Proactiv

shimmer6855 · October 2010

Has anyone used or had success with Proactiv? I have generally good skin but I am prone to breakouts under stress. My wedding is 8 months away and I'm looking to get my skin under control now.

BambiRambino47 · October 2010

I found that Proactiv wasn't strong enough to keep my acne under control. I like either the Neutrogena boxed set or the Acne Free systems you can find in just about any drugstore.

kjhharris · October 2010

It worked for me while I was diligent about it, but I *hated* the way it smelled. I switched to washing my face twice a day with Cetaphil and using their moisturizers day and night, and was very pleased.

I still was breaking out between my eyebrows (attractive, I know) a few times a month, so did a medium facial peel at a dermatology office, and saw those break outs go away completely - it's like it interrupted that cycle.

JoyMatt424 · October 2010

Proactiv worked for me in High School but it stopped working after I went to college. It really depends on your skin -- I would ask a derm about whats right for your skin! Proactiv gave me little bumps on my skin because I am sensitive to the chemicals.

CaylaSummer · October 2010

Hey there,

I used it when I was in my late teens and early 20s and it worked for me. I think it all depends on the individual. I was on the pill for a long time and then when I stopped 2 years ago I started breaking out again. I try to use natural products as much as I can and I started using this stuff http://seabuckthorn.com/acnehome.htm

Honestly this works. I use the soap morning and night, seed oil at night and tea cream at night and morning depending if i will be out in the sun. A friend of mine recommended it to me because all the other acne cream I was using was making my skin really dry. If you use this stuff consistently you can see the difference. I have using it now for months and the only time i break out is if i forget to use it a couple of days but otherwise I love it. BTW it also has anti aging ingredients which is a bonus

graysquirrel · October 2010

I tried it and it didn't help. What has worked for me is Zapzyt. You can get it at Walmart along with all the other zit meds and it is really cheap-- less than $10 a tube. You just apply a little of the cream in problem areas once or twice a day. There was a thing on the news about it recently and people said it was better than Proactive. It would probably be worth a try.

Brodie and Chevelle · October 2010

the three part system works fairly well HOWEVER...i just buy the 18 dollar big tube of the refining mask and use it as spot treatment..within two days zits are gone after putting a good amount on the spot overnight!

rachelea · October 2010

I used the AcneFree system and it didn't help me. I don't have terrible skin, usually get a couple pimples during the TOTM, other than that its just black heads and tiny bumps deep under the skin that tend to pop up only on my left check and left side of my chin. I probably sleep on the side. Anyway, you do have to find what works for you. The two biggest OTC meds are salicylic acid and another that starts with b, benzoyl or something? Only salicylic acid products work for me and they tend to dry out the skin so you have to follow up with moisturizers. There are some DIY stuff you can do also, such as a using citrus fruits and gelatin for a facial peel (the acid from lemons works great). I plan on trying some stuff out to find what works best, I've got 8 months to figure it out!

JJWillis3 · October 2010

I would recommend just giving it a try. Just make sure that you give each product that you try at least 3 months to work. Also, make sure that you are following the directions. If it says to do it morning and night then make sure to do it morning and night.

After having my third child my face decided to hate me and break out terribly. I liked the Neutrogena 3 part system a LOT. It has the same active ingredient as Pro Active.

That worked the best for me out of the over the counter things I have tried. Although, everyone's skin is different... and changes as well! I think trial and error is your best bet. Specially if it start now so that you have some time.

mdin1029 · October 2010

It didn't do anything for me, but this did:

This REALLY worked for me. I have combo skin that is acne prone.(The best advice I got was to focus on skin care from all angles, not just products, but also life style choices) I would start now:

1. multi vitamin daily

2. Lots of water (even though some people say you don't need this, it made a HUGE difference for me to drink 8 glasses a day)

3. no sugary drinks and decrease sugary foods/white flour foods

4. Cod liver oil every night (one teaspoon, available at whole foods-just trust me, does not taste bad)

5. Make up remover (clinique eye make up remover) all over face (at night before washing my face)
6. Face Wash day and night, don't ever skip this no matter how tired you are (Body shop tea tree oil-not the foaming one) (I have heard the clinique 3-step for oily or combo skin is great as well)
7. Tone (body shop seaweed toner)
8. Moisturize (clinique dramatically different moisturizer day and night) (I got rid of my aveeno moisturizer with SPF, I didn't realize it was much too heavy for me even though it said oil-free non-comodegenic, which they all say. I use my clinique moisturizer now and rely on my liquid makeup for the SPF protection instead. I think this change made the biggest difference in my skin
9. exercise daily (for improved circulation and stress reduction, even if it is just a brisk walk on some days-something more intense at least 3 days a week)

10. Disinfect cell phone, computer key pad, remote control, purse handle, steering wheel, car key as often as possible (at least a few times a week)

12. vitamin e oil on any dark spots from previous blemishes

13. 100& tea tree oil (available at whole foods) on any blemishes

14. Apply liquid foundation with washed hands (not sponge or brush)

15. Fresh towel regularly

16. Fresh pillow case regularly

17. use blue tooth instead of cell as much as possible

18. exfoliate once a week with st ives apricot scub (Do this very gently. If you can afford a better exfoliator that is more gentle use it 2-3 times a week)

19. Eat healthy-lean proteins, good carbs, lots of vegetables and fruit (low sodium v8 juice after workouts for me-this made a big difference)

20. Smile as much as possible !

Hope this helps!

patym11 · October 2010

i use zapzyt and it started to clear my face by day 2 and copletely cleared my face by day6!! its cheap and if you use it right it works the only problem is that it makes your skin look ashy but you can still add a thin layer of non oil based cream on your face after the zapzyt is app;ied and dried

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