Acne

[tam.audio]

Anyone have some tested methods of treating acne and ultimately getting rid of it. I found this post (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=110&highlight=acne) but wonder if there may be more answers. I don't have terrible acne, it's more or less a nuisance. I'll get a pimple here and there and sometimes one big ugly zit. I hope I don't have to deal with it forever, I've tried products with salacylic acid (spelling?) and they seem to make things worse. Right now I just wash my face twice a day.

Any help is appreciated,

Thanks

[mpisarcik]

hey man this is from a previous thread. try this out (should cost you less than $15) and has made all the difference for me lately.


http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7743

hey man- im a college student myself at ASU and know what you're going through. I bought alot of wet shaving stuff:

http://in-stereo.net/matt/shave4.jpg

However, what i have found that works best for me now, showing THE BEST RESULTS in YEARS is the following:
1st
http://www.shave.com/prod/img/kosfa_info.jpg

2nd
http://www.shave.com/prod/img/kosnum_info.jpg

3rd
http://www.ocado.com/catalog/images-full/15536011_L.jpg

I only shave every 2-3 days now. every day was making my skin look horrible, and my acne worse. Also, only wash your skin with some kind of product 1 or 2 of the days you are not shaving, and NEVER before you shave. This will only strip natural oils from the skin and lead to irritation.

The best wash i've found in the past 5 years is the following:
www.barberbrigade.com
the sharp's barber brigade no smell clean foam face wash- available at target right next to Proraso. Best stuff i've used period.

Also, depending on your face, you may want to get a REALLY sharp blade like Feathers loaded into your razor ( i use the long handle classic from Merkur). The duller blades tug at my skin and cause more harm than good. Try the sampler pack from letterK. Im glad i did- by reading alone, i thought the Derby's would be best for me- turns out they were one of the worst for my skin.

When it comes time to Moisturize- ask youre parents what they use. i tried so many things that didn't agree with my skin type until my mom gave me a travel size of her's. we have very similar skin, and it works great for me!

http://pics.drugstore.com/catimg/21761/seriouslysensitive_quadA_right.jpg

When my skin balances out a little more, i'll give the brush and cream another go. but for right now this is what is working for me.

[vespergo]

For me switching to a DE has alleviated the problem of spots here and there. I think it's due to the exfoliation that occurs. I just wash at night and in the morning i wash the T-zone with a decent soap. Most better soaps can be found at TJ Maxx, look for some sort of olive oil soap, those are pretty dang gentle on the skin. Something like olivia care or basically any good soap. don't scrub but just massage for like 10 seconds. don't wash the shaved area, just shave and rinse thoroughly and you should have good results.

are you using a DE razor? single bladed razors are suggested for anyone who has problems using multi-bladed razors. give it a shot.

[zachster]

Coincidentally, I had some pimples unexpectedly show up a few days ago (not a common occurrence in one's 40s, but it happens, usually in odd places). Out of curiosity, I rubbed them with my dampened alum block, and let them air dry. After two mornings of this, they are drastically reduced (dried out) and on their way back to whatever corner of Hades they came from...

[19george]

The salicylic acid makes things worse because it dries out your skin, making your face overproduce more oil. The same thing happened to me. Avoid it at all costs.

I would recommend getting a mild face cleanser or an olive oil soap (I use Papoutsanis) to wash your face. Also go over to qed and get yourself some French Green Clay and some Da Vinci Water. Your face will thank you. :cool:

[TimmyBoston]

I'm 25, use a DE and still suffer from moderate acne. I use NB Face Wash on a regular basis and Nuetrogena Deep Cleanser on occasion (it dries out my skin if I use it too much). The DE has helped, but the majority of acne is related to ingrown hairs, which I suffer from terribly.
I have read good things about the French Green Clay from QED. It gets rave reviews, but I'm sure how it fares up against acne.

[TimmyBoston]

Come to think of it, I have a replenishing facial mask from NB that I got with a package. I should give it a try. When I do, I'll post the results.

[moses]

Hmm.... well, I think this depends what we are talking about. A few troublesome pimples popping up now and then is something a lot of us deal with now and then. And simple good skincare as discussed is probably the best answer to that. And then there are ingrowns/razor bumps, which can seem similar, but are not the same thing at all.

But real honest to goodness serious acne, which may clear up with time, and may vary in severity because of various things, including good skin care. But it isn't going away with just good skin care. Best plan is probably visit a dermatologist. But depending on the situation, they may not be able to get rid of it without fairly drastic measures. My brother had serious acne, and used a prescription topical called Retin-A, I think, that very hich concentration vitamin A. Not so friendly to the skin over all (good skin care otherwise was required), which helped. He also took a oral antibiotic (there are ones that are used for this that are ok for longer term use than normal antibiotics). The combination worked mostly. Enough not to take the really hardcore oral stuff, which I don't remember the name of, but which has a side effects list yards long.

As another option, I have had several people tell me that Proactiv, of all things, is the only thing that works for them. Even people who have gone to a dermatologist and gotten nowhere. My office mate has absolutely perfect skin, but told me that up until very recently it was very bad, and only cleared up using Proactiv. I dunno, the whole Jessica Simpson infomercial thing is incredibly cheesy, but word of mouth supports it.

-Mo

[tam.audio]

I'll have to try some of the things listed above, and discontinue the salacylic acid stuff. I scrub my face in the shower as well, I'll stop doing that and see what happens. Thanks all.

[huxley_knew]

Hey man, just my two cents:

check www.acne.org for a veritable wealth of information on the subject. The founder of the site has developed a simple 'regimen' as he calls it, on how to manage acne. Basically it just centers around being as gentle as possible when cleansing the skin (no Dial or other harsh soaps...try Cetaphil), using healthy portions of Benzoyl peroxide (any percentage would work well) followed by a moisturizer to keep the skin happy. I've been on it for about 4 months, and I've been really surprised at the results. It fits in really well with my shaving routine.

[Edcculus]

I also have only slight pimple problems. My dermitoligist recommened Cetaphil face wash.

I also use Neutrogena "On The Spot" acne treatment. Although it says "on the spot" as in on pimples when they pop up, I usually apply it to my forehead and anywhere else I dont shave.

At least twice a week, I use the acne treatment on my beard and neck area after an after shave or witch hazel splash. If I want to use an after shave balm, I let the acne treatment dry, then apply the asb.

What I like about the "On The Spot" is that it doesnt dry out my skin like so many other acne creams and treatments out there. It also keeps my forehead and nose a lot less oily. The box explains, like Huxley said above, that the treatment only contains a 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide forumla rather than the 10% most products contains.

[FriscoSoxFan]

A great product for oil control that you use as a final step after moisturizing is Mary Kay's Oil Mattifier. This helped me greatly in gettin my acne and oil problems in control. It knocks the shine down for about 6-8 hours and is completely clear and absorbs fully, so it is fine for guy use. I highly recommend it. I am not sure if there are any competing products out there.

DISCLAIMER: I am employed by Mary Kay and work at the corporate office in Dallas.

[GarageBoy]

Nivea's oil control works pretty well for me

[yomuppet]

Hey man, just my two cents:

check www.acne.org for a veritable wealth of information on the subject. The founder of the site has developed a simple 'regimen' as he calls it, on how to manage acne. Basically it just centers around being as gentle as possible when cleansing the skin (no Dial or other harsh soaps...try Cetaphil), using healthy portions of Benzoyl peroxide (any percentage would work well) followed by a moisturizer to keep the skin happy. I've been on it for about 4 months, and I've been really surprised at the results. It fits in really well with my shaving routine.

I can attest to the efficacy of this 'BP gel' as well, though I do use MUCH less than the author recommends. You can purchase the gel from his site, clearskinregimen.com . When used in combination with a gentle cleanser (e.g. Cetaphil, or generic copy) and moisturizer (e.g. Olay Complete for Sensitive Skin with SPF), and possibly an alpha-hydroxy lotion (with glycolic or lactic acid, I know Walgreen's makes a generic one), it has done wonders for me.

Basically this is similar to a DIY 'Proactiv solution', but quite a bit less expensive.

J

[Jack Bauer]

I also had tried the BP gel off of acne.org and while it did clear up my skin a little to begin with, it shortly stopped working. Plus I can't get over the fact that benzoyl peroxide is not good for you in the long run. Like I have read other places I think the fine lady from Gents,LLC has stated that BP does not discriminate in what it kills. It may kill the bacteria but it is also killing other things as well.

Chris

[Wolverine]

I would consult a dermatologist.
A friend of mine had quite a problem with acne vulgaris.
There is good treatment available. Roaccutan is a 6 month treatment (oral capsules) that in many cases get rid of the problem permanently. There are some side effects during the treatment period, but should be easily to put up with, when contemplating the fact that problem is eliminated upon completion of the treatment. My friend has not had a zit after this treatment.

[huxley_knew]

I also had tried the BP gel off of acne.org and while it did clear up my skin a little to begin with, it shortly stopped working. Plus I can't get over the fact that benzoyl peroxide is not good for you in the long run. Like I have read other places I think the fine lady from Gents,LLC has stated that BP does not discriminate in what it kills. It may kill the bacteria but it is also killing other things as well.

Chris


Um, BP doesn't really kill anything itself, unless you're taking 100% Benzoyl Peroxide, in which case it causes cancer (at least in lab mice). The only reason the Propionibacterium acnes bacterium is killed is because it can't live in the presence of the oxygen generated when the BP decomposes. Otherwise it's harmless in the dosages (1-10% by weight) given in the topical creams.

[Jack Bauer]

Um, BP doesn't really kill anything itself, unless you're taking 100% Benzoyl Peroxide, in which case it causes cancer (at least in lab mice). The only reason the Propionibacterium acnes bacterium is killed is because it can't live in the presence of the oxygen generated when the BP decomposes. Otherwise it's harmless in the dosages (1-10% by weight) given in the topical creams.

Well Nicole from GentsLLC posted this in her skin care clinic:

"A note on benzoyl peroxide as an ingredient:

While benzoyl peroxide does effectively kill the bacteria that are known to be part of acne, one of the side effects is an increased presence of oxygen free radicals, which may affect endogenous cells and lead to accelerated skin aging. Peroxides are not strictly selective for bacteria and so they can also alter other cells. If you insist on using benzoyl peroxide, please make sure to use it sparsely and exclusively on acne-prone areas. This is part of the reason why I could never understand the interest in oxygen treatments."

[huxley_knew]

Well Nicole from GentsLLC posted this in her skin care clinic:

"A note on benzoyl peroxide as an ingredient:

While benzoyl peroxide does effectively kill the bacteria that are known to be part of acne, one of the side effects is an increased presence of oxygen free radicals, which may affect endogenous cells and lead to accelerated skin aging. Peroxides are not strictly selective for bacteria and so they can also alter other cells. If you insist on using benzoyl peroxide, please make sure to use it sparsely and exclusively on acne-prone areas. This is part of the reason why I could never understand the interest in oxygen treatments."


I admit the overwhelming presence of free radicals is detrimental to living cells (lots of oxidation is bad); however one needs to remember a few things:

1.) The topmost layer of skin is dead...so the vast majority of the oxygen free radicals are never contacting living tissue
2.) What few free radicals that do make it into living cells are quickly and easily neutralized by endogenous superoxide dismutase (SOD), an enzyme specializing in getting rid of oxygen radicals which normally form during certain metabolic processes.
3.) There is a well-documented 'hardening effect' associated with continued, long-term use of benzoyl peroxide topicals. While it may not be desirable, it's in no way detrimental to one's health.

Just hoping to settle some concerns!


-Joe