4th November 2003
My derm gave me Duac to try starting back in the beginning of September. I was VERY skeptical at first, since BP alone never really worked wonders for me. And my attempt at using Benzamycin a year ago was AWFUL! I had been trying different oral antibiotics over the summer, and my acne was at it's WORST EVER as a result (felt like peas under my skin...nodules everywhere, it was BAD).
So here is what I did. I started to wash my face only ONCE a day, in the shower, with the same washcloth and Dial vitamin bar soap that I was using on the rest of my body (I occasionally got breakouts on my back, chest, or arms, but that dropped about 95% since I started using the Dial in the middle of the summer!). I shower in the morning. At night, I would rinse my face a few times, then go over it with an ice cube (like from the Acne Cure). It feels very relaxing. Then I would put a little Duac all over my face and neck.
The Duac was TONS better than Benzamycin. Much more gentle, even with the same 5% BP and 1% clindamycin. My skin tolerated it very well. I keep it in the fridge...the coolness after the ice is perfect.
That's all I would do through all of September. No oral antibiotics, nothing. It was slow at first, but I noticed it DID seem to get better. The middle of October I went on vacation to a place with lots of sun, so I started to use Banana Boat Faces Plus sunblock/moisturizer on my face and neck during the day. I liked this so much that I still use it now every morning.
Now, 2 months later, my face looks better than it has in 2 years!!! I still have some dark marks from the REALLY BAD breakout in August, but right now I have ZERO new pimples on my face or neck! Every morning I get up and can't believe it, waiting for all the nodules under my skin to come back.
Right now my skin feels very smooth and "healthy"...not a bit dry. Was it just the Duac that did this? I don't know. I think STOPPING the stupid oral antibiotics actually made things BETTER for me. Taking tetracycline for a few months and I was getting nodules all over my jaw, neck, rear neck, and back. Ouch. 2 months off it, and it finally is all gone. I had never really had the "peas under the skin" acne before, let alone 10 at a time, so that was depressing the crap out of me at the time.
So now my routine is simple. I use the Dial Vitamins bar in the shower (I shave every other day or so, Aveeno shave gel with single blade razor in shower before using soap), use a clean washcloth every day (don't SCRUB at your face), and then put on a little Banana Boats Faces Plus sunblock (I use it more because it acts like a moisturizer). Every other night or so, I do the ice/Duac step. I don't even bother every night now.
Even my wife commented that my face looked so much better! And get this...the last few months, I went back to eating chocolate, milk (no more dry cereal), and enjoying a few Guinness when I want! I started eating steak again, all the stuff people say stay away from, and my face looks NORMAL for the first time in YEAR! I am so clear I actually want to take PICTURES to prove it! :)
Kev
So here is what I did. I started to wash my face only ONCE a day, in the shower, with the same washcloth and Dial vitamin bar soap that I was using on the rest of my body (I occasionally got breakouts on my back, chest, or arms, but that dropped about 95% since I started using the Dial in the middle of the summer!). I shower in the morning. At night, I would rinse my face a few times, then go over it with an ice cube (like from the Acne Cure). It feels very relaxing. Then I would put a little Duac all over my face and neck.
The Duac was TONS better than Benzamycin. Much more gentle, even with the same 5% BP and 1% clindamycin. My skin tolerated it very well. I keep it in the fridge...the coolness after the ice is perfect.
That's all I would do through all of September. No oral antibiotics, nothing. It was slow at first, but I noticed it DID seem to get better. The middle of October I went on vacation to a place with lots of sun, so I started to use Banana Boat Faces Plus sunblock/moisturizer on my face and neck during the day. I liked this so much that I still use it now every morning.
Now, 2 months later, my face looks better than it has in 2 years!!! I still have some dark marks from the REALLY BAD breakout in August, but right now I have ZERO new pimples on my face or neck! Every morning I get up and can't believe it, waiting for all the nodules under my skin to come back.
Right now my skin feels very smooth and "healthy"...not a bit dry. Was it just the Duac that did this? I don't know. I think STOPPING the stupid oral antibiotics actually made things BETTER for me. Taking tetracycline for a few months and I was getting nodules all over my jaw, neck, rear neck, and back. Ouch. 2 months off it, and it finally is all gone. I had never really had the "peas under the skin" acne before, let alone 10 at a time, so that was depressing the crap out of me at the time.
So now my routine is simple. I use the Dial Vitamins bar in the shower (I shave every other day or so, Aveeno shave gel with single blade razor in shower before using soap), use a clean washcloth every day (don't SCRUB at your face), and then put on a little Banana Boats Faces Plus sunblock (I use it more because it acts like a moisturizer). Every other night or so, I do the ice/Duac step. I don't even bother every night now.
Even my wife commented that my face looked so much better! And get this...the last few months, I went back to eating chocolate, milk (no more dry cereal), and enjoying a few Guinness when I want! I started eating steak again, all the stuff people say stay away from, and my face looks NORMAL for the first time in YEAR! I am so clear I actually want to take PICTURES to prove it! :)
Kev