So, I'm thinking of taking the plunge and buyingthe Proactiv system. I'm 26 and have never had super terrible breakouts, but right now this acne crap is getting to me and I need something to just do the job and be done with it.

Yay? Nay? Any past/present Proactiv users with advice? My wallet and I thank you!

*Katie

I think it did help with breakouts, but my skin got so dry and red that after ten days I had to stop using it. I ended up going to my doctor and getting a prescription that works good. It's called minocycline.

when i was 25-26 my skin started getting sorta yucky, i also never had acne. i tried proactiv and it *barely* helped, but also dried out my skin. i think its only for people with "acne". i stopped using it and never used anything else, i figure if its stuff i can cover easily with makeup, why bother, lol.

I tried it, and it wasn't bad, but didn't help as much as I was hoping. I also never used it perfectly for long - I would use it all every single day for about two weeks then end up just using it once a day for a few days, and maybe canceling out all the good I had done.

It also ended up bleaching some of my favorite shirts. I've decided that I just can't use benzoyl peroxide products during the day - I'm too sweaty I guess.

Now I use a salicylic acid cleanser and treatment (2%) in the morning, and a non-medicated cleanser and benzoyl peroxide treatment (10%) at night, and it seems to be working better. Take that with a grain of salt, though... my skin is amazingly oily and I'd probably have to wash it 10x a day for it to ever get dried out, so my regimen might be a bit harsh for most people.

My daughter has had great success with Neutrogena Skin ID. However, she also had some drying problems and uses Biore Skin Preseveration Dual Fusion Moisturizer + SPF 30.

Here's what we found out about Proactive:
1) It did not help my son's severe acne.
2) It is very drying and made my own sensitive skin very red and sore.
3) When we went to a dermatologist, we were told that Walmart has a store brand that is exactly the same thing for much less money.
4) They say it's guaranteed, but when you try to cancel, they will always try to talk you into another month or another of their products, OR they will just keep sending you the product on the schedule you arranged in the beginning, meaning you keep getting billed or you have to go through the hassle of returning and trying to get a refund.

We definitely decided that it hadn't been worth trying it.

Ah, good point, DO NOT sign up for the subscription plan through Proactiv! I've heard only bad things about it. If you have a little booth or vending machine in your local mall, you can buy single items or sets... or you can always go with eBay.

I went through two full proactive kits several years ago on my quest for clear skin. It did not work for me and I think it was a huge waste of money.

However, I think that sometimes what doesnt work for one person might work for another. So I'm going to give you a bit of background on my skin type, so you can compare and decide for yourself.

My acne started when I was ten years old and since then I have been attempting to stop my breakouts. I have oily skin, which sometimes gets dry. I have blackheads and moderate cystic acne. My skin is quite bad... but I know people with mild acne who have had luck with proactive.

I have tried every possible prescription medication available through a dermatologist (with the exception of Accutane- more on that later) until finally my GP talked me into trying Diane 35. It's an acne medication that acts as a birth control pill so you can't get it through a dermatologist.

I've been on it for about six years and it's the only thing that has ever worked for me. My skin is completely clear now. the only issue is that as soon as I stop taking it I break out.

If your skin is an issue then I would recommend that you talk to your doctor about Diane 35.

If Diane doesn't work... Accutane is a last resort. I was going to go on it if Diane didn't work. You can look up Accutane on google, it's supposed to be very effective- although I personally think that some of the side effects are dreadful :S Generally only people who have suffered from acne long term are given the option of Accutane.

But like I said, different things work for different people. It can be an expensive journey... but often its just a matter of trial and error. Good luck!

just fyi, walmart sells its own version of proactiv called "acne free" at a lower price if you're still wanting to try it!

I never had acne but when I hit 25 I got it pretty bad on my chin and nose. I used proactive and it helped. The trick is you have find your own way of using it. For instance, I only use the third step on my acne spots, not my whole face or it will dry out my skin.

I tried ProActiv and it helped me.
I only used like the manual said about 2 first weeks
After that I only use the toner and the facial foam. (and used it only where I have acnes as well)
I used it for about 3 months and it cleared all of my acnes.
And until now, my skin is still clear (unless it's TOM then I can't help it - but my acnes now disappear after 3-4 days)

But :
- I didn't have severe problem with acnes. I had a lot of acnes but they were all small one - but there were a lot on my forehead and cheeks.
- I had acnes when I was 16-17 years old - and I used ProActiv at that time as well. So now i'm 23 years old so I guess my acnes could be disappeared because of growing older.

But either way, it helped me (or it seems that way). I didn't use it after 3 months because I didn't have to anymore. My skin was combination skin so I didn't think the "dry" part was awful - or at least I think that's why my skin disappeared lol. But for other than oily/combination skin, I guess it could really dry your skin. Anyways, hope that helps.

What I was going to say!
yes there is acne free...it is cheaper but has the cleanser, toner & lotion like Proactive. You could try this, if it helps then good if not then try proactive?

I did use Proactive and it worked for me but was expensive. Now I use acne free.

I totally agree with Mandi... The minocycline is the only thing that ever worked for me. But, I had to stop tanning because it made my skin alot more sensitive to the sun. But, it's definitely better than the Proactiv.

I jumped on the Proactiv bandwagon about 2 years ago. I always had beautiful clear skin and then BOOM out of no where I was breaking out all over my chin, etc etc. ( It was hormonal come to find out ) but when I used Proactiv, it was TERRIBLE. I went to the doctor immediately all while screaming at the top of my lungs in the car because it felt like my face was literally on fire!! He told me that it had basically " burned " the very top layer of skin off my face. It took almost a month til all the redness was gone and the new top layer grew. I called Proactiv to let them know ... I wasn't going to do anything else but ask for my money back ( money back guarantee ) and let them know what had happened to me .. .just for their own knowledge. They actually tried to get me to try another line of theirs .. they said " we have another proactiv line that is specifically for REAL sensitive skin. " I said " Are you nuts??? NO WAY " I did get my money back tho so that was one good thing, they keep their promise there. Just be cautious when using this product if you have VERY VERY sensitive skin.

I LOVED proactiv! I of course quit buying it because of the price but I would still be using it if it wasnt for that. I also tried some of the ones walmart sells and they really dried out my face to the point of making it almost raw. I would say just test it out and see if it works for you. Everyone is diffrent so you may love it you may hate it but its worth a shot. My face has started to clear up on its own mainly since losing weight and exercising and drinking A TON of water. I still get pretty bad breakouts before TOM but i manage.