Home Remedies for Severe Acne?

I have been struggling with acne since the age of 6. I am allergic to benzoil peroxide (active ingredient in Proactiv) and solacidic (sp?) acid doesn't really do anything at all. I have to use special dye/fragrance-free soaps and can only wear mineral make-up.
I was for quite some time on birth control pills to control my acne. They sort of worked at keeping me from developing the puss-filled open sores I was used to getting... For a while. The truth is, nothing really "got rid of" my pimples- if they can be called pimples. "Boils" is a more fitting term X(
Now that I am an adult and in a monogamous relationship, I have an IUD. Unfortunately, my acne is flaring up and I am SICK AND TIRED of it! I want to know of any and all possible treatments and cures you may have for acne that doesn't involve dropping $$$ on expensive treatment systems that don't work!
PLEASE! I have been living with painful acne that has left my face and back permanently scarred for 18 long years! I was teased mercilessly throughout elementary and middle school. I never had a date in high-school. No one would take me to prom. My first few relationships I would NEVER allow my b/f to see me without make-up. I am embarrassed to walk out of the house without make-up. I have tried every mainstream system out there and NONE of it works! Some even made my skin DIE AND FALL OFF! After Proactiv I had patches of missing skin for a couple weeks!
I don't want to hide my face under mounds of make-up from the man who loves me
One day when I get married I want him to see the real me.

 

Man....I am so sorry. I had moderate acne for about 10 years, but when I had my transplant at 19 I was put on steroids that made me look like the guy in "A Man Without A Face."

Have you been to a dermatologist? Or maybe even an endocrinologist (hormone doc)? I'm just wondering because usually you start getting acne at puberty--had you started puberty at 6? I'm not a dermatologist, but I am a nurse, and it sounds like an internal problem rather than just not washing your face enough (obviously you do). A course of antibiotics could work wonders.

If you don't have insurance or don't want to go that route, witch hazel is a really good astringent for the skin, as is rose water. I found this too, hope it helps. http://herbs.ygoy.com/herbs-for-acne/ Good luck!

 

In my youth, I was informed spreading toothpaste on my face would help with my acne. It only made me break out more.

 

There's always muratic acid

Maybe you have psolarisis or something.

See a dermatologist. Or get a witch-hazel fire-hose.

*edit* yeah, toothpaste is a mega-astringent, if nothing else is helping, it will dry it the FUCK out. Might come back worse, but it's still satisfying.... It needs to be about a mm thick, so there's an actual thin pad of toothpaste on it. If you do it over-night, it will be satisfying and dry, or you could start at like, an hour, and adjust up as you see fit.

 

As previously mentioned, witch hazel is a really good astringent. I am not allergic to any of the OTC topical medications, however, none of them have been very effective. Your allergies limit your traditional remedies unfortunately, but don't fret! I still struggle with acne, as a matter of fact I break out worse now than I ever did as a teenager. It usually precedes my favorite week of the month and by the time it clears up, I only enjoy a few days of clear(ish) skin before it's time for next month's heaping dose of facial hell. I don't know if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in it, and if you are, I apologize in advance for suggesting it, but what about Noxema? It's not really for acne, just a cleanser, but the eucalyptus and menthol are very soothing on acne-chafed skin.

As for not wearing makeup, it is terrifying at first. We are conditioned to be constantly unsatisfied with the way we look and that's even with makeup on! So imagine how society makes you feel when you choose to buck that trend? I had people asking me if I was sick or tired for the first 2 weeks I went makeup free. When I got my first really bad breakout (and, like you, I don't just get the little red dots, I get the huge gaping wounds) I was mortified to go without makeup. But you know what? I realized that slathering on makeup was only serving to block my pores and disrupt my skin even more, so I would actually be doing myself a disservice by wearing it. I also slowly came to realize that if people were uncomfortable looking at me because of something as mundane and common as acne, then that's their problem. I hate when I break out and I still cry sometimes when I look in the mirror because all I can see are the scars and imperfections. But my boyfriend doesn't see them. When he tells me I look beautiful, I believe him. He doesn't let my imperfect complexion stop him from caressing my face or gazing at me with that wonderful expression people in love wear so easily. He doesn't ask me to wear makeup (even when I ask him if he wants me to when we're meeting his friends so they don't think he's dating an ogre lol) and even with my flaws, he prefers me without it. Why? Because he says that a woman with a perfectly made up face is a woman he can't kiss or touch whenever he wants out of fear he'll ruin her makeup and get yelled at. I'm not trying to tell you these things to trivialize what you feel and are going through. I am trying to tell you that your face is what the world sees, but your heart is what the world needs. When you learn to say, "Fuck it. I hate the way this makes me look, but I hate having to hide every day even more," you learn a lot about yourself along the way. Not everyone will be kind (especially if your makeup-free visible breakout pics end up on your FB wall like mine do) and you will have to get used to knowing that your appearance isn't conventional to many people, including and especially the opposite sex. But your concern about your boyfriend "seeing the real you" is silly. He fell in love with the real you. The real you isn't you without makeup on, the real you is the amazing woman you are. Never forget that and never let the man go who realizes that as well. :daisy:

And before anyone jumps on me for being a hypocrite because I have makeup on in my signature picture, I would like to point out that I am clearly in front of a theatre and that I was in the show, so makeup was a requirement, not a preference.

 

Don't use like toothpase for skin use like a
1 ounce argan oil (antioxidant and moisturizer)
1 ounce rose hip oil (features fatty acids that repair skin)
3 drops carrot seed oil (high in vitamin A, repairs and tones skin)
3 drops rose oil (astringent, renews and regenerates cells)
Mix these ingredients and store the blend in a dark glass bottle in a cool, dark location. Shake the bottle prior to each use and apply an even layer of blended oil to the scarred area. its good recipe for you

 

Honey is super awesome. There are lots of home recipes on the internet, but even just using it raw is fine.

Obviously drinking water, and eating raw veggies helps.

 

my sister swears by it and she has really good skin you drink it everyday 2 tablespoons in the morning and applying it to your face with a cotton ball a couple times a day. I tried it and I didn't seem to be that broken out. it's worth a try

 

Have you tried coconut oil? I use it to remove makeup, and leave it on as a night cream. I also put it on my body after a shower and it has healed my Keratosis Polaris, which is little white bumps on my upper arms and thighs. No amount of exfoliation would take them away, but the oil has left them silky smooth.

It might be worth a try.

 

Psyowa Girl- I used to struggle with acne as well. once puberty came along I'd always have minor breakouts on my face, and my face got really bad during my last years of highschool. it wasn't until the summer before college that I found out how to keep my face breakout free.

I discovered that cow milk, soy milk and yogurt ruin my face. I can handle cheese just fine. After doing research I found out that milk does trigger acne in those who are already acne prone- so I went from just a few small pimples on my cheeks to pimples everywhere on my face once i started drinking milk (i was trying to be healthier and eat cereal for breakfast instead of pancakes and such). I saw a vast improvement once I switched to almond milk.

I also don't use any creams or moisturizers on my face- just the smallest dab of oil. I started with olive oil but i like to switch it every now and then. You'd think this would make your face look like a greasy mess but the tiniest drop leaves my face supple all day. In fact, my face used to be damn near reflective when I used to wear store bought moisturizers! Not anymore.

Lastly, and something that I will NEVER stop using, is MSM. It's a natural sulfur supplement mainly used for joint health, but it also regulates hormones that cause acne (along with other great benefits). It's not very expensive for the amount of time it lasts and easy to find in stores. I bought a 16 oz container of pure msm powder for less than 20 bucks and it lasted me an entire year. its important to start off with a small dose and work your way up til you find your sweet spot. Those who start off with too high of a dose usually see MORE acne. I take no more than 1500 mgs/day, but i didnt start at this dose. This is the one thing that keeps my face COMPLETELY smooth and free of breakouts- i only get a pimple or two when I get my period but that's it. when i run out for a week or two, the pimples begin to come back
here's more info if you or anyone else is interested:
http://www.progressivehealth.com/acne-msm.htm?header=new&utm_expid=4620948-17&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
I hope this helps you or anyone else suffering with acne:daisy:

 

I struggled with acne for years. Problem is, for most of it I would just blast my face with strong acne medications with salicylic acid.... this would dry my skin out but do little to curb the outbreaks.
This is what worked for me;
first off, drop all the special face washes and creams and foams and products!
drink LOTS of tea and water; can't stress this enough, the important part.
Don't SCRUB your skin, or use anything abrasive; this just irritates the skin which makes it want to break out more.
If you must wash, use a gentle soap and soft washcloth. Only wash in the morning and/or night, or whenever your face gets especially dirty/greasy from sweating, touching etc.

 

There is certain cystic acne home remedies described which could help you and you can get rid of it with the help of home remedies methods. Try to choose some that really suits you.

 

Tea Tree Oil

 

I know some reecepies that could help you to get rid of acne, my friend tested it and had a great result, you can the article here http://homeremedieshelper.com/home-remedies-skin-care/home-remedies-fixing-acne-fast.

 

I had a problem with acne as a teenager and I visited a dermatologist for a very long time to get rid of this lack of skin. But I still suffer from such a cosmetic defect as traces of acne. I know that there are many treatments for skin rashes and ways to get rid of dirt in the pores of the face, but most of them are either too expensive or unsafe for health (laser skin resurfacing, for example). I know there are many new therapies out there, but I have always doubted their effectiveness. A couple of days ago, I found an article on the Internet about treating skin diseases with light. Here Celluma Light Therapy — Does It Really Work and Worth The Money? | Heliotherapy Research Institute is a more detailed description of this method of skin treatment. As far as I understood from the statistics in the articles, it really works well and can help me. Perhaps you should also find less traumatic ways to get rid of blackheads than remove them using mechanical face cleansing?