How do you get rid of acne?

One of many of the culprits of acne is our hands. I am 32 and never really had a problem with acne or breakouts until I was well out of my teens. Anyway, I started to break out around the side of my face and I mean I tried everything to get rid of it and actually some things can make acne worse, anyway, then I realised I am constantly resting my hand on the side of my face. So I researched a bit and found that acne is caused by bacteria, be it internally or externally.

So if you can refrain from touching or resting your hands on your face AND change your pillow case out freguently, that can help with the external bacteria.

Drinking lots of water can clean your body out but you can be defeating the purpose if you smoke or consume things that can bulid up toxins in the body. So..I know it's hard and it won't happen overnight, but if you change your diet to a more healthy one, even slightly vegitarian for a while and drink teas that contain detoxifying herbs, then this might help. Otherwise, your doctor can perscribe an oral antibiotic used in treating severe cases of acne.

Also cutting back on your dairy intake will help(milks, cheese,etc). Also be careful with the uv rays if you are taking topical acne medications as they can make it worse when combined with the uvs. Water, water and more water. I dont know your age but sex also helps, if you are in a committed relationship of course.

ProActive can cost a small fortune.

get yourself a daily cleanser, a toner and moisturizer with sunscreen. Those are the only three things I have used on my face all my life and I have never had any acne outbreaks. You do have make sure that this becomes a daily ritual, or else it's not very effective.

My teenage cousin has had bouts of acne and I bought for him AcneFree by University Medical (can be found in Walmart/Walgreens) It's four products in the kit. It's doesn't have any medicine or girly odor...so he doesn't mind using it. The key ingredient in this product is Benzoyl Peroxide which is same stuff found in ProActive.

www.acnefree.com...
Step 1 : Purifying Cleanser
Step 2 : Renewing Toner
Step 3 : Repair Lotion
Step 4 : Acne and Blackhead Terminator

Good luck and don't worry, the right girl will like you regardless if you have acne or not, she'll see you and not your acne, so have patience, love will come.

[edit on 11-22-2005 by worldwatcher]

Originally posted by Conspiracy Theorist06
Anybody know how to get rid of acne. I hate it because now all the girls don't like me even though they have it worse than I do. But they are girls so they think that it only matters if guys have it, not themselves.

A cure for the common teen?

SANDPAPER

Sorry, just kidding.

Actually I'm 33 and still have acne now and again. This may sound a little wierd, but most soaps did not help me when I was younger. Neithe did most facial scrubs/pads. So, after many trials and errors, I did find something that helped me, and yes I got the attention of the girls by looking a little better.

Try soaking a small towel in the hottest water you can tolerate. Or use warm water on a small towel and ring it out good, and put it in the microwave. Cover your face with good old fashioned shaving cream (no aloe or mosturizers) and place the hot towel on your face. It will open your pores up and cleanse them with both heat, and foaming alcohol. You can also mix the shaving cream with a little bit of noxema. Be sure not to burn yourself, but steam does help. Leave it on for no more than a minute, and wash your face off as usual.

Let me know if it works for you. Also, limit high bad cholesteral (spelling?) foods, fast foods. Diet plays a part, and an orange or citris fruit a day won't hurt either.

Also, stress plays a part.

Ok, so I'm a girl, and I don't break out all that often, but I still have an all-time favorite product to rid of acne and I use it without fail every day-- I've never used anything that's worked better for me personally, but you'd have to check it out for yourself...

Clearasil Ultra Daily Face Wash--- It's my ultimate miracle worker... It's the "Clearer skin in three days" blah blah blah, but it really does work quite well... And it doesn't cost near the "small fortune" that Pro Active does...

Originally posted by worldwatcher

My teenage cousin has had bouts of acne and I bought for him AcneFree by University Medical (can be found in Walmart/Walgreens) It's four products in the kit. It's doesn't have any medicine or girly odor...so he doesn't mind using it. The key ingredient in this product is Benzoyl Peroxide which is same stuff found in ProActive.

www.acnefree.com...
Step 1 : Purifying Cleanser
Step 2 : Renewing Toner
Step 3 : Repair Lotion
Step 4 : Acne and Blackhead Terminator

Good luck and don't worry, the right girl will like you regardless if you have acne or not, she'll see you and not your acne, so have patience, love will come.

[edit on 11-22-2005 by worldwatcher]

I bought that stuff and it made me break out horribly bad. Most likely because I have really sensitive skin.

Washing your face too much actually makes your skin feel like its drying out and it will increase oil production. I've read a recomendation of no more than 2 or 3 times a day.

Not only does touching your face with your hands cause acne (especially after eating oily foods) but so will some of the hair products you use. I had really bad acne on my forehead from using hairspray. When I stopped using hairspray I stopped getting acne on my forehead.

With so many different skin types and so many different causes of acne it's really hard to say what will be the right cure for each individual so it is best to see a dermatologist. That is if your insurance will cover one, which mine doesnt, so I'm totally screwed!

I got rid of my acne not by using some kind of miracle formula. But by just washing my face with soap and water when I woke up, and before I went to bed. It does dry your face out, but just get some moisturizer and that will be taken care oif. Hope I could be of help.

Word of advice from someone who's suffered the sideeffects... DO NOT LET THEM PRESCRIBE YOU ROACCUTANE! THAT STUFF WILL SCREW YOU UP! Side effects include (but aren't limited to) dried skin (and i mean ALL your skin, yes, even down there), chapped and cracked lips (that bleed, alot), dried nose (leading to HEAPS of nosebleeds, and hence, scarring of the nasal tissue), dried colonic membranes (ie. painful bleeding out of your rectum), flaky scalp (which may or may not lead to hair loss), DEPRESSION and OTHER MENTAL CONDITIONS.

I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, DO NOT USE ROACCUTANE, I am not the only one who has had these problems, EVERYONE ELSE that I know (a dozen people so far) that has used this, has had these problems, some were even more severe than mine...

I've found that the best way to get rid of acne, is plenty of sun, and salt water. ie. spend less time on your arse in front of the computer, studying, and go to the BEACH.

[edit on 19-1-2006 by nrky]

i had real bad acne as a teenager. this is how i got rid of it
1) in the morning before you do anything take a cotton ball and dip it in rubbing alchohol and rub it all over your face. keep doin it until the cotton balls no longer have dirt on them. you will probably use alot of cottonballs at first.

2) never ever wash your face with regular soap. i always use anti bacterial soap or soft soap as it is called in the store. even in the shower

3)repeat number one when you get out the shower and before you go to bed.

also try not to touch your face with your hands alot as your hands are always dirty and greasy (whether you realise it or not)

Originally posted by Conspiracy Theorist06
Anybody know how to get rid of acne. I hate it because now all the girls don't like me even though they have it worse than I do. But they are girls so they think that it only matters if guys have it, not themselves.

A cure for the common teen?

These are the items I used back in my days of acne. I never really had it bad but I still preferred not having them at all. The Noxema is good at cleaning out the pores in your skin which contain the acne. The only downfall though is depending on your skin make-up it might dry your skin out due to the fact that your skin produces it's own oil to keep your skin lubricated. In that instance you could use a good moisturizing lotion to assist your skin in restoring the moisture that was lost.

In addition a good exfoliating pad can assist in digging out all the bacteria and excess oil that perhaps the Noxema can't get out. I also used a exfoliating cream such as the one I've posted. That worked wonders for me. I too have seen instances of where people had real bad cases of acne but keep in mind that everyone's skin is different and react differently to certain methods. Good luck in your quest to gettin' rid of ur acne ~ ladies look out!!!

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
The condition occurs when tiny holes on the surface of the skin, called pores, become plugged. Each pore is an opening to a canal called a follicle, which contains a hair and an oil gland. Normally, the oil glands help keep the skin lubricated and help remove old skin cells. When glands produce too much oil, the pores can become blocked, accumulating dirt, debris, and bacteria. The blockage or plug is often called a comedone.