I have suffered from acne since I was 12 and I am 28 now so I can really relate to your post. I have tried almost every product known to man to clear up my acne and none of the results have ever been permanent. If possible you should go to a dermatologist to see if you can find out the root cause of acne. Usually if you have it into adulthood it's hormonal and stress can increase it. I have tried prescription antibiotics and even birth control. There are many things you can do to get it under control. First make sure you always wash your hands before you wash your face. If you are cleaning your face with dirty hands that just introduces more bacteria to your skin. Always wipe down your cell phone. Most people use touch screen phones and constantly touching things then rubbing it against your face can aggravate acne. Drink lots of water. Change your pillowcases often and try to keep your hair out of your face. Use gentle products. Retinol is wonderful for acne and wrinkles. Use oil-free moisturizers and sunscreens. Exercise gets the blood flowing. I like steaming my skin with salt water and using a clay mask. I feel like the steam brings a lot of impurities out of your skin so don't do it right before a date or important event.

Ole Henriksen makes SUPERB skin care--he himself was deeply troubled by cystic acne. Check out his anti-acne products at Sephora or the Ole Henriksen site. He uses all-natural ingredients which smell wonderful and are highly effective!

Thanks for the reply! I've tried Cetaphil in the past and it hasn't helped. I'll have a look into the others, I like the sound of the Clean and Clear gel, would be great to find something that gets rid of pimples when they pop up

Proactiv is SUPER bad for your skin! It may work well the first month, but what it does is it keeps peeling off the top layers of your skin and this causes so much damage that your skin literally forgets and fails to repair itself as it normally does after exfoliation. So that is why the skin feels so raw and irritated. Plus, Proactiv is a repressive system which means it keeps pushing the dirt, bacteria, and oil down to the bottom of your pores; so once you stop using it, you break out because the bad stuff is rising back upwards towards the surface. The absolute best acne systems is a detoxification system which is going to pull everything out of your pores. I've been to a dermatologist maaaany times and even the products that they suggested weren't that great compared to the products I use know. My absolute favorite thing is the Peter Thomas Roth Max Complexion pads. I cut them in half and use one half (squeeze out any excess liquid) every other night and it has done MIRACLES for my skin. The reason being is that this product does ALL THREE THINGS required to clear acne; remove excess oil, remove debris from pores and kill the bacteria. MOST acne products only do one or two of these steps and you need all three in order to get rid of acne. This product is strong so I only use it every other night, but not only does it quickly get rid of acne (overnight for small whiteheads), it resurfaces my skin to make it smoother (also prevents wrinkles), and best of all it gets rid of pore congestion which is all those tiny little bumps you see on the face. I love this, but I also supplement it with a good moisturizer and an oil. My favorite oil is the Josie Maran argan oil. People with acne-prone skin are terrified to use oils, but this is a miracle worker because not only does it soak into the skin, repair and soothe the skin, but it's an essential oil which are anti-bacterial and further aid in the clarification process. I mix a couple drops at night WITH my moisturizer. A big tip is to avoid using salicylic or benzoyl peroxide every single day--that causes the skin to dry faster which will not only make your skin MORE oily, but dryer skin will cause the skin cells to die faster which can clog your pores and lead to more acne. My biggest recommendation out of all of this is to invest in a Clarisonic! Yes it's pricey but I promise you it is worth every penny. I can testify this to you as someone who dealt with bad adult acne (after barely getting any as a teen) and my skin is absolutely CLEAR (with the occasional exception of a pimple caused by hormones but that's nothing that can be fixed).

Thanks so much for all the advice, it's been so much help. I've been using Cetaphil cleanser for Oily Skin, a Benzyl Peroxide cream and the Cetaphil Moisturiser. Not a huuuge fan of the Moisturizer, wish they had an oily skin one, but I'm not sure what works in that area. I've definitely noticed a change in my skin, it hasn't cleared up perfectly, but I get hardly any raging breakouts and my skin stays relatively clear

No over the counter products worked for me, Proactive and other topicals left my skin raw, red, and very irritated. Went to the dermotologist, they prescribed me doxycycline. That did the trick. Pretty much acne free now,

Does toothpaste works good for acne?

Acne is the long term skin condition characterized by the areas of pimples, skin and possibly scarring. There are many products available in the market recently I heard about “Zeroblem” treatment from my friend. Zeroblem is a dermatologist-developed which helps to remove dirt and other impurities on the face, and helps to get rid from acne and give soft and fresh skin. You may try this.

Hi there! I'll be happy to help you with your skin concern. I see you are dealing with acne and oily skin and currently using tea tree oil as a treatment. While tea tree oil is a great for acne you need a higher concentration than what are found in any skin care products. There are different forms of treatment for acne such as sulfur acid, salicylic acid, and light therapy. For you, however I would suggest trying salicylic acid which you can find in a product such as "Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10" which contains the highest amount of salicylic acid (10%) available without prescription. This would be great to use as a target treatment for blemishes. As for with your daily routine you need a gentle cleanser that will help remove access oil but leave some on your skin so that you do not become too dry. (Too dry skin = overproduction of oil). For this I would recommend "Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser" which has a non-irritating formula (essential for acne care!). Both of these products can be found at your local drug store. Most importantly, you need a moisturizer with SPF that won't be too rich on your face, yet moisturizing enough to keep your skin in check. For this I suggest "Skin Balancing Ultra-Sheer Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30" by Paula's Choice. It has ingredients such as silica that will absorb excess oil, willow bark extract to prevent irritation, and aloe leaf juice to help moisturize. Remember to cleanse AM/PM to help keep oil in check. Hope you find my suggestions to be beneficial to you. Best Wishes :)

I've had acne for as long as I can remember. After much trial and error, my skin has been consistently clear with AcneFree products. You can find them at any drugstore, Walmart, Target, etc. It's easily available. Half the price of Proactiv. I've tried Proactiv and it irritated my skin. AcneFree comes in different formulas to accomodate your skin type. Plus, since my skin has been picky lately, the only thing I've used to moisturize is aloe vera gel. Hope this helps.