SPOTS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What age are you?

Anyway, good luck whatever treatment you go for - just don't let them fob you off with tetra cycline. Utterly useless.

But also, if you've only been using something for a week it's not going to clear anything up, you really need to give it longer before declaring it ineffective. I've been told by two doctors (dermatologist, then normal physician when dermatologist relocated out of state) that when you start on a new medicine, it takes six to eight weeks to show a difference because spots start forming under your skin before they appear. The first few weeks on a medicine are going to be the same or worse than usual until all those clear up.

I don't know how it does on back and neck spots, though. I think antibiotics do a bit better than average with that kind. I'd also recommend not fucking with it too much, since that'll just aggravate your skin. Get a mild cleanser, like Cetaphil, and leave it alone otherwise until you get to a dematologist.

I have "problem" skin - most of it, though, is attributed to smoking and laziness. Most make up and cleansers just make it worse, too.

ANYHOW I have a friend who is trying to eat an orange a day to see if it makes his spots go away. I will give you an update in a few months.

Dena

???

What, like osteoperosis or something? I drink milk, I walk lots, I eat red meat - I'll be ok.

After much trial and error, I realised my skin hated all cosmetics and facial cleansers/creams with *any* chermicals or preservatives - even companies that market themselves as natural can be full of parabens. I switched to an all organic cleanser and moisturiser from Organic Botanics and got rid of all my makeup, and my skin is a million times better. I'm now working on switching any other product that might come in contact with my skin to organic where possible - from shampoo to laundry detergent.

This takes some patience because if you run out, you'll generally have to mailorder unless you're lucky to have a nearby health shop (although even the products stocked at hardcore shops in Manchester like 8th Day all contained various parabens as well as the good stuff...)

You might want to have a homeopathic food allergy test too - a lot of people I know found that eliminating things like dairy, wheat or other usual big allergens made a difference to their skin.

But like everyone's been saying - everyone is different. I went on Dianette for 6 months and had zero results - but it works for lots of people.

Clean sheets and pillow cases are key as well. Also, I find when I get nervous I touch my face which causes an outbreak so I keep my hands as oil free as possible.

i just wanted to back this up...i'm guessing that your spots got bad, and you started buying everything you could think of, trying for a quick fix. this could actually make it worse. i'd do some research and find a 'system' that has at least 3 steps. can be drugstore or department store, depending on your budget. ideally, you'll look for a soap or cleanser that has a salycilic acid in it. personally, i wash my face using a bit of 'shower puff' that i've cut off, on recommendation of a doctor when i was at uni (apparently it's just about the right amount of gentle exfoliation).

then, use a toner of some sort. probably best to stick to the same brand/range, so the ingredients complement each other. although i really like clinique clarifying lotion 2, which i use with whatever system i'm using.

if you really don't need it, skip the moisturizer. you'll probably need a cream for broken out skin-- i'd suggest salicylic acid for areas that are prone to breakouts but not erupted (does an antibacterial/exfoliating thing, apparently), and benzoyl peroxide (at least 5%, but maybe 10, if they really are bad) on spots you can see forming or already erupted. i've just started using the mario bedascu 'drying lotion' and like it-- seems more gentle then your clearasil, but leaves the area clearer than when i went to sleep. plus, you know, sarah jessica parker uses it.

i'd do this for at least 3 months before doing anything as drastic as going on accutane or antibiotics. personally, i'd rather be on the pill as a way of controlling my skin than either of these options, but different things work for different people. i dated someone that had cystic acne on his neck at his collar, and accutane was the only thing that sorted it out.

seriously, the best option is to pick a system and stick to it for at least 6 weeks, best if it's longer. trying out everything at once will make your skin freak out, which you might not see for 3 weeks or more, so you don't know what's making you react that way.

and today, colette reveals that she has read WAY too many magazines in her life...

And I'm not talking about washing and eating generally, it's about your skin having an allergic reaction to the chemicals in most products, or allergic reactions to certain foods. Stripping your face with Clearasil might be doing more harm than good. Dermalogica, Cetaphil, Dr. Hauschka, Fresh, Lancome and Clinique all irritated mine, to name a few.

NO COCAINE OR AMPTHETAMINE DERIVATIVES

Wash gently with warm water and Cetaphil, rinse ICE COLD.

Eat less, think more.