Does Proactiv Work?

I tried Proactiv about a year ago and it worked great, until I missed a day of doing it. Then the acne would come back even worse than before.

You might want to go to wal-mart or target. They have a knock off of the Proactive and it cost about $20 and you wouldn't have to worry about S&H. I know some people who use it and they say it works great.

I'm an Arbonne consultant and I would highly recommend these products. If you sign up for the 35% discount and buy the Clear Advantage set, the products would cost you about $11 per month. Plus you receive a free product with the set. A liitle bit of Arbonne product goes a long way. Also the Skin Support Dietary Supplement that comes with the set works to heal the skin from the inside too. L. D

I had alot of clients who tried Proactiv and ended up using Mary Kay Velocity or the TimeWise for oily skin and had better luck (tis why I sell alot of it). They had faster results with no scarring. You can contact me if you have any questions at ###-###-#### or email me back. Thanks and good luck!

It does work. You'll notice a difference right away, but sometimes it will cause a lot of drying. In this case, you just want to cut back on the 3rd step (the lotion). I used it for years and I found that I could go two months before ordering more. So it cost me less than I anticipated. Their refining mask is amazing. If nothing else, I would just get that. It clears up the "big ones" quicker than anything else I've tried - prescription or not.

Hey B.,
I too have acne like yours...corretion HAD acne like yours and have tried everything in the drugstore and have gone to my dermatologist and nothing really worked for me except the antibiotics that the dermatologist gave me, but I hated not being able to be out in the sun for too long. That was when I tried the Proactiv Solution. I will not go back to ANYTHING else!!! That stuff is Awesome and I could literally see a difference in my skin about a week after starting the product. I also have not had any further painful cyst like blemishes since I have started it. However, I did notice that if I do not use it in like 3-4 days, one will start to show up, but once I feel it coming on, I use the Proactive and it goes away before it completely forms. I know I sound like an infomercial...but I am telling you this stuff is worth the $$....Good Luck!!

My daughter has severe acne, it started when she was only around 9 or 10 years old. It is genetic, so she comes by it naturally. Now she is 13 an in full hormone rages. She had severe break outs about a week before she starts. I got her proactiv around 6 months ago. She loves it. Finally something that helps. Her skin is not blemish free, but the black heads and the red swelling areas are much better. She gets a package in the mail every 6 weeks or so I think, and its definitely worth it for her to not have to have that problem in addition to the normal problems of a teenager. Give it a try. She started noticing a difference after about 2-3 weeks of consistent use. Good luck.

B., I'm 26 too and have two kids as well 5 and 3. I use it, LOVE IT and it works for me. The only down fall is that if you use a little like me, then the next shipment comes and then you just have way too much. But I would also tell you that it didn't work for my sister. I think it is one of those products that you have try and find out for your own skin.

B.~
I have the same problem. Mine is around my chin area. It is awful. Let me know if the Proativ works for you. I haven't tried it yet because you never know if it really works or if they are just trying to sell the stuff. Thanks

C.

It does work great. My sister just turned 19 and she has been using it since she was about 14 and it is THE ONLY THING that worked for her. I have a before and after pic of her if you would like to see it, I can't attach it to this email. But it has been amazing what it has done for her. She has kept but when she runs out the acne will slowly start to return. So, it not only clears it up but it keeps it away. I say 100% give it a shot, and it is really cheap. If you want to see pics of her just send me your email address and I'll send them to you :)

ABSOLUTELY! I have been using it for a couple of weeks and my face looks 100% better. It does dry your skin at first, but my sister has been using it for a few years and she said it will balance out after a while. It is definitely worth the money. I have gone to the dermatologist before and they usually put you on pills, which you can't take forever. You have to get a good skin care regimen that you can do that will last and most of all work. Good luck to you! I totally feel your pain!

I LOVE Proactiv. It definitely works, UNLESS you have any kind of allergy or sensitivity to benzoyl peroxide. I have a cousin who totally breaks out when she uses Proactive. But the great thing is that they have a money back guarantee so if you're not satisfied or if you break out or something, you can return it and get your money back. At least that's what they advertise on the radio. I had great results, and my skin is a little sensitive, so I would sometimes only use it every other day, or sometimes only use the corrective lotion after a milder soap. But it's a very low percentage of the chemical so it doesn't fry your skin. Just make sure and follow their advice and use a moisturizer with SPF in it to protect your skin so you don't burn!

good luck,
missy

I have not used Proactiv, however Wal-Mart carries a product that is very similar and I think maybe a little cheaper. My mom gets real bad acne and it seems to help her if she stays on top of it.

I have acne like that, except all the time = P Sadly the proactiv didn't work well for me. I've started trying something similar to it called Acne Free I bought at Wal-Mart, so far it's doing about as much as the Proactiv. I had somebody tell me to try acupunture, as it helps w/hormones. As well as colonics, that gets rid of all toxins in your body and is said to help dramatically w/skin. I also looked into this other thing called a Far Infared Sauna... It's like a regular sauna, but w/o the steam... It's supposed to help clear toxins as well. I'm thinking of trying the sauna thing, I found a place near KC (where I live) that's $15-20 for 30min.. Hopefully something happens! I'm willing to try anything!

B.,

I know many people who use it and LOVE it!! My niece and a nephew use it and I have a friend in her 30s that loves it also- I hear amazing things all the time- hope it works for you!

V.

I've had acne since I was about 12, so I have a tendency to get the deep cysts and scars. I got it and used it for a while. I guess my skin was too sensitive because the astringent would burn and turn my face bright red and it would stay that way for a while. I love the cleanser, lotion and scrub. I ended up giving the rest of mine to my teenage nephew and it has made a HUGE improvement in his skin. I would recommend it, even though it didn't work for me.

Hi B.~

I can relate to you! I felt like ProActiv was too expensive so I never tried it. However, I switched to a company about 5 years ago that manufactures safer, healthier, less expensive products and found that their acne treatment system works wonderful. In the past, I would not leave the house without putting makeup on, because of my acne issues. However, today that's a different story. I sometimes go several days without wearing makeup and it doesn't bother me now for other people to see me without makeup on. The scaring has even cleared up. I love it! If you would like to know more, send me a private email and I'll share more details with you. My email address is ____@____.com Have a great day!

I've been using Proactiv for over a year and it does work. It hasn't stopped working for me. I will, every once in awhile, get a bit of break through acne, but it is usually not bad & usually around my cycle. It can't hurt to try it. They have many new products now as well. Eye creams, make up, shampoos/conditioners, night facial creams.

It can dry your skin out, but I have adapted my routine so that I get all the benefit and no drying out. Not only that, but my product lasts longer. It's about $40 per shipment, for three bottles of product. You are allowed to personalize your shipments as well. I use more of the cleanser than the other two products so I order more of that than the others. You can change it up how you like.

If I can tell you anymore, let me know and I'll give you more info.

B.,

I am not sure about Proactiv but I have had severe acne like you describe. The problem I have found is hormonal based and fortunately got a good physician who actually sent me to a endrocronologist vs. a dermatologist. The endo doc. recognized the problem for what it was, not a skin prolem but a deeper systemic problem that causes the severe cysts and acne. He gave me a low dose med (aldactone) that is avaialble in generic form that is very cheep (spralactone) and works very well for me. I have tried all kinds of things in the past that have been topical treatments and he told me that that is usually how the doctors treat the problems as well. I do not like taking "medication" but with this, I noticed an immediate difference, even after they told me it could take a few months to get everything regulated. It has really helped me. I know everyone is unique and it may not be a solution for you. Again, I don't know anything about Proactiv but just wanted to pass along my experience to you as I had tried so many other options like Proactiv in the past with no luck.
Let me know if you have any questions and good luck!!
Chris G

I used it several years back and was VERY impressed with the results that I ordered it two more times. However after I got through the first bottles I started having problems again. But that was a few months and I have VERY sensitive skin so was impressed that it worked at all. I don't know if they still have it but they used to if you didn't see improvements they would give you your money back. I would say try it for a few months and if it doesn't work you aren't out a ton of money. Like I said I have VERY tough skin to treat and it worked for me for about two months.

Proactive works! Its works really well. the mask works great for small breakouts. The ONLY thing that i didnt like about it was that i have dry skin and it dried it out even more. i had to use LOTS of moisturizer. other than that it works great. and it is much cheaper than it use to be. you have to stick with it. if you do you will see results in just a few days. i think i have used it for almost 4 years. i usually only use it around the time of my period cuz thats when i break out usually and i can usually just get by with using mask for spot treatments. it is good if you have acne on your back too. i have a 3 month old and while i was pregnant i used it on my back and it worked wonders. but again it had a endency to dry my skin out.

It's hard to not want to try Proactiv. The ad sounds so promising, but it didn't work for me, and I followed the instructions religiously. I've had every kind of acne, the painful cyst kind to the reddish peeling kind, and I hated all of it. Proactiv didn't seem to make much difference at all, especially since I too suffer from hormonal acne. There are two things that have helped my acne. Ortho Tri-cyclen birth control pills and Bare Minerals. The birth control pill helps with hormonal acne, and the Bare Minerals keeps my skin from being oily and dirty. Using these together has saved my skin. Bare Minerals is FANTASTIC. It's a bit pricey, $45 dollars per order, but one shipment lasts me SIX months. Break that down and compare it to traditional foundation, and it's practically the same. I will never wear liquid make up again. I swear by Bare Minerals. And I've noticed, since I've stopped taking birth control as of almost two months ago, my acne isn't flaring up. I hope and pray it stays that way!

I had the same cyst like acne after my last pregnancy. My doctor said they were hormone sores. Since I started using my natural progesterone creme again they went away.

Also lately my chin was constantly breaking out, I started using a face lotion I found at Walgreens, it's called "Merlot", it's made from grape seed oil and cuts back the bactria on your face. I started it two months ago and haven't had one breakout since. It cost 19.99 for 4oz. I use the nighttime formula all the time because I have such dry face. I have three friends that started using it with the same resutls. I used Arbonne for awhile, really costly and I still broke out.

I completely agree with Ronda C. below! Melaleuca is less expensive, easier to get, a better product, and it's got a 60-day guarantee! I have friends that have tried both Proactiv and Arbonne, but loved Melaleuca and still uses it. Hope this helps!

S.
www.workathomeunited.com/S.

In a nut shell proactiv is equivalent to buying a bottle of clean and clear at walmart and mixing it half and half with clorox bleach. It's very harsh on skin and will dry it fast. Henced the bleach side of it. My sister tried the Aloette line for blemished skin and loved it. She said it took about three days to see any results. And one thing she got warned with this is the first day or two it can seem like you're skin is worse because it's so deep cleaning it brings all the impurities to the surface to get rid of them. After about day three she saw it was working better then she's loved it ever since.

I would go for a more natural solution as a friend of mine was burned terribly on her chin by putting pro-activ products on it.
Melaleuca has a wonderful, natural system called Zap-it. My children, one of my close friends and several of my friends' teenagers use it with fantastic results. My friend had adult onset acne (which is what yours sounds like) and she uses the Zap-it and Melaleuca oil and it has helped her DRAMATICALLY!! It costs about $15 for the 4 products in their system, but my friend says hers lasts longer than a month. My son (age 16) uses just one of the products and it lasts him about 4 months at a time!!
If you are interested, just e-mail me privately.
R.

I used proactiv and it did work, but it bleached my towels out. It didn't matter how much I rinsed my face (even when I was in the shower), I still had problems. I recently started using the Mary Kay Time Wise system, and that has helped me. If you're interested I could give you the name of the lady I go through. Hope this helps.

Hi, B.! I work with a lot of women on their skin care and what I have found is that Proactiv works for a while, but it really dries your skin out long term and doesn't provide any anti-aging. Even at 26, you'll want some anti-aging ingredients on your face so that you still look great at 36, 46, etc.! Arbonne has a good product, but their anti-aging skin care is not skin-type specific, so you would be using the same thing as someone with dry skin. Plus, like you mentioned, they are very expensive. Several people have mentioned Mary Kay, and it's a really cost effective way to clear up your face and comes with a 100% product guarantee. The anti-aging specifically for oily skin, together with the Blemish Control Toner and the Oil Free Hydrating Gel is what tends to work the best. That whole system is $98 and most of the pieces will last you 6 months. It includes your foundation as well. Mary Kay has 8 different lines of skin care, so if that exact combination is not just right, we could always tweak it a little bit. It's nice to have a consultant to work with you so you're not just dealing with some big company or 800 number. If you'd like more details e-mail me back and we can talk more-- ____@____.com or go to my website: www.marykay.com/K..

K.

I used Proactiv for about a year and it worked. I used the moisturizer twice a day. I still had some breakouts, but not nearly as bad. After I had my baby though, it dried my face out and I also had an allergic like reaction all over my neck. So, I didn't use it for awhile and I decided to try it again, since it was just sitting there in my cabinet. Same thing happened. Red, itchy and dry. I will not use anymore. I guess it just all depends on the inividual!

Also, I was on the plan where they send it to you automatically. (It was cheaper that way) I ended up with 2 boxes sitting there while I wasn't finished with the first yet! I still have a box sitting in my cabinet. unopened.

B.,
Check with your Aunt about the Clear Advantage from Arbonne, it Retails approx $65, but you can get it for wholesale with her discount which is at least 35% off, so then it's only $42.25, PLUS it lasts for approx 3-4 months, if you do the math, that's actually much less than the $20/month w/Proactiv, Plus Arbonne's products are free of harmful or artificial ingredients, they are safe for you and your family-
Arbonne has a 45day guarantee no questions asked, even if you've used half the product, or all of it...I'm sure your aunt would be willing to help you get on the Clear Advantage!If not, please contact me and I'll be happy to send you a set to try for FREE! ____@____.com
Best Wishes,
C.

My sister and I both have had the same problem. My sister's would be all the time while mine would just be once a month. I use Mary Kay's Time Wise and dont break out anymore. But my sister uses the ProActive. It has worked great. Since she started using it I havent seen her broke out once. Both products seem to work. Hope that helps.

Hi B.,

I use proactive and LOVE IT!!!! It has really cleared my skin up. I still have a break out every now and again but nothing like before. My sister and a couple of friends have started using as well and have had the same results!

Good Luck!

A cousin of mine had terrible acne all month long. Her dad had bought her proactiv after many attempts with different products and it worked for her. She didn't maintain it but after her teenage years and quitting smoking her acne has cleared up on its own. But during her worst time with it proactiv cleared her up for the short time she used it. I would try proactiv before a costly trip to the dermotoligist.

B.,
I would try the botanically-based Arbonne--it has a money-back guarantee. It is only $43 at consultant cost and I am sure your aunt would give you her discount. I give my discount to all first time purchasers, so I am sure she would too. If not, call me. My daughter had used Proactiv and I cannot say that it helped.
D.

Yes i use it and it does work