Should acne sufferers exfoliate? Baking soda?

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chyna_dawl

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Hi everybody,

Lately, I've been using Steivamycin Forte, and its drying up my skin.
The acne has been drying up fairly quickly.
However, I feel like there are bumps, dead skin, some clogged pores on my face.
Is it safe to use baking soda a few times a week (with my SpectroJel facewash) to exfoliate?
Has anyone tried this? Good results?
I'm just scared that my acne will get worse due to exfoliation.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated!
 
Hi kta,

What kind of products did she give you?
And how often did you exfoliate prior? Did you exfoliate everyday?
I just wanted to try gentle exfoliation every 3-4 days or so.
I just hate how rough the skin gets with use of my topical meRAB.
I also hate seeing all those clogged pores.
 
It seems there are many mixed messages about acne and exfoliation. I'm sure you have observed this as well. Exfoliating can aggravate the skin. But so can nearly anything else you do to your face! :) Just remeraber, everything in moderation. One of the main causes of acne is the skin's inability to effectively shed it's dry, dead layers. This corabined with oil and bacteria results in the visit from our friend, acne - which I am sure you know, as well. So....

It would make sense that to control acne, you need to: 1. Help skin to slough it's dead layers. 2. Control oil production. 3. Reduce bacteria. Therefore, exfoliation seems to be necessary. And as you know, there are many options. Salicylic acid is an exfoliant - it increases the skin's ability to shed and not block pores. If you do not want to "scrub", you can use salicylic acid. While that is an option, I believe that your suggestion of baking soda is probably a good one. I think that it would be an effective and gentle exfoliant. Let us know how it works!
 
There are two ways to exfoliate the skin: Manual (using some kind of scrub like baking soda) and also chemical (alpha hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, vitamin A acid).

Exfoliating is necessary for acne sufferers. The top layer of skin neeRAB help shedding so the pores don't get clogged. However, manual exfoliation will irritate acne and can make it worse. The best way for acne sufferers to exfoliate is to use a chemical method. There are plenty of over the counter types of acid such as salicylic and glycolic. These two are very good, however if acne persists then your next step is to see a dermatologist because they can give you a better exfoliation such as differin, tazorac, retin-A. These are all derivatives of vitamin A and will do the best job of removing dead skin cells and unclogging pores. This is the only thing that has worked for me.
 
I think 2% would be too much if you are using differin. The differin takes about 4 months to see a complete change, so give it some more time. Klaron is a perscription liquid that you put on your face in the mornings. It is kind of like BP but is stronger and less drying.
 
Hamer, do you think using SA and Differin is a good idea? I have a Clean & Clear Blackhead Scrub, which did an amazing job on my back (I didn't use Differin there)... I've been on Differin for 8 weeks - it was good in the beginning... My skin tone got better, pores got smaller, some comedones went away. Now, however, all of a sudden, I started getting inflamed pimples again - don't know what to do. Do you have any suggestions?
 
Have you been moisturizing? I use Aveeno clear complexion moisturizer because it has .05% salicylic acid in it. I wouldn't use more than that though. If your skin starts to get dry then switch to something else, or try just using it in the mornings.

You might just need something to kill the bacteria though. Did your doctor give you anything for that? I use klaron in the mornings to kill bacteria. If you are female, you might just be getting hormonal acne.

And also don't forget that getting rid of acne is more than just using products on your face. You also need to change your pillow case and towels regularly, drink water, eat fresh produce and don't stress out. Good luck.
 
I use Clindamycin and occasionally BP to fight bacteria. I don't know though, I might have grown immune to Clindamycin already.
So you are saying, using a 2% SA product might be too much? Is Klaron a prescription drug?
 
My skin got a lot worse from exfoliating. When I went to the derm about a month ago, she told me to stop exfoliating, and she gave me more gentle products. Since then, my acne has improved a lot.
 
it depneRAB if you have sensitve. i have fairly ensivtive skin and i used backing soda and it made my skin extremely red :( i was not happy haha but if you're looking for a good exfoliant i suggest St. Ivs Aprocoit Srub, it works great! and you're skin doesn't look red at all! it leaves your skin feeling smooth, heathly and looking great :) ...(at least that's what it did for me) there are medicated nd non medicated if your concerned about your acne. the medicated might irritate your skin though..... hope this helped! :D
 
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