The Acne Chronicles

What can I do about large pores?

adult acne treatments — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:39:40 +0000

While genetics does play a part in whether or not you are going to have large pores, you can minimize their appearance by first and foremost, keeping your skin clean. Several at home tips that can be used include steaming, a tightening mask, pore minimizing lotions and creams and gentle exfoliation of the skin. Professional options include Chemical peels, microdermabrasion, topical vitamin A treatments and deep poor cleansing. All of these will help to minimize their appearance, but will not prevent them from permanently reappearing.

What can I do about large pores? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

How can I prevent acne on my scalp?

adult acne treatments — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:58:22 +0000

There are a number of methods that can be used to prevent acne on the scalp. First and foremost, use a mild shampoo. Harsh shampoos can cause breakouts. Use conditioner sparingly if at all and make sure to completely rinse it out. And only use conditioner every couple of days if you wash your hair on a daily basis. If you get frequent breakouts, try using a vinegar rinse before washing your hair with a mild or baby shampoo. Another tip to dry out existing breakouts is to occasionally use cold soda water after you have shampooed. Massage this into your scalp and then rinse well with warm water to help dry out existing breakouts.

How can I prevent acne on my scalp? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

What are some acne treatments that work?

adult acne treatments — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:10:49 +0000

There are a wide variety of over the counter products that are specifically designed to treat acne. The most successful of these will contain benzoyl peroxide. Other OTC treatments include creams, lotions and masks that contain salicylic acid and sulfur. One of the most important things you can do is to keep your skin clean and making sure to drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated also helps. Aloe Vera gel also is very effective as it has anti bacterial properties and is very soothing on irritated skin.

What are some acne treatments that work? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

How can I cure pimples?

adult acne treatments — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:07:06 +0000

You cannot actually cure pimples, but there are a wide variety of things you can do to prevent an outbreak. Reducing the amount of fat, butter and sweets in your diet will help reduce outbreaks. Keeping the affected area clean and avoiding make up also helps. Increasing your intake of certain vitamins and minerals will help reduce the amount of pimples that appear, such as Zinc, vitamin A and Vitamin E.

How can I cure pimples? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

What are some good homemade acne treatments?

adult acne treatments — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:58:28 +0000

Keeping the affected area clean is the basis for any homemade acne treatment. A cotton ball lightly dipped in alcohol works well for killing bacteria. An oatmeal mask helps to treat oily skin because it soaks up the excess oil in your skin. It can also be used as a scrub. Rinsing your skin with a green tea bathe is also said to help with acne outbreaks. A honey and rosewater mask or a one make of tomato pulp applied for twenty minutes will also help. One great place to find new (and sometimes wacky) homemade acne treatments is Earth Clinic’s section on acne.

What are some good homemade acne treatments? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

What is cystic (or “blind”) acne and how can I treat/prevent it?

adult acne treatments — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:41:37 +0000

Cystic or blind acne is actually a pimple that forms like any other but does not form a head. You need to treat cystic or blind acne differently from regular pimples or acne to avoid causing an infection. Do not squeeze or try and prick the pimple, this will only increase the irritation and pain and may lead to infection or scarring. Your best bet is to apply a hot compress to possibly open up the pores. The best way to prevent cystic or blind acne is to maintain your skin by washing daily with a mild soap, and eating a healthy diet.

Another thing you can do for cystic acne is zap it with a Zeno HOT SPOT. Officially the company says it doesn’t work on this, but I have often used this with good luck, as soon as I feel the first tenderness of the cyst coming on. It doesn’t stop the cyst altogether of course, but it does seem to shorten the length of the breakout.

What is cystic (or “blind”) acne and how can I treat/prevent it? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

What is a blue light treatment for acne?

adult acne treatments — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:40:11 +0000

Blue light treatment is a physician based topical treatment regimen that has minimal adverse side effects or patient discomfort. Treatments are generally spaced a week a part and are performed in conjunction with a topical solution. Results generally become noticeable within two to four weeks of treatment and can result in the reduction outbreaks. This spectrum of light helps to activate the skin’s natural ability to destroy bacteria. Blue light therapy is generally 10-15 minutes long twice a week. The results can last up to 3-4 months.

If you’re interested in investing the money for a blue-light treatment at home, TrophySkin offers one on Amazon.

What is a blue light treatment for acne? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

What should you do about pregnancy acne?

adult acne treatments — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:49:24 +0000

Pregnancy acne is neither predictable nor preventable. It is caused by the rising hormone levels especially during the first trimester. And many OTC treatments and some herbal treatments can prove harmful to the unborn baby. Always consult a dermatologist before using any OTC or herbal treatments. Your best bet is to just make sure the skin stays clean and dry but do not over wash. Use a fragrance free soap and an oil free moisturizer. Increase your water intake to help dilute the rising hormone levels.

What should you do about pregnancy acne? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

What are the different antibiotics used for acne?

adult acne treatments — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:39:50 +0000

One of the most common antibiotics used for the treatment of acne is tetracycline. Erythromycin is also widely used and has the added advantage of having anti-inflammatory properties. It can also be used to treat pregnancy acne. Minocyline is a derivative of tetracycline and has a good success rate with pustular type acne. Doxycycline and Clindamcyin are also used but not as widely and have more side effects that the ones mentioned above. You would need to see your dermatologist to start these treatments.

What are the different antibiotics used for acne? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

How to Get Rid of a Zit Fast

adult acne treatments — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:34:49 +0000

Everyone gets them– here are some great ways to dry up a big pimple overnight. I think I have tried almost everything, and each one of these has worked.

1. Put some toothpaste on it. Traditional, benzoyl-peroxide based acne remedies dry up my face too much, so sometimes after I wash my face for the night, I put a dollop (meaning, just enough to cover the big zit) of toothpaste on it. Allow this to dry, of course, before you actually lie down to go to sleep, just to avoid getting toothpaste on your pillow.

2. Heat it up. I use the ZENO HOT SPOT for this. I start zapping the area as soon as I feel the pimple coming on, then keeping zapping it every 4 hours until it goes away.

3. Dry it with the pink stuff. I love that Mario Bedascu drying lotion– the one that you have to apply with a Q-tip.

4. Take Airborne. What if you treated a big zit like a cold, and took Airborne when you felt a breakout coming on? I already take 2,000 mg of Vitamin C every day, but I do throw in an Airborne tablet when I see a zit coming. Head it off at the pass!

How to Get Rid of a Zit Fast is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

What to do about nodular acne

adult acne treatments — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:36:43 +0000

I actually have experience with this as well– I had cystic (nodular) acne on my scalp when I was in high school– yowch! My dermatologist at the time treated it with antibiotics, which helped a little bit. It did go away for awhile, but flares up again most often during my period, so I guess it’s hormonally based. I know, no company that makes over the counter acne treatments wants to go on the record as saying their product helps with nodular acne, but some things help keep your skin clear in general, which helps it from spreading. Here are some things that help:

–Avoiding dairy. I keep saying this, but it’s really true. Cheese especially causes me to get those big, hard, painful cyst pimples that only have clear fluid in them when you try to pop them. Painful AND ugly. Think of that the next time someone offers you French Onion soup.

–Zeno products. I know, officially it’s not supposed to be used for this, but as soon as I feel the tenderness or the lump under the skin, I totally zap that zit with Zeno heat until it goes away. As I am obsessed with Zeno products, I can do this many times per day and have found it very effective.

–Traditional acne medicine. I don’t usually use stuff like this because it dries the crap out of the rest of my face, but if I’m trying to combat a huge cyst, I will put anything and everything on it. Includes Persagel, Mario Bedascu drying lotion, and old-school Clearasil. I also will use one of those alcohol swabs on it.

What to do about nodular acne is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

What vitamins are best for skin, hair, and nails?

adult acne treatments — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:28:02 +0000

I’m always adding (or subtracting) things from my vitamin regimen, trying to get my skin to clear up for good. Here are some things I’ve found that have worked:

1. Fish oil. I know this sounds totally gross, but I like the lemon-flavored fish oil from Nordic Naturals (pictured). I don’t like taking a million fish pills and most of them upset my stomach, and this liquid stuff doesn’t at all. The jury’s still out on what it does for my skin (although I do know it doesn’t make it any worse), but I always get a ton of compliments on how shiny my hair is when I take it consistently, and my nails grow like crazy.

2. Women’s vitamins. I guess this would go more under “hormonal acne,” but I find that if I balance out my hormones, my acne stops acting up. I think avoiding dairy also factors into this.

What vitamins are best for skin, hair, and nails? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

Why Talk About Acne?

adult acne treatments — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:26:14 +0000

I’m 37. I have zits. I don’t get carded buying beer anymore, I have a few wrinkles, and yet every single day I still spend time covering, popping, or otherwise trying to alleviate my 20-year old acne problem. When will it go away? WHEN? On the bright side, I have tried every single over the counter, prescription, and expensive acne product out there, and now I am going to tell you about them.

Why Talk About Acne? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

Of course, I jinxed it.

adult acne treatments — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:09:05 +0000

Of course, the morning after I proclaim that I am acne-free for the first time, I wake up this morning with three neck pimples, which I pop and then end up with splotches on my neck for the whole day. What did I put on these to help them? Cortisone cream, people! Like they were bug bites, or maybe the bite of a vampire with three random teeth.

Seriously the neck pimples are weird, and I don’t like them. Is this another lovely example of hormonal acne? I had to pop them, because there is no way in hell I am going outside with whiteheads on my neck. And, sorry to my two dermatologists.

Of course, I jinxed it. is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

I Have No Pimples

adult acne treatments — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:13:30 +0000

Seriously, I am writing this post because this is the first time in TEN YEARS that I do not have even one pimple. I am attributing this to luck and coincidence, of course. Of course, I have totally been avoiding dairy (which has been hard, but I am sorry to say, is making a big difference in my acne problem).

Here are some other things I have been doing, in case this is some kind of random system that I have stumbled upon that might also work for you:

1. Washing morning/ nighttime with Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotic Kampuku Soap. You can get this at iHerb.com at a discount if you want to try it.

2. Using prescription Retin-A (actually, it’s the generic)

3. Zapping all active pimples with a Zeno HotSpot.

Also, I have been taking fish oil and drinking a ton of water. And of course, I just finished my period, and I don’t even want to talk about all the hormonal acne I had on my chin last week. I was zapping it with the Zeno every night before bed.

I Have No Pimples is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

Does Dairy Cause Acne?

adult acne treatments — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:27:23 +0000

My new dermatologist seems to have this magical theory that dairy is what causes acne—in everyone, all the time. I think he says this to everyone who walks in the door with a zit. I humor him because at least once a month he fits me in for cortisone shots when hormone-related acne flare-ups make my face into a giant fiasco. I must admit, when I lay off things like milk and pizza, my zits seem to not be as extreme. But—really? Am I supposed to never eat pizza or ice cream ever again, in my life? This hardly seems realistic. Can’t they just make a pill that counteracts whatever effect dairy is having on my skin? They do it for lactose intolerant people so they can drink milk and not get gas, right?

Come to think of it, would it work if I started taking Lactaid pills or something like that? What if that cured my acne once and for all?

Does Dairy Cause Acne? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

Today: Four pimples on my chin. Why????

adult acne treatments — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:11:25 +0000

Sometimes in a feeble effort to make my zits calm down so I can at least attempt to cover them up with the nine different types of concealer I keep on hand, I either freeze the really bad pimples with an ice cube or try to dry them out with my hair dryer and/ or a Zeno. Then I have to let them sit for awhile, then I powder the whole face, then conceal.

I know there is a whole world of over 35 year old people out there who have to take these elaborate measures to get rid of acne, but it does make you feel ridiculous and alone, and like “wow, I should really have grown out of this by now.” This is especially true when I have to dig into a zit on my chin to pull out a hair. Oh yes, it’s TMI time here.

Seriously, am I going to have pimples until I hit menopause? This is ridiculous.

Today: Four pimples on my chin. Why???? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

Don’t touch your face….

adult acne treatments — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:02:05 +0000

Do I have zits because I touch my face too much? The other day my husband mentioned that he tries to never touch his face (I believe this is because he hates getting sick and considers not touching his face with his hands a key component of his wellness strategy). After he mentioned this I started trying to notice when I was doing it, and OH MY GOD MAYBE THIS IS THE REASON I HAVE ALWAYS HAD ACNE. Aren’t you SUPPOSED to touch your face? Now I feel totally weird, like I’m always trying to keep my hands off of it. Yikes! I don’t think this whole “not touching my face” thing is going to last because it’s so hard, but I guess it’s a good reminder for me to wash my hands more, at least. But, that CAN’T be the only reason I always have zits, right? If it is, I’m totally doomed.

Ugh! Just caught myself doing it again. I will probably wake up with a pimple in the exact spot where I was leaning my cheek on my hand just now. Wonderful.

Don’t touch your face…. is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.

Why Do I Have Neck Pimples?

adult acne treatments — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:35:47 +0000

Dude, yesterday I noticed that there were three pimples on my neck, in various forms of development. I popped one of them and attempted to pop the other two, which just angered one of them. Now I have a couple of red spots and am wearing a turtleneck sweater. I just started getting pimples on my neck– what is up with that?

Why Do I Have Neck Pimples? is a post from: The Acne ChroniclesVisit our site to read about how to get rid of pimples fast, how to get good skin, and the latest on hormonal acne.