Proactive has stopped working

[kit-kat]

When I first began using Proactive, it was the bomb. Now, my acne is slowly returning and I have a zillion small whitheads on my cheek area. Has anyone experienced this before? I want to begin a new acne treatment that works permanently.

Please help! I'm about to make an doctors appt. for Accutane.

Suggestions please.

[simone103]

It sounds like you're skin may have developed a resistance to the benzoyl peroxide. You can try to increase the strength and see if that helps. I used proactive several years ago, but it was too strong for my skin. I've also used over the counter bp 2.5%, and while it worked for about a month - my skin developed a resistance to it and the pimples returned. If you decide to go to the dermatogolist you may also want to inquire about Retin-A. I use Retin-A in the cream form .025% and it has been very effective in clearing up my skin, and it's also good at fading old acne spots. There's a thread on Retin-A if you need more information.

[sunflower]

I used Acnefree which is similar to Proactive and it stop working for me also. I would be cautious using Benzo because I read somewhere it could cause wrinkles. I found something that worked for me but it's a little time consuming

1. Morning I wash my face with Neutrogena oil free wash
2. Use an astringent
3. Apply alpha hydroxy lotion
3. Oil free moisturizer

Night
1. Use Neutrogena daily scrub (this stuff has done wonders for my skin)
2. Apply alphy hydroxy lotion
3. Apply avon clearskin overnight treatment. This stuff has salicylic acid 1.5%

Once a week I use avon color change mask.

It took a while to find the right products that worked for me. I also use a honey mask every night I leave it on for 20 minutes. If you use it just use straight honey and apply it to your face. Honey is a natural antibacterial and to my understanding bacteria causes acne.

I hope you get it under control because I know acne is frustrating . You can also do a search on this board for the acne cure. I had success with that method but the benzo was just too drying for my face so I don't use it anymore.

[Plenty]

I have heard the same thing from many people. I stopped using it becuase I wanted something simpler.

After Proactive, I have found sucess with Beiore face wipes for oily skin, Clean and Clear Persa-gel @ nite, and Retin-A @ nite 2/mo. and exfoliating ever so oftern.

[pressncurl]

The same thing happened for me. When I first started using it, my skin was clear in a week or so. It was also a little drying at first, but then my skin adjusted. It worked well for me for a little more than a year. Now, it doesn't have any anti-acne or drying effects. My skin stays oily with it. I'm looking for alternatives.

[BLESSED1]

I switched over to black soap after proactive stopped working for me, and I do the acne cure system. Finally acne free at age 25 :up:

[Divine Inspiration]

I switched over to black soap after proactive stopped working for me, and I do the acne cure system. Finally acne free at age 25 :up:

Where do you get your black soap?!?!?!? I've been looking high and low for some LEGITIMATE black soap and have yet to find what I need...

[kit-kat]

Thanks for the responses. I've been using Proactive Extra Strength for almost 6 months. My skin was clear, no pimples for 3 mon., then 1 pimple, 2,3, and small whitheads which I never had before. Have anyone ever heard of Spiro for acne? I think I may try this before resulting to Accutane.

[Divine Inspiration]

Haven't ever heard of Spiro...is it topical?

[BLESSED1]

Where do you get your black soap?!?!?!? I've been looking high and low for some LEGITIMATE black soap and have yet to find what I need...

I order from nasabb (www.nasabb.com) since I heard a lot of members here liked their black soap.

[DragonPearl]

Acne cannot be dealt with successfully by applying external products. External products will work for a while, then the acne will sooner or later return.

Treat your skin from the inside. Better to effect dietary changes such as cutting down on fried food, reducing or eliminating processed foods, sugar and too salty food, and even in some cases, dairy products. You'll be surprise how your acne will fall away. I was reading a research that showed that some tribes in the amazon that have never been exposed to processed foods and sugar and fried food had perfect acne-free skin.

Most folks usually don't want to hear that kind of advice, because it implies that they have to make life changes in the way they eat. It takes effort. It is much simpler to slap some cream on. My obnoxious but helpful (I hope!! :lol: ) 2 cents.

[Belle Du Jour]

Proactiv stopped working for me too. I was mad, too, cause I just KNEW that I found the "cure." But surprisingly, just washing my face with a foaming face wash (Oil of olay sensitive) and Neutrogena deep clean (with 1% salicylic acid) has been working for me. No toner, no BP, nothing. Knock on wood.

[Supastar]

What has been working for me for the last few years is a combination of products in the following order day and night:

Jan Marini bio-glycolic cleanser, applied and removed with facial scrub or sponge.

Kiehls Tea Tree Toner

Jan Marini C-esta serum with DAE complex

Tazorac (Dr. prescribed, like Retin-A but not as drying)

In the morning repeat process, but apply benzaclin (Dr. prescribed) instead of Tazorac.

My skin is always glowing and clear. Oh, and drink lots of water.

[kit-kat]

Acne cannot be dealt with successfully by applying external products. External products will work for a while, then the acne will sooner or later return.

Treat your skin from the inside. Better to effect dietary changes such as cutting down on fried food, reducing or eliminating processed foods, sugar and too salty food, and even in some cases, dairy products. You'll be surprise how your acne will fall away. I was reading a research that showed that some tribes in the amazon that have never been exposed to processed foods and sugar and fried food had perfect acne-free skin.

Most folks usually don't want to hear that kind of advice, because it implies that they have to make life changes in the way they eat. It takes effort. It is much simpler to slap some cream on. My obnoxious but helpful (I hope!! :lol: ) 2 cents.



Jesse55, You are only reinforcing what we should already know!

[pressncurl]

Acne cannot be dealt with successfully by applying external products. External products will work for a while, then the acne will sooner or later return.

Treat your skin from the inside. Better to effect dietary changes such as cutting down on fried food, reducing or eliminating processed foods, sugar and too salty food, and even in some cases, dairy products. You'll be surprise how your acne will fall away. I was reading a research that showed that some tribes in the amazon that have never been exposed to processed foods and sugar and fried food had perfect acne-free skin.

Most folks usually don't want to hear that kind of advice, because it implies that they have to make life changes in the way they eat. It takes effort. It is much simpler to slap some cream on. My obnoxious but helpful (I hope!! :lol: ) 2 cents.

Genetics also has a lot to do with it. We could also find families in the U.S. who have never been affected. And, within the same family in the same household, you would find some who are affected by acne and some who are not. I know it is genetic in my case. My mother has had acne into adulthood. I am the only one of my siblings who suffers from acne. My father is acne free and so are my three siblings. And I'm the so-called "healthy" one who stays away from all the fried food and sodas. I rarely eat processed foods. I hadn't tried to seriously eliminate sugar, so I guess that's a worth a shot to try, but it seems like a simple solution to a not so simple problem.

[BLESSED1]

Genetics also has a lot to do with it. We could also find families in the U.S. who have never been affected. And, within the same family in the same household, you would find some who are affected by acne and some who are not. I know it is genetic in my case. My mother has had acne into adulthood. I am the only one of my siblings who suffers from acne. My father is acne free and so are my three siblings. And I'm the so-called "healthy" one who stays away from all the fried food and sodas. I rarely eat processed foods. I hadn't tried to seriously eliminate sugar, so I guess that's a worth a shot to try, but it seems like a simple solution to a not so simple problem.

I believe that too. I got acne from age 12 - 14, then I'd only get a couple of bumps right before my period and then nothing else. Then I got acne around 18/19 yrs old and nothing helped until recently...I remember my youngest aunt (10yrs older than me) started getting acne around age 20 but it stopped around the time she was 25.

[DragonPearl]

Genetics also has a lot to do with it. We could also find families in the U.S. who have never been affected. And, within the same family in the same household, you would find some who are affected by acne and some who are not. I know it is genetic in my case. My mother has had acne into adulthood. I am the only one of my siblings who suffers from acne. My father is acne free and so are my three siblings. And I'm the so-called "healthy" one who stays away from all the fried food and sodas. I rarely eat processed foods. I hadn't tried to seriously eliminate sugar, so I guess that's a worth a shot to try, but it seems like a simple solution to a not so simple problem.

Congratulations on being the "healthy" one. :) If you rarely eat processed foods, you don't have that much sugar intake because most of sugar comes from processed foods (cakes, cookies, muffins). So, I am wondering, where do you get your sugar from? Also, are you having dairy products? For some people, ingesting dairy products will result in bad skin. Maybe you're one of them,

I don't think that changing diet is a simple solution. It involves a lifestyle change, which is not simple. Relying on external means to solve acne by slapping on creams is a simple solution because it implies that acne is a superficial problem.

Acne and genetics: Acne is the particular way your body chooses to deal with toxins within. In an attempt to get rid of toxins, your body chooses to bring them up to the surface in the form of pimples and such. Genetics might be a factor to the extent that for you, your body prefers to deal with toxins by bringing them up to the surface, while in someone else, it will deal with toxins by developping excess fats or cellulite, or allergies, or other ailments. I have known people who ate the worst food, but had perfect skin. But, each of them had either tons of allergies, or was rather overweight, or some other signs of body dysfunction.

I am a firm believer in proper diet as a means to healthy beautiful skin. Up until I reached 30, I had bad skin that I always covered with foundation until I made a change in my diet and within less than 1 year, I had perfect skin. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It's practically 20 years later, and I got carded 2 months ago when I try to purchase alcohol for my medicinal wines. :)

[Chromia]

Acne cannot be dealt with successfully by applying external products. External products will work for a while, then the acne will sooner or later return.

Treat your skin from the inside. Better to effect dietary changes such as cutting down on fried food, reducing or eliminating processed foods, sugar and too salty food, and even in some cases, dairy products. You'll be surprise how your acne will fall away. I was reading a research that showed that some tribes in the amazon that have never been exposed to processed foods and sugar and fried food had perfect acne-free skin.

Most folks usually don't want to hear that kind of advice, because it implies that they have to make life changes in the way they eat. It takes effort. It is much simpler to slap some cream on. My obnoxious but helpful (I hope!! :lol: ) 2 cents.

I read that when people come to the U.S. after growing up in Africa or Asia, their skin starts breaking out.

I have prescriptions for Retin-A and Plexion and those have helped to clear up my skin. I tried Proactiv but it never worked.

[DragonPearl]

I read that when people come to the U.S. after growing up in Africa or Asia, their skin starts breaking out.


One of my classmates is from Korea. She tells me she had perfect skin when she lived in Korea. She ate the Korean diet of mostly vegetables, grains and some meat, and very low on processed foods and sugar, and almost no dairy. She is now married to an American and has been eating a mostly American diet, and she now struggles with acne.

Another classmate also from Korea. Now eating an American diet because she is working and going to school and she does not have the time to prepare her native Korean dishes. Her skin did not get bad, but she gained 20 lbs. in 2 years. Just like that.

In one case, the body is showing its toxins in the form of acne. In the other, the body is showing its toxins in the form of rapid weight gains.

[Divine Inspiration]

So true. I usually fast one day/wk in addition to not eating junk & sugar so I don't usually have skin problems, but for some reason I had a huge nasty breakout flare up a couple of weeks ago...I think I'm allergic to something b/c it was severe and random.
Anyhow, this week I had no cooked foods. My diet consisted primarily of organic fruits & vegetables in addition to the occasional bowl of gluten-free organic cereal w/ ricemilk.
I've always believed that the Western diet has been the main cause of acne. You just don't see it as much in un-Westernized countries. Learning that prompted me to start eating organic fruits & vegetables when possible and to start making sure that raw fruits & vegetables comprised 70-80% of my diet. I noticed that I don't get colds anymore. I used to have some wicked sinus problems, but I can't remember the last time I was sick. No headaches, no stomach aches, no mood swings and irritability...I firmly believe that what people eat & the amount of sleep they get can radically change their lives...and their skin. But I didn't realize how true this was until I decided I'd do all raw for an entire week. Ya'll my skin is SOOOOOO clear. I mean, my blemishes dried up in about 3 days flat & the discoloration has even almost faded itself w/o me having to do anything drastic to it topically.
For nutrient sake, I drank carrot juice, orange juice, aloe vera juice & Naked juice blends. I also ate raw, unsalted cashews. I have never seen my skin glow like this in my entire life...I look pregnant but I haven't been doin anything to get pregnant lol...so I know it isn't that. But I had a wiiiiide variety of fruits & veggies as well as other random organic uncooked things to cure the munchies.
So anybody who has a big event coming up and wants clear skin, go all raw for 7-14 days and you'll see a dramatic difference.