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What helped me the most when I had it was using an oil free wash, then rinsing my face with a sink full of water with corn starch added (it dries the oil), followed by using Witch Hazel as an astringent. I had acne pretty bad and was using a lot of corn starch and witch hazel when I had chicken pox at the age of 18. When the CP cleared up, my face was totally clear of acne as well! I am now 51 years old and whenever I get a flare up (my skin is still oily) I use a little Witch Hazel. It still does the job!
Keep your hands off your face. Its amazing how often we touch our faces without realizing it, and that just spreads the bacteria from one zit to another pore where another zit will form. Put gloves on your hands if you have to. Sit on your non-dominant hand when you are mousing at the computer because that's a time when people often 'graze' with their free hand. Keep rubbing alcohol and cotton balls around (or premoistened miniature wipes, which you can buy at the drugstore) for sanitizing your skin after you've touched it. Rubbing alcohol is the ingredient that does the work in toner, but toner has lots of additives like perfumes and 'conditioners' like witch hazel or green tea which may irritate your skin. If you catch yourself touching your face, wash your hands and be sure to clean under your fingernails.
Sleep with your face on a clean surface every night. With a pillowcase, bacteria from your face transfers to the case, then back onto your face, spreading the bacteria around. To prevent this, change your pillowcase every night, or put a clean hand towel overtop of it. After night #1, turn the towel over to the fresh side. After night #2, throw the towel in the wash and use a clean one. And switch to a fragrance-free detergent like All Free-Clear.
If you are female and have long hair, consider cutting it short or always keep it back so that you aren't touching your face while you sweep it out of your face or tuck it behind your ears.
A dab of toothpaste works wonders for drying out a zit. The white kind obviously, and you can't wear it out in public like regular zit cream but you can put it on at night.
If you have big, cystic acne, especially along the jawline, you have an endocrine problem. Either a thyroid problem or PCOS or something like that. Nothing will really cure it until you get the underlying medical problem treated, so get yourself to a doctor if this is what you have.
I had hormonal Acne so being on the pill helped and also taking multi-vitamins HIGH in vitamin A like 25,000 IUD (which is NOT safe if you are pregnant or become pregnant) But that totally cleared my face up. Now I'm off of both b/c I wanted to get pregnant and my face got bad again..
Sulfur Soap,it is expensive,like $8.00 a bar but is considered the best for clearing up acne,it is also good for rashes.
I use this also for acne. I have seen sulfur soap for as little as 99 cents at Walgreens, $8 seems very high. As I have gotten older, my skin really acts up, dry and patchy places, plus acne! And have the oily T area. Ugh... Also use resorcinol/sulfur cream (Adult Clearasil) which works well.
If you have big, cystic acne, especially along the jawline, you have an endocrine problem. Either a thyroid problem or PCOS or something like that. Nothing will really cure it until you get the underlying medical problem treated, so get yourself to a doctor if this is what you have.
Cystic acne isn't necessarily due to an underlying condition. Acutane does cure cystic acne. I personally would try a lower dose of Vitamin A via regular vitamins before resorting to Acutane. The amount of Vitamin A in Acutane is SUPER high and should only be used as a last resort.
I have had a lifetime of acne problems. I started out as a teen with cystic acne. Tried everything (Retin A, etc.) before finally taking Acutane. It did permanently cure the cystic acne. I was acne free for a couple of decades, but I developed Rosacea in my 40s. Sadly, I waited too many years to treat the Rosacea. I wasted time with over the counter products and home remedies. A permanent maintenance dosage of oral and topical antibiotics are necessary for keeping my Rosacea under control. Amazingly, I have never gotten cysts since taking Acutane as a teen. The acne I get with my Rosacea is normal type acne. Even though it's under control, I plan to start taking Vitamin A to support the oral and topical antibiotics I use.
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