acne - Forum - Virtual Popstar

Bloodflowers
Popstar

Bloodflowers wrote:
anyone else struggling with acne? My face looks awful right now and I just want to stay at home and not go out in public. I feel like I look so ugly.
I got an acne cream from a doctor on Thursday and I'm hoping it's going to work. Anyone else have tried Epiduo?

Private
World Famous

Suchomimus wrote:
i struggle really bad with acne on my back, but I've never tried cream for it, idylove to know if it works for you

Bloodflowers
Popstar

Bloodflowers wrote:

Suchomimus wrote:
i struggle really bad with acne on my back, but I've never tried cream for it, idylove to know if it works for you

I can post an update in a few weeks and tag you if you want

Private
World Famous

Suchomimus wrote:

Bloodflowers wrote:

Suchomimus wrote:
i struggle really bad with acne on my back, but I've never tried cream for it, idylove to know if it works for you

I can post an update in a few weeks and tag you if you want

yes please!

Lux
Youtube Star

Lux wrote:

Suchomimus wrote:
i struggle really bad with acne on my back, but I've never tried cream for it, idylove to know if it works for you

I had really bad back acne. Epiduo unfortunately did not work for me and I had to get on accutane/isotretinoin after trying multiple creams / pills, etc.

luckily my side effects weren't that bad, mostly dry lips, but I've been completely acne free for over a year now. I've heard a lot of people say that (similar to Epiduo) a Benzoyl peroxide wash works great. You leave it on for a bit, then wash it out. I also got a cream containing it to prevent me from future breakouts on my face and it has been great.

I think accutane was worth it to me because I had severe painful acne since I was 12, but realistically I'd try everything else beforehand because of the risks of it.

Bloodflowers
Popstar

Bloodflowers wrote:
I don't even want to go outside because of my acne

Lux
Youtube Star

Lux wrote:

Bloodflowers wrote:
I don't even want to go outside because of my acne

I was also insecure for so long especially during summers because I had acne on my chest, face and back. I couldn't wear tops that showed skin so I didn't go outside at all...

But acne isn't forever, and you'll find something that works for you. <3 There are a lot of options, even if Epiduo ended up not working. There are multiple body washes containing benzoyl peroxide, which gets rid of existing and future acne spots, depending on the person birth control pills may be fitting (some are specifically used when a person struggles with acne), there's isotretinoin/accutane for worst case scenario, some people find even just different products you can simply find at a drugstore to help. A lot of these like salisylic acid from ordinary are affordable and worked for loads of people. If Epiduo does not work, a dermatologist can always go through options with you specifically for the type of acne you have/how long you've had it/and based on products you've tried or your lifestyle.

(And if there is an underlying issue, those can be checked too and fixed if it's related to something like gut issues.)

I'd advice drinking loads of water, or green tea if you can. Wash your face each day, especially after sweating. If you feel really bad about going outside with a spot, there are very subtle pimple patches you can use that cover up the pimple while also treating it.

Also as someone who has used Epiduo and other gels/creams for acne, don't be alarmed from the "purge". It doesn't necessarily mean it's not working, but actually the opposite. It will clear after. <3

Private
Popstar

bexxi wrote:

Suchomimus wrote:
i struggle really bad with acne on my back, but I've never tried cream for it, idylove to know if it works for you

this might seem silly but my back acne clearey up after i realized that i do conditioner last in ghw shower right ... n then rhe contidionwr runs down my back. and i used to just stop ghe shower there, step out, dry off by just wrapping thw towel loosely around me.
but now i either take one of those shower sponges ans scrub the conditioner residue off my back first or i acrually scrub my back a bit witj the towel. now i very very rarely get a pimple of my shoulders or whatever, mostly if i wore a t shirt more than twice in a row (if its not dirty ... why not)

Klavier
Minister of Pop

Klavier wrote:
you got epiduo prescribed exactly a week after i did lol. still very hard to tell if it's working well for me or if i'll need to come back in to step up to something else, so i don't know if i can give much personal insight yet 😭 but i've been poking around in the topic for a while at least. what lux wrote is really great advice. while you're going through the testing period, just make sure you keep your routines fairly consistent, and take frequent progress pictures!!! sometimes it's super hard to tell if anything is changing at all because it's gradual enough that it looks like nothing. even if nothing seems to be happening, it might just take a while

if you feel like the cream makes you break out more, don't be alarmed, like lux said. but if your skin starts to get very very dried out, coarse and irritated it might be worth decreasing the amount of days a week where you apply it for a bit, and focusing on moisture and repairing your skins barrier on off days. my nurse instructed me to do it every night, but after 3 nights applying it i struggled with containing the dryness (i lost my Good creams oops), so i started doing it every other night instead and it's been much easier to regulate my skins reaction and let it get used to it. now that i have it more under control i'm gonna go back to doing it daily as instructed and hopefully i'll be able to avoid getting too dried out now that i have better creams for it. it's unfortunately a whole lot of experimenting, which sucks when you don't even know if it'll work or not 😭 but it'll be worth it!!! even if you just figure out that it doesn't work for you, it means you can try something else that might

i'd suggest checking out the tretinoin subreddit to see if you can find good tips and pointers there. even if most people there don't use epiduo and adapalene specifically, and everyone obviously has different skin types/needs/reactions, i think it's a good place to get more familiar with how the retinoids work and how you can deal with any troubles you might run into

Lux
Youtube Star

Lux wrote:

bexxi wrote:

Suchomimus wrote:
i struggle really bad with acne on my back, but I've never tried cream for it, idylove to know if it works for you

this might seem silly but my back acne clearey up after i realized that i do conditioner last in ghw shower right ... n then rhe contidionwr runs down my back. and i used to just stop ghe shower there, step out, dry off by just wrapping thw towel loosely around me.
but now i either take one of those shower sponges ans scrub the conditioner residue off my back first or i acrually scrub my back a bit witj the towel. now i very very rarely get a pimple of my shoulders or whatever, mostly if i wore a t shirt more than twice in a row (if its not dirty ... why not)

ohh yeah this too, i've heard a lot of people say this.

i always tilt my head to the side so my hair doesn't leak the conditioner down my back/chest while I wash it out now.

Lux
Youtube Star

Lux wrote:

Klavier wrote:
you got epiduo prescribed exactly a week after i did lol. still very hard to tell if it's working well for me or if i'll need to come back in to step up to something else, so i don't know if i can give much personal insight yet 😭 but i've been poking around in the topic for a while at least. what lux wrote is really great advice. while you're going through the testing period, just make sure you keep your routines fairly consistent, and take frequent progress pictures!!! sometimes it's super hard to tell if anything is changing at all because it's gradual enough that it looks like nothing. even if nothing seems to be happening, it might just take a while

if you feel like the cream makes you break out more, don't be alarmed, like lux said. but if your skin starts to get very very dried out, coarse and irritated it might be worth decreasing the amount of days a week where you apply it for a bit, and focusing on moisture and repairing your skins barrier on off days. my nurse instructed me to do it every night, but after 3 nights applying it i struggled with containing the dryness (i lost my Good creams oops), so i started doing it every other night instead and it's been much easier to regulate my skins reaction and let it get used to it. now that i have it more under control i'm gonna go back to doing it daily as instructed and hopefully i'll be able to avoid getting too dried out now that i have better creams for it. it's unfortunately a whole lot of experimenting, which sucks when you don't even know if it'll work or not 😭 but it'll be worth it!!! even if you just figure out that it doesn't work for you, it means you can try something else that might

i'd suggest checking out the tretinoin subreddit to see if you can find good tips and pointers there. even if most people there don't use epiduo and adapalene specifically, and everyone obviously has different skin types/needs/reactions, i think it's a good place to get more familiar with how the retinoids work and how you can deal with any troubles you might run into

and also if you end up using tretinoin creams or retinols make sure to wear SPF.

they are both vitamin A based (like isotretinoin/accutane too) and dries skin + makes it more sensitive to sun.

Klavier
Minister of Pop

Klavier wrote:

Lux wrote:

Klavier wrote:
you got epiduo prescribed exactly a week after i did lol. still very hard to tell if it's working well for me or if i'll need to come back in to step up to something else, so i don't know if i can give much personal insight yet 😭 but i've been poking around in the topic for a while at least. what lux wrote is really great advice. while you're going through the testing period, just make sure you keep your routines fairly consistent, and take frequent progress pictures!!! sometimes it's super hard to tell if anything is changing at all because it's gradual enough that it looks like nothing. even if nothing seems to be happening, it might just take a while

if you feel like the cream makes you break out more, don't be alarmed, like lux said. but if your skin starts to get very very dried out, coarse and irritated it might be worth decreasing the amount of days a week where you apply it for a bit, and focusing on moisture and repairing your skins barrier on off days. my nurse instructed me to do it every night, but after 3 nights applying it i struggled with containing the dryness (i lost my Good creams oops), so i started doing it every other night instead and it's been much easier to regulate my skins reaction and let it get used to it. now that i have it more under control i'm gonna go back to doing it daily as instructed and hopefully i'll be able to avoid getting too dried out now that i have better creams for it. it's unfortunately a whole lot of experimenting, which sucks when you don't even know if it'll work or not 😭 but it'll be worth it!!! even if you just figure out that it doesn't work for you, it means you can try something else that might

i'd suggest checking out the tretinoin subreddit to see if you can find good tips and pointers there. even if most people there don't use epiduo and adapalene specifically, and everyone obviously has different skin types/needs/reactions, i think it's a good place to get more familiar with how the retinoids work and how you can deal with any troubles you might run into

and also if you end up using tretinoin creams or retinols make sure to wear SPF.

they are both vitamin A based (like isotretinoin/accutane too) and dries skin + makes it more sensitive to sun.

yes definitely, but i think this applies to epiduo and any other retinoid cream too haha,, and also just in general cause spf is important regardless, but ESPECIALLY if u have acne!!!

Lux
Youtube Star

Lux wrote:

Klavier wrote:

Lux wrote:

Klavier wrote:
you got epiduo prescribed exactly a week after i did lol. still very hard to tell if it's working well for me or if i'll need to come back in to step up to something else, so i don't know if i can give much personal insight yet 😭 but i've been poking around in the topic for a while at least. what lux wrote is really great advice. while you're going through the testing period, just make sure you keep your routines fairly consistent, and take frequent progress pictures!!! sometimes it's super hard to tell if anything is changing at all because it's gradual enough that it looks like nothing. even if nothing seems to be happening, it might just take a while

if you feel like the cream makes you break out more, don't be alarmed, like lux said. but if your skin starts to get very very dried out, coarse and irritated it might be worth decreasing the amount of days a week where you apply it for a bit, and focusing on moisture and repairing your skins barrier on off days. my nurse instructed me to do it every night, but after 3 nights applying it i struggled with containing the dryness (i lost my Good creams oops), so i started doing it every other night instead and it's been much easier to regulate my skins reaction and let it get used to it. now that i have it more under control i'm gonna go back to doing it daily as instructed and hopefully i'll be able to avoid getting too dried out now that i have better creams for it. it's unfortunately a whole lot of experimenting, which sucks when you don't even know if it'll work or not 😭 but it'll be worth it!!! even if you just figure out that it doesn't work for you, it means you can try something else that might

i'd suggest checking out the tretinoin subreddit to see if you can find good tips and pointers there. even if most people there don't use epiduo and adapalene specifically, and everyone obviously has different skin types/needs/reactions, i think it's a good place to get more familiar with how the retinoids work and how you can deal with any troubles you might run into

and also if you end up using tretinoin creams or retinols make sure to wear SPF.

they are both vitamin A based (like isotretinoin/accutane too) and dries skin + makes it more sensitive to sun.

yes definitely, but i think this applies to epiduo and any other retinoid cream too haha,, and also just in general cause spf is important regardless, but ESPECIALLY if u have acne!!!

Definitely, but I did use a lot more sunscreen when I was on accutane haha. Was just more aware of it because of sunburns and dry skin. It's been a while since I used Epiduo so I can't remember much details of the side effects! But you're right on the SPF in general!

I haven't tried retinol creams or tretinoin creams, just seen people say it's quite strong and can make their skin really sensitive! My skin has stayed clear after accutane and hopefully will stay that way.

Private
Popstar

bexxi wrote:

Lux wrote:

bexxi wrote:

Suchomimus wrote:
i struggle really bad with acne on my back, but I've never tried cream for it, idylove to know if it works for you

this might seem silly but my back acne clearey up after i realized that i do conditioner last in ghw shower right ... n then rhe contidionwr runs down my back. and i used to just stop ghe shower there, step out, dry off by just wrapping thw towel loosely around me.
but now i either take one of those shower sponges ans scrub the conditioner residue off my back first or i acrually scrub my back a bit witj the towel. now i very very rarely get a pimple of my shoulders or whatever, mostly if i wore a t shirt more than twice in a row (if its not dirty ... why not)

ohh yeah this too, i've heard a lot of people say this.

i always tilt my head to the side so my hair doesn't leak the conditioner down my back/chest while I wash it out now.

its such a small change and it seems so silly to me that i suffered for years just because i clogged my own damn pores … it might not work for everyone because the cause can be different but its definitely something to try out
tilting ur head to the side is do smart too … i will try that as well

Lux
Youtube Star

Lux wrote:

bexxi wrote:

Lux wrote:

bexxi wrote:
this might seem silly but my back acne clearey up after i realized that i do conditioner last in ghw shower right ... n then rhe contidionwr runs down my back. and i used to just stop ghe shower there, step out, dry off by just wrapping thw towel loosely around me.
but now i either take one of those shower sponges ans scrub the conditioner residue off my back first or i acrually scrub my back a bit witj the towel. now i very very rarely get a pimple of my shoulders or whatever, mostly if i wore a t shirt more than twice in a row (if its not dirty ... why not)

ohh yeah this too, i've heard a lot of people say this.

i always tilt my head to the side so my hair doesn't leak the conditioner down my back/chest while I wash it out now.

its such a small change and it seems so silly to me that i suffered for years just because i clogged my own damn pores … it might not work for everyone because the cause can be different but its definitely something to try out
tilting ur head to the side is do smart too … i will try that as well

might also be worth clipping the hair up while it sits with the conditioner/hair mask etc! i used to get a lot of pimples on the back of my neck and upper back and i think that might've been the culprit lol.