Ways to Get Rid of Acne and Pimples

I’ve struggled with acne since puberty (I’m 22 now). My skin issues would probably be described as generally oily skin, but very dry and sensitive immediately after washing, redness, uneven skin tone, blackheads along my nose, upper cheeks, all sizes of whiteheads on my cheeks and forehead, and cystic acne along my jawline. I would call my acne, mild-moderate.

Ever since I could remember, acne has affected my everyday life in a huge way. Until I was 21, I never let anyone - not even my parents (imagine - I couldn’t even bring myself to walk around the house without makeup on as I was that uncomfortable) or my best friends, see me without makeup. I was afraid to go on dates with guys because if it developed into something serious, I would have to sleepover, and he would see me without makeup. It might sound dramatic to some, but this was the reality I lived in throughout my teenage years.

I tried all the drugstore brands and as I got older, all the popular skincare products at Sephora, desperately asking their employees what their secret was. The result was spending $1000’s on products that I only used a handful of times before breaking out or having an adverse reaction. A disheartening waste of time and money. For years.

I was scared to go to a dermatologist because I had always had the impression that dermatology was a luxury that I could not afford. But at 21, a friend of mine recommended her dermatologist, and told me that he was very affordable, and totally worth it.

The dermatologist consultation was free. (I live in Canada, but not everything is covered under our Healthcare). He went through a detailed, 1 hr long interview/questionnaire with me, finding out what kind of acne I typically struggle with and the type of skin I have.

Then we discussed different treatments to combat acne. There were 4 methods he suggested for different extremes of acne.

1. Using a medicated wash/cream (I had already done this with no results)
2. Use only a prescription grade topical serum, like Tactupump, nightly.
3. A combination of a prescription grade topical serum and an antibiotic, (which was recommended for me)

Accutane was the very last option he recommended.

He made it very clear to me that he only puts patients on Accutane if he has gone through all the other options first, as its a very serious medication with serious, longterm side effects, and although I’m not sure of the exact example he used, he basically likened the idea of taking Accutane for mild-moderate acne to using a cannon to kill a bird. It’ll get the job done, but it’s complete overkill.

For me, he recommended 6 weeks of a multi-use antibiotic called “Doxycycline”, which would basically moderate oil production in my skin, and kill any bacteria that could potentially be causing the clogged pores. This product is taken orally once a day. It basically just dries out your skin.

Without health coverage, for a 6 week supply, I paid $30 at the Walmart pharmacy for this product.

He also recommended TactuPump, (Epiduo, Tactuo, etc) which is a featherweight, topical benzoyl peroxide serum. This product goes on before you go to sleep, and isn’t oily or heavy. However, it is very drying, and the first week might make your skin very sensitive/red or flaky, but after 3–4 weeks it will begin to change your skin entirely. It’s the only moisturizer I’ve ever used that doesn’t make me oily and greasy, it prevent breakouts/fight breakouts, it helped lighten some of my scarring and changed the texture of my skin to more soft and supple, so it has been a holy grail product for me.

Without healthcare coverage, this retails for $126 at the Walmart Pharmacy, BUT one bottle will last you 6 months. It’s VERY concentrated so you only need 1 pump to cover your entire face.

To put that into perspective, $126 / 180 days = 70 CENTS A DAY for clear skin, guys.

I hope this helps, honestly, just see a dermatologist, stop buying useless products with miracle claims, and change your life with new skin and new confidence. It’s the best thing I ever did for myself.