Question by Lindsey: HELP! what can i do for my severe acne?
PLEASE READ MY WHOLE QUESTION; I REALLY WANT ACCURATE ANSWERS

so i’m fifteen, and like most other teenagers, i have acne. but recently, it has gotten to the worst it has ever been before. i used to break out in my T-zone, and i usually had a few zits on my face all the time, but it was manageable. but in the last two months, i’ve developed small whiteheads that now cover my entire forehead, as well as severe cystic acne and whiteheads all over my chin. i also break out on the sides of my nose and in between my eyes. the only places i have no zits are my cheeks and nose.
i used proactiv for over a year until last December. i felt like it worked okay but it only gave me clear skin after three months of using it, plus the clear skin only lasted about 2 months and i was back to moderate acne that was manageable, but still really bothered me.
after hearing great reviews about it, i decided i wanted to try the Clinique 3-step system. that was probably the worst decision i’ve ever made. instead of gradually improving my acne, it gradually made it worse and worse. i never had acne on my forehead until i used that, and my chin went from one or two small zits at a time on it to being completely covered in painful, red, cystic acne that i now have and can’t get rid of. after giving the Clinique two full months to work, i stopped using it about 2 and a half weeks ago. for the past week i’ve been using a natural brand- Burt’s Bees Acne Treatment System. Even though its only been a week, i don’t see any improvements whatsoever.

My mom won’t take me to the dermatologist because of the high cost, but she says that i really should use Proactiv again because she thinks it worked for me. I just am not sure if i should go back to Proactiv if there’s something better out there, that will really clear my acne and keep it gone. I want to try the Clean & Clear Acne Control Kit, as it has great reviews and one of my close friends swears by it. So i guess my question to you is- should i convince my mom to take me to the dermatologist, go back to Proactiv, try Clean & Clear, or do you know of something else that would work for me?

THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I’M SORRY MY STORY IS SO LONG!

Best answer:

Answer by L. Hamilton
I did some research and talked to my doctor to find the most common causes of acne.

• Hormones: The number one cause of acne is the production of sex hormones, known as androgen, that begins at puberty. This is why majority of acne sufferers are adolescents and teens. Hormones are responsible for then acne flare-ups during menstruation and pregnancy.

• When the sebaceous gland is stimulated by androgens, it produces extra sebum. In its journey up the follicle toward the surface, the sebum mixes with common skin bacteria and dead skin cells that have been shed from the lining of the follicle. While this process is normal, the presence of extra sebum in the follicle increases the chances of clogging — and acne.

• Stress: can also cause the production of hormones, such as cortisol, which can aggravate acne. Stress brings upon different hormone levels. With hormone changes the body prompts the skins oil glands to enlarge, secreting more oil. Which causes white heads, black heads and pimples.

• Oily or heavy make up: Heavy make-up clogs the pores and oily make-ups add more oil, which only adds to the problem if oily skin already exists. Cosmetics, especially certain moisturizers, foundations and pomades contain lanolin, petrolatum, vegetable oils, butyl stearate, lauryl alcohol and oleic acid.

• Certain medications and steroids: Vitamins are good for your body, But an excess of vitamins B1, B6 and B12 can cause acne flare-ups. These vitamins are good for the skin, but avoid overuse.

• Diets: For some people, a diet that is high in refined carbohydrates and sugars can actually aggravate their acne.

• Over abrasive cleansing: Harsh exfoliators can damage skin and spread infections.

• Picking and squeezing: This can actually send the infection deeper into the skin and can cause scarring.

• Environmental irritants: such as high humidity and pollution. High humidity actually causes swelling of skin. Pollution is of course is a big cause for clogging your pores.

• Genes: Family members who are also acne sufferers. Acne is inherited and severe cases known as cystic acne usually come from heredity.

And..,

What the skin needs is a product that clears pores and kills bacteria, thus preventing hair follicles from clogging and turning into acne. This is what you should be looking for if you want to get rid of those ugly acne.

Before trying any treatment, I suggest you read this informational source that listed the most effective acne creams available:

http://www.17acnetreatments.com

P.S. I also know someone who used to suffer from severe acne for 14 YEARS and finally got rid of it completely. She’s sharing her story at her site:

http://www.my-acne-solution.com/clicks/clickthrough.html?a=150901

Maybe you could learn from her inspirational story.

Good luck.

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