<p>This is probably the wrong place for this question but here it goes:</p>
<p>My face is back to being covered in pimples -- mostly on my forehead and chin. Not only that, but those pimples also itch very badly -- I think it is because of humidity.<br>
Do any of you know something that could help me with the pimple problem and the itching problem but does not cost a fortune. I am absolutely unwilling to spend over 20 dollars on skin product (even 20 seems a lot). </p>
<p>This is kinda akward, but since you brought it up, what kind of pimples do you mean? like, zit? or red bumps? are they so bad that they make scabs? </p>
<p>I would reccomend, first, wash your face in the morning right when you wake up and before you go to bed with pH balanced Skin cleanser. Bars of soap are really bad for your skin, because the pH is too basic for the skin on your face (which should be slightly acidic), so look on bottles for the pH thing. Also, it sounds really simple, but drink tons and tons of water. more water than you would ever want to drink. it's sooo insaney healthy for you and really helps your skin (I have no idea why but it does).</p>
<p>I can reccomend a really good skin scrub, but it's a bit pricey. one bottle lasts me almost a year though, so it ends up being like $4/month, nd it works really well. It's called Body and face polish by Peter Thomas Roth. Nutrogene stuff (u can get it at the super market) also works, but more slowly.</p>
<p>Oh, also, I know this may sound counter productive, but moisturize your skin after you wash it. Sometimes if you wash your skin a lot and don't misturize it, your skin thinks it's dry and over produces oil, which can cause even more breakout. Kind of like when your trying to lose weight, if you just stop eating or eat wayyy less your body thinks it's starving and doesn't burn anything. Its weird how sometimes it feels like our body is working against us.</p>
<p>I use a third party brand of ProActiv 2 times a day. It takes 15 minutes to apply all of the chemicals on the face each time but it's worth it in the end. My face is looking a lot clearer than before but still needs work. Also, wash your sheets, towels, etc. at least once a week. Also avoid touching your face. Little things like that add up. My acne is a bad case but I am able to stop most of it by doing all of that.</p>
<p>I am a man, but I find this Nutrogena soap in a bottle, Its orange and has those little beads in it. It has all the same stuff as proactive and costs like $6 a bottle. I just take some, wet my face and the scrub untill my face is all white and dry. then i rinse it off, i did this when i was a frosh and Soph in HS.</p>
<p>I aint got any acne anymore and I am 20.</p>
<p>I think it was a gel sort of a deal, i dont even know if they still sell it. It was Deep clean somthing</p>
<p>Basically, any benzoyl peroxide solution (and not too little or too much of it) will help tremendously. Those prescription medications never worked for me in the past except Acutane. But Acutane has some serious side effects. Acutane and any ProActiv type solution works very well for me.</p>
<p>From our family's perspective the costs and side effects of Accutane were neglible compared to the immense benefit. After my kid got on it and did so well about 11 acquaintances have used it -girls and guys and it worked for all of them. If you've tried everything else, it's time to try accutane.</p>
<p>Proactive or any of its spin-offs. It costs alot but when i first started it i used the rec. amount and when it started working i would use less and now i can make it last for 2 months without making acne get any worse than when i first put it on. i'm telling you this crap works, people in gym class will be talking and when someone with bad acne is mentioned someone in the group has to say "Damn get some proactive!" It seems like its been succesful with some of my classmates.</p>
<p>try retin-a (which is think is prescription? correct me if i'm wrong)</p>
<p>i used to have an acne problem and i tried a bunch of acne face washes made by nutrogena, phisoderm, johnson and johnson, proactiv etc. etc. and none of them really seemed to help. my cousin recommened that i try mdskin care and i gave it a shot. and i must say that within three weeks, my face was nice and clear. it is pricey though, but it works... so there's the trade off.</p>
<p>go to a dermatologist. trust me, they will fix your problem faster and much more efficiently. The acne creams they have are very good, few if any side affects, and most acne goes away in like two - three weeks. i know cuz i work in a derm office.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for input, everyone!
To equine99: I tend to have red bumps on my forehead --- and more of small zits on my chin. Sometimes I can't help touching my face -- don't even notice that I am touching my face at times. Since my pimples itch and sometimes I can't help but scratch them, I am afraid that my acne can leave scars on my face :(
To everyone: How much do Accutane and Proactive cost? Nutrogene sounds good too. What are the side effects fo Accutane. What other spin-offs of Proactive are there, besides AcneFree?
~SS</p>
<p>I'd suggest seeing your doctor- Differen works really well for me, but it's prescription only. My acne was never really all that bad, but it was enough to bother me. Accutane has a lot of side effects, but many other prescriptions don't have ones that are as severe. It's definitely worth asking about.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon, the acne was so bad you will willing to risk suicide? Auctane is scary stuff and many doctors won't even perscribe it. Another vote here for differen. You can also try taking an antibiotic for a few weeks, which is probably the cheapest. Defferen, unfortuanately is close to $100.00 a tube. However, I do think you get what you pay for, and your face is probably worth more thasn $20, even if you have to work some extra hours.</p>
<p>saved my life. honestly, the side affects---severely dry, chapped skin and lips, some joint pain for me---were NOTHING compared to the improvement in my skin (and as a result, my self-esteem). i tried literally every OTC and Rx suggested: antibiotics, retin-a, differen, benzoyl peroxide, expensive face washes, cheap face washes, soap, nonsoap cleanser, moisturizer, drinking more water, oral vitamin A...EVERYTHING. nothing worked until accutane. there is hope if nothing else has worked for you!</p>
<p>if you have health insurance and your acne is not cystic, you should try differin gel. it has worked very well for me - my skin is almost completely clear. Dermatologists generally find that salicylic acid is the best acne medication - and i agree, since i'm allergic to benzoyl peroxide, the other popular medication.</p>