I have been battling my acne since I turned 21. I have been using proactiv for a number of years and it seems to work pretty good. (notice I said pretty good not the best). I have tried other products but they don't work as well. I feel like using the proactiv has left me with some ugly redish scars on the cheeks. I'm trying to find something that will help fade the appearance. They don't seem to go away with the proactiv. I've tried Mederma but it takes way too long and you have to put that damn cream on 3 times a day! That just doesn't work for me. Any Ideas???

Also if anyone has tried a better acne treatment than proactiv please let me know!!!!

Murad has really worked for me. It's a little pricey, but the product seems to last forever. You can buy it at sephora. My acne scars have seemed to disappear over time with use of the murad. I use the soothing gel cleanser. Hope this helps.

I tried proactiv for persistent breakouts that were of enough of a concern for me. I used proactiv for about 3 weeks, saw no improvement and just ended up with bleach marks on my clothes, bed sheets and towels.

I ditched it and moved onto cetaphil cleanser and moisturiser and am now using dove soap as a cleanser. The breakouts are less and not as cystic but the key is also to not pick at them (one of my biggest problems) which I am really trying to not do.

If you have acne (which I don't) and ointments aren't working perhaps you should go and see your doctor for a referral to a dermatologist. Perhaps you need something other than a topical ointment like Roaccutane.

As for the scars - I have just started microdermabrasion and hope to have some of my minor scarring lessened in this way but am also thinking about IPL treatments (laser) which is a little more expensive. I just want to be able to function daily without worrying about having enough coverage on to cover my scars.

krp28806 ~ Thanks for the suggestion! I had see an infomercial for Murad. I think once my current supply runs out I'm going to order that. I know that if I keep using proactiv its not going to get any better. Does the product leave any bleach marks on pillows or clothes? I have that problem now with the proactiv.

angel2be ~ Thanks for the advice. I've tried other over the counter products and they aren't strong enough. And as for a dermatoligist I don't have health insurance at the moment. Although I am interested in what you said about the microdermabrasion and laser treatment. I was going to look into that when my breakouts have pretty much stopped. I hate having to hide them. Have you seen a big difference since doing the micro?

Kritter - I have only had the one treatment and am actually due for the next at the moment. They recommend 5 treatments at least before you see the expected results.

Based on the immediate results of the first treatment - I think it will be well worth it.

I'm a 40-something but I've been dealing with acne since I was a teenager. The only time I was completely clear was when I was on birth control pills.

I tried ProActive in my 30's but it was too harsh for my skin and turned me all red. I know some have had great results but it wasn't for me. What works best for me now is a really gentle cleanser with a bit of a scrub (Aveeno and Olay both make nice ones) for exfolliation. I wash gently with these. I have a prescription lotion called clindamycin that has an antibiotic in it. Then I finsih off with a moisturizer that has an spf of 30; that seems to help stop the discoloration that you speak of.

Good luck. I know how frustrating it is dealing with acne, believe me. I tried so many things for YEARS before I finally found a regimin that seems to work most of the time.

I definitely know the pain of acne, I don't personally have it, but it seems like everyone in my life does. We have SUCH different products in Canada, so everything I could suggest isn't available in the USA However, you can definitely buy a microdermabrasion kit thats got 20% AHA. I'd do a little research into what's available, a brand I trust is Neostrata, which is a Canadian brand.. so I'm not too sure if you could find it. But anything with an AHA is helpful for acne-prone skin! Good luck, and remember the key to dealing with it is consistency! Wash, tone, moisturize and repeat at night.

-Aimee

I don't have acne scars but I have surgical scars. I use scar zone it's a topical cream that you put on twice a day and in the 4 months since my surgery it has really helped.

Many of the prescription topical retinoids (Retin-A, Differen, Tazorac, etc.) do a really great job of evening out fine lines, scars, discoloration, etc. I've used retinoids for years. They're a million times more effective than anything you can find over the counter. I know you mentioned you don't currently have insurance, but if/when you do, definitely see a dermatologist.

Also, there are nice docs out there who will try to help you out if you don't have insurance. I have insurance, but it doesn't fully cover some of my prescriptions. So my dermatologist hooked me up with free samples and an awesome discount card so that I only have to pay $25 for my acne meds. The prescription stuff really works. No one ever believes I have/did have acne!

Also, I forgot to mention that prescription retinoids go a LONG way. You only have to put it on once a day (before bed), and you only use a tiny tiny amount because it "travels" through your pores to the rest of your face. This means that one large tube will last forever... at least 6 months to a year. Compared to how much one might spend on OTC skin care products over the course of a year, it's probably the more cost effective option. Store bought skin care products are NOT cheap! I never really thought about how much I was spending on Aveeno at the grocery store. It adds up quickly!

Thanks to everyone for all your advice! I'm hoping that I will be getting a job soon that will offer health insurance so I can see a doctor about this. Until then I guess I will see if maybe I can get a microderm kit. I'm going to walmart today so maybe they will have something decent.

Neutrogena has an acne scar fading peel you could try. I use their scrub for acne prone skin, 8-hour spot treatment and moisturizer and my face cleared up!

Kojic acid soap has worked really well for my acne scars. It's hard to find if there aren't any Asian specialty shops in your area, but you can find it on Ebay under the Diana Stadler brand. I wash with it in the morning, leaving it on my face for 2-3 minutes. In addition to significantly fading my acne scars, it has also completely cleared my complexion!

I have had acne sice I was a teen, and have been on every type of precription med, including accutane. I actually recently found something called PanOxyl. It's a cleanser and the same company that makes it, also makes the precription brand cleanser that I use (Benzaclin I think)... Anywho, I saw it a few months ago at Walgreens and it was on sale for $6 for a big tube. ($9 normally) So I nabbed it, and it works wonders!

Walmart carries it also. And in addition to doing that every night, I use witch hazel afterwards (which is usually by the alcohol and is like $3 for a big bottle), and then I also invested in a microdermabrasion kit (I use Loreal's Refinish Kit $20 or so... speaking of which, I am out of the scrub!) I only use that once a week... but when I am consistant with that regimen, my skin looks amazing!

I very rarely use a moisturizer though, because sometimes it can make my skin oily.

If you have a problem with redness though, Clinique has a really good cleanser/moisturizer/concealer kit that I use when my acne gets really peeved, and it helps a lot with that too.

Hope you can find something that works for you!

Thanks for all the suggestions! I live on Maui so sometimes its hard to get things that you guys get on the mainland. They always run out of things at walmart and it takes months to get them in again. I saw panoxyl somewhere but I'm positive they were out at Walmart. The only Microdermabrasion kit things I saw were just some sort of skin rejuvinating system. Is that the same thing?