Acne & Breakouts

[MMaxime]

Hi Stern, lemon juice should at most help with your acne scars but don't expect it to do anything for active acne, including clogged pores. I know acne is a frustrating problem but please be patient and try the BHA for around 2 to 3 months. I advised you to reduce the frequency because your skin was getting flaky. You will get gentler exfoliation and any effects the BHA may have on your clogged pores will be more gradual, but I personally think that is better than irritating or damaging your skin and possibly throwing its sebum production out of whack, restarting the vicious cycle for your skin issues. I started out on BHA with a heavy hand too but it just made my skin dehydrated, flaky and irritated as well as acne-prone. Red flaking skin looks and feels much worse than bumpy skin too. You can at least disguise pimples and clogged pores aren't as obvious as red flaking skin. It was very frustrating for me when I couldn't use any form of acne treatment for a while just to let my skin recover from over-exfoliation, and no form of skincare would absorb properly because of the flaking and damaged skin barrier. I guess it is up to you to decide if you want to risk over-exfoliation.

If you don't give any acne treatment you use time to work, you will never find a solution for your skin problems. This applies to plying your skin with new products all the time too, so please put off the TriAcneal until you have given BHA a good go. If your clogged pores are still the same and keep coming back, then it is unlikely that the BHA is making your acne worse. Exfoliants can resolve clogged pores if you use them regularly but your pores can still clog if you stop because your skin remains acne-prone, not because any acne treatment you are using is causing them. It is difficult to isolate the cause of acne and stop acne at its root, so sufferers of adult acne may have to continue acne treatment for the long-term.

Yes if you find a BB cream or concealer without SPF it likely means it will go fine with the RoC sunscreen (the problematic ingredient that is incompatible with RoC is octinoxate/ethylhexylmethoxycinnamate/octylmethoxycinnamate). Most BB creams contain SPF so you might run into more problems there if you want a BB cream. The BB cream without SPF that I use is Dr Wu Perfect Cover Blemish Balm Cream. It doesn't give me any problems but I cannot guarantee it won't give you trouble, though it shouldn't be any worse than Skin79. Please remove all BB cream and make up properly especially since you have acne. I am guessing that improper removal of make up may have aggravated your clogged pores - BB cream is notoriously tenacious and difficult to remove because of its high silicone content, like most sunscreens. Also, if you are intending to get the Dr Wu BB cream, please find a tester and see if you like the texture - I use very very little of it at a time because the coverage is quite good and my acne scars aren't extremely serious. A friend of mine who likes Skin79 BB creams doesn't like the Dr Wu BB cream because she feels that its texture is very thick.

The morning routine you asked about should be ok, but you can adjust your use of Hada Labo depending on whether the RoC sunscreen is moisturising enough for you. The RoC Soleil Protexion for Sensitive Skin is actually formulated as a sunscreen-cum-moisturiser.

It's ok but I can tell from your posts that you are getting quite impatient with your acne problem. Try and forget your skin problems because giving yourself stress about skin issues is not worth it at all and may just be causing you more acne. We're the most critical about our own physical appearance - most people won't zoom in to examine every single clogged pore and bump you have on your skin. There are enough things in life to worry about.

[Stern]

Hi Mmaxime, thanks again for the thorough reply!!

Why do you say that lemon juice won't be able to help with pimple/clogged pores? Saw lots of good reviews on acne.org and MUA as well :s
It's an exfoliant, AHA right?

And yes, I'm so stubborn and regret not to listen to you!
The continuous days use of Lemon juice resulted in very very dry skin that they're itching. The BB cream I applied on looks so cakey and cannot even hide my marks. I feel so embarsssed that I skipped the bus and took a taxi to work instead
Am using the hadalabo sha lotion still but still not moisturizing enough so I added two drops of jojoba oil onto it. I know I shouldn't add any new products now but my skin is very tight and itchy.

What is your take on jojoba oil? Some people swear that it helps their face big time. I also did an experiment by using a q tip and apply jojoba oil onto one of my cystic acne. Slightly slightly less painful but did not help it come to head yet..

As for the BHA, I can see it is definitely helping me. Before using it, my nose would feel bumpy very fast. But after using it, my nose doesn't have any rough feeling! Helped slightly but no miracle like those raved on MUA. as for this I'm still using it on my forehead nose and cheeks twice daily :S
How less often do you suggest me to use then?

I know you will flare up if I told you I have got the SS yet ! :p
But I'm really really afraid to apply it and causing me more bumps.

I'm in a dilemma right now, so confusing!!
Can you teach me or advice me should I continue with the lemon? Use it as spot treatment or? I'm not using anything other than lemon for the sides of my face which is heavily clogged. I dare not try the bha on the sides, dk why.. Am using two different exfoliant on two diff area. do you advice me to use bha and skip my lemon for the side or alternate them??

What can I apply on those bumps and active pimple and lastly cystic acne? I dont wanna use benzoyl peroxide because of it's side effects like pre-mature aging, free radicals which cause marks to linger longer. Or am I just "conned" by the internet saying? It does make people older faster right even if apply SS ? And if stop using, they will be back. I don't wanna rely on a thing that make me old faster for a long time.
Tried tea tree plantation gel, break me out more. Hence stopped trying. I don't have any pimple cream now but just q tip lemon on them and jojoba on one cystic to experiment.

Please give me your advice, clogged pores aren't any better at all still

Thanks!!

[Stern]

Few more doubts and questions here..

Since lemon juice couldn't be used daily, it means the rate of exfoliation, cells turnover are slower right if we can only use it twice - thrice a week? Which means bumps, clogged pores takes longer time to get rid of.
Compared it to differin, retin-a, they can be used daily after few weeks on it and it helps to prevent and remove buildup of dead cells and excess sebum daily unlike lemon juice right?

I want to like lemon juice very much and hope it could help me, but after reading reviews on acne.org and other forums, retin-a seems to be better and produce result. It also deals with anti-aging. Isn't it killing two birds with a stone?

So should I just ditch away lemon juice and get something I can apply on to deal with my acne/clogged pores daily?

I am sure everyone want to look young and not have fine lines, saggy skins thats why they're investing so much to help with their wrinkles. I'm just curious why people still use BP for their acne? You have to rely it forever and if you stop, acne comes back and you definitely age older faster cause you're using it everyday. Anyone clarify this? :S

How about Retin-A, BHA/AHA, do they cause free radicals like BP does?

I wouldn't mind using Retin-A long term compared to BP because it does the opposite of BP!

Has been 3rd week on 2% BHA, result isn't satisfying at all. Mind has already been set on getting Retin-A..

[MMaxime]

Stern, I don't even know where to begin.

For lemon juice, it's an AHA but a mild AHA that's not the most commonly used for the skin, yet the pH of lemon juice is low and any lemon oils that get in are photosensitising so lemon juice is both irritating and not as effective an exfoliant as other types of AHAs and BHAs formulated to be of optimum pH. If I were you, I would replace lemon juice with BHA. Again, your mindset is wrong if you are expecting miracles and overexfoliation will cause its own problems. Yes any effects will be slower but please be patient. It's only been a few days! You haven't even been using the product properly over these 3 weeks because you've been using it twice a day from the start along with lemon juice and now it appears that your skin may be irritated from overexfoliation. Please try any skin products for at least 2 months unless you're very sure it's causing irritation or acne even though you're using the product properly.

Retin-A is a specific brandname for the drug name tretinoin, which you threw away. TriAcneal is also a form of retinoid and I am an avid user of retinoids because as I have previously mentioned, they have both anti-ageing and acne-treating effects. I have never recommended benzoyl peroxide except for emergency spot treatment, and especially not for clogged pores. For retinoids, I think I mentioned in my very first reply to you that I think you should try one active ingredient at a time, so you should stick to BHA first before trying any retinoid. Also, if you're already so impatient while using BHA, I strongly advise that you avoid any retinoids until you learn to take things easier. You have to ease into using retinoids, just like with BHA, and some people can never get to using retinoids or BHA daily because that is simply too irritating and counterproductive. If your skin is as clogged as you say it is, you will likely go through a long purging process if you start using retinoids where you'll break out more and your skin worsens before it actually gets better. This is common with active ingredients like certain exfoliants and retinoids, especially with those people who have very clogged skin as the trapped sebum surfaces. If you're so bent on switching products and trying new things all the time as you are now, you will never make it through this purging process to see the results. Perhaps most importantly, you still have not started on using sunscreen yet, and you should never use retinoids without using a sunscreen in the morning.

Jojoba oil is a good moisturiser for some people but it does not treat acne. If it does not aggravate your acne, you can use it on any dry or peeling areas to alleviate the dryness but it won't work as a spot treatment for acne.

You're not listening to my advice, are you? Sigh. I feel like I keep repeating myself. I don't expect you to follow whatever I say as I am only one person giving her opinion over the internet and you're allowed to make your own choices, but if my advice is not helping you at all I might as well stop responding.

[Stern]

Hi MMaxime ,

This morning I woke up and started to use BHA on the side of my face instead of lemon juice.
I will just skipped the lemon juice from today onwards and apply BHA on the entire face instead of separating and using different products on different parts of my face.
But because I don't have any pimple cream and doesn't want to use BP, I q-tipped lemon juice on the pus acne and cystic acne :S

How stupid am I to actually use jojoba oil as SPOT TREAMENT , I'm actually laughing at myself now. -_- but in fact, it calms my cystic acne down and it isnt as painful after a night. weird..

I am so sorry and I REALLY appreciate you for giving me all the advices! But now I'm just quite traumatized by how bad my skin suddenly gets because I was once on accutane and my skin was flawless, and such a huge jump to this state I really just can't help but to worry and want the fastest result.. From totally clear to suddenly ten+ bumps and scarring on each side of face..

I will try the BHA for another month to help with the clogged pores on the side of my face from today onward.

I know BP creates free radical, but does Retin-A, AHAs/BHA, causes free radicals too?
Can I ask you what is the difference between Retin-A and AHAs/BHA?
I know AHAs and BHA are both exfoliants and AHA is water soluble and works on the epidermis while BHA gets deep down into pores and is oil soluble. Both helps to unclog pores.
What about RA? Is it also an exfoliant but just stronger? :S

Do you think I should also purchase TTO for spot treatment? Currently I don't have any thing for spot treatment and lemon juice is the only one I can use..

Lastly, how often do you suggest me to use the BHA? I should use it in the morning or night? Morning right? So it can help unclog and exfoliate throughout the day and when i get home just wash and moisturize? :S

Thanks again so so much!

[LTC]

Hi cotters,

I need some recommendation on which cleanser to pair with triacneal for my acne,skin type is combination and is it advisable to use bb cream to conceal some acne scar while there is active acne?

[chuku2]

Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser - it's very gentle and good if you don't wear make up.
Cetaphil oily skin cleanser - if you wear thin makeup or not water resistant make up.
I like to use cetaphil gentle skin cleanser in the morning and oily skin cleanser at night.

I don't find it any problem in concealing active acne as long as the bb cream or foundation doesn't clog the pore or irritate your skin.

[yoshimi]

I'm just back from my Bali trip, and as usual, my skin broke out again, luckily this time round its just the upper nose area and a little on my brows.. I'm just wondering if its the sunburnt that made my skin irritated, cause I got burnt quite badly, and the affected area, its just very red and burnt and with tiny pus.. Skipping most of my products, just salt on the pus for 5mins after I cleanse my face, after which, just diligently PHA day and night with my tretinoin at night.

Hey Stern, how are your acne? Don't top with more products for now, cause you never know which will cause you more problem.. Stick to your BHA day and night, but apply thinly.. And seriously, you need sunscreen, cause you will regret it when everything heals, and you see all the scars on your face, they will take at least 6months to heal.. As for your acne, be very patient, cause it takes at least 3months to see gradual result.. Are they very red or just pus filled?

[Stern]

Hey yoshimi!

What did you do in Bali? I find it so boring, haha!

I am actually only washing face with Avene cleanser which is deemed safe by chiaberry, then BHA whole face, then wait 10mins and HadaLabo SHA lotion.

You know what? I don't even know if the SHA lotion is helping or causing me more bumps..
Skin is dry only on sides of face and doesnt even look smooth, the clogged pores look more prominent and so hideous!!
How to determine ah?

I dont know why but my jawline keeps breaking out and now theres two big red one on my left jawline and one on the right. And one big one each on left and right cheeks.
The pimples are painful and the head haven't come up yet :S

Got one cystic weeks back that is no longer painful at all but still a slight bump and its dark brown in color. What to do with it? :S

Btw, do you think a pimple cream that helps bring a pimple to head is good or bad? Or should a good pimple cream be diminishing a pimple and doesnt bring it to head? Am I confusing you? :S

I stopped my jojoba oil to my face already and just pure SHA lotion because I actually am allergic to jojoba oil. WTF suayness maximum. Weirdly, my face doesn't seem to have allergy reaction to it but my both my hands has 30+ red itchy bumps each!! Stupid me to go apply jojoba oil on my hand -.-

I went and ordered Grapeseed oil from iHerb instead and hoping it will work for me. The SHA lotion alone doesn't moisturise a lot cause my skin is still tight and rough looking

Also going to buy TTO at Watsons or Guardian later to try again and let it be my spot treatment.

Do you think what I'm doing is right? I know MMaxime told me off not to try any new products but I really need something to moisturise and a spot treatment..

Sorry for the lengthy post,

Hear from you soon!

[yoshimi]

I seriously think you're not listening to all the advices.. Like we say, it takes 3months minimum for anything to take effect, topping with other creams may make your BHA slow down, or worse, adverse effect.. I've been through all these, I know it best.. It took me 4-6 months before I see a gradual result from Diacneal

I've SHA and some other stuff too, but cause I have a breakout again, I stopped everything and just plainly my PHA and tretinoin only.

I seriously think that just cleanse your face with Avene cleanser, after which just your BHA, if it's really drying, just cut down on the amount, I can use one small bean size for my whole face.

If you think that your face is really angry and dry, try mixing one spoonful of yogurt with 1teaspoon of honey, and apply it on your face as a mask.. It does help a little to moisturize your skin and calm down your skin a little. Stop wasting money and buying more products to apply and see your face only getting bad..

[Stern]

Hey Yoshimi,

I know it takes time for result to show, purging and sort but I am just worried because BHA is not as concentrated and strong compared to your Diacneal, or retin A, and I wouldn't know if BHA would be strong enough to cope with my problems. Thats my biggest worry.

And what does PHA means? Do you suggest cetaphil moisturiser? Reviews are quite bad for oily skin cause they feel heavy and clog pores.
Can you recommend a moisturiser for me? Jojoba oil break me out in itchy bumps all over my body, so i can't use it.

Lastly, what kind of honey can be used? Those from NTUC is it ok? Must be pure or organic or..?

Thanks again!

[yoshimi]

PHA is similar to AHA and BHA, serves the same purpose..

Just apply your BHA to the whole face diligently everyday, it will definitely see results within 3-4months..

As for moisturiser, I'm only using Aloe Vera Gel at night, and sunblock in the day.. Thats all..

For the honey, must be natural honey, but of cause manuka honey would be best. And with original flavor yogurt.

[AmyWang]

Acne n pimples are usually due to oil build-up especially for people for oily or combination skin. So you might want to wash your face more often or blot it regularly to remove excess oil. I personally find that using satin pillowcase helps prevents me from getting wrinkles and because they accumulate less dust than normal pillows, it therefore results me in getting less pimples than using normal ones.

[reika]

Hello

May I ask if it's possible to get accutane from a polyclinic?
If yes, about how much will it be?

My parents doesn't want me visit a skin clinic because it's really expensive.

[Stern]

Hi Yoshimi, I have been using my BHA diligently everyday.
Noticed that I get more whtieheads now then clog pores.
Guess the clog pores are inflamed or "purging" from the BHA.

Still have clog pores surfacing up everyday, damn.

Just got LRP toleriane fluid for my moisturiser as hada labo SHA lotion can't help much.

Like to ask something, the time when I applied jojoba oil, I noticed my face produce less oil. But I stopped it because I'm allergic to it as my hands and body grew millions of red itchy bump. Weird thing is my face didn't itch while my full body itched.
Can I still use jojoba oil for my face? And can I conclude that my face lacks of oil instead of water?