Jlove
Junior Member
Posts: 56
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Post by Jlove on Feb 2, 2003 2:32:12 GMT -5
Hey,
Late at night they have a infomercial on Proactiv as an acne treatment. Has anyone tried it? I heard from my sister that she heard (a friend of a friend of a friend deally) that it works. I figure, no blemishes, no picking....
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Post by martha on Feb 2, 2003 20:01:27 GMT -5
I just bought it a week ago it does work it is really drying but if you use it once a day it does not dry as much I have real oily skin so I don't mind it drying mine as much. Even if you have clear skin and you pick, pick, pick your skin will be messed up. I say definitely get the proactive but at the same time to commit to yourself that you will NEVER PICK AGAIN no feeling picking , peeling etc. I put up signs in the bathroom and my skin already looks so much better. no matter what do not pick your skin zero tolerance is key don't even pluck your own eyebrows!! good luck ;D
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Post by freedom on Feb 2, 2003 22:49:19 GMT -5
hi, i'm new. i've been reading the posts here for a few weeks and finally decided to actually say something. proactiv is good - i find using it once a day, using the toner twice a day and using a cream with salicylic acid under make up is working - not perfect but pretty good - i think perfect is a lie. what i find works the best for me is: not turning on light in the bathroom and using the proactiv mask at night to spot treat- that way you can't see what is happening at all. my skin is only ever bad anymore when i give in and pick. this all sounds very high maintenance i know; but it is beyond high maintenance to spend 2 hours picking each night. i have dry skin but i break out and the proactiv is ok - but you have to moisturize ...also i use this oil free moisturizing mask from aveda - good stuff. i know way too much about this...... if you are american the proactiv is a pretty good deal, but i'm canadian so it's quite pricey for me.... my problem now is with my legs - pick pick pick.....and i've been doing better since finding this site, telling my boyfriend and telling my therapist (4 years in therapy and i'd only hinted at it) i think the secrecy is the worse part because it's so linked with shame. boy, when i decide to say something i really go for it. thanks and good luck  freedom |
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Post by proactiv user on Feb 27, 2003 18:11:30 GMT -5
I am currently a proactiv user, and I find that it is working well. I am going to echo the comment that it is not perfect, but it does work very well for me. In the first, I'd say 1 to 2 weeks of use, there was dryness, but after that short period of time, it stopped making my face dry. I hope I helped someone Proactiv user |
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Post by FaceOff on Mar 3, 2003 13:51:10 GMT -5
I just started using ProActive a couple of weeks ago. So far I really like it. I have NOT had the problem of my skin drying out any more than I'd want it to. So far the biggest improvement I've noticed is that my skin feels 'tighter' and generally smoother/softer. I have still had some breakouts. I agree it is not a cure all...but worth the investment. Good luck! |
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Post by downtimeheals on Jun 15, 2003 7:56:09 GMT -5
Proactiv has helped me so much. I don't use it all the time, but I do use it whenever I've started picking my face again. It helps me feel like I'm DOING SOMETHING to counteract the damage, and it usually clears my skin up quite a bit and speeds the healing process. And if my face starts to feel too dry or tight I just stop using it for a while, maybe putting on some aloe vera gel or something noncomedogenic to soothe everything. My picking has been much better since finding Proactiv in college. And there are now some cheaper generic copycat products--I know Walgreen's makes one. Has anybody tried it? A good thing to know...with benzoyl peroxide 2.5% is PLENTY effective: if you're using 5% or 10% it's probably overkill and overdrying!
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Post by dandelion on Jun 17, 2003 21:26:28 GMT -5
I used Proactiv about a year ago and at first i was really happy with it and thought i had finally found the solution but with continued use it totally dried out my skin so that even after applying moisturizer like 4 times a day it was still really dry and flaking and then i just had more to pick at....i think its a good product to use every once and a while but i dont think i would use it constantly
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Post by tellohvision on Jun 18, 2003 1:30:22 GMT -5
wow, this has been really helpful. ive been thinking about getting proactive for months now, but i just havnt been willing to shell out the cash. my best friend who is also a picker (though not to the same extreme) got proactive in november. her skin has cleared up so nicely and she has stopped picking. i thought that it was jstu her and it would work for me. with so many of you having good stuff to say about it though i think ill get it. thanks again!
tellohvision
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Post by Carree on Jul 2, 2003 14:42:21 GMT -5
I have been using ProActiv for about a year....I do like it, it does help but like anything else it is not the total cure. I still seem to find something to pick. I also like their other products, they have a concealer that works really well and a foundation that makes your skin look really good. I think you might like it....let us know how it works for you.
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Post by julia on Jul 17, 2003 13:40:27 GMT -5
Hi all - my first time on this site. i had no idea that these support groups exist. i'm 24 & have had a picking problem since my teens. i have been on everything for acne - creams, antibiotics, toners, different cleansers, etc. etc. As far as Proactive goes - I found it to be good - for a half a year or so. And then it kind of stopped working. BUT they make a fabulous cover-up and a loose powder that is tailored not to irritate acne skin. I highly recommend that.
Currently I am on Accutane & am seeing fabulous results on my forhead & in my T-zone. The place that is not clearing up is my jaw-line - the place I pick the most. There are about 10-15 scars/scabs on each side from various cysts. I pick these everyday. I know if that I just had the willpower to stop, they would clear up or lighten.
Can anyone help me out here? I am sure it is related to stress - but I have been trying to de-stress my hectic lifestyle - i take yoga, i've been eating very healthy - no sugar, only good carbs. My two weaknesses are Diet soda & cigarettes. Do any of you out there have any advice?
Thanks! ;D
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Post by Liz on Jul 23, 2003 16:33:59 GMT -5
I'm 31 and have been picking my skin for several years. My boyfriend was really concerned about it, so we went on the web and discovered "psychogenic excoriation" or compulsive picking. I had no idea it was a compulsive disorder. I have also suffered from major dep. which hospitalized me. This disorder is not pleasant, but is common for people with dep. and anx. It helps to relieve tension and stress associated with anxiety. 40% of people have what's known as Keratosis Pilaris, or KP those tiny little bumps on the back of the arms and thighs. If you suffer from this, I'm sure this hightens your struggle with picking. Like you, I am searching for methods to clear up my skin, because, the clearer the skin, the less I will want to pick. But where does the obsession end? Remember, it relieves stress and anxiety, so even if you stopped picking, isn't it safe to say that another OCD would be likely to pop up? Body dysmorphic disorder is another concern. How perfectly smooth and clear must your skin look to be acceptable to you? Sadly, I've come to the conclusion that it's not at all about skin, it's about our minds, or depression, and our anxiety. For anyone that suffers from this, or any other disorder, I think med., even in the short-term, and cog. beh. therapy really work. As for the skin goes, the dermstore.com has lots of wonderful products. I'm looking into microdermabrasion to help with the acne. I have tried proactiv and it does work. It's only 2% benzoyl peroxide which is the same ingredient available in many over-the-counter products. I think the only difference is that the cleanser has an abrasive, exfoliating substance in it, that when used twice a day is very effective. The face lotion also has benzoyl in it. I would save your money on the toner (it has no active ingredient) and just by Witchhazel. It's inexpensive and wonderful for a toner. Any acid products work excellent in combination: salycilic, glycolic, hydroxy, and lactic acids are great for the back of the arms, thighs, and face. Also, you have to exfolliate, cleanse, tone, and moisturize (TWICE DAILY) It's the twice daily routine that really makes proactiv effective. You must use an spf moisturizing cream during the day, because after all that exfolliating, your skin will be very photosensitive. Get a heavier cream w/o spf for nightime. However, it's my opinion that a little sunshine helps to clear up skin. (the light helps to kill bacteria in the pores) I hope all this helps. Experiment with different products. Go to a beauty supply store because they're licensed to sell products with higher volumes of active ingredient than the drug store. I've heard Murad and Dermalogica are also good skincare lines. Good luck! Hope this helps
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Post by ready2heal on Jul 23, 2003 17:08:35 GMT -5
well, i wish i could say good things about proactiv. however, when i used it, it really dried and stung my face a lot. my skin couldn't handle it so i returned that and then switched to retin-a micro. i've been on it for only a week so far. i'm very happy that other people's skin has cleared though! acne is terrible, and i would never wish it on ANYONE!
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Post by tellohvision on Jul 25, 2003 4:08:40 GMT -5
hiya. ive been using proactive for about 3 weeks now, its working well... where i dont pick. almost all the smaller "imperfections" are gone, but the larger ones that ive gotten to are just as bad as before. everyone says that results vary from person to person, so i think its worth trying... you can always get a refund if it doesnt work (i know someone who did this and they actually got their money back!). i think that it really does work, you just can not pick no matter what... something that i am not exactly doing... but my picking is getting a bit better.
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