quote:

Originally posted by todd:
I can't get rid of them...<br />I've tried differin gel, clearasil, pills (Clindamycin), a lot of water, cetaphil soap, cetaphil moisterizing cream, cream that dries up my face and causes the acne to disintegrate off.<br />I see my dermatologist frequently. <br /><br />Can anyone recommend a regimen for me with specific products? I'll try anything at this point.

quote:

Originally posted by James Garney:
sorry if this was already mentioned, but i didnt want to read all 7 pages :P

when i was 20, i found something that FINALLY got rid of acne. no gimmicks, no BS. it really worked. about a year ago, i found another one that is about 95% as good. details below:

#1: Daniel Kern's Regimen (www.acne.org)
put simply, this is the only acne treatment i have ever found to be simple, effective, long-lasting, and, most importantly, EFFECTIVE (yes, i said it twice). i used this for about 3 years (why i moved on, youll see below) and i went from constantly having 2-4 pimples (some large, some small) around my forehead and lips, to having 1-2 pimples every 6 months. i am not exaggerating. its pretty simple: cleanse, apply benzoyl peroxide, moisturize. ive recommend this to friends as well who have had worse skin than i did, and they are totally clear now too. you do, however, have to follow "The Regimen" PERFECTLY. you cannot skip days, you cannot do it once/day, and you really do need to use the specific BP he sells (ive used others before, when i was in another country, and it works, but was only about 75% as effective). its not very expensive ($20-$25/mo), and i highly, highly recommend it. another caveat: it takes 4-5 months to really see results, and your skin might look worse until then, and you will keep breaking out (until about 2-3 months). i almost quit so many times, but i stuck with it, and i was so happy.

#2: Carley's Clear and Smooth (www.clearandsmoothskin.com)
i stopped the regimen because i have naturally dry skin, and the weather in LA coupled with using BP one day made my skin super dry around my mouth. i really dont know why this happened, and i dont think it was totally weather related because it didnt happen until id lived here for 15 months or so, but it did. and having a gross, dry patch of skin is not the best thing for anybody, let alone an actor (id rather risk the pimples, to be honest). no amount of moisturizing helped either. so i got off The Regimen, and my skin was still not bad, but i did get pimples every now and then. i found Carley's randomly (i think it was reviewed on the Acne.org site), and tried it. it's much easier, you dont have to let the BP dry on your face (cleanse, wash, cleanse), and i has pretty much cleared up my skin again. the only thing is that The Regimen took care of those annoying whiteheads that, while not that noticeable, are annoying if you're up close and personal with someone. they never really come to a head, but i would just prefer to have zero skin problems as opposed to one. but, nonetheless, i get very few breakouts (about the same as The Regimen), and its quicker and easier. and cheaper. i havent tried the treatment that's specifically for teenagers with severe acne, so maybe ill try that and see if it helps at all. this one also takes 3-5 months (im on month 5 now, and ive been pretty consistently clear for 1-2 months).

in the end, The Regimen for sure works the best, but is a bit more tedious and takes a little longer. Carley's is easier, cheaper, but doesnt clear up *everything*. also, ive read about some people having bad reactions to Carley's on the acne.org message boards... but i tend to be skeptical of those posts because theyre usually angsty teens who dont see results in 3 weeks and instantly rant about it on the internet. but i thought id throw it out there.