaceous duct, (2) incomplete separation of ductal corneocytes from one another via impairment of apoptosis and subsequent obstruction of the pilosebaceous duct, (3) androgen-mediated increases in sebum production, (4) colonization of the comedo by Propionibacterium acnes, and (5) inflammation both within and adjacent to the comedo. This article will provide a review of the currently available literature on the association between diet and acne vulgaris as well as a discussion of the physiologic principles that may underlie this association.

BACKGROUND: In westernized societies, acne vulgaris is a nearly universal skin disease afflicting 79% to 95% of the adolescent population. In men and women older than 25 years, 40% to 54% have some degree of facial acne, and clinical facial acne persists into middle age in 12% of women and 3% of men. Epidemiological evidence suggests that acne incidence rates are considerably lower in nonwesternized societies. Herein we report the prevalence of acne in 2 nonwesternized populations: the Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea and the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. Additionally, we analyze how elements in nonwesternized environments may influence the development of acne. OBSERVATIONS: Of 1200 Kitavan subjects examined (including 300 aged 15-25 years), no case of acne (grade 1 with multiple comedones or grades 2-4) was observed. Of 115 Ache subjects examined (including 15 aged 15-25 years) over 843 days, no case of active acne (grades 1-4) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The astonishing difference in acne incidence rates between nonwesternized and fully modernized societies cannot be solely attributed to genetic differences among populations but likely results from differing environmental factors. Identification of these factors may be useful in the treatment of acne in Western populations

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/published_research/

 

[azyx]

For Chest and Back acne try to use Cod Liver Oil
I use 5x1000mg everyday!
Cod liver oil clean my back and chest in 2-3 months!
I start use cod liver oil for hairloss but it works great for acne also!

For the face....
Tretinoin (=retin-a @ night) cleans whiteheads and blackheads!
Azelaic acid cream 20% (more gently than gel) @ morning Clean inflammation acne!
+ wash the face with Clerasil (2% salicylic acid) 2 times per day!
And in 3 month u will have very clean face!

 

[Jacob]

Was just looking into this product that I've posted about before..but it wasn't readily available at the time: http://www.dermstore.com/product_Probiotic+Cleanser_17141.htm

That site has some good deals btw. The price on this one doesn't even show up in Google shopping etc. Much cheaper than other places...and free shipping.

Various hair/hair loss products as well.

 

[HughJass]

personal story-

I'm 28 and had really bad skin when I was younger, went on accutane and it cleared it up but ever since then I've always had oily skin and pimples- not many but enough to piss me off. I eat a pretty good diet and have done for quite some time....it's mediterraneanish, no added sugar, no processed foods and I hardly ever eat out. My diet includes probably about 3-5 servings of whole grains each day in the form of oatmeal in the morning and brown rice eaten with the other meals because whole grains are healthy right? At least that's what I thought until I read more about phytic acid, lectins and the other antinutrients in grains.

I stopped eating them a few days ago and get my starch fix from sweet potatoes and small amounts of white rice. Haven't had a pimple since. I'm quite amazed!. I feel way better as well- no doubt the grains were making my existing health problems way worse and preventing me from overcoming them, I don't feel the fog that came over me after eating them.

Goodbye grains! (with the exception of a little bit of white rice here and there and some fermented whole grains when I can be bothered preparing them)

 

[KeepTheHair]

Sooo my acne is actually going away! Yay. About the 2nd or 3rd time in my life. This is kinda rare.


I take a mild accutane dose. I think the help recently came from that I use both Dr. Lees retin-a on my back/arms and also now lately have been using his shampoo on my body also. reduces sebum, inflammation, antifungal...kinda makes sense I guess.

im hoping it stays away.

 

[captain_que]

Sooo my acne is actually going away! Yay. About the 2nd or 3rd time in my life. This is kinda rare.


I take a mild accutane dose. I think the help recently came from that I use both Dr. Lees retin-a on my back/arms and also now lately have been using his shampoo on my body also. reduces sebum, inflammation, antifungal...kinda makes sense I guess.

im hoping it stays away.

Both finasteride and accutane at the same time, how is that working out for you?

 

[Brains Expel Hair]

Gluten is very strongly correlated with acne. Interestingly enough, a lot of the "side effects" from accutane (a drug taken mainly by people suffering from acne) coincidentally are conditions that can be caused by gluten consumption. If you go onto any sort of acne support board (acnetalk?) one of the first things they'll tell you is to try cutting out gluten from your diet, the second would be to try cutting out casein (dairy).

I only break out now a days when I accidentally eat something contaminated with gluten. This is opposed to averaging at least about 1 pimple a week right up till I went on this diet.

 

[HughJass]

Gluten is just bad news all round. Not surprising that it is implicated in acne.



Just eat a paleolithic diet to get rid of your acne.