The Regimen

[Csara]

after hearing Jana mention The Regimen (http://www.acne.org/regimen-instructions.html) on quite a few occasions, I decided to finally give it a real try.

The Basics:

I am using Cetaphil Facial Cleanser, Neutrogena on the spot treatment, and Cetaphil Moisturizer - all 3 both morning and night.

Today is day 2 for me!

This week I am expected to see mild improvement and it should continually improve until week 8 when supposedly my skin will be totally clear and beautiful. :D

I am going to try to keep up on a regular basis and document the changes.

Anyone else try this? What were/are your results? Feel free to join me in this thread with your own updates.

[Csara]

Day 3 -

I think I might be using too much product, my face feels like it has a constant coat of something on it. so far not much improvement, but it's not worse either.

[nicolef888]

Do you have acne all over your face or just in certain areas? Maybe try just a certain area to see if that works and then you won't have that constant coated feeling?

[Turtleheadfred]

Keep letting us know C!

Even at my age (I truly CAN'T believe I SAID THAT!!!) I still have my face break out periodically - especially if I use something on my face that it doesn't like. But I use a "plan" for minimizing wrinkles, etc. and I'm not sure if I could do the BP with it.... something to think about. But actually, my face is really good lately - just occasionally break outs. YEAH!

(Watch - I'll be COVERED in ZITS in the morning!) :rolleyes:

[Csara]

I have my good and bad months...and even times of the month. Ugh! Right now I have blemishes pretty much all over my face. They will clear up naturally in about a week anyway I'm sure, but I am hoping this will prevent them from popping up ever again. I swear, I thought once I hit 30 they'd be gone, but apparently I am one of those people that has adult acne.

[Turtleheadfred]

That was me too C! I really thought that once we all got OUT of our teen years (and early 20s), good skin would be ours! But I'm starting to think that most people do have some degree of problems since it seems more and more people I talk to are having the same type stuff you and I are talking about. Maybe it's the air pollution, our food, WHO KNOWS - but we'll be rich if we can figure out how to fix it!!! :five:

[Csara]

Well, I haven't been keeping track daily but if I look back at the posts, it shows I've been on the Regimen for about two weeks now. I definitely see an improvement and I have to admit I have only being doing the routine once a day on most days. Occasionally I will do it twice but not on a regular basis. So, I am thinking this really works. I have to keep at it. It's sooo easy and my skin looks/feels pretty nice so far.

[Turtleheadfred]

YEAH for you! Keep letting us know! If you're like me, the "month" mark will be the defining moment (if you know what I mean!)

I'm glad it's working.... what BP product are you using if I may ask?

[Csara]

Thanks THF!

I'm just using the generic CVS brand copy of Neutrogena on the spot treatment. Same exact ingredients....just cheaper. :)

[jana]

:blush: I gave up. I am tired of staining all my pillowcases at night with the BP. It was working really well for me, though. I should buy some cheapy pillowcases and get back to it. :)

[Csara]

lol Jana - I haven't had that happen yet. You must have really been loading it on! :lol:

Is BP safe when preggo? Not that I am, but I remember when I was I was sooo broken out for a while and I'd like to be able to stay on top of The Regimen next time around, if possible.

[jana]

lol Jana - I haven't had that happen yet. You must have really been loading it on! :lol:

Is BP safe when preggo? Not that I am, but I remember when I was I was sooo broken out for a while and I'd like to be able to stay on top of The Regimen next time around, if possible.


Ha! Well, I was putting it on *right* before bed, and I dunno, I have always had bad luck with benzoyl peroxide and staining (well, bleaching, I guess). My towels have bleach spots on them (even when I was very careful to wash my hands well after both the BP and the moisturizer), and my pillowcases, too.

And no, BP is pregnancy class C (adverse effects/toxicity on fetuses in animal testing). I don't plan to use it while pregnant. It's considered mostly safe for bf, but I've read mixed things saying that there are inadequate studies, so that's part of the reason I haven't been following the regimen exactly and have slacked a bit. I was doing it when I had some big breakouts, and only once a day and not as much BP as they said to use.

[Csara]

Still doing it (once a day) and still looking good! ;)

I went to the dermatologist today for a different issue and she commented on how great my skin looks. Wow! She told me to keep up whatever it was I was doing. :D

[ParagonEos]

Awesome! I don't have alot of breakouts, I just have ugly skin. My biggest issue is aging, and quickly! Not only do I have living in the westtexas desert against me, I have had a total Hysterectomy 10 years ago and the elastin is history. :mad:

[Turtleheadfred]

Good for you C!

And Paragon... I'm with you girl! Not the hysterectomy... but suddenly, I'm seeing wrinkles! Other people say they don't see them; I look great; blah blah blah - yeah - WHATEVER! I'm not blind ya know! I know what a wrinkle looks like!:strange:

Sorry - just went a little bizzerk there didn't I? :toast:

I just bought some Murad acne spray for my back. I don't have "acne" per se, but my back has these little raised spots. I don't know WHAT the heck they are - but it's like little pimple wanna-be's under the skin and I WANT THEM GONE! They never used to be there - and you know you can NOT reach your back to put any kind of medicine on... duh! So I've done the back scrubs, salicylic scrubs, etc., but I saw this stuff advertised and bit the bullet. It SPRAYS so you can specifically use it on your back and it will even spray upside down! (Now THAT'S a smart marketing person!) I hope it helps because this is driving me nuts!

[ParagonEos]

How is the Murad acne spray working??

[Csara]

I haven't been keeping up with the Regimen and my skin is gross now. It's also because of being in the sun. When I take J to swim lessons, it's pretty sunny out and my skin gets broken out when it sees the sun. Ugh!!!

I am looking for an alternative to the BP since I hope to get pregnant soon. I need something that is safe. Any ideas anyone? I just hate dealing with zits. Dude, I'm 30. Shouldn't these have gone away after the teens?!?!?! LOL

[ParagonEos]

I am looking for an alternative to the BP since I hope to get pregnant soon.


Oh my goodness!!!! How exciting! Congratulations! Almost :family:

[nicolef888]

I used Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask when I was pg with J Neutrogena Clear Pore™ Cleanser/Mask (http://www.neutrogena.com/ProductsDetails_153.asp?lProductLineID=1) and used Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash during my second pg Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Wash (http://www.neutrogena.com/ProductsDetails_18.asp?lProductLineID=1)

I didn't use anything during the first trimester but used them in the second and third trimester. I do prefer the Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask but I couldn't get it when I was pg with I for some reason. I did not use any spot treatments during the pg but went into get shots (they inject each pustule).

For some reason, my skin has now cleared up and I'm still using the Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask.

[Csara]

thanks Paragon...

and thanks Nicole, I will try that.

[Turtleheadfred]

Sorry I haven't checked in a while...

The Murad back spray actually works! My back is much better... and the spray is really easy to use! Definitely worth the money - but again, my back wasn't really "acne"... just a few little places but I'm really wierd about that sort of thing!

C! Congrats! And I hate to tell you this... but it doesn't go away! I'm 45 and still break out occasionally and I feel the same way. It's like, "okay - how LONG is this supposed to go on!?!?"

I found a new bar soap by Ambi that's for oily skin that I really like and seem to clean without drying. Also, I use the Oil of Olay Total Effects moisturizer for "anti-aging with blemishes" - or something like that! It really helps! I get the advantage of moisturizer, and the ingredient in it doesn't break me out and seem to help clear up whatever I might have. You might look at the drugstore.:)

[ParagonEos]

My Son had horrid Acne, and after lots of drugs and money I started Buying proactiv, it cleared his face up by 90%!

[IUgrad02]

I'm glad to read this, C!! I am praying the Regimen works for me, too. I'm following it precisely. Like I've told you, my face is NOT that bad, and I *could* live with it, but why?! I never had this problem as a teenager at all, and I"m extremely frustrated by it now in my mid twenties. It blows. I am only on day 3 of the Regimen, so I'll post how it goes for me, too. I bought the same things C bought. Cetaphil, Neutrogena on the spot BP, and Cetaphil moisturizer.

I noticed today that the moisturizer plus the BP started to "ball up" when I rubbed my finger over my face while applying. I looked it up on the website, and it says it is normal... but that is gross! I don't have any makeup on today, but if I wear makeup , that is not going to work! It says to try a gel BP rather than a cream. What do you think about buying Dan's products? Is this guy for real? How can he sell these products and not be a derm? I don't know how a regular guy off the street creates his own products, so I'm confused.

I can't wait to see improvement. I think my face has only broken out as a result of crazy hormones after having my son and then my BC pill... it's the only one my doc said he could give me while nursing, and it says a major side effect is acne. :cry: I quit the pill, and I'm gonig to use different methods for now.

I hope this works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :crossed: Your face sounds like mine, C. Not crazy, but enough that it is bothering you.

OH -- by the way, my OB told me when I was pregnant to quit using the prescription meds I had from ther derm and to buy Oxy 5 or 10%... but that's BP... so hmm??? My stuff from the derm was also BP, so I don't know why it mattered??!! Anyway, my son is healthy and fine. I just thought I'd share.

[Csara]

I wouldn't buy his products. I'm always skeptical of stuff like that.

[IUgrad02]

Well, I'm over 2.5 weeks into using the regimen. Last weekend I would've told you that it was working like a charm b/c my skin seemed to be improving at a pretty rapid pace. However, it broke out again in two areas on Monday-Thursday, and this evening it is seeming like that acne is drying up and going away, thank the Lord. But, my face is really, really burny tonight. I don't know if I got crazy and applied too much BP b/c I was hating those breakouts or what. Even the moisturizer is burning a few seconds after application, so I'm just trying my best to ignore it and go on with my evening. I think my spots are healing from earlier this week; I just hope nothing else pops up.

I am going to keep rolling with this method for a few more weeks and see what happens. The 3/4 of my face that has zero acne on it feels really nice, so I'm hopeful that these 2 or 3 spots with breakouts will feel just as nice soon!! :crossed: I'm tired of feeling like I have to carry concealer with me all the time. I want perfect skin like I had in high school/college. Dang these hormones. :evil:

[IUgrad02]

PS- I just realized the regimen's "what to expect" section says you may breakout around week 2 or 3 and want to consider other options... plus it says redness may still be there. Yep, that sounds like me. I'm going to keep chugging b/c it seems like I'm still falling into the general guidelines of what to expect.

[IUgrad02]

just wanted to update that this problem I was having had nothing to do w/ the regimen. My derm told me it was entirely hormonal, and it did stop after I was finished breastfeeding and started a routine that was more aggressive than what I could do when I was BF. I have not had one blemish since, and I could not be happier. I just hope my skin doesn't react that way next time I am BF (assuming I'm able to have more kids).