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Aggressive acne
My skin is very temperamental I have used so many acne face washes I'm currently am using proactive and have been for the last 6 months. The main problematic area is my cheeks. The pimples I get there and so aggressive and stubbourn. They are very red and Are big They stay there for a week and they leave scars on my face that I cannot get rid of. I eat quite healthy and I wash my face every night with proactive. The pimples are really embarrassing they really let my self etsteem down. I'm 16 years old and a female
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I also suffered from really bad acne on my cheeks for about a year. It was so bad that people would stare and I never wanted to go anywhere. Now my skin is relatively clear and I am studying skincare. Here's some tips based on what worked for me and what I've learned in school:
- Don't use anything overly harsh on your face. Anything too harsh will just dry out your skin, causing it to produce more sebum (oil) to compensate, which will cause more breakouts. Since you've been using Proactive for six months, I think it's fair to say that it's not working for you and you should stop using it. When trying new skincare, give it about a month before you decide if it works or not- a "purge" phase can be common;
Do you wear face makeup? (Concealer, foundation, etc) If so, try switching it up and see if it helps. My acne was causing by using a cheap, greasy drugstore foundation. Try switching to a more natural mineral powder foundation (L'oreal and Bare Minerals make good ones) for a while. I know it can be tempting to cake on makeup to try to cover everything but it will only make the problem worse. If your face gets oily during the day, blot with a blotting paper rather than put more powder on top.
Do you drink lots of water and get enough sleep? Simple thing that can make a huge difference in your skin. You can also try cutting out dairy, especially milk. It causes many people to breakout.
Try switching to more natural products- if your skin is sensitive, it'll help a lot. Ingredients like tea tree, kaolin clay, and witch hazel can be beneficial. Another ingredient to look for is meadowsweet. It's a natural source of salicylic acid, an effective acne fighting ingredient, that won't irritate the skin the way the synthetic version can.
This soap has been an absolute miracle worker for my face and back acne:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
(Check out the reviews.) It's not cheap but it lasts me at least a year- it's huuuge. It's the only thing that worked to clear up my super painful cystic acne.
You also want to make sure you're using a good moisturizer- again, to make sure your skin doesn't produce excess oil and break out more. The right moisturizer will not make your acne worse. I absolutely love the All Sensitive Moisturizer by Aveda. A similar drugstore option is Cetaphil moisturizer.
Sun damage can actually make acne and acne scarring a lot worse, so you need to make sure to wear sunscreen every day. I love the Neutrogena Clear Face SPF 45. Not greasy, doesn't break me out.
At night, you need to make absolutely sure you are removing alllll of your makeup if you wear it. For makeup removal, I recommend a foaming cleanser. I love the Aveda Outer Peace cleanser. (Cetaphil makes a nice gentle cleanser as well, but I prefer the Aveda if you can get it because of the acne fighting ingredients). If you don't wear makeup, the Clearly Complexion soap I linked earlier is fine. Thoroughly wash your face, then spot treat and moisturize. You can use acne pads (Aveda Outer Peace ones are good, moisturize afterwards) or a salicylic acid spot treatment or diluted tea tree oil (my favorite).
Make sure that your hair is clean and out of your face (the oil can make acne a lot worse), especially when you're sleeping. Change your pillowcase often, and make sure to wipe down your phone and clean your makeup brushes regularly.
If you can afford to, I would definitely recommend getting a facial. It's amazing the difference it can make in your skin, especially for scarring. I get Aveda facials and have found that the BSR (exfoliating) and Perfecting Plant Peel work really well for fading scars. The Outer Peace facial is also amazing for clearing up acne. (Btw, I'm not a salesperson for them or anything haha. I just love their products and am at an Aveda beauty school so I'm pretty familiar with their stuff.) An esthetician (facialist) can also give you ozone steam treatments, which can be very beneficial. Once your skin is clear, there are a lot of amazing face products that are very effective at fading scars.
If you can't afford facials, try to give yourself treatments at home. You should be exfoliating once a week and doing a mask every week or two. (Not on the same day- space it out).
Exfoliating will help remove dead skin cell buildup to fade scars, clear up skin, and just make it look smoother and nicer. Look for a scrub with rounded scrubbing beads (avoid St Ives at all costs). I like this one a lot:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Gently scrub your face (don't do too much on top of breakouts), then moisturize.
As far as masks go, something that helps draw impurities out will help you a lot. I love the Aveda Outer Peace cooling mask and Aveda Deep Cleansing Herbal mask. I've also heard that Origins Clear Improvement and Origins Out of Trouble are good. Queen Helene Mint Julep mask is a cheap option. If your skin tends to be drier, using a hydrating mask can actually help prevent breakouts. The Aveda Intense Hydrating mask is amazing and has aloe, which is good for acne. You can even customize it by added a few drops of tea tree oil.
For extremely bad breakouts, you can buy a product called Aztec Secret at Whole Foods or online. It's a clay powder that you mix with organic apple cider vinegar (yes, it smells funny) that is incredible for drying up acne and giving really fast results. I recommend only applying it on pimples, leaving it on for 15 minutes, and making sure you moisturize afterwards. Don't use it more than every 2 weeks or so.
Vitamins/supplements that may help: fish or flax oil, sea buckthorn extract, biotin. (Consult a doctor first.)
If after trying these things for around a month you see no improvement, it may be time to see a dermatologist. Sometimes acne is caused by hormones in the body and can only be cleared up with medication. This is definitely a last resort but something to consider if your skin is really, really bad (google Grade 4 acne and compare your skin to the pictures if in doubt.)
Hope I helped! Sorry if that was too long, skincare is something I'm really passionate about, that's why I'm studying to become an esthetician. If you have any more questions feel free to drop one in my inbox. :)
- Krista, 23/f
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If over the counter medications are not working then you should probably consult a dermatologist. If you decide to do so make sure you see a Board Certified Dermatologist.
Most states will allow a doctor to practice a specialty if the have done a rotation in that specialty during their residency. A Board Certified Specialist is one who has gone through a year of extra training in a Fellowship in that Specialty and has passed all the tests and requirements to be Certified in that Specialty.
Your family doctor is trained to handle routine things. Your acne sounds like it is past routine and needs a specialist. There are two ways to find a Board Certified Specialist. The first is to call the local hospital referral line and ask for one. The other is to call the State Department of Medical Licensing or go on their Website and find one.
If your parents have medical insurance. Most insurance companies will cover treatment for acne. You can call the number on the back of the insurance card to find out if you will be covered for this care.
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