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[Aqizzar]

The title says it all really.  Now, I'm not talking about, "oh man, I've got pizzaface bad, but I wash my face like once a month, so what's the magic solution?"  No, this is more like the "medical" idea of acne.  Specifically, there's this spot on my face that's never not red and pimply.  It comes and goes and changes shape, and I definitely know it's not an ingrown hair or mole or something.  But no amount of washing and messing with it (or leaving it alone) can get rid of it, if anything washing it makes it more red and irritated.

I've tried some "home" remedies that naturally do diddly.  I know there's acne medications, but those seem to be up there with cholesterol and arthritis drugs in the medications you see tons of commercials for a little while, then six months later tons of commercials to participation in a class-action lawsuit against.  But I'm tired of being self-conscious about this thing and hygiene ain't cutting it.  I bet some of you teenagers know a product you can trust.

[Heliman]

Antibiotics help acne a lot, I use minocycline personally, makes acne go away after it's had a month or two to kick in.

IMO though, if you have reasonable insurance schedule an appointment with a reputable local dermatologist and have them suggest somthing.

EDIT:Also as far as home remedies go, swimming in chlorinated water prevents acne too (Kills bacteria on skin)

[Sergius]

I have one of those in my right nut.

It annoys the hell out of me (mostly just by knowing it's there).

So far the only advice I got left and that I have to follow myself is to consult a dermatologist.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

NUTS!

[Enzo]

Yeah, a dermatologist is probably the only good answer here.

In terms of anecdotal advice, I used to have pretty bad skin (was using minocycline for a year or two in my teens). It seems like a ridiculously simple solution, but since I've started taking Vitamin E daily I haven't had any problems. If I stop taking it I have pimples cropping up all over the place within the week. May not be heavy duty enough to deal with your problem, but it certainly couldn't hurt.

[sonerohi]

I started getting more sun and took acutane, and combined it kept my skin very nice. Of course now they are linking acutane to Crohn's and shit, so consult a skin doctor person.

[Bouchart]

Maybe it's diet? Are you having a weird reaction to something you eat, or maybe you're just eating unhealthy food?

[knaveofstaves]

I started getting more sun and took acutane, and combined it kept my skin very nice. Of course now they are linking acutane to Crohn's and shit, so consult a skin doctor person.

Yeah, I was on Accutane as a teenager myself. It worked for a few years, but my cystic acne came back as an adult. My understanding is that Accutane is very similar to Vitamin A, so when I have a bad outbreak I take cod liver oil. I don't have any proof it works, and it's possibly dangerous, especially for pregnant women. But it helps me feel like I'm doing something.

[nenjin]

Just curious, what kind of soap do you use?

Had acne for years, still do. Treated mostly with Tetracycline, which just brought down break outs, but never got rid of them.

Habits are the hardest thing to change but probably have the most impact. Staying up long hours in front of the PC, you get greasy. Touching your face unconsciously leads to build up. Not washing your pillow cases regularly leaves a lot of crap on them that ends up in your pores.

Diet and vitamins....some people swear by them, but I've done vitamin regiments and never really noticed a difference. Of course, not everyone's acne is caused by the same things, so vitamins may be better for different people.

Anyways, soap. I use Cetaphil. It's damn expensive for liquid soap, but it's incredibly gentle, unscented, has a lot of moisture in it and it very good for acne especially if your skin is damaged. I use nothing but it now to wash my face, and I can wash 3 to 4 times a day without my skin drying out and flaking.

It MAY be worth going to see a dermatologist. They actually have acne treatments, which is an expensive version of popping your zits for you. But the dermos use these little tools (metal loops on a handle) to force out blackheads and other deeply seated zits that you'd wreck your face trying to get out yourself. The "treatment" leaves you a little red but it's better than doing it yourself. It may be worth it, and they can consult you on medications or visits. Personally, I think it's a little bit of a racket, especially for people who have real acne and not just blemishes they're willing to pay $90 to have someone else deal with.

You can also get a mild chemical peel to perhaps smooth out that one patch you mentioned. I thought it was a little hoity toity getting a chemical peel, but it really can smooth out some of the scars and discoloration.

[blackmagechill]

Benzotyl-Peroxide works great, but it's kinda expensive, about three dollars for six ounces.

[sonerohi]

My brother keeps some Cetaphil around and it seems to work for him.

[blackmagechill]

Staying up long hours in front of the PC, you get greasy.

How does this make you have acne?

[sonerohi]

Also, do as intense a workout as you can stomach before bed each night, and shower right away afterwards.

[Helmaroc]

Benzoyl-Peroxide works great, but it's kinda expensive, about three dollars for six ounces.

I took Accutane (mainly for bad back and shoulder breakout) for five months and it cleared up everything, although I would only resort to that if your case is extreme and you're willing to risk side effects. But before that, this benzoyl peroxide is the only apply-to-face product that actually worked for me. It's the magic behind Proactiv, but you can buy in small tubes at any drugstore. I would wash my face with warm water, then apply a thin layer of this before I went to sleep and it made a noticeable difference. It works by drying out the skin and killing bacteria. Be careful about getting it on fabrics though because it acts as a bleach and will discolor dyed materials.

[nenjin]

How does this make you have acne?

Sitting in the same room for hours on end, with probably no natural sunlight, playing games and getting sweaty, that all builds up as oil on your face. If you're doing serious gaming, you're probably less than diligent about personal hygiene as well. It all builds up. If you smoke, it's even worse.

[noodle0117]

I used to wash my face 7 times a day with soap just to keep the oil off.
While the results weren't always perfect, it did go a long way to keeping off the extra acne.
I'd say wash your face at least 3 times a day, 6 if you have time, before and after eating.

note: Different people have different skin. Washing one's face 6 times a day might end up irritating the skin rather than help clean it further. I have a case of super oily skin, which might make a difference between me and others