Hey there. I've been living with "bacne" forever, it seems. My derm put me on differin and cleocin T gel. This went a long way to clearing me, but there were still some breakouts and I wasn't totally happy with the results. She recently switched me from differin to Retin A micro, which is still in the same retinoid family, I believe, but stronger. I've only been on the Retin A micro for 2 1/2 weeks, so it's too early to tell. My back has looked better than it has in months, though, so I'm hopeful.

The dermatology center I go to is conducting a study of laser treatment for back acne. I visited the derm today and she said I'm a perfect candidate for the study. Since it's part of a study I have to pay a small fee, which will be refunded when the study is complete. I definitely lucked out here -- usually the laser treatments at this center are $600 per session! The study starts in a few weeks. I will post my progress on the study on this board.

I work out a lot, and I tend to break out where the sports bra rubs against the skin. I wear bras made out of those moisture-absorbent materials, and shower after working out, so I don't know what else to do here. Very frustrating.