I recently posted a thread asking for help w/my acne, which is unable to be treated with prescriptions right now b/c I'm nursing. I've tried tons and tons of treatments, all to no avail, and am looking for some help on it, b/c I feel like I've exhausted almost all options. Someone on my other thread suggested some drying lotion, and when I looked it up, found that the main ingredients were calamine and salicylic acid. Well, realizing that calamine is a drying agent (it's what you put on poison ivy), I got a 99 cent bottle from Hy-Vee and decided to try something.

I have been putting regular calamine lotion on my face like a mask once a day for about 20 - 30 minutes. Just dabbing it on like you would with poison ivy. I rinse it off after a little while, and wash my face really well so that I don't have any reside left to clog my pores. I have been doing this for about a week, and am happy to report that I haven't had any breakouts!!

I'm really knocking on wood here, b/c of my awful luck with skin care, but so far it seems to have really done a lot to help out with the big sores and even the smaller pimples on my cheeks and chin. Also, when I began using it, I had three places on my chin where 2-3 big pimples had clustered together, and they had been really big sores. I had squeezed all the stuff out, but they were big irritated scabs. After two days of applying the calamine lotion, they were completely gone, scabs and all, and even faded quite a bit.

I cannot believe how well this seems to have worked! It dries up any oozing when you pop the pimple, and apparently does a number on them before they get big. And my skin's really soft, too! I'm simply stunned.

If anybody wants to try this and get back to me about the results, I'd be really interested to hear if it works for more people.

I watched a thing on dateline how some presciption supposedly made this guy crazy and murder someone. I don't believe it though I think it was just an excuse. Anyways... I had really bad acne in jr high. I went to a derm and they prescribed me retin-a and told me to get some aqua glyde. I don't know if you tried either. I also have put tooth paste on pimples before. the paste not the gel. Just some suggestions lol.

Forgive my ramblings

The med that "supposedly" made the guy crazy was Accutane, a prescription med that he took for two days. And no, I didn't believe it either....give me a break.

But MelodyRose, glad to hear about the calamine. I have two teenagers and while they're blessed with pretty good skin, they still have occasional pimples so I'll keep this in mind!! Thanks.

__________________

Pam, It was pretty sick that his dad was calling the guy who was murdered a villian. His dad was scary. Melodyrose I forgot to say I am glad you found something that works.

Thanks, I just sent this information to my big sis. She has been having a problems with acne as well.

This is good to know! I also have issues with acne and always have. Especially recently but I keep telling myself it is all the chocolate I have been consuming! I might have to give this a try!

Does it leave your skin really really dry afterwards?

Thanks!

__________________
Sonja
Mom to DD's A-9, B-6 and K-5

Yeah...I saw the program. I thought the murderer's dad had a very bad attitude. Made him look like a real jerk.

__________________

I never considered my skin to be "really" oily, but maybe it's worse than I think. It doesn't really shine, so, I don't know. I don't think it dries out my skin really badly, but maybe I have oilier skin than what I thought was "normal"! I guess my skin needed some drying...

I'd recommend first using it as a spot treatment if you think it's going to be too drying, and then spreading it out from there if you like how it works. I definitely wouldn't say that it's harsh, like some drying lotions/meds I've been on before, but chances are that our skin is pretty different.

Oh, and I don't think you have to worry about chocolate being the cause. From what I remember about all the teen mag reading I did in high school, what you eat isn't connected. Keep up that habit! Mmm, can't wait for Easter!

On a side note to the other story that's going on on this thread--I didn't see the program, but I'm thinking that accutane is a pretty poor excuse for murder! That's outrageous! Who was THAT guy's lawyer??? Man!

Just wanted to say, I still haven't had any big breakouts! This is very unusual for my skin, and what's been normal for the past 17 months. I had a pimple come up right under my nose today, and I could tell by the feel of it that it was supposed to be a big nasty one, but I applied the lotion a couple of times throughout the day and squeezed at it, and it's gone! Normally, one like that, and in that spot, would have been a big painful sore in no time. And now I can go to a much-anticipated wedding (not mine, but one where I'll see quite a few people from "way back when") with a clear face! I'm ecstatic! I never thought this could happen right now!