Acne - Bothell,WA

I've had personal success using Acne Free, and I am someone who did use Acutane in college. I did not have the suicidal or depressive side effects they talk about, but here I am in my mid 30's still needing good acne treatment (so did it really help, and was it worth it? Hard to say). Acne Free can be bought at Costco or Target (probably other places as well, but those are where I've bought it from). Also consider diet reasons. I know if I drink coffee I break out, but not if I drink tea or hot chocolate. So maybe there are some foods that cause more breakouts than others. I hope this helps.

Scientists at NY University College of Medicine have shown that Niacinamide is superior to antibiotics such as Clindamycin in controlling acne. Use "Niapads" (Nicotinamide acne pads) for controlling your acne. It’s Simple for Pimple(C). One step process provides exfoliation, pore cleansing, prevention of Acne and Skin Lightening (acne scars). www.niapads.com

I have had good luck with Proactive. Their mask has sulfur in it which works really good on problem areas.

If it's really bad acne go with acutane( I was on it for about 9months,great thing, just follow the instructions right. The only sideaffects I had was chopped lips and headachas sometimes, no thoughts of suicide like they say) My acne was pretty bad, by popping pimples all the time I delivered infection in my blood. If yours is not as bad try JanMarini line, cream with glycolic 12%, use night only, about $70, really good, helps for adult acne.

Hi Lori,
I am a massage therapist at a spa, and part of their specialty is skin care. There are estheticians for facials, but they also sell skin care products. Bare Minerals is apparently a good make up for acne prone skin. They also sell a skin care line called Obagi. I believe it works by breaking down and renewing your skin cells. I hope to start on Obagi when I am done nursing because it is a prescription-grade product. But a lot of clients have had wonderful results. It's good for acne, sun spots and freckles, wrinkles, etc. Their website is http://www.elleclinicalspa.com/. Good luck.
~J.

It depends on how bad the acne is. I had cystic acne, with big hard knots under my skin and worries about scarring, and I used acutane and it was a miracle worker for me. I had very few problems other than having to readjust my whole thinking about my skin--suddenly I had dry skin instead of oily. Even my scalp went from oily to dry! However, acutane is a very serious medicine, so not to be taken lightly. As my skin readjusted after I finished the course of acutane, it became more oily again. I still have occassional breakouts. I've actually had amazing results using a cream that I got at Target that comes from an English company. It's the Boot's No. 7 Preserve and Perfect Intense serum. It is marketed for anti-ageing, but I found that in addition to softening lines it also made my skin clear up. It may be worth a try at $20. Also, I use inexpensive Cetaphil cleaner and Kiehl's moisturizer. The funny thing is that they've replaced the very very expensive moisturizers that are now just sitting in my medicine cabinet. I like high end cosmetics, so I occassionally buy high end face care, and you know what? It is never worth it. Honestly. And I spend a mint on my foundation because I think it is worth it. So that's my 2 cents worth. :) Good luck. I know how demoralizing breakouts can be.

Mary Kay Timewise for combo/oily skin works wonders and paired with the acne treatment gel it's a dynamite combinatiob

I have a friend who had serious acne problems growing up and accutane was a miracle for her. You have to follow the directions and listen to the doctor/dermatologist. Now with that said, if you go to Lush Cosmetics (all natural, handmade soaps, cleansers, lotions) they have a face treatment/cleanser called Pharmacy. It is the greatest stuff. My son uses it on his acne prone face and for his back acne and it works wonders. They also have Dark Angels which will also help, both of these are daily cleansers. Keeping the skin clean and clear is a must. It may also mean that you'll need an antibiotic. My cousins were put on a low dose antibiotic to help clear and keep the clear of any infections, which some acne is truly is. You need to see your doctor/dermatologist for guidance.

Melaleuca has a great product called Zap-it!® Acne Defense System.. It works like proactive without the harsh chemicals and you can save money. Zap-it is a 4 step system that costs about $17, compared to $26 for Proactive. Also, Melaleuca has other products that may interest you, like lotions, toners, cosmetics, etc. that may also help prevent acne. Again, all Melaleuca products are safe and natural, without harsh chemicals and bi-products, for less than retail prices. Check out www.melaleuca.com and let me know if you have any questions.

My son hit his teens and got it really bad - I bought hundreds of dollars worth of various products - we tried ProActive (big waste of money did nothing), then DHC acne line, then Alpha Hydroxy Acne line, Burts Bees Acne products, Neutrogena acne line, and others I can't even think of. The ONLY thing (and last thing he is using now) that seems to be working, is some products we found on acne.org it is daniel kern acne products, we ordered the kit, and you need to stick with it for a few months, but then results will come. There is a lot of info. on that site.