Adult acne solutions? Please help.

[gardenhoe]

DH (mid 40s) suffered with terrible acne growing up. It has continued thru adulthood but not as bad. However, recently it seems to have really gotten worse. Its not the normal pimples, rather the large red blotchy kind and they aren't going away. So bad, that my mother even asked me about it.

DH decided to try Proactive for 30 days. We don't think it made any difference however he wants to try it for another 30 days. I can tell he's upset about this because he has been deligent about doing the treatments twice a day. BTW, DH has never been one to go to doctors, so I know he wants to handle this on his own first.

I'm reading online that Proactive doesn't work for everyone. Some people said AcneFree which is same ingredients as Proactive is sold at Walgreens and WalMart for $20 less. I think we'll try that if he wants to do another 30 days.

What other products have you had good luck with? Thank you.

 

[maddiemom]

I have used Proactive for years and it works well for me. Probably would work better if I used it as diligently as your DH. As I recall when I started using it, it did take a while to really notice the results. One of the things that works the best for me is the Refining Mask that they have. It's not something you use everyday, but maybe a couple times a week. I use it only when my hormones are going crazy and I get random pimples. The mask seems to make a big change in a short time.

It is so not right to be this far into adulthood (I am now closer to 40 than to 30) and have problems with acne. I completely understand how your DH feels. I haven't tried any other products other than Proactive. Does he have the mask....if not try to add it to the mix and he might see even better results.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

OMG I could have written OPs post myself!!

The past few months my skin is randomly breaking out like crazy. It's all around my chin, but it's the nasty HUGE red ones, like a volcano getting ready to explode.

I've just been using Seabreeze and Clearisil, but might need to go to something more "professional".

 

[agentpleakley]

Never had acne as a problem as growing up. Had DD when I was 34. Then, I started having problems. Proactiv did not help me one bit. On a fluke, while in Disney of all places, I noticed my face cleared up. When I got back, I talked to my doctor. I was taking 2 Vitamin C tablets a day to ward off a cold. She said that was doing the trick (as I hadn't changed any other part of my routine).

So, to keep my face clear, I use a soap called FreshRx only available at Bathos in Franklin, Tennessee (is available online) & 2 Vitamin C tablets every morning. This did the trick for me and it is relatively cheap. Good Luck!

 

[Buckalew11]

My advice is to go to www.cosmeticscop.com and read up on skincare (acne) and you'll have a better understanding of exactly what he needs in a product.

If the skin has the inability to peel itself, it needs help with that to keep skin clearer. Those dead skin cells need to be sloughed off--gently because he has problem skin that you do not want to inflame.

I would guess he would need a benzoyl peroxide of 5%-10% to work well if he needs one.

Acne takes a while to form so tell him to keep with some type of routine. Sometimes we break out after eating something (say chocolate--which that and fried foods can trigger skin problems, you know, used to they were saying it did not matter after we hd heard that all of our lives). But otherwise, acne does not form over night.

Paula has some good products. Serious Skin care does also. Paula is not crazy about them but I have turned to them many times over the years for help.
Proactive did not help me. Acne free did not help me and Murad did not help me.

SSC has probably helped the most. They have a zinc based product called Dry-Lo which works great. (smells but works)

Good luck! I have never had horrible skin but have always broken out. At 43, I think it is time to just have wrinkles and no acne, please.

 

[pixie dust 112]

I never had acne until I was an adult. Have had prescriptions that help, but never totally clear up. My 14 year old daughter told me to try "Biore blemish fighting ice cleanser" (you can get it at target or anywhere really, probably even in the grocery store) I've been using it since January and have had next to no acne! An occasional PMS pimple, but that is it! I stopped using my prescriptions. Man I'm I saving money!

 

[Buckalew11]

Never had acne as a problem as growing up. Had DD when I was 34. Then, I started having problems. Proactiv did not help me one bit. On a fluke, while in Disney of all places, I noticed my face cleared up. When I got back, I talked to my doctor. I was taking 2 Vitamin C tablets a day to ward off a cold. She said that was doing the trick (as I hadn't changed any other part of my routine).

So, to keep my face clear, I use a soap called FreshRx only available at Bathos in Franklin, Tennessee (is available online) & 2 Vitamin C tablets every morning. This did the trick for me and it is relatively cheap. Good Luck!

Agent Pleakley (btw, I love that character and so I love your name!!), that is so interesting. How much Vit. C do you take. I have heard this before but have enever tried it.

 

[agentpleakley]

Agent Pleakley (btw, I love that character and so I love your name!!), that is so interesting. How much Vit. C do you take. I have heard this before but have enever tried it.

I take 2 of the 500 mg chewables. I just buy the big bottle at WalMart or Target. I would have never made the connection but for my doctor figuring it out.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

They sound like cysts or boils. That can serious as far as infection. It may require antibiotics as well as some prescription meds.
He really needs to seek professional help before he destroys his face.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Did you move or travel recently where he would be washing his face in different water? My skin likes to break out when I change water, and then goes back to normal after I get used to it.

Proactiv is too harsh for me to use all three products. I did try it for a while using only the cleanser and that worked OK. About a year ago I started using a charcoal mask from Origins once a week and that works great! I would do it on my whole face once a week, and spot treat once a week. I also use a salcylic acid scrub and spot treatment daily, and vit. C.

 

[KLAIT]

I have also struggled with acne...and when I turned 40 it was worse that it has been for several years. I have found that a good cleanser and an exfoliator work wonders. It is also amazing to note that skin with acne needs a moisturizer. It needs to shed the dead, dry skin so the oil can escape instead of stay in the pores and get infected. Once you are done exfoliating, use a good oil-free moistuizer.

I agree with the posted who suggested Serious Skin Care and their Continuoisly Clear line. It is a 3 step process that works wonders and it is not as harsh as Proactive. Not everyone can use Benzoyl Peroxide as it can make your skin a lot worse. Serious Skin Care is based on salcylic acid doing the trick...the best thing is if you order this from HSN, you can keep it for 30 days and return it if it does not help.

 

[gardenhoe]

Great info. Keep it coming! I'll let him read it all and see what he wants to try.

I take Vit C daily so already have that on hand. I thought you were going to suggest a WDW trip when I first read it.

 

[luvmy3]

I would go see a dermatologist. If it is cystic acne you will need antibiotics to treat it. There is no topical that will help, some things can even make it worse.

 

[Buckalew11]

Thanks, AP. I am going to try the vit.C

Funny someone said different water...my face always breaks out at WDW. I think it hates the water there (darn it!). My face always seems to break out when the seasons change too. It is weird.

I'll tell you another exfoliator that seems to work at my house (my 14yo DD uses it too). It is from Ice Elements and it is called the 2 minute miracle exfoliating gel. http://www.iceelements.com/index.html?view=category&sid=&cid=&tid=&CatID=2&SubID=42

This is their set. I actually buy it from HSN (the gel itself) and have used this set. I liked this cleanser but the serum did not produce results like other things I have tried although it is a very good product IMHO. I think you can get a free small sample jar for shipping costs on their website.
Here is the link to that offer (2 small jars, several applications--I always take on to WDW with me good for travel) http://www.iceelements.com/index.html?view=category&CatID=31&sid=&cid=&tid=

 

[gardenhoe]

Ya know, I was just taking a good look at his face. It does look better than it did before Proactive. Maybe we just haven't given it enough time. I don't think its been a full month yet. I'll pick up the AcneFree instead and suggest the Vit C along with having him read all your replies for other suggestion.

 

[JoBird]

I would go see a dermatologist. If it is cystic acne you will need antibiotics to treat it. There is no topical that will help, some things can even make it worse.

Absolutely!!!

I was going to suggest an antibiotic of Doxycycline, Minocycline, something of the sort. It is an infection inside the body, not ON the skin. Antibiotics will go very far in healing it. If he is on it, it will be a low dose, somewhat long term therapy, BUT IT WORKS.

I never had acne before my last daughter was born, then it came up on the jawline. Huge, hurting cyst-like bumps. Tried years of Murad products- very expensive. Tried Perricone products- even more expensive.

Went to the Derm and she said that Neutrogena Oil Free acne wash does as well as the most expensive things out there. She prescribed Doxycycline to me and I started the Neutrogena. Immediately, my face started to clear. I'd say within a week or two. It was unbelievable. I had spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on all this stuff to try- and it was taken care of with a $5 co-payment for an antibiotic and a $5 bottle of face wash from Wal mart.

I don't take the Doxy anymore- and just use the Neutro face wash now- and my skin glows.

HTH-

Jo

 

[mysticIT]

Get him an appointment with a dermatologist. Any topical medication should be dabbed on his spots not rubbed. Rubbing will spread the bacteria. A good dermatologist might be able to clear that up in no time, though.

 

[JoBird]

Just wanted to add-

Vitamin c does help acne clear a bit- it is an anti-inflammatory. The Derm will probably get him to take that as well- at least, mine told me to try it.

Jo

 

[mickeysgal]

My pediatrician told us that Proactive doesn't respond as well to guys as to girls. He prescribed a topical ointment for my son.

DH had terrible cystic acne growing up and his face is scarred from it. To this day, he still continues to break out and it seems to trigger from stress and certain foods. I wish he'd see a dermatologist but after years of seeing one and not seeing any great results, I think he's just accepted the fact that he'll always continue to break out. Can't convince him otherwise...

 

[Dr Pepsi]

Is he getting cystic acne? If so then he probably won't be able to cure it without seeing a doc.