Need Advise on Pro-active or Other Acne Removal Soaps/cleansers

It may be too harsh for someone her age. I'd suggest trying Mario Badescu products. I know they sell them at Nordstroms, but I always order mine online. They ship very quickly and include samples. Their website is www.mariobadescu.com. Both my daughter and I use their products. She was breaking out pretty bad, and I didn't want her to use the harsh products because of her age (12)and the regular over the counter stuff wasn't doing anything. I had used the Badescu products and called them and answered a number of questions about my daughter's age, lifestyle, and skincare habits. She uses the seaweed cleanser and toner, with a flower mask that she uses several times a week. Her skin has cleared up beautifully.
It's not ridiculously expensive either.

My parents have bought Pro-Active for both my sisters when they were teenagers (they are now 26 and 18) and it really did work great! Just wanted to let you know! :-)

I used Pro-Active when I was pregnant and started to get very bad acne. It worked well but I developed an allergic reaction to it and I couldn't use it anymore. My friend also uses it and she thinks it is wonderful. It works well for her.

My niece is using it and likes it. When she uses it regularly it really helps her skin.

works quite well for me.

A.,

I realize that you have gotten a ton of responses and may not even get to this one. However, go see a dermatologist. Also, my doctor told me that Cetaphil is the exact same thing without all of the perfume (which may make things worse) and it's way less expensive. It works great and you can get it everywhere.

Hi A.! I have a 15 year old daughter who has really bad acne. We at first tried many different things and I did have her on Proactiv for about 2 years. It worked fairly well (it did not clear up her acne completely EVER) and then it completely stopped working. When I did research on the topic I found out that this is exactly what happens. After awhile your body almost becomes immune to it and it stops working. I finally took her to a dermatologist (who confirmed that Proactiv stops working after awhile) and her acne is still not great but it is the best it has been in awhile. I am not sure if you have insurance that will cover your daughter going to a dermatologist but if not, my biggest piece of advice that I can give you is Cetaphil cleanser. It works very well and is not tremendously expensive and you can get it at any drugstore. That is what the dermatologist told her to use along with the prescription pads that she ordered. The other thing that is extremely important is consistency. Once you start a cleanser do not stop a couple of weeks later and use something else when you don't see results. In most cases the acne will get worse before it gets better (again what the dermatologist said) Your skin has to adapt and you do not have to buy expensive department store items...the biggest things is not "scrubbing" your face when you wash but gently washing and patting dry and consistency. My daughter had acne on her chest and back too and that is almost all cleared up...it is just her face that we continue to struggle with but it is alot better than it has been in quite some time. I hope this helps and good luck!

At this age, may be two-fold...

Part of acne is taking better care of the skin and the need for toner, antibacterial cleanser and moisturizer. If the cleanser is too strong, this may make the skin create more oils and more breakouts. If the moisturizer is too oily, this may clog pores. If the toner is too strong, this may make the skin very sensitive and more likely to break out. These breakouts tend to occur on the forehead, nose, and cheeks.

Additionally, the teenage years are when hormones are raging. This effects the skin. So... you can take the best care of your skin and still have tremendous breakouts because of hormones. Hormone acne tends to occur in like a circle around the face, along the jaw line, along the hair line, chin.

I suggest she use make up, if she does at all, a non-oil based and non-talc based products. The mineral powder foundations and cover-up help reduce the acne reactions. I have used Mineral Wear available from the drug store or Wal-Mart type stores. It is not that expensive.

Hi A.. I used Pro-active and had wonderful success however I was in my mid to late 20's so I don't know if that makes a difference. I know at Chapel Hill mall in Akron you can purchase the products from a "vending machine". This might be a good way to try the product without having to pay shipping/handling and sign up. I ordered through the mail and their customer service was wonderful. You can set the timing of your shipments and temp. suspend. They did not give me a hassle when I quit ordering. Good luck. As a child with horrible acne I encourage you to try it for your teen. I went to a dermatologist who only made it worse. Pro-active is the only thing that worked for me. I tried everything "over-the-counter" but nothing helped.

A.,
I have struggled with acne all my life, I've been to dermatologists, and tried everything for it but nothing seemed to work. A few years back while at the mall who had a kiosk for Proactive I decided I'd try it. I have had great success with it, since then I have singed up and receive it through the company now. So my suggestion would be to try to find a kiosk that sells it if you want to just try it. But you can also cancel if you sign up and don't like it. They allow you to decide how often you receive it and even what will come in your box. I never cared for the repairing lotion, so I don't receive it anymore. The refining mask was awesome, it's one of the free items you get when you order.
Hope this helps.
God Bless,
T.

Hello A... I hope this helps! My son, 16yrs. old, wanted to try Pro-Active also, however his pediatrician said she wasn't all that impressed, plus you have to keep buying, wait for shipping and most of all it's very expensive. We asked about a pill since they seem to have a pill for everything. But she decided to try something she prescribes all the teens with acne problems. Very simple to use, and it cleared my son up within days. The first is- Benzamycin- He washes his face before bed, applies the
medication and goes to bed.
Next-
Clindamycin Phosphate lotion- In the morning he washes
his face to remove the medication, then applies the
lotion.
Because all acne medication tends to dry your skin, you can do every other day if needed. But the lotion helps with that.

Hope this helps, ask your physician for the prescriptions. I have a small co-pay, but it beats shipping and handling and all the other extra expenses.
Good Luck! ! ! !

I have tried Proactive, with NO results! I spent the money for a long time, thinking it was just taking a while. I finally gave up. I have been using Acne Free, available at WalMart, at a much lower cost. It has worked for me!!! Try it first, as a lower cost alternative!

I don't know how well the pro-active products are at helping with acne but when I was her age I started using Neurtrogena products since my dermatologist recommended them. I can't remember how much my topical medication cost that the dermatologist prescribed for acne but it may even out price wise with all the products out there over the counter. And the doctor will know best how to treat the type of acne she's dealing with. I hope this helps. I remember well what she's going through. Good luck!

I personally didn't like proactive for MY acne (I'm 43), but everyone is different and you can return it after 60 days if you're not happy with it. I have really good luck with ALL my skin problems (eczema, acne, etc) by using NEEM soap. you can find it at Whole foods with their bar soaps. There is only one brand that uses Neem in it. Neem comes from a tree in India and has been used to treat all kinds of conditions and illnesses for centuries. You can do more research for yourself. My acne is cyctic (I get little cysts that don't go away) and my cycts have become much less noticable and some have dissappeared completely since I started using neem soap. I love it. Now if I could just get my son to wash his face with it, I'd have a better chance of telling you if it works for him, or not.

C.

As a licensed esthetician, I can tell you that Pro-active contains salicylic acid, which is effective for treating acne, particularly the cystic kind. I would recommend that you start taking your daughter to an esthetician for facials every couple of months, and get her on a good skin care routine. A clay-based mask used once or twice a week helps pull impurities from the skin. You just have to be careful that she doesn't overcleanse or use products that are too drying, as that will stimulate her skin to produce more oil. Do not use scrubs on skin that is broken out. Alpha hydroxy acid and retinol, as well as antioxidants such as CoQ10, will help treat acne. You want to avoid scarring, so discourage her from picking at her skin. Never let her go to bed with makeup on. If she wears foundation, make sure it is oil free. Good luck!

I'll start of w/ saying that i'm a consultant for Arbonne. That being said, i've worked for several companies, and talked to too many to count. I have not used this type of acne produce, so I'll relay the info i've heard. In general most people like Pro-active, at least for the first 3-4 months...then it "stopped working" and their skin got "dull and flaky". I think this is mostly because we see acne and think we have to get the MOST powerful thing to dry it up. These acne products work best for people w/ cystic acne...not 'here come the hormones' acne. SO you should figure out what you're dealing with before you go to these extremes. I have seen SO many beautiful young girls mess their faces up SO bad by using things that were too strong for their skin! you CAN make your face worse just by over doing it! If her skin is producing oil, and you stimulate it too much she'll just produce MORE!! That is the last thing she needs! If it were my daughter, and we determined that it was not cystic acne, I would start her on Arbonne's FC5 skin care. It is pure~safe~and beneficial, but gets the job done. If that was not doing enough (and you'd be able to tell in a couple of weeks) I would then switch her to Arbonne's Clear Advantage Anti-Acne line. Arbonne has a 45 day $ back garantee, so it makes it easier for you to help to help her. I do also have a couple of friends who use the Clear Advantage only during their cycle too, so that is also an idea. It stinks, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. right? Good luck. I know this is SO important especially @ this age!

I have tried Pro-active and know lots of other people who have as well. It has worked great for everyone I know!

I am going to be 30 (fri the 13th) I purchased Proactiv about 1 week ago and I LOVE it ! I have noticed a difference in just that week. You can purchase it (I did over the phone) for 25.90. That will get you the cleanser toner lotion and a refining mask. That price is also a non member which means they will not keep sending you the kit and charge you every month for a new one. I have acne on my chin as well as blackheads very badly all over. Little suckers are pretty much gone =) But if she has acne like on her back she can also use the cleanser all over her body too. Plus my face is sooo soft. Hasn't been this soft since I was in school. I have tried everything believe me I have and this is the best thing for me. But you have to remember every bodys skin is so different and you hate to waste the money and try everything that doesn't work for her. I do not regret this purchase. I hope you find this helpful and useful. Good luck !
E.

I have heard pros ad cons to using proactive...one thing I have used and I have a couple friends with teenage sons and daughters who use it, is Arbonne Clear Advantage. It's a lot cheaper than proactive and I've heard only positive things about it. I am an Arbonne consultant so if you would like to buy some I can order it for you. You can go online to arbonne.com to check it out. I'm not saying it's good because I am a cnsultant I really do like it! :)

We tried that Pro-active and it does work pretty well but have you tried clearskin by avon?it is proven to be as effective as proactive at a more affordable price. Let me know if I can help you out. Visit my profile. I'd really appreciate.
T.

Avon makes a wonderful facial cleansing pad and it is relatively reasonable priced. I have used them for as long as I can remember. She needs to watch her diet as well, cut out soda pop and eating healthy will help a lot. I know at 13 she is not always in your view but if she doesn't want terrible scares on her face she needs to take action now.If that doesn't help take her to a dermatologist. It is expensive but in the long run it is well worth it. I also use a buff puff with Glycerin soap on my face, Scented soaps will break her skin out worse.I use no other soap on my face.

I have struggled with acne all my life and continue to do so at the age of 33! I have been on all of the medications including acutane. When I took my last dose of acutane for my wedding 4 years ago and my skin was clear, I wanted to maintain it and tried proactive. I have been using it ever since because it works so well for me. You may want to consult a dermatologist first to get things under control with an antibiotic and then maintain with proactive. I found that it came in the mail faster then i was using it however and can be expensive that way. I finally decided to just buy as I need through the mall vending machine. I hope that helps! Acne as a teenager is really hard. I know that first hand.

My sister had acne really bad at that age, she tried proactive however it did not work. My mom found an alternative called Acne-Free, they got if from CVS it is just like proactive but only $20. And it actually worked for her! It was the only one that would and now she has clear skin. I hope this helps.

Mary Kay has a product: Velocity. It's fabulous, inexpensive and safe for tweens/teens.

Good Luck

T.

Pro Active works wonders. It is worth the money.

Hi A.! I started to use Proactive when I was 24 years old. I am now almost 31 and will never be without it. It really does work! If you order through the mail it is much cheaper than getting it at the mall or some other place. I find that it is worth the money!!! Good Luck.......N.

My husband and I both tried Pro-Active in high school with no positive results. I use witch hazel/honey/brown sugar scrub (home made but recipe came from net) and he uses egg yoke: apply to skin 2 times daily and let it dry (about 15 min or so) then wash it off with a very mild soap and water.

Hello A.,
I have a college roommate whose words were, "It has changed my life!" And that was about 10 years ago. My sister has also had great success with it. These are the only two people that I know have used the product. My sister lives on a very tight budget and she makes the room for ProActive. Hope this helps!

A. -

I agree with the advice on Arbonne's Clear Advantage. You want to be careful about some ingredients that can actually feed and irritate the acne, such as mineral oil, petrolatum, any animal by-products, and any chemical fragrances. Arbonne's products are pure, safe and botanically based. I am also a consultant and have been using Arbonne's products for 4 years now, recommending Clear Advantage to many teens and people of all ages.

L. L.

My kids have used the pro active and it does really work. Is she willing to do a 4 step cleaning on her face at least twice a day? After you first use it, you break out more for less than a week and then you will really see a great improvement in your skin.

You can buy a generic version at Meyer.

I would HIGHLY suggest visiting a dermatologist to determine if her acne is topical or cystic. If it is cystic, nothing that she applies topically is going to help - she'll need an antibiotic or Accutane or something. Believe me, I speak from experience. I suffered from cystic acne for years, and it wasn't until I tried Accutane that it cleared up.

I'd just hate to see you waste your money and her struggle with as a teen with acne if it's unnecessary.

Good luck!

A.

A....I am a Mary Kay consultant and we have a couple of acne creams that have helped others. If you would like to try them you can call me...###-###-#### Carol

I would recommend Velocity by Mary Kay. It is designed for blemish prone and oily skin. It would be worth the price to try. My 14 year old son uses it and has great success. I have heard many great success storied from Mary Kay. I know little about Pro-Active, mostly what I have seen on TV. I did hear recetly about a teenager who used Pro-Active and it was blocking her pores and was causing her damage. I am a Mary Kay Consultant and recommend Velocity even if I was not a consultant.

Hi A., i do freelance makeup artistry and sell top of the line cosmetics at a high end store so with that in mind, i will tell you that we have used proactive and i really think it is a waste of money! you dont always have to spend alot on your skin care. you might want to consider doing an acne foaming cleanser from one of the drug store lines and then making sure she does a light oil free moisturizer. If you want to spend a little more, you can always try clinique(3 system) which consists of a nondrying soap, toner and oil free moisturizer. good luck. My oldest daughter is 16 and weve been thru it all!!!

I use Pro-Activ and love it! I broke out really bad after my first was born and tried it and have used it ever since. He is now 6. Good luck!

I tried Proactiv for the first time when I was pregnant because I broke out so bad, and never had in the past!! It is amazing!! I cleared up completely in about two weeks. I was so happy because it made me so self conscious!! Ever since I had him I still use it because I guess my hormones changed with him and when I stopped using it I broke out again. I swear by it!!!!! Really it's not that expensive. It's $60 for a 3 month supply. It's worth every penny to have your self confidence back.

My friends child used pro-active and WOW what a difference. He looked fabulous.
I was shocked!

I've heard Pro-active works. It's very strong though. I suggest trying Mary Kay's family of cleansers and moisturizers. I would start w/ the Velocity. It's specially formulated for teenage/acne prone skin. There's a stronger cleanser formula in the MK line, but I would start w/ that.

I have a niece who used it and it did work. HOWEVER, acne is largely due to the alkaline & acidic imbalance. DIET will help....less processed and simple carbs, more protein. In addition, the herb ALFALFA is used for acne because it helps the acidic and alkaline balance. Pretty inexpensive and can be purchased at a health food store or even Wal-Mart. I've recommended this to several clients for their kids and they agree that it works!

In VERY RARE cases, steroids need to be taken to address the problem, but I CERTAINLY would start with the alfalfa and diet change FIRST.

HYDRATION levels (WATER WATER WATER) are important too. She NEEDS to stop drinking sodas - even diet- if she is. The chemicals, not the calories, do more harm than you realize.

I purchased it for my son who was breaking out terribly and it really works well....if you can get them to use it as directed which was really tuff for us. Its 3 steps and it takes it awhile so for a teenager, it can be a "pain" but if shes willing to stick with it, it did work for us. We also eliminated most fried foods, sodas, sugary drinks etc. And he's looking much better. But if you buy it and its not working out you can always cancel. And you yourself can use some of the product, it makes your skin really smooth!

Hi A.,
My 17 yr old daughter has battled acne for quite a few years and we have tried numerous treatments from IQ Derma, Acne Free, all kinds of over the counter products etc with no change. We used Pro-Active for 4 months and while there had been a little change it definitely didn't stand up to its guarantee. Altho I have talked to some people that did see results so it really depends on your daughters body/skin so to speak. If you can afford to purchase it I would say atleast give it a try because a teenager fighting acne is a horrible thing to witness and it's frustrating as a parent to feel so helpless.

Hi!
Proactiv works well and I've heard a lot of people agree...the good thing is you no longer have to order the full set if only parts of it are efficient...I know both Chapel Hill and Summit Mall have vending machines. I've found the product that works the best is the Refining Mask...it's good for spot breakouts. One that has worked fairly well also if you are looking to save a little money is "AcneFree"...they sell it at Target and most drug stores. It is a good idea though to see a dermatologist just to see what advice they can give for your daughters particular skin type...a lot of times it is hormonal or diet related. Good luck!

I think that Cetaphil is a great acne treatment and can be found at Costco or Target, etc. It's quite a bit less money and just as effective. It's an over the counter treatment that quite a few doctors reccomend- and pair it w/ a topical spot treatment. Also, weekly masks should help as well. You could ask a doctor or esti. Just don't exfoliate on overly broken out skin. Try not to over-dry tough, this will produce more hormones and more oil. If it's in the budget, take her to a dermatoligist- they can tell you what kind of acne she has. Adult on-set acne is very differnt from the kind she has- from over producing hormones. It may be something that requires an antibiotic as opposed to just a topical treatment. Accutane is the last step and about kills it all (if you need it) but is not recomended to everyone b/c of the severe side effects. Good luck!

A.

Hi I'm 30 but after having my daughter and going on birth control, i broke out in acne really bad, the only thing that did work was Proactive! I did try another cream and i can't remember the name from my dermatologist, but it worked well but was soooooo expensive much more than proactive. You can go online and order but also nowadays they have a "vending machine" for proactive so you don't have to join the club. Also for on the spot treatment I tryed Burts beeswax acne stick, it's liquid in a little glass bottle that you just roll onto the zit and that worked really well!!! Good luck!

try cleaning your face with an alcohol swab twice a day and avoiding soap first. It is the cheapest most effective cure I've found.