How I Tamed My Adult Acne
I have had some sort of pimple problem since I was about 12. As soon a puberty hit full force I was breaking out. It is very much genetic and very much something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. I’ve tried every acne medication ever invented except for proactiv, accutane, differin gel etc. The only thing I’ve ever had prescribed to me was Retin-A and I hated how it dried out my face.
I figured out that I was doing too much to solve this problem. I would wash, tone, use astringent on occasion, use blackhead scrubs, creams, zit gels and the list goes on and on. My skin was getting worse than it’s ever been.
I decided to read up on acne, AGAIN. I soon figured out that less was more. And, as it turns out, it was. I threw away all of my harsh cleansers and moisturizers with salycylic acid [that medication does nothing for my acne.] I began to heal my acne with plain old warm water. I washed my face with water in the mornings and in the evenings I’d cleanse with a regular face wash, not an acne wash. Soon, my face calmed down and I wasn’t getting any new pimples except for the occasional hormonal breakout [which were fewer and smaller than ever.] YAY! But I still had to deal with pimples that were there. The blackheads, the scars, and my brand new supersized pores!!
I want to note: my acne was never severe, but it was painful and ugly and persistent. It got to a point where I had no less than five blackheads and 3-6 whiteheads at a time any given week. Not a good look for a make-up girl. Make-up couldn’t cover that up. Also, at no point did I ever stop wearing make-up.
I decided to figure out how Proactiv worked. Why? So that I wouldn’t have to buy it. In the meantime I bought a mask [while looking for a clay mask that wouldn't break me out] to help deep cleanse my pores. After looking at all of these high priced clay masks online and in the health food store I bought something that I’d never looked twice at before. Made by Neutrogena, it had 3.5% benzoyl peroxide in it. I left it on 3 times longer than the instructions said and when I awoke the next day, I looked like a new person. My about-to-pop whiteheads were no longer red and angry. In fact, some of them were smaller and one of my blackheads was completely clean! BP - benzoyl peroxide was the key for me!
So what did I do, what do I use, and what is my routine?? [cont'd under the hood]::
