Healthy-ish: My Current Skincare Routine + Acne Progress Photos!

I've struggled with moderate acne since I was a teenager & unfortunately it has followed me into adulthood! I say moderate only because that's what my dermatologist calls it, but it has always been something that has made me feel very embarrassed & self conscious. I've honestly never had even one day without having at least 1-2 big, painful pimples somewhere on my face. UNTIL TODAY! I washed my face this morning & realized I finally don't have ANY raised blemishes (just some dark spots from scarring.. but I'm still so so happy because those can be easily corrected with light makeup).

My Skin Type:

Before I get into my skincare routine, let me first explain my skin type & acne type. I have naturally oily skin, especially in my T-zone. I get a few small breakouts around my hairline when I'm working out a lot, but those have always healed within a week or so. The worst are the hormonal cystic acne breakouts I get  around my mouth (on my chin, along my jawline, & above my lip), which always start as very deep, large red bumps under the skin; they will [painfully] last a whole month or more before coming to head at the surface of my skin. Then, they will erupt & stick around for another couple weeks before finally resulting in a dark purple scar, which will show for months!

Skincare Products I've Tried:

I had tried many types of over-the-counter acne products before seeing a dermatologist. I've tried sticking to a very gentle cleanser & moisturizer per the suggestion of my primary care doctor, using brands like CeraVe & Cetaphil, while also getting on a birth control meant to help control hormonal acne. I've also tried a more natural route using products with coconut oil, tea tree oil, vitamin E, etc. Then, I started using products with harsher medicines such as benzoyl peroxide & salicylic acid, which I stuck with for a long time because they actually felt like they were "working" by drying out my skin. But after all of that.. I would honestly say the frequency of my acne breakouts stayed the same whether I was using the gentle, natural, or harsh over-the-counter acne treatments.

My Acne Progress Photos!

In May I started seeing a dermatologist who was very kind & really listened to all of my concerns. She was very thorough in finding out what types of skincare I had already tried in order to make new suggestions. I ended up leaving with prescriptions for a medicated face wash, an acne treatment to use during the day, another to use in the evening, as well as a daily low dose oral antibiotic.

See my BEFORE photos from May, no makeup, unfiltered & unedited! I tried to take the June & July progress photos in the same angles & from the same spot to get consistent natural lighting from my window.

• In the May photos, I was experiencing a lot of deep cystic acne on my chin as well as some blemishes along my hairline. These were taken before I started my new routine; I was using a salicylic acid face wash, benzoyl peroxide spot treatment, vitamin C serum in the morning & Epiduo Forte in the evening. My skin was constantly very red & sensitive from these products but I thought that was how they were supposed to feel in order to work!
• In the June photos, I had been very consistently sticking to the routine prescribed by my dermatologist but had even more active breakouts than when I started! I noticed that every single deep, under the surface pimple (that was not visible before) was coming up to the surface of my skin! It would take about 5 days for even the biggest blemishes to erupt & then dry out. I had always heard that your skin gets worse before it gets better & I finally understand why..
• In the July photos, I had been on this routine for about 11 weeks. My skin is not as inflamed & sensitive, it doesn't get as oily throughout the day, plus I have ZERO raised bumps. Any dark spots shown in these photos are scars from recent pimples; however, they are fading a lot faster than they would have on my old routine!

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My Current Skincare Routine (for Oily, Acne Prone Skin)

Morning:

1. Oral Pill - Minocycline Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules 135mg
• A low dose antibiotic that I take every morning; I'm able to take this without food & it does not cause any nausea or stomach ache! This helps to heal your acne from the inside by fighting bacteria. A mix of oral & topical treatments has worked best for me!
2. Cleanser - Avar (Sodium Sulfacetamide 10% & Sulfur 5%) Cleanser
• The name brand is Avar but I've also gotten a generic from my pharmacy that works just as well. I massage this into my face for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before rinsing off. My dermatologist said this cleanser also works well to treat body acne!
3. Acne Treatment - Aczone (Dapsone 7/5%) Gel
• Dapsone is a medication that treats inflammatory acne breakouts. My dermatologist suggested that this works well along the chin & jawline. This should not be used with any products containing benzoyl peroxide as it can cause skin discoloration.
4. Moisturizer - Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
• I love this oil-free gel cream because it feels very light; it contains hyaluronic acid to keep my skin moisturized all day! Heavy moisturizers make my oily skin feel very congested & cause breakouts.
5. Sunscreen - CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen Face Lotion SPF 50
• If I'm headed outside, I use this sunscreen because it feels light. I also use makeup products that all contain SPF.

Evening:

1. Cleanser - CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
• If I am wearing makeup during the day, I like to do a double cleanse in the evening. I start with this gentle cleanser to remove most of my makeup.
2. Makeup Remover - Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 Waterproof
• I use micellar water to remove any eye makeup residue. I also use it to get any remaining makeup on my face, especially around my hairline!
3. Cleanser - Avar (Sodium Sulfacetamide 10% & Sulfur 5%) Cleanser
• I use the same medicated cleanser in the evening. Because it doesn't remove makeup well, I make sure to use a gentle cleanser & micellar water first before this medicated cleanser.
4. Acne Treatment - RETIN-A MICRO (tretinoin 0.08%) Gel
• Retinol is the holy grail of skincare! This has made the biggest improvement to my overall skin texture. It increases cell turnover to leave consistently plump, smooth skin; my makeup goes on much smoother! However, it cannot be used if pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
5. Spot Treatment - Clean & Clear PERSA-GEL 10 (Benzoyl Peroxide 10%) Acne Medication
• I rarely use this anymore but if I do get a raised pimple, I'll cover it with a dab of this acne cream & leave it on overnight while I sleep. I only use this at night because it cannot be used with Aczone (dapsone), which I use in the mornings. Be careful when using benzoyl peroxide because it can bleach your towels, pillowcases, & clothes!
6. Moisturizer - Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
• I use my same favorite moisturizer at night & always wake up with plump, hydrated skin! Occasionally I will also use the Moisture Surge Overnight Mask if I want a little extra hydration in the morning.

Tips:

• Be consistent! Establish a regular morning & evening schedule dedicated to your skincare routine.
• Double cleanse! Make sure you've removed all traces of makeup.
• Exfoliate! Especially when using products that increase cell turnover, light & regular exfoliation is crucial to maintaining smooth skin texture.
• Never sleep without washing your face! I would occasionally let myself fall asleep with makeup on but for the past 3 months I've made sure to wash my face every single night, whether I wore makeup or not, no matter how sleepy I am.
• Set reminders! I have a to-do list type of productivity app on my phone; I schedule daily tasks to ensure I complete my morning & evening skincare routines, as well as take my daily vitamins & supplements.