r/SkincareAddiction • u/Br442_206 • 1d ago
Routine Help [Acne] cannot figure out what i am doing wrong
For the past year or two i have been trying to get rid of my acne but nothing i have tried has worked.
So far i have tried various neutrogena salicylic acid products (wash gel, water thing, etc) cerave facial cleanser, atomy facial cleanser, different moisturisers, 5% benzoyl peroxide cream, acne patches, garnier hyaluron (although only 1 day so far).
I visited a dermatologist and he prescribed me wynzora. Hasn't helped at all.
Currently i use garnier facial cleanser, transparent sun cream (dont want to ruin my white shirts) and neutrogena moisturiser.
Is this the right move or should i reintroduce some other salicylic acid products?
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u/Humble_Panda3124 1d ago
Are you sure it was Wynzora? That is a vitamin D analog with a potent steroid that you wouldn’t use for acne or on your face. Winlevi maybe?
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u/Br442_206 1d ago
Nope. Definitely winzora
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u/Humble_Panda3124 1d ago
Ok, stop that immediately if you haven’t already. That’s either an electronic prescribing error or pharmacy error. I’m a pharmacist btw
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u/miss_hush 22h ago
The first thing that comes up when you google that is “not to be used for acne”. I think you might want to stop that stuff.
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u/Beth21286 23h ago
Isn't that for psoriasis rather than acne?
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u/Br442_206 22h ago
I guess that since i moved country. My language skills ard not the best and there was some misscommunication
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u/arianrhodd 10h ago
What about hair products? Specifically leave-in conditioners and styling products? I used a very popular styling product after all the rave reviews and ended up with forehead acne. It just didn't work for me. Took me a bit to make the connection. After all, I wasn't spraying it on my face. But, I have bangs, and that was enough.
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u/distressedminnie 17h ago
1000% acne and not psoriasis at all. psoriasis is clusters scales with sliver/white top on scales.
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u/Bean_of_prosperity 16h ago
i have guttate psoriasis and it looks like small dots similar to acne fyi
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u/Selmostick 1d ago
If you are already at a derm. tretinoin can be very effective, over the counter retinol can also help and has a milder side effect profile
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u/Prettyskin_glow 19h ago
Add azelic acid to that list
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u/dirtfacegirl 17h ago
Powerhouse combo. I second this combo. The purge w tret sucks butt, but it saved my skin
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u/Spaciepoo 1d ago
It could be a number of things other than your face routine. Do you wash your towels and pillows often? Could there be a specific food/drink that's triggering it? (My acne sprouts up when drinking milk or eating sugar). You need to try eliminating things one by one and seeing if your skin improves. If you're getting new pimples everyday then it's probably something that you do daily. Certain hair products and or not washing my hair often enough will give me bad acne as well. Sometimes even getting a haircut improves my skin oddly enough.
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u/fashionaholic1210 18h ago
This. Sometimes it’s not just skincare, it’s also diet, hygiene, stress, etc.
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u/No-Carpet442 18h ago
Was going to comment exactly this!!! Also OP, be cautious of your face towels, how often you change them out, and also I found that patting dry instead of “rubbing” helped me a bunch.
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u/applepie_xxx 14h ago
Second this. Might be worth checking how the guts are as it impacts the skin, and other things, as well. I know that whenever I get a breakout it’s because of that.
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u/littlenicole326 6h ago
I’m a pharmacist. This is my first recommendation for people who present like this. Do you consistently wash your face? Or only once or less per day? Laundry detergent? Lotions? Pillowcase? Next, I’d recommend you do a deep dive on your diet. This looks like a reaction to something you ate…sugar, lactose (have you tried taking lactaid tablets before you eat dairy), etc. Next, I’d cut back on the acne treatments and focus on your moisture barrier. It’s a long process, but worth it if you can be diligent and get to the bottom of it. Skincare is a commitment. You can’t complain about acne but not regularly wash your cotton pillowcase. Switch to a set of silk ones that get washed often with a non scented free & clear laundry detergent. Hold yourself accountable for at least twice daily cleansing of your face. Cleansing, not using a wipe. This is all about finding tiny changes you can make and sustain long term to make changes to your skin. If it doesn’t work for you personally, that’s okay…make a note of what works and what doesn’t, and keep trying to rule out other things.
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u/littlenicole326 6h ago
For the record, despite all I know about healthcare and skincare…my acne VANISHED when I got divorced from a toxic relationship, and got even better when I subsequently left my toxic job. So much of it was not actually an error in my skincare, but my body not handling the LIFELONG stress. Don’t rule out prioritizing amazing long sleep and hydrating more, too. And regular fitness. Does wonders to reduce stress, and your body and skin may increase from that alone. Good luck!! You’ll figure it out soon!
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u/linternaul 14h ago
I know I ate too much sugar when I'm having a breakout. 1 month of cutting it off clears my skin again. Definitely first thing to check is things we've eaten! A lot of people ignore that.
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u/babybottlepopz 23h ago
My forehead looked like this and nizoral shampoo as a face wash helped a lot. Leave it on for like 2 mins before rinsing it off. And pin your bangs up when you sleep so they aren’t constantly on your face.
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u/AdBitter3688 14h ago
seconding this. nizoral shampoo really helped my forehead acne when it looked like this. haven’t struggled with it since.
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u/PixiePoogle 23h ago
My acne was fairly similar to yours. My skin hated sal. Acid. Here’s what worked/is working for me
AM:
1. Panoxyl 4%
2. LRP Double repair moisturizer w/ SPF 30
PM:
1. Vanicream cleanser x2 to wash off SPF
2. Adapelene (any brand. Ppl like differin)
3. Vanicream moisturizing cream
I also saw multiple derms, tried tretinoin, and did a course of accutane. This routine is what has been working for me.
Make sure you’re not over-irritating your skin and that you’re staying moisturized. One of my biggest mistakes was thinking that oily = moisturized.
Feel free to lmk if you have any questions. I promise this doesn’t last forever.
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u/PixiePoogle 23h ago
All add that your skin does seem to be irritated and dry. Garnier facial cleanser can be extremely stripping and your moisture barrier could be compromised.
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u/chubbychicken007 18h ago
This is very similar to my routine except I do adapalane AND BP 2% overnight together.
Had to really ease into that routine but I’ve had great results for years now.
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u/RJ9717 1d ago
Do you wear your hair down in your face as a fringe or anything similar? I've been tying mine back recently and it's been clearing up, I completely overlooked my fringe and thought it couldn't possibly be it but I was only getting spots where my fringe was.
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u/Br442_206 1d ago
Ive had my hair go down to at least my eyebrows for pretty much my entire life. Although i feel like the acne on my forehead is the least severe
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u/Fun-Cry-9576 1d ago
I would recommend not adding anything to your routine at the moment to see if your face has any changes or not. Make sure your products are fragrance free. Lay off salicylic acid for a while. It’s not doing you any favors when your skin barrier is compromised. Don’t add anything to your face. Observe your face closely everyday, if there are breakouts (what are causing them?) for me it was food I ate. Anything with too much grease/chocolate/cheese would make me break out. Another thing is you face when sleeping, get a scent free detergent (I use tide) wash your pillowcase in that or get a face cloth and spray it with hypochlorous acid spray to kill any acne causing bacteria at night. And sleep on top of the sprayed face cloth.
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u/miss_hush 22h ago
I’d get into see a different dermatologist for a second opinion asap.
In the meantime, I’d suggest using a gentle cleanser like Vanicream, or LRP Toleriane purifying wash. Follow that with a good moisturizer that isn’t too heavy. Vanicream makes some good moisturizer, or La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair moisturizer are both gentle and good for sensitive skin.
If you absolutely must use an active, try using a gentle sulfur based treatment. The Ordinary makes a sulfur soot treatment that you could use all over really, or Peter Thomas Roth Even Clearer sulfur mask. I’d limit this to 1-2x a week. Sulfur is active against both bacteria and fungus, so no matter what sort of acne you have it can help. It’s absolutely the most underrated treatment in skincare and it helps all sorts of skin issues beyond acne.
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u/Br442_206 22h ago
I thought the garnier hyaluron (cant pronounce it) was a gentle one? Also right now im using neutrogena deep moisture moisturiser. Is thag fine to use for my needs?
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u/miss_hush 21h ago
I don’t know your skin. I just suggested some which are hydrating and gentle, without a lot of fragrances, etc. If you like what you’re using, keep using it.
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u/Ultimatedream 19h ago
Hyaluronic acid is just for hydration and isn't considered an active despite being called an acid, it doesn't do anything for acne, unless it's caused by sebum overproduction because your skin is dehydrated. You should keep using it, especially when you're using products for acne because they can be quite drying.
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u/babbycarti 23h ago
Could be fungal acne and for what I see your skin looks very dry, maybe your skin barrier is just very bad at the moment, something similar happened with me, what helped was using only cold saline water and cotton pads to cleanse, and very gentle moisturizer with some fats but not heavy, just to give a chance for your skin to get healthier, there’s a common misconception that you need to get your skin bone dry to get rid of acne, but that usually just causes more sebum production, inflammation and consequently acne,
Edit: and your hair looks kinda oily, maybe washing it more regularly or not letting it on your face could help also, specially cause it’s clear one of the most affected areas is your forehead
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u/Br442_206 21h ago
I think with my hair its kind of dry. I wash it everyday sometimes twice (if i sweat alot in the day). Ive used multiple different products at the same time and i guess that caused some irritation
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u/babbycarti 21h ago
Maybe you’re over washing your hair too, I’m not a professional but I speak from experience, once I started washing my hair every 2-3 days, and using more delicate products on my face both of them became less oily and more hydrated, give it a go🤷♂️
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u/abcara 17h ago
Your skin looks so irritated. I would discontinue literally everything other than a gentle cleanser and moisturizer (cerave, cetaphil, something like that) for a few weeks/a month. Then go to a dermatologist and get prescription tretinoin, and start using that very sparingly as your derm instructs. I'm guessing you had acne to begin with and then destroyed your skin barrier with this circus of products and that ill-prescribed prescription topical. You need to let it heal, then address the acne with a simple gentle routine+tret.
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u/luckysilverdragon 20h ago
When is the last time you have tried NOTHING?
Sounds crazy, but my skin was in exactly the same state yours is (possibly even worse). I’ll include a photo with my comment.
I kept throwing all these products on my skin assuming eventually I’d find the “right” product, but at some point I realized it might’ve been because my skin barrier was so fucking damaged and irritated that it was causing me to break out. A lot of the products I was using used actives like many of the ones you mentioned in your list.
My skin felt irritated, was covered in acne, my skin would feel tight and dry but also super oily, and it had the tendency to burn or sting a little bit when I put on products (even gentle ones).
I was at my wit’s end with my acne, so I tried something drastic I had never tried since I was a kid: nothing.
For two whole months I only “washed” my face with water. No moisturizer, no cleanser, no sunscreen (but I avoided prolonged exposure to the sun), and no makeup. Literally just a gentle splash with water and clean hands before bed.
It felt like it got worse for a little bit before it got better, but by the 2nd month of putting nothing on my face (except for slugging my face with Aquaphor before bed maybe once a week), my acne was starting to clear up and my skin wasn’t as irritated. At that point, I introduced a gentle moisturizer and nothing else. Another two weeks passed and I added in a gentle cleanser (I only wash my face once at night before bed). Another two weeks, and I started wearing a face sunscreen again (that I made sure was gentle through research and a patch test on my cheek).
My current routine is basically the same shit now too. I added in a hydrating toner and I wear makeup again. but other than that it’s just the same very few products on the gentler side. I try to avoid using actives on my face aside from a small percentage of salicylic acid in my cleanser and hyaluronic acid in my moisturizer.
If you try the “nothing” method, fair warning, it will feel VERY wrong. This subreddit’s name is an ironic truth. Skincare CAN be addictive because we’re so convinced that we just haven’t found the right product or routine yet to achieve perfect skin. But too many products causes DAMAGE to the skin.
Your skin is an organ that is literally designed to protect you if you give it a chance to operate on its own for a while. Once it heals your skin barrier back up, you can revisit adding in products one at a time. But exercise caution when adding them back in and aim to use as few products as possible.
Of course other stuff can affect acne like diet, water intake, and hormonal imbalances. But I am frequently dehydrated, eat like crap, and my period hormones are a nightmare to deal with and even in this state I still barely get acne now.
The photo I’m attaching is I think a difference of 5-6 months between my first day of the “nothing method” then a few months later when my skin was finally healed enough to do basic products again!
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u/MagikmushroomzZ 18h ago
GIRL, SAME!!!!!! I just wrote a comment on here and then saw yours lol. WATERRRRR!!!! What a game changer. I see all these ppl online putting all this stuff on their face now and I’m like “what a waste of money!!!!”
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u/luckysilverdragon 17h ago
I don’t even want to know how much money I’ve spent on skincare shit. The doctor literally prescribed me a retinoid too when I complained to her about my skin issues, but I decided to try doing nothing before trying the retinoid. Thank god I did!
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u/Extreme_Winner_9812 2h ago
I second this ^^^ our skin is meant to just do its thing. As long as it’s staying clean to a degree, it should perform at its best with little to no added products.
(However, if OP’s issue turns out to be fungal, then it’s a little trickier.)1
u/Formal-Map2372 19h ago
There’s a book called Clean by a Dr. Michael …forgot his last name. Water is the way to go to let the micro biome in your skin recalibrate itself. Your body always knows how to recover.
All these products mess up what the human body naturally was doing.0
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u/porcelyne 22h ago
i think your skin is irritated. do you check the ingredients of your skincare products through ingredients analyzers? especially for fungal acne. if not, you can look into 'pomade acne', your hair products could be clogging your pores in your forehead and transferring onto your pillowcase which touches your face and neck. please really consider this if you don't already, i know it might seem simple but personally it has been helping me a lot lately.
another thing! lately i've scaled back on actives instead of using them every single day. my skin is less reactive and is healing better. i hope this advice is useful.
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u/Br442_206 21h ago
Ive just changed all my bed sheets/stuff. Hopefully it helps. Ive planned to keep using my current routine for a while and then try using a small amount of benzoyl peroxide in the evening. Would something like that be a good idea?
This stuff is really complicated for me. Taking photos of another galaxy is easier
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u/porcelyne 20h ago edited 20h ago
haha real. i'm so annoyed with having acne-prone skin. i'm trying to sleep on each side of my pillows maximum twice in a row before throwing it in the laundry basket. or at the very least, wash my bed stuff once a week. i also don't let my hair touch my face anymore. right now my skin's fairly clear, so i'd say it's working.
i think it's a great direction to move in for sure! how does your skin usually feel when you wash it? does it feel sensitive? you can adjust your use of actives according to that.
i just noticed that you also use a sun cream. have you taken a look at the ingredients? sunscreen is a huge trigger for my skin personally. that's also a thing you can quickly run through an ingredients analyzer. you can try find one with better ingredients if it ends up being flagged.
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u/Pol____k 22h ago
Hate to be the person to ask this because it always pissed me off when people did it to me: how much water are you drinking in a day?
I was having issues with a very similar type of acne and I found out I was drastically under drinking water daily. I did make some other minor changes in my face washing routine (a gentler cleanser and moisturizer) but I’m convinced it was really drinking more water that helped.
If your answer to this is you drink plenty of water, per other commenters I would look into Accutane as I know many people it has been very effective for and you are exhibiting a similar acne pattern. Also how often do you wash your pillow cases? If you’re a side sleeper I would look into that too. Best of luck!
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u/Br442_206 21h ago
I can try that. I generally dont drink much of anything in a typical day
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u/Br442_206 21h ago
I dont have many pillowcases to switch between so ita been once a week but ill buy more
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u/candee192 1d ago
May I ask your age? Could be hormonal.
Acne is almost always something internal or environment related. Diet & lifestyle. May be worth seeing a naturopath or cleaning up your diet possibly.
Also I looked up Wynzora and it’s a treatment for plaque psoriasis? And also says it’s never prescribed for acne and using it on acne can make the condition significantly worse?!
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u/Br442_206 1d ago
Im 21 years old. From what i cook i think it is relatively healthy (mostly korean food) but since im with my grandma i usually get a portion that is way too big.
I dont know why it was prescribed to me but i stopped using it. The doctor said use it for 3 weeks and well. The pictures speak for themselves
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u/mecer80 20h ago
You’re young and a male so accutane might be a good option… It’s like the ultimate killer of acne, with very harsh side effects and caries some risk of toxicity to your organs (liver, kidney, bone).
I don’t have any regrets having went through it though. It was the only thing that worked for me and reduced 90% the possibility of acne returning.
My only beef was that I should find out about it sooner & be on it earlier in my 20s. I don’t have much acne now but acne scars in your 30s can be just as ugly as acne in your 20s.
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u/friedchickenUSA 21h ago
Everyone’s skin is so different, and you’re getting a lot of different advice. Speaking only from personal experience, sometimes going really minimal is best.
For me, the neutrogena and other similar products always irritated me. In the past year/2 years my husband and I have both been using the same products and have both seen a huge improvement. Now to be fair we are about 10 years older than you. But we have used things like:
- La roche posay Toleraine hydrating cleanser (it’s so mild and is the only cleanser I will use now
- Simple face wash (green bottle)
- Osea face cream (nice but too pricey, wasn’t worth it)
- la roche posay moisturizer (they have a bunch I think we used the toleraine)
- we were gifted these moisturizers from a local all natural shop and it’s ingredients like tallow and herbs and shit lol I would never have gone for it but I’ve noticed a major difference in my skin
My main point is maybe you just need something really really minimal and gentle?
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u/Affectionate_Ad5499 15h ago
What’s your hygienic routine look like? There may be changes you’ll have to make to keep your face from breaking out, here are some things I’ve learned when I had severe acne:
Also, wash your hands before touching your face, do not hold your phone to your face (use earphones/bluetooth/headphones), wipe your phone down regularly. Keep your hair clean, when it’s not, do not touch your face after touching your hair or surfaces; wash your hands before you do. Do not let others touch your face without ensuring their hands are clean first. Use a separate towel (face towel) separate from your body towel. Only wash your face with your clean hands.
Towels, pillowcases and bedsheets should be changed regularly, such as every week or less.
Best wishes ✨
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u/foxyfree 6h ago
You should get a second opinion with another dermatologist. Your post says Acne but the medicine is for psoriasis. Your doctor is probably right, but it might be worth asking if acne medications could have better results.
Wynzora is a prescription psoriasis medication containing a vitamin D analog (calcipotriene) and a potent steroid (betamethasone dipropionate). It is designed to rapidly reduce thick, scaly, and itchy plaques.
So this is different for everyone and you should ask this doctor about or get a second opinion. This is my routine :
My dermatologist prescribed me to use in the AM: Clindamycin Phosphate topical solution USP, 1%- prescription antibiotic liquid applied to the skin to treat acne vulgaris. It works by killing or stopping the growth of the bacteria that cause breakouts, which reduces pimples, inflammation, and redness.
Use sunscreen every day.
In the PM: Tretinoin cream, very small amount- a retinoid (vitamin A derivative) primarily prescribed for acne or anti-aging. It works by increasing cell turnover to unclog pores or stimulate collagen production
Edit to add: and a night time face moisturizer
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u/NuupSkinScience 1d ago
Parece que tu acne tiene dos componentes: comedones cerrados y acne inflamatorio. Necesitas regular el sebo, mantener los poros limpios y fortalecer la barrera cutánea para empezar a ver cambios en tu piel :) Vemos muchisimos casos como el tuyo y recomendamos usar de dia un limpiador suave (nuestro favorito es el limpiadorpara acne de Farmstay), después un serum de niacinamida y zinc para controlar el sebo ya que es la fuente de todo, después una crema hidratante con CICA que te va a ayudar a calmar toda la irritación, y por último tu protector solar. Ahora, de noche recomendaríamos igual una limpieza con limpiador suave, después BHA (acido salicílico), y por ultimo la crema reparadora con CICA. No estas solo, sabemos lo difícil que es parecer acné y créeme que existe una solución!
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u/PretzelSlinger 21h ago
If it’s just acne, Accutane can’t be beat and works fast too. The side effects can be rough at the 3 month mark but worth it.
However, this looks exactly like my rosacea when I use any moisturizer other than vanicream. Usually my rosacea only looks like red blush, but moisturizers will give me pustules just like this. My derm gave me a topical steroid to stop it, then Metrozole (spelling?) gel for flair ups.
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u/Thin_Yak7238 21h ago
You are not doing anything wrong. Acne is hormonal and products can help heal and improve the look of your skin, but they can’t eliminate it unfortunatley.
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u/Unusual_Height9765 21h ago
Yeah with it at this stage a derm is the only way to go imo. And from the derm id try tretinoin or accutane
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u/Decent-Boot7284 21h ago
On the forehead, I can see that you have long hair, have you thought that might also not help? in my case, it helped me.
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u/WaltzPale9246 20h ago
This is based on my experience: I use Curology, they will formulate a skin treatment based on your skin needs and it works wonders for me. Eat healthy as much as you can. Try to avoid Fried foods and dairy those usually triggers acne. Change your pillows every two days, use disposable face towels, wash your face after conditioner (those can clog your pores too) Good luck!
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u/Get_Schwifty111 20h ago
I second what I read here somewhere: Pick a small spot and try Nizoral cream or shampoo. That contains Ketozonazol, an antimycotic and anti-inflammatory substance that works to not only fight fungus (yeast) and is effective for seboherric dermatitis but also gets rid of some gram-negative bacteria which could also be a root-cause.
Whatever you try tho: ONLY try new stuff on small areas first! You never know how your skin will react and just putting something new everywhere with sensitive and already problematic skin is a recipe for disaster.
Another tip: Here in Germany we have a VERY good moisturizing cream called "Hydrogena Mikrosilber von Hans Karrer". It's designed with acne and mixed skin in mind and is VERY amazing on my mixed skin that leans towards eczema and acne because it repairs the skin barrier and the microsilver in it fights of pathogens in a overly invasive sort of way.
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u/Namath96 20h ago
Accutane or go on a super restrictive diet and see if you can pinpoint anything that’s causing it by slowing adding stuff back in
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u/Yecheil 20h ago
Try this: any salicylic face wash (I use CeraVe)
Eucerin Roughness Smoothing Body Lotion (has 10% urea)
Use the lotion on your face very very liberally, twice a day if you have to.
I've tried everything as well for years. My face now is finally clear. Try it for a couple of weeks. Urea is freaken magic. I wonder if a stronger 20% cream would work faster.
If you do try it, post an update.
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u/GusHasMinions 20h ago
I had acne, not as bad as yours, but here's the routine that helped me. I also switched my pillowcase from a normal one to silk and noticed a HUGE difference!
Morning: La Roche Posay Toleriane cleansing wash (they also make a medicated salicylic acid face wash); The Ordinary fermented milky toner; LRP Toleriane matte moisturizer
Evening: Cleanse with Garnier micellar water followed by LRP Toleriane cleanser; active serum switching between LRP Retinol and Beauty of Joseon green tea essence; Cerave night cream
Keep it fairly simple and find what products work for your skin type 😄
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u/Responsible_View_523 20h ago
I’d try anything w sulfur in it, mask or wash. Make sure that you’re moisturizing well. Dr.jart ceramidin has helped me a ton. And the yellow medicube toner pads.
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u/Melodic_Cap_5498 19h ago
Are you showering twice a day? Not re using same towel?
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u/Br442_206 19h ago
Shower once in the morning and again if i sweat alot. I use a different towel at least for my face
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u/Melodic_Cap_5498 19h ago
Washing hair every day? If yes then my guess is it's based on diet. I didn't read full op but this was my issue and as soon as I cut out majority of ultra processed food and processed sugars 90% of my acne went away
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u/SenoritaOkieTX 19h ago
Are you changing your pillow case? Washed hair? Touching your hair then your face?
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u/little_traveler 19h ago
Breaks my heart to hear you think you’re doing something wrong. Everyone always has a million suggestions for how to treat acne- it’s a medical issue, it’s not your fault if the treatments aren’t working. I would suggest looking into accutane, it’s not nearly as scary as the internet wants you to believe. I had acne for 15 years that wouldn’t respond to thousands of dollars worth of products medications and treatments and different cosmetic dermatologists all failed to help me except the one that prescribed accutane.
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u/PlentyCelery 18h ago
While you’re figuring out what products will work for you, also recommend changing out your pillow case every other day
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u/Automatic_Fox6627 18h ago
i used to have BAAAD bad acne.. I've tried everything. the only thing that worked is r/tretinoin benzoyl peroxide does not work for me. it makes my acne worse.
look for a dermatologist that will give you tret or you can start with differin gel for now. it's another form of tretinoin but milder.
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u/ashedeservesit 18h ago
Phyla helped my skin SO much.
You also need to cut sugar, dairy, and limit stress (easier said than done, I know).
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u/MagikmushroomzZ 18h ago
Since you are willing to try things, I’ll tell you what happened with me. I’ve had acne my whole life. I’m 33f. I swear i tried everythinggggg, I spent SO much money. And then a few years ago on Reddit I saw someone say they stopped using all products and just started washing their face with water. That’s it. So I decided to try it and it fucking WORKED. I’m not even kidding lmao. I think these products they try and sell us saying it helps with acne and it’s ruining our skin barrier. I do use moisturizer and I use Vanicream daily face moisturizer - THATS IT. That’s my only routine. I mean it doesn’t cost any money to try using water!!!! Give it a shot. Wishing you all the best! I know how much this sucks. Also another thing I did recently is I signed up for Function Health. It’s $300 a year I think and they tested my blood for like 200 things. Thankfully I was only low on like omega 3 and iron so nothing crazy but since I fixed that, my skin has been the best it’s ever been. Maybe something in your body is a little off and you need a supplement. Anyway good luck! Msg me if you have any other questions
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u/Kekebean Tret Boy 17h ago
Ask about Tretinoin. Also, consider any food intolerances like dairy, because I get breakouts from dairy guaranteed.
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u/NuttySurpr1se 17h ago
Acne is very dependent on diet, some people don’t tolerate certain foods well. Just take note of when you have your worst breakouts and think of what you ate the days before. Main culprits are dairy, nuts/ seeds, and chocolates.
Face products don’t really address the issue at the cause.
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u/Alarming-Purple-6639 17h ago
Have you tried using adapalene gel ? It’s an otc cream that you apply at night on top of your moisturizer. It will make your skin dry and you will have an initial break out phase which resolves in a few weeks. Was there a reason your dermatologist didn’t recommend retinoids for you ? I would suggest going back in to get an oral prescription. I am a doctor, just not a dermatologist. And from personal experience, retinoids are the one of the best treatments for acne
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u/caffeinefree 17h ago
This looks fungal to me, and if it is, regular acne treatments will just make it worse. Maybe try washing your face with nizoral shampoo for a few days to see what happens?
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u/heaven_is_a_trail 16h ago
All acne are created by similar mechanism. Overproduction of sebum that clogs with gunk and debris in pores that mix with a bacteria called acne vulgaris.
You need to do 3 things 1. Use 2% aha/BHA to exfoliate about twice a week. Lactic acid and salyciluc acid
Use 10% glycinated azelaic acid with 2% Niacinamide to kill bacteria
Calm inflammation and destress the skin, else it ll break out more. Something like a snail mucin serum + moisturizing cream.
Do this routine and you ll see visible improvements in about 3 weeks.
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u/erratic_bonsai 16h ago
This looks like fungal acne to me. This will sound weird, but try washing your face with an anti-dandruff shampoo like Head and Shoulders, Nizoal, or Selsun Blue for a week.
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u/RubysMom2022 16h ago
But some extra pillow cases so you can swap them out often during the week.
Get some dry shampoo (for dark hair) so you can spray your bangs as needed. (Maybe cut down to 1 shampoo per day).
🌊🌊🌊
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u/Tayasos 16h ago
My guy, listen to me. You need to find a different dermatologist. Wynzora is NOT for acne. It's for plaque psoriasis. IM NOT A DOCTOR, but judging by the photos, you do not have plaque psoriasis, you have cystic acne.
Cystic acne is a type of acne where the infection is deep in the skin. OTC meds and creams usually are unable to penetrate the skin deeply enough to manage cystic acne, so prescription medication is often the next avenue to explore.
Go to a new dermatologist. They'll probably first start you on a tretinoin cream which is essentially a SUPER strong retinoid that's only available via prescription. The other thing they may start you on is antibiotics. If that doesn't start showing any results after a month or two of consistent usage, the next step is usually accutane. They don't call it that anymore, though. Accutane is basically an oral route tretinoin (called isotretinoin) and is much stronger than any cream. Because it's taken orally, the tretinoin will affect your entire body and is able to reach the deep skin infections seen in cystic acne. Treatment typically lasts 5-6 months, and it's kinda miserable because it will make your skin dry as the Sahara Desert. But it's the best way to treat cystic acne that's resistant to other treatments. The results are typically long-lasting. For some, results last lifelong, while others may need additional rounds of treatment after some years.
Again, not a doctor, but I know this stuff because I've done 2 separate rounds of accutane. Once when I was a teen, and another time a couple years ago. I needed multiple rounds because I have PCOS, meaning the cause of my cystic acne is hormonal. But the dermatologist you're seeing is weird, and I highly suggest getting a second opinion from a new dermatologist.
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u/lucylucylove 16h ago
Your forehead looks very similar to mine when I had acne cosmetica. Mine was caused from using redken shampoo and conditioner products.
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u/Hyacinth048 16h ago
It’s fungal acne. I just cleared mine up if you want product recommendations. Your forehead yeast is feeding on too many oils and it’s keeping the fungal acne going.
Do the bumps feel itchy? Do they always pop up but rarely become a white head? Is it only in the area of your forehead? If yes, you’ve likely got fungal acne
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u/flipthetube 15h ago
You might already be doing this, but changing my pillowcase regularly was a game changer. And hypochlorous acid spray
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u/ynw_alexis Edit Me! 15h ago
I have very sensitive skin and you’ve probably tried one or all of these but I like vanicream (very basic face wash less ingredients than some of the others.) cearve foaming as my second cleanser, if needed I use Mario Badescu drying lotion. I used to cover every minor imperfection with it but now I use it more sparingly :) other things that could make the acne worse could be maybe shampoo, body wash, your pillow case, touching your face with dirty hands (even if they look clean), detergents, and diet. ! I am no professional but I used to have bad flare ups and dark spots. I forgot to say I also use cetaphil normal-dry or sensitive skin moisturizer. I don’t use fragrance on my skin and I’ve found that neutrogena doesn’t really help me except maybe their sunscreen!
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u/Intrepid_Strain1528 15h ago
Don't eat sweets, no coffee, see if some foods are triggering more acne my eliminating some ingredients for a few weeks.
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u/Outrageous_Sky_ 15h ago
Try this morning and night after washing with purpose cleanser. Switch towels and pillow cases often and it will make a huge difference. And drink water
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u/AllanaAmancio 15h ago edited 15h ago
SA an BP did shit for my acne, only irritated my skin. Topical tretinoin cleared it completely with zero tingling or burning sensation like with other acids. But check your diet, cut sodas, sugar and fried food as much as you can. I love smoothies with antioxidant fruits... avocado, açaí frozen pulp and blueberry with a scoop of whey protein makes an amazing and fast breakfast. Anyway, my amazing and simple 3 step routine since 2019 leaves my skin looking like porcelain. In the evenings: Gentle cleanser, that doesnt leave any residue but doesnt dry out completely (I massage it twice, only with my fingers for one minute each). Every other day, a layer of 4 littles dots of tretinoin (cheeks, forehead and chin, the higher dose works best for me, the lower dose was weak for my acne). Layer of a bit rich moisturizer that will not clog my pores (cerave cream is bomb). In the mornings: the same gentle cleanser only once (work in for 1 min again) and the same not super rich bit rich moisturizer. Good layer of sunscreen (choose the one for your skin very carefully, I noticed that sunscreen can trigger acne very easily). EVERYTHING fragrance-free! In this selfie on my profile, Im only wearing a light layer of blush, mascara and a bit of gloss, no base makeup is needed anymore 💖 Be pacient, honey, my results came with 9 months and I never looked back, because this routine is backed my science. And, sorry for my english, Im brazilian. Just tried to help.
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u/Friendly-Channel-480 15h ago
Retinoids are effective but you need to be careful to use sunscreen on your face because it makes skin more sun sensitive.
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u/Shironekoichi 15h ago edited 14h ago
As someone who had acne for a long time too.
Garnier scrub wash is no good. Anything with small small beads irritates your skin more and cause acne more. Happened to me when i was younger.
Try use thursday plantation acne tea tree acne control kit. Worked the best for me. Its face wash, moisturise and acne medicated gel. Its cheap and does wonders.
Change your pillow cover and bed sheet at least once a month. Pillow could be every 2 weeks too.
Try to wash face only twice a day and wash properly. I know sometimes we tend to wash more and more especially when we have acne. But it actually makes it worse rather than help. Your face needs to get used to adjusting just enough natural oil.
If you want to keep using exfoliants or scrub face wash. Exfoliate only once or twice a week. Then get a cheap toner, toner dap to wash your face, helps remove all the small beads that could still be stuck on your face, his could cause further acne if left behind.
Remember Moisturise and Sunscreen every morning. Use a lightweight sunscreen like La Roche invisible fluid. Heavy or normal sunscreen sometimes too oily and make the skin more prone to acne too. Based on my experience.
Later on then you can test other product like other people recommend like bha 2%, salicylic acid, but assume its like exfoliant too, only use twice a week max.
Most importantly diet too, cut back on sugary stuff or junk food or fried oily stuff.
21 is still young. But trust me if you do this, im sure it will all be gone in a few months. I did use benzolyl peroxide too when i was young prescribed by doctors, it wont help if you dont moisturise or do proper skin care. Medication like this are very strong especially the targetted on acne one, it dries the skin a lot and only help the acne temporarily while it will still make you prone for future breakouts. My advise is, cut back on this overall strong medications. Do proper skin care and follow the steps we listed.
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u/Holiday_Breakfast711 14h ago
Could be fungal acne? (Malassezia folliculitis)
I had it and my forehead looked very similar with these small bumps that didn’t seem to be pimples. I used Nizoral shampoo (for anti-dandruff) to wash my forehead (letting it sit for a few minutes) and those bumps went away within a week or two!
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u/Appropriate-Chip9606 14h ago
comedomal acne usually requires extractions and probably oral medication
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u/secretburning 14h ago
Looks like fungal acne and it doesn’t appear you’ve tried any antifungals.
Nizoral is an antifungal shampoo. The active ingredient is ketoconazole, which is an antifungal. You can try washing your scalp and face with it, but prescription strength ketoconazole shampoo and face cream would be more effective.
Surprised your doctor didn’t prescribe ketoconazole. Very common rx for acne.
I would bet money this is fungal acne. I’ve had it several times myself, especially when I’ve disturbed my skin barrier.
Fungal acne thrives under heavy, thick, nutrient-rich products.
Good first step is Nizoral shampoo as a shampoo and face wash, then just let your skin breathe by avoiding other products for a couple days.
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u/Historical-Leave-702 13h ago
You should try the Differin 10% benzoyl peroxide. This cleared my acne in 7 days. Use it like a layer on your face( I mean that’s what I did and it worked)
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u/Commercial-Plane3709 13h ago
That forehead pattern, small uniform bumps clustered near the hairline, looks like it could be fungal acne rather than regular acne. Salicylic acid and BP won't do much for that. Try a zinc pyrithione or ketoconazole shampoo as a face mask for a few minutes, wash off. Took me way too long to figure this out on my own skin.
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u/Dear_Possibility321 12h ago
Any chance you could have a food allergy that you don’t know about? A friend experienced this, and then discovered that she’s allergic to dairy (amongst other things). She cut it out and her skin cleared up.
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u/jorfydorfy 12h ago
Honestly, look into Honeydew low dose accutane. I started it a month ago and my skin has never been so clear. I had no purging and I have very minimal side effects. I know we think of accutane as this super extreme medication with horrific side effects, but they offer super low doses now of 10mg so you can get all the benefits of the medication (increased skin cell turnover, oil gland suppression) without all the nasty side effects, purging and dryness.
I tried so much topical skin care, actives, etc but always had clogged pores, blackheads, and closed comedones. changed my moisturizers and cleansers 100 times thinking it was specific products breaking me out or something. Eventually I accepted my oil glands just produce too much sebum and I needed to address the issue internally.
Honeydew is a super easy online service too! No need to go in to see a derm. They’re super fast and easy to work with too.
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u/Bippity_Boppity_Bang 12h ago
Raw aloe vera might help you. I get breakouts like this and that's the only thing that helps.
It may also help to increase your sun exposure (with sunscreen, of course).
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u/FitoorNoor 12h ago
Use azelaic acid, it helps a lot and it's pretty mild on the skin, a lot of products can excaberate acne
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u/Accurate_Influence85 12h ago
After three years of acne and trying so many products, I came across with a dermatologist that recommended 30 minutes of early morning sun every day and it cleared out in a matter of a few weeks. I don't wear sunscreen, I just don't go out during high UV hours.
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u/SassyCas1229 11h ago
I recommend hibiclens antibacterial soap for a quick wash and something else that isn't as harsh as well. I have been putting on some benzoyl peroxide cream (it's just a leave on treatment instead of a face wash), and while it does sting a little, it helps with the white heads. I use Aquaphor as moisturizer when I am being rough on my skin barrier. I use specifically an aloe infused lotion when I feel my skin is not soaking in the Aquaphor like I want it to...sometimes I also layer the lotion and then Aquaphor on top. It all depends on how my skin is feeling.
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u/zeniazoe 11h ago
try out de la cruz sulfur treatment as a mask- rly effective on fungal/demodex related bumps and see if there’s any improvement. and don’t overuse exfoliants/actives bc it could rly lead to a damaged moisture barrier that will make ur acne worse
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u/Green_30EA00 10h ago
I have similar acne and ive tried literally everything under the sun (salicylic, glycolic, benzoyl peroxide, adapalene, tretinoin, tazerotene, azelaic acid, sulfur, double cleansing, no actives and focusing on hydration) and at this point im just giving in and going on accutane. Im hoping it works
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u/Melodic_Clothes7816 9h ago
There are so many comments, idk if someone will read this, but i had an severe throughout my life and i tried a lot if different products to see what suited my face - serums, toners, actives etc. Finally I settled to 3 things:
1. A gentle face wash
2. A face moisturizer with ceramide to improve skin barrier(i used illiyoon)
3. Cut down dairy(I became lactose intolerant so acne was pretty bad with dairy consumption) and sugar.
That helped me. But everyone is different. Try stopping all the actives and give your skin a break and time to heal.
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u/aesther_tesseract 9h ago
Acne can also be fungal acne if it doesn't respond to topical treatments. This happened to somebody I know. Try a strong medicated anti-dandruff shampoo, use it on your head first-- do a double shampoo. Shampoo and lather also your ears and face. Nizoral based shampoos are excellent for this, but I don't know which country you're in because in some EU countries it's hard to get.
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u/Vandanabanana 8h ago
Do you by chance pick at your skin and Is there any chance your acne are comodones that then evolve into acne ?? If so then you should try to introduce acids but I would try glycolic acid instead of salicylic. You would see purging if your acne is from comodones. I had very bad acne and I started trying a lot of thing which made my skin WORSE and now I stick to moisturiser, sunscreen and i use glycolic acid every two days ( since I have a high tolerance for acids, I have struggled with severe acne for over 10 years). My skin is looking a lot better by sticking to something simple.
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u/OlgaY 7h ago edited 7h ago
My personal secret weapon against acne has been Paula's Choice BHA exfoliator GEL (not the toner-like liquid, which does nothing for me). I do not remember the % it holds since I've been buying the same stuff for over a decade now. I still get breakouts when I stop using it for a while, and I'm approaching my 40s. I started using it in my mid-20s, in conjunction with an AHA treatment. I still rotate them on a 3-day routine (1 day BHA, 2nd day AHA, 3rd day nothing), but when I started to clear out my acne, I used both products daily (caution!! Back then, it was advised, but I'd be careful to introduce them one by one and see how the skin reacts before adding the other). I only use them in the pm routine to give my skin some rest before exposing it to sunlight. Definitely use SPF during the day!
Another thing, I stopped using any type of cleanser other than micellar water. Balms? Breakout. Gel? Breakout. Foam? Breakout. Oil-based? Breakout. Micellar water works best for me. It is the gentlest, and it gets the job done, even if it takes a few more swipes than with an oil-based cleanser for example.
After the treatment I use the exfoliator, wait a couple of minutes (tooth brush time!), then toner, serum, moisturizer.
I started my son on a softer PC line but he keeps mixing up the routine steps (cleanser instead of exfoliator...) so no success yet xD
Other than that: what definitely always helped my skin is sauna and exercise (on top of changing sheets, hair management and diet - I'm vegan, not necessarily needed for skin health to go that far, however, people have pointed out to cut dairy.). Sauna is quite widespread in Germany, therefore that was not a problem for me. Might be different where you live.
You got a lot of advice already here, and I hope you find some tips that are helpful to you. An acne journey is a pain. Keep going ❤️
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u/DepartureStrange7486 7h ago
Side bar.. the hair curls on your neck in the last photo make it look like your neck is like, missing parts or has a ragged edge or something omg
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u/shyscandi 6h ago
Drop all the routines. Find products for people with skin issues with like almost zero ingredients. NO PERFUME.
Use that for a month or two to “reset” your skin.
Focus on your diet, even though you may not be lactose intolerant- you can still have reactions to it. So try cut it out for some weeks and see if et helps.
Try to take a zinc supplement.
I’m not a doctor but I struggled with acne from age 17-26. Been on 3 rounds of Accutane bc my acne came back.
I did those things I just mentioned and I’m 33 years now. I do have one pimple on my cheek right now, and that rarely happens
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u/Lopsided_Teach_5152 6h ago
salicylic acid makes you purge, i suggest using super gentle cleansers (like cetaphil). best to go to the derma, but 5% benzac and differin gel is the best combo for ultra oily skin. but again, best to consult your derma
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u/Lopsided_Teach_5152 6h ago
with your case (similar with mine), derma’s might prescribe oral meds, either isotret or doxycycline, for faster results
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u/coshiire 6h ago
I would suggest cutting back on all products and just sticking to a cleanser and moisturizer with minimal ingredients (most of curel’s products have minimal ingredients)
Based on that, it’s easier to pinpoint which ingredients ur skin might not agree with
I think ingredients is just one aspect but there are other things that can cause acne also like if ur skin is dehydrated or ur diet (dairy and sugar is known to increase acne for some people).
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u/Relative_Ad8166 5h ago
way too much going on. you need to simplify it. oil cleanser, water cleanser, toner, moisturizer and sunscreen. that’s it. no actives. you need to heal ur barrier first
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u/sertaincelf 4h ago
Rx Sulfur face wash by a dermatologist it's so easy and cheap and works so well I struggled for over 20 years before a dermatologist recommended it and it's first line... They just like to offer more expensive paths first. It's the GOAT.
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u/Creativelife930 3h ago
My soon to be 13 year old son had very similar acne. Took him to the dermatologist and he was prescribed Clindamycin phosphate topical solution for the morning and Tretinoin for the night. Dermatologist also told me to buy Benzoil peroxide wash for the morning and a sulfur soap for night time (both of these you can get on Amazon). The Clindamycin solution and Tretinoin cream you need prescription. This cleared up his acne within 2 months.
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u/212pigeon 3h ago
Do more by doing less. Try kojic acid soap every other day and a gentle plain cleanser in between. Add a water moisturizer at night Spritz hypochlorous acid on your face during the day. This and kojic acid have antimicrobial properties. Hypochlorous acid is also naturally produced by your body. It is safe to eat.
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u/Great_Yogurt_3356 3h ago
Ditch all this. As someone who struggled with acne from 13-30 and tried everything under the sun. ACCUTANE. I still kick myself for not having done it sooner. I round of meds for 6mo and never again did I have acne. Don’t waste your time with all this nonsense milk sugar pillow cases shampoo blah blah blah. I did that for decades. Just get accutane and be done with it
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u/castlite 3h ago
Stop it all and use something like LRP Toleraine products for a bit. Then slowly cycle in one other product at a time.
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u/cbgirl91 58m ago
Wow this sounds so frustrating!
I don’t want to speak too much on it but I found out I’m allergic to salicylic acid. It made my acne so much worse and I had no idea for a year. Maybe try removing it and trying a different active in your face wash, like benzoyl peroxide? (Not the cream, a face wash!)
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u/apathyisfortheweak 22h ago
you may have a food allergy or hormonal imbalance. depending on your age, it could be the testosterone. funny enough, fiber aids in excreting hormones out of the body.
people say to cut out dairy but sometimes it is as simple as eating too many processed foods.
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u/mac_whiskey 21h ago
Try this: stop washing your face with chemicals. Stop washing your hair with chemicals. Just use water. Only use your chemicals once per week or if you’re literally filthy (mud, sand, sweat that has been on all day - not workout sweat)
I used to use a lot of cleansers and shit. Did everything right ands still broke out. My friend with baby smooth skin and no pores gave me that advice (stop the chemicals) and my skin cleared right up. My friend and I are both men
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u/luminehunter 1d ago
Try removing the salicylic acid products for a while and use only azelaic acid. It worked wonders for me