Author Topic: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?  (Read 4603 times)

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recursivelyenumerable

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Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« on: March 31, 2008, 10:10:54 PM »
contrary to the popular stereotype of teenage acne, I never had any significant breakouts until I turned 20 and now I get progressively worse ones each year.  Is it just a myth that it stops at some age?  The scarring I have now is bad enough.
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y2kev

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2008, 10:12:27 PM »
I don't think that acne caused by oil "goes away," but it could get better. You really should just go on accutane. MIRACLE DRUG :bow
haw

rodi

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2008, 10:12:53 PM »
Aren't there bad side effects?

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2008, 10:15:55 PM »
Man, I can't believe I totally squandered the perfectly clear skin and good looks I had as a teenager.  I barely ever left the house or talked to anyone.  Now I know how to talk to people, but my face is all scarred and ugly.
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CajoleJuice

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2008, 10:16:05 PM »
I don't think that acne caused by oil "goes away," but it could get better. You really should just go on accutane. MIRACLE DRUG :bow

Eh, wasn't for me. It did help though.
AMC

pilonv1

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2008, 10:17:54 PM »
accutane helps but it's not a perfect solution
itm

Phoenix Dark

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2008, 10:18:50 PM »
What's your diet like? If you're eating lots of greasy stuff like pizza, drinking excess amounts of pop, etc you aren't helping yourself. Visit a dermatologist and start using some medicine.

I used to have bad acne although it was kinda hidden by my dark complexion. But once I turned 18 it basically disappeared.
010

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2008, 10:21:02 PM »
My diet consists of coffee and more coffee.  And I hate you.  It's better to have teenage acne than adult acne cuz your skin heals better and scars less.
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Joe Molotov

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2008, 10:29:28 PM »
I had acne in high school, but it's pretty much gone now. Except sometimes I'll get a huge, painful whitehead in the worst possible spots, like right on the end of my nose, or inside my nostril, or right in the corner of my mouth something. :(
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recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2008, 10:37:38 PM »
I get horrible pimples around the lower left corner of my nose on a monthly basis.  That area doesn't even look like human skin anymore, it's just a monstrous mass of scar tissue.  Better there than somewhere more obtrusive, I suppose.
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Eel O'Brian

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2008, 10:38:58 PM »
try tea tree oil
sup

Van Cruncheon

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2008, 10:39:28 PM »
try taking a bath, nerd
duc

Eel O'Brian

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2008, 10:40:37 PM »
 :lol

tea tree oil is good for a lot of things, though
sup

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2008, 10:42:03 PM »
I shower twice a day fuck you.
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demi

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #14 on: March 31, 2008, 10:43:11 PM »
Proactiv, I use it and it helps

Drinking moar water also helps

Don't smudge your face all over your hands, don't play with your face, stuff like that

Obviously don't constantly pick at your face if you get pimples and such a lot, that is what causes the scarring
fat

Candyflip

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #15 on: March 31, 2008, 10:44:13 PM »
What's your diet like? If you're eating lots of greasy stuff like pizza, drinking excess amounts of pop, etc you aren't helping yourself. Visit a dermatologist and start using some medicine.
Greasy ass food doesn't exacerbate acne. Lack of nutrients does.
ffs

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #16 on: March 31, 2008, 10:44:26 PM »
Quote
Obviously don't constantly pick at your face if you get pimples and such a lot, that is what causes the scarring

It makes scarring worse, but bad pimples will still scar regardless, especially when you're older.

Even if I never get another pimple again for the rest of my life, plenty of damage has been done.  I just shudder to think of how I'll look at 30 if the trend of worse and worse acne each year continues.
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demi

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #17 on: March 31, 2008, 10:45:58 PM »
Also yes you can treat acne, I knew this one kid who always had bad face acne back in 7th grade, but once High School came around, his face got so much better and clearer, it was like he never had acne

Acne can be caused by stress, and you sound like you are constantly under stress
fat

demi

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #18 on: March 31, 2008, 10:48:15 PM »
People say sunlight helps acne, more specifically on your back, but I've never really read anything on that
fat

CajoleJuice

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #19 on: March 31, 2008, 10:48:57 PM »
People say sunlight helps acne, more specifically on your back, but I've never really read anything on that

I can attest to this.
AMC

demi

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #20 on: March 31, 2008, 10:49:03 PM »
When you get rich, you can pull an opa and just get a dermabrasion
fat

Beezy

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #21 on: March 31, 2008, 10:50:20 PM »
My acne days were in middle/junior high and early high school. I get the occasional pimple, but that's it. :D

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #22 on: March 31, 2008, 10:51:10 PM »
Someday, maybe in 20 years, if shitty political and economic leadership hasn't doomed us all, there will be nanotechnological treatments that will allow everyone to have perfect skin.  Soon after, people will probably start artificially inducing acne as a fashion statement.  There will be prestigious brands of designer pimples, etc.
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Phoenix Dark

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #23 on: March 31, 2008, 10:51:20 PM »
What's your diet like? If you're eating lots of greasy stuff like pizza, drinking excess amounts of pop, etc you aren't helping yourself. Visit a dermatologist and start using some medicine.
Greasy ass food doesn't exacerbate acne. Lack of nutrients does.

Are you a scientist?
010

Candyflip

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #24 on: March 31, 2008, 11:02:07 PM »
ffs

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #25 on: April 01, 2008, 12:00:15 AM »
Does caffeine count as a nutrient?
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Flannel Boy

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #26 on: April 01, 2008, 12:04:41 AM »
People say sunlight helps acne, more specifically on your back, but I've never really read anything on that

I can attest to this.

So can I. (Not to the back thing though--gross!)

TVC15

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #27 on: April 01, 2008, 12:06:20 AM »
Recursively, I will still date you.  As long as you have a satisfactory last name.
serge

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #28 on: April 01, 2008, 12:12:58 AM »
Satisfactory in what sense?  Taste-wise?
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Smooth Groove

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #29 on: April 01, 2008, 12:14:31 AM »
No, but from what I've heard from dermatologists it's pretty commonly agreed upon.

And google agrees :tophat

http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/myths.html
http://www.sportsdoctor.com/chg/common.html
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/acnefactsfiction.shtml

According to the source that physicians use most, it's unproven that diet is a factor.  I left in the other stuff in case anyone wants to read it. 






External factors — Cosmetics may contribute to the development of acne. Oils, greases, or dyes in hair products and cosmetic creams can exacerbate the skin lesions, while water-based products are less comedogenic [12] .

Soaps, detergents, and astringents remove sebum from the skin surface but do not alter sebum production. Repetitive mechanical trauma caused by scrubbing with these agents may worsen the disorder by promoting the development of inflammatory lesions [13] . Similarly, turtlenecks, bra straps, shoulder pads, orthopedic casts, and sports helmets may all cause acne mechanica. Thus, patients with acne should avoid occlusive clothing and refrain from rubbing their faces or picking their skin.

Environmental factors such as humidity and heavy sweating also can exacerbate acne. Chloracne is caused by exposure to halogenated hydrocarbons, including dioxin, via percutaneous contact, inhalation, or ingestion. These chemicals are found in industrial products such as cutting oils and herbicides, in chemical warfare, and in contaminated food products. Clinically, chloracne is characterized by large monomorphic comedones with evolution into severely inflammatory and scarring lesions.

Diet — A potential role for diet in acne is controversial [14-16] . A study of 47,355 women in the Nurses' Health Study that used a retrospective collection of data on diet during high school found an association between acne and intake of milk [17] . The authors suggest that natural hormonal components of milk and/or other bioactive molecules in milk could exacerbate acne [17,18] .

Other studies have suggested that insulin-like growth factor (IGF) may play a role in acne [19,20] . IGF is increased by ingestion of high glycemic loads and so could potentially link diet and acne. A 12-week randomized trial that compared low and high glycemic load diets in 43 male patients with acne found a greater reduction in lesion counts with the low glycemic load diet [21] . However, the participants on that diet also lost more weight than those on the high glycemic load diet, so it is possible that the results were due to changes in weight rather than the composition of the diet.


Stress — Patients and medical providers commonly believe that psychological stress can exacerbate acne [22,23] . A prospective cohort study in 94 secondary school students compared acne severity and sebum production at times of high stress (midterm examinations) and low stress (summer holidays) [24] . Sebum production did not appear to be related to stress, but acne severity, as assessed by an examiner blinded to the hypothesis of the study, did appear to be associated with stress, particularly in boys.

Similarly, a study of 22 university students found that in a multivariate analysis, acne severity did appear to have some correlation with stress around the time of school examinations [25] .


Eric P

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #30 on: April 01, 2008, 12:15:22 AM »
i still get acne every now and then.  esp around my nose.  it's odd

Tonya

Smooth Groove

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #31 on: April 01, 2008, 12:16:16 AM »
People say sunlight helps acne, more specifically on your back, but I've never really read anything on that

If it spreads to your back, then you probably should be taking some antibiotics. 

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #32 on: April 01, 2008, 12:16:46 AM »
I feel massively stressed much of the time, although I feel sort of guilty about that because compared to other people's lives there's not much in mine that's objectively stressful.
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BlackMage

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #33 on: April 01, 2008, 12:19:41 AM »
I had pretty bad acne as a teenager. I'm 27 now and rarely get pimples. Never took accutane or whatever.
UNF

Joe Molotov

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #34 on: April 01, 2008, 12:22:02 AM »
I feel massively stressed much of the time, although I feel sort of guilty about that because compared to other people's lives there's not much in mine that's objectively stressful.

Sounds like you need some pills. They're fun! Less caffeine though, that just makes you more stressed.
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xnikki118x

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #35 on: April 01, 2008, 12:30:58 AM »
I went on Accutane back before they gave it to just anyone. I tried, honestly, every single wash/lotion/pill on the market, prescription and not, before they let me take it.

I had to get bloodwork monthly. Something got fucked up in my liver at one point so they had to change my dosage. Luckily whatever it was went back to normal.

My advice: don't do Accutane until you've exhausted most or all of your other options. Also, be thankful you didn't have acne when you were like 10, because kids are really fucking mean.
:-*

Christopher

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #36 on: April 01, 2008, 12:32:06 AM »
once I hit 20 I really never truly got bad breakouts like I use to - just mild ones here and there, but I use a lot of shit on my face now just to maintain the clean look.

It goes away trust me.

MoxManiac

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #37 on: April 01, 2008, 12:44:04 AM »
I'm 26 and I have it a little mildly. When I was a teen I was basically freddy kruger it was so bad. Accutane really fixed things. But like I said, I still get the occasional zit, and I still have some scarring.

Acne fucking sucks. Diet and such can help, but it won't cure - genes are the primary cause.
no

recursivelyenumerable

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #38 on: April 01, 2008, 12:51:13 AM »
Caffeine really doesn't make me more stressed at all.  It makes me less stressed by knocking out my internal critic and getting me high on my own awesomeness.  I had a caffeine-free February and felt more stress than any other time in my life despite doing zero work and having zero responsibilities that month.
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demi

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #39 on: April 01, 2008, 01:24:07 AM »
Accutane sucks, I tried it for a little bit, Proactiv has better results, but you have to keep using it
fat

xnikki118x

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #40 on: April 01, 2008, 01:25:45 AM »
Also, be thankful you didn't have acne when you were like 10, because kids are really fucking mean.

This makes me miss my good friend Pizza-Face Pete. He was such a funny looking kid.

I know this was supposed to be funny, but it really isn't. At all. :(



Accutane sucks, I tried it for a little bit, Proactiv has better results, but you have to keep using it

Proactiv sucked for me, but every single person I've known who has used it has loved it.
:-*

Smooth Groove

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #41 on: April 01, 2008, 01:38:53 AM »
I put the info below so you guys can treat yourselves:


Classification systems for acne generally describe the following categories :
•   Type 1 — Mainly comedones with an occasional small inflamed papule or pustule; no scarring present
•   Type 2 — Comedones and more numerous papules and pustules (mainly facial); mild scarring
•   Type 3 — Numerous comedones, papules, and pustules, spreading to the back, chest, and shoulders, with an occasional cyst or nodule; moderate scarring
•   Type 4 — Numerous large cysts on the face, neck, and upper trunk; severe scarring
However, these categories are not rigid. As an example, a patient with mainly comedones and papules but notable scarring may be considered to have severe acne. A description of the actual lesions encountered will generally be most useful when considering management of acne.

TYPE 1


Type 2


Type 3


Type 4

hyp

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #42 on: April 01, 2008, 01:24:20 PM »
Witchtree oil is your friend!

or Witch Hazel or whatever it's called.



witch hazel FTMFW :rock :rock :rock

and use cetaphil cleanser... that shit has prevented acne for me for over 5 years.  my skin looks like a baby's ass these days because of that combo.

here's what i use:


pyh

Mupepe

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Re: Does acne ever actually get better or is that a myth?
« Reply #43 on: April 01, 2008, 01:27:18 PM »
No acne for me :bow2

Most of my friends get pissed when I brag about my lack of acne :bow2

Acne is gay :bow2