Proactiv...experience with peels, AHAs..harmful to skin?

S

shamnas

Cathlete
Hi there,

I have had acne for a long time. I know part of it is caused by heredity and food choices...still hoping, fingers-crossed, I don't have to give up my milk. I had been using Proactiv and my skin was ok. I decided to try these products from a place called Pure&Simple. They don't use benzoly peroxide but do use AHAs peels.
The products have not been working as well so I am thinking of going back to the Proactiv.
I also found this website where the aesthitician told me the following about Proactiv or AHA's for that matter:

"I do not believe in dissolving the epidermal layer of the
skin. As an aesthetician, I want to create a healthy epidermal layer -one that can assist in fighting infection (such as acne) and protect the body(skin is the body's defensive "suit of armor") regenerate, cleanse and moisturize itself. A healthy skin condition should be able to do all those functions.
Proactiv's selection of products constantly dissolve the epidermal layer of the skin (this is the layer of skin you can see and touch).
In my experience, long term use of such harsh products results in severely damaging and drying the surface of the skin. Over time this causes more harm that good by actually thinning the skin, breaking tiny blood capillaries (these tiny veins are what help repair, maintain moisture balance and 'feed'the skin) and causes increased redness and sensitivity."

Thank you for any input,
Sham
 
I should've mentioned my question is what works or has worked for your skin if you have acne.

Thank you,
Sham
 
I have been on Proactiv for some time now (3 years I think, not positive). I had really good results with it for quite awhile, but it has not been working lately. I'm so disappointed in fact that just yesterday I mailed back my newest set of it.

I have an appointment with a dermatologist on the 23rd of this month. I think that what that aesthetician said is absolutely correct in my case. I won't go back to it again.
Brandi


http://www.picturetrail.com/jackieboy
 
I have struggled with acne from the time I hit puberty. My skin is pretty clear now, but it was definitely not always so. In my teenage years, I was prescribed various antibiotics in conjunction with a complex regimen of topical solutions and cleansers. They were minimally effective.

By the time I reached college age, it was getting very bad, so my new dermatologist told me to "stop messing around and get serious", at which point he prescribed Accutane for me. It really was the miracle cure I had been looking for. Accutane does, of course, have a long list of side effects, some of which are quite serious. I was closely monitored during my treatment, so I felt secure. The worst side effect I had was that I lost some hair - but the only person who could tell was ME. I was on it for the typical 5 month course of treatment, and then I was done forever. My skin has been quite clear since then (that was about 7 or 8 years ago), with just occasional hormone-related breakouts.

I maintain my skin's clarity by applying a salicylic acid topical solution to my face nightly. And I also noticed my complexion improved quite a bit when I became a vegetarian and (don't get mad!) gave up a lot of dairy products, including milk. If I could manage to give up cheese, I might be home free - but I love cheese! :)

ETA: I do not use benzoyl peroxide because I am sensitive to it - it makes my skin itchy, red and flaky. Definitely NOT the look I'm going for! :p So I cannot use Proactiv or any other system containing BP.
 
RE: Proactiv...experience with peels, AHAs..harmful to ...

What works for someone else's skin may or may not work for yours. AHAs and BHAs can be very irritating to sensitive skin, but beneficial if used in small quantities. I wouldn't take the advice of an aesthetician in place of a dermatologist, but that's just me. There are a couple of new medications that a dermatologist can prescribe and a couple of new treatments. I don't know the type of acne you have, but in my case I have extremely sensitive combination skin with rosacea and I get the ocasional breakouts on my oily areas usually in the summer and the monthly PMS breakouts.

If Proactiv worked for you, why go out shopping for other products? I used Proactiv too, but my issue was the price. I alternate now between drugstore brand products like Oil of Olay, Nivea, L'Oreal, etc. with Clinique's 3 step system. I recently started to get monthly facials too. I used to get them religiously a couple of years back, but for some reason I stopped getting them. Now my skin is looking a lot better in general. Another thing that was making me breakout was my make-up. I was using Bare Escentuals and found out my skin was reacting to some of the ingredients so I went back to using Clinique's make-up and the ocasional Bare Escentuals for my eyes or cheeks (it's hard to break that habit). I also bought a couple of bottles of rubbing alcohol and I started disinfecting my cell phone, my office phone and my house phone all the time (carefully of course, using a cotton ball or a paper towel with enough alcohol to clean it but not harm it). You wouldn't believe how many germs are in there and then end up in your face. I also stopped resting my face on my hands or touching my face all the time (this habit is REALLY hard to break.) This is what works for me. You need to experiment and see what works for you. Good luck.
 
I am the opposite of you Emily, I'm allergic to salicylic acid, but not to benzoyl peroxide. That is why every skin is different and only a dermatologist knows the best treatment for your skin. By the way I don't drink milk either (I drink vanilla soymilk instead.) I eat some dairy (including cheese and yogurt), but not like I used to.
 
RE: Proactiv...experience with peels, AHAs..harmful to ...

I agree with rose. Let your skin tell you what works for you and what doesn't. I've used salicylic acid (a BHA) which I love and does wonders for my skin, and various AHA products (glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic/mandellic acid) which I don't love and irritates my skin to no end. I think these products can be benificial but they can also do damage if used wrong. I don't think "disolving the epidermal layer of the skin" (= exfoliate) is the problem. The theory is to speed to natural turnover rate of the skin, (which decreases dramatically as we age) so that the active products we are using will be more effective. The trick is to achieve the perfect turnover rate. Most people who use these products (including me) push the skin too hard, being impatient for results. This ends up irritating the skin. That isn't the fault of the product though. I do think these products (AHA's BHA's) are wonderful, just be careful how you use them.
 
I have had WONDERFUL results with a 2% Beta Hydroxy Liquid from Paula's Choice (www.paulaschoice.com). I haven't had a breakout in a long time. The website has lots of information and the customer service is wonderful.

Lori
 
Hi Sham
I have only had a problem with cystic acne since june of 2004. ihave been on and off oral meds and now I use panoxyl soap(bp) and retin-a which is a godsend. My skin has never looked better. I never gave proactive a chance because I had heard from numerous people that their skin got used to it (or something) and it eventually didnt work any longer
 
My daughter, who will be 23 this year, is on Proactiv and has been since January. It really has worked for her. She doesn't even wear makeup that much anymore. Her face had gotten very bad last fall and I took her to a dermatologist and spent a fortune on both oral and topical medications. He has given her the information on Accutane to read and was getting ready to put her on that. She wanted to give Proactiv a try first. She did and never had to go on Accutane. She is still on Proactiv and so far it still works for her.
 
Hi Sham

I was just thinking the other day that I finally found something that keeps my skin clear and I had to reply to your post. When I reached my 20s my skin broke out constantly. I was on Accutane twice but did not work for the type of acne I had. However, I am on month 3 of using the Murad Acne Complex set and my skin has looked the best it ever has. The only time I break out now is during TTOM and it is nothing compared to before and they go away fast.

You can buy the kit at Sephora or Ulta. The website is www.murad.com if you want to check it out. I just use the 4 piece kit that comes with face wash, treatment gel, spot treatment, and moisturizer (however, I do not use the moisturizer).

I hope you find a product that works for you.

Jessica
 
When I looked at myself in the mirror last fall, I realized I had been dealing with acne since I was 12!! And since I was a first year law student at 27, it wasn't going away. I made an appointment and took Accutane. It was scary while I was on it, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Monthly visits and labs, $75 monthly copay, two methods of birth control, and LOTS of vaseline got me through it. But, I honestly haven't had a pimple, painful or not, since.

Now that I've finished acne meds a few months ago, I get to start with wrinkle products. Joy.

;) Good luck! I never tried proactive- just antibiotics and prescription topicals until accutane.
 
One product that I have found to work VERY well is Elicina. It's a natural product that is made up of 80% snail cream (safe process for the snails!). It breaks up the dead skin cells on top, eliminates acne-prone bacteria, and stimulates the growth of new skin cells. I also use it on scratches and burns, and it helps them heal SO quickly and prevents and minimizes scarring. Acne is only one of the conditions it can be used for, and you'll find a lot of information on their website (www.bioskincare.com).

I was skeptical at first, but after using it for a week, I noticed an immediate difference in the softness of my skin. I have very oily skin and although I never really had a problem with acne in high school, I started to in college and tried everything else (including Pro-Activ). Shortly after beginning to use Elicina, I also switched back to the cleansers I used to use in high school (Noxzema, astringent, and 10% benzyl peroxide). I had been using oil-free cleansers, but I think my skin prefers Noxzema (it doesn't get dried out).

I've been using Elicina for over 3 years now, and I've never had a major acne problem since. I get the occasional pimple every now and then, but it clears up SO much faster than they ever did before. I don't know how much of an impact going on the pill had on my acne, but I had been taking the pill for about 4 months or so before trying Elicina. Being in the sun always helps my skin clear up, too.

It's a little pricey, but it's definitely worth it, IMHO!

HTH,
Cleo :)
 
Cleo-
Can you buy it at stores or is it only online? How did it compare to Proactiv for you?
Thanks,
c.
 
RE: Proactiv...experience with peels, AHAs..harmful to ...

c/pixie:

I believe that you can only purchase Elicina online (but I think they also take phone orders, too).

The main reason why I didn't like Pro-Activ was b/c my skin felt way too oily and shiny shortly after I finished each cleansing regimen. I like Elicina better b/c I saw results pretty quickly after starting to use it, plus I could still use my regular cleanser and 10% benzol peroxide to combat that oiliness.

I also like that it can be used for several different conditions. For instance, I recently had several stitches in my arm after having a mole removed. I used the cream twice a day for the 10 days the stitches were in (and followed all the dr's orders), and my dr. was amazed when he went to take them out b/c my skin had begun healing so quickly. I'm continuing to use it on the spot until I don't notice it anymore (which is what I've done with other scratches, cuts, and burns before and I don't have any scars to show for them).

Anyway, hope that helps. If you have specific questions, you can always email the company directly. I've done that a few times with questions about combining other products w/ Elicina, etc., and they always get right back to me with helpful answers.

Good luck!
Cleo :)
 
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