Blemish Sticks or Other Advice

It is expensive, but Proactive really helped me. H., you may not need it, but other moms out there might. It really made a difference in my life.

However, I did run out a couple of weeks ago, and Arbonne face cleanser is doing very well.

i dont know about the the stick, but my sister began having a problem like this and the dermatoligist told her that certain Birth control can trigger acne in women in their 30's i know that the IUD type is one of them. so maybe if that is what you use you should look at switching. Good luck.

I don't know about the blemish stick, but Oprah just had a show yesterday about skin care and products that work (and those that don't), etc. Here's a link to the show. http://www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow_20081023_b...

Myself, I find that when I get a pimple, I try to get the oil out as fast as possible by squeezing it 'til I can't get any more out (before it starts to bleed) and then holding a cotton ball with Sea Breeze on it until I can feel it tingle and it has gone down to the regular skin level. I do the Sea Breeze thing twice that day. It's usually gone in about 24 hours. However, Dr. Oz says this is a really bad thing to do, so I'll be trying something else next time. :)

Hope this helps...

I am 49 years old and still have acne. It's so frustrating going through pubitrey(sp) again! I found an acne product called Acne Free and I cannot tell you enough how great it is. It's compared to Proactive, says it's better, but I just know how well it works. I've used the prescription creams and they never worked as well as this. There are two formulas, regular and severe. I like the severe because it has a night cream that has retinol in it and it helps smooth the skin, etc. At my age, I'm looking for stuff like that. When you first use Acne Free you may break out, but that's because it brings all the bacteria out. After that it's smooth sailing. Less break outs and really nice skin. I have my 12 year old daughter using it because I wasn't going to let her suffer the way I did. There is a lotion in the three step process that is benzoyl peroxide, I don't know the strength and you can apply that when you feel a blemish starting and in one day it's practcally gone. You used this all over the face after cleansing. It is also good to use on the chest and back. But be careful, it bleaches everything. Be careful with the exfoilating, it can aggravate acne, but the moisturizing is good. The Acne Free is a three step product twice a day. I absolutely love it. Remember, I'm 49 years old and have had acne all my life and have never had anything as good as this, even prescription creams.

Hi, H.. Sorry this is so late. My complexion was awful. I am going through menopause, and the hormonal changes can be awful. I found a snack on the Weight Watchers website by Hungry Girl. It's 1 snack cup of sugar-free pudding and a half cup of canned pumpkin. I add in 2 Splenda packets and some cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix it all up together really well. Then I like to pop it in the microwave for a minute. My skin is doing beautifully lately. I suspect it's the beta carotene, which of course is vitamin A, in the pumpkin that's doing the job. Plus it's a yummy snack.

H.,

You gotten lots of good advice about your problem zits, but here's one more. Something that has worked for me on individual zits is honey. After I clean it, I use a cotton swab to apply honey (doesn't seem to matter what kind) directly to the blemish. I see a big difference within a day. After two days the blemish is usually gone. It works best if you apply it as soon as you're aware of the zit. I just apply it at night, since it's sticky and shiny! I don't know how it would work if you have more than one.

Best wishes,
J. J.

Hi H.,
I didn't see your original request, but saw the follow up "what happened". I do this and have told quite a few people who have all come back and said WOW... where'd you come up with that?
As soon as I know I'm going to break out (or worse, gotten lazy and didn't cleanse and moisurize as I should and waited) I clean my face, soak a cotton ball with Listerine and hold it to my skin for at least a minute, then I dab on whatever acne medication I have (usually Mary Kay), the moisturize. By the next day, it's healed or almost healed without fail. Doesn't matter what kind of Listerine.
The reason I started to try this was because my grandfather used to have a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry old bottle of Listerine. So old, it still double billed itself as a hair tonic for dandruff as well as bad breath. The reason it worked for bad breath and dandruff is the same reason it works so well on acne. All three are caused by bacteria and Listerine kills bacteria.
I was desperate and tried it. What did I have to lose? Nothing and I will be forever grateful for that old old bottle in the medicine cabinet. As a side note, my daughter had terrible dandruff and we were so frustrated at the difficulty in getting rid of it. I poured it over her head, squeezed the excess from her hair and put on a plastic cap, then soaked all her brushed in a sink of water spiked with Listerine. It worked.

Good Luck
L.

Hi H.,

A place to look for your cosmetic ratings:

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1

Good Luck,
M.

Hi H.,

Sorry for a late reply, I have used that blemish stick, I like it, it works. I have recently bought Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick (at Trader Joe's) which is cheaper than Burt's Bees and is also natural, and works just as well (in fact, I like it a little better)! It has some of the same ingredients than Burt's Bees and some of the other ingredients too.

You had some great advice. The best is to go to www.safecosmetics.org and check out the ingredients in all that you are using. Our company just came out with a totally green not chemical line that is safe for all skin types. Go to www.kygoldmine.com and read about it. Happy New year... oh yes and supplements are important.

H. (or anyone who has acne or problem skin),
I sell Arbonne products and we have excellent results from our Clear Advantage Acne line, plus if you use the masque to spot treat an occasional blemish, they disappear faster. Check it out at www.formyfamily.myarbonne.com

Hope this helps! D. Cruz

Hello. I haven't used the Burt's stick. I am posting information here on a product that works extremely well. If you want to try, let me know and I can send a link to purchase it online (not available in stores).

Timeless Prescription™ PrevaDerm™ addresses acne from the inside out. It helps to enhance the body’s natural defense against acne-causing bacteria. By attacking acne at its root, you can be confident that you are solving the problem - not just covering it up. PrevaDerm supports the immune system, provides antioxidant protection for cellular health, helps maintain healthy skin at the cellular level, minimizes the appearance and frequency of acne, helps maintain a clear complexion, assists in normalizing discolored or swollen skin, helps maintain a smooth and even toned complexion, promotes the healing/repair of minor damage to skin cells (caused by acne), and support a healthy complexion.

Hope you no longer need any help on this matter, but if you are still having problems and you think they are related to hormones GLA may help. GLA is an essential fatty acid in the omega-6 family. An herb.

Are you In Orange County? I can never tell with this, so sorry! I have a store in Fullerton (Belly Sprout) where we have non-toxic skincare and makeup. The Lavera blemish stick works well on my friends and is truly non-toxic. I would definitely look to the source of the blemishes like diet and stress and possibly see an acupuncurist. Also, what makeup are you using? There are minerla makeups out there which have the ingredient Bismuth Oxychloride which can irritate and break out some people! We carry Afterglow and they do not use that ingredient!

Good luck,
C.
www.bellysprout.com

I went through accutane a while back, and even it didn't cure me. Right now I've started using Acne Free, which is at any drug store/walmart. It's really working, but drying me out too much, so I'm scaling back to once a day instead of twice.

My daughter has the same problem and she uses the Velocity skin cleanser and moisturizer by Mary Kay. She had very bad acne also so she added acne treatment gel and blemish control toner which is used 2 - 3 times a week.

I would like to offer you FREE product by hosting a skin care class. It's a good way to try our products, have a free facial & makeover and have fun with a couple of your girlfriends.

You can also try Aloe vera. But not the processed kind. Apply the jelly-like substance from the aloe leaves to the face and wait for half an hour, then rinse with cold water. HAPPY NEW YEAR. M. N
http://www.maryngati.com
http://www.maryngati.net

I know this response is late and everybody swears by something.. There is a brand called Mario Badescu. You can find it online, it is out of New York City. It sounds stuffy but the products last forever and they help with every skin problem. I have extremely large pores , zits and blackheads..i have gotten quite a few friends of mine hooked on it..I usually have my face wash last 3-4 months and other products last almost 8.. Just check it out you would be amazed at how nice your skin looks..Good luck S. A

Toothpaste has always worked well for my teenagers. Just put it on the acne, let it dry and then wash off. You may need to moisturize afterwards.

I hope that helps, it's probably much cheaper than any other solutions. I would try sticking with more natural products, drink lots of water, and eat healthy.

Take care, good luck.
K.

I second the Desert Essence stick. Works great for keeping the hormonal breakouts from getting too big and painful. And it seems to help speed up healing as well. Make sure you exfoliate and moisturize well!

My hubby used to have horrible acne and I bought him a roll on blemish treatment called X-Zit. It's natural and worked almost overnight!

Milk of Magnesia dotted on the spot will heal a blemish quickly. It's the magnesium that is so good for your cells. It's really really drying, though, so if you have dry skin, you'll need to moisturize the area and keep it confined to the blemish.

I would first look at any change in diet, medications, birth control, etc.

I'm a BeautiControl consultant and while I'm not going to try to sell you our products, I will make some recommendations. I would definitely add an exfoliating product to use 2-3 times a week. That will help unclog your pores. You need to be careful not to use too often or your body may produce too much oil, which can cause problems as well. Toner is also a pretty important step. And of course moisturizer. At your age your skin can actually be starting to get drier. Your body may be trying to compensate for this by producing more oil. Skin has different needs as you age. The regime that you were using in your 20's is likely NOT to work as well in your 30's and up. Also, when you make a change you may notice your skin worsening or not getting better at first. It takes your skin 30-45 days to comepletely renew itself.

Good luck!

Yes, the Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick works. I use it. It does tend to sting a little, but it is natural. Burt's Bees has some other good products for you and your family.

I haven't tried the Burt's Bees stick - but I absolutely SWEAR BY Proactiv Solutions for acne. I'm 32 and still have acne too! It's annoying. But that really works for me and has for about 10 yrs.

I use an all natural skin care line called Glimpse that is amazing - my skin has never looked so healthy and vibrant. If I see a blemish coming on I apply the serum to the area and literally the next day it is gone. I also love all of Burt's Bees products but sometimes find them a little drying.

A lot of times adult acne is caused by not using a good moisturizer. Not that it couldn't be another issue because stress, not eating right, and not washing day and night can cause acne to pop up. I only break out around my period because of excess oil, but when I moisturize really good before during and right after my epriod I do not get breakouts. Your skin will add extra oil when you do not moisturize to try to balance itself out. So if you are using an oil free lotion for your face your body will not creat as much oil. Does that make sense? I have only used Mary Kay my whole life so I can not give you any input on other skin care lines. I have never had a reason to switch. #1 brand for 14 years in America so if you have not tried it you should:)

Clinique has quite a few options for blemishes as well, one of which is a blemish stick. They also offer their three step for acne. I love it, but I also SELL it! I have used a few over the counter blemish sticks as well, but never the Burt's Bees. One would think that me, a 38-year old momma who works for a dermatologist AND a cosmetic company, would have lovely skin...Ahem, nope! I hope you find something that works for you!

I think I was about 30 and still breaking out more than when I was a teenager. I was so frustrated I let an infomercial persuade me to try Proactive. It made a HUGE difference. You got so many responses that now I'm sure it's confusing but I can't believe more people didn't recommend Proactive. I found it to be amazing so I had to put in my 2 cents. (someone said it's expensive but I think it's cheap. They sell it in 3 packs - cleanser, lotion and toner and I can make the lotion last forever so it's something like $11 for the cleanser every 6 months? Same for the toner or maybe longer than 6 months.

I know this is late but I went through this a year or so ago. I went to the dermatologist and did all the expensive things and had lots of visits and nothing helped. Then I switched my birth control for the 3rd time and it worked. I am using Yaz and it has really kept me from breaking out. Those hormonal pimples are the worst! They are red, huge and they hurt. I haven't had any since I started using it.

Married, 36, year old, stay at home mom of 2 girls, 10 and 8 and a 6 year old boy.

H.,
Take accidophilius internally and cut down on dairy products.

Hi H.! Just wanted to back up another mommy's response (deidre) for arbonne. I have been using it for 4 yrs and have seen numerous success stories. We have a supplement that you take that seems to make the difference.
One word of caution with some products such as proactive..they do contain some very harsh ingredients, and you don't want to exchange getting rid of the blemishes with exposing yourself to toxins. This is obviously a personal decision..but it might be smart to ask to see the ingredients, just so you can make the best decision for yourself!

J.

Hi there H.! I wish I would have seen your original request a month ago, but I am a facialist in Orlando who specializes in problem skin, and I have some info for you if you aren't overwhelmed already...I know how frustrating it is to have problematic skin as an adult- hormones, stress, and diet/digestion all play a part of why we can have skin issues past puberty..
Our salon specializes in acne/problem skin....we have a wealth of information including skincare products to use/avoid, diet & nutrition info both on our website (tamahras-secret.com) or you could call us ###-###-#### and I could mail you some info if you prefer....