My New Skincare Regimen

I have been battling acne for a couple of weeks now and it really lowered my self- esteem :( I was lucky though I have a couple of sweet Derma friends that are continuing to help me with my skin problems that my skin's starting to clear up! :) 

I totally forgot that I should not be trying on make-up or skin care that much because of my sensitive skin. From now on, I'll be sticking on products that really works for me and forget making my face a guinea pig for other products, I'm not as lucky as the make up gurus I'm watching that doesn't have skin like mine that gets irritated easily.

I just want to share you girls a couple of products that I am using, a few tips on how to use them and my experience during the treatment, and maybe it'll be beneficial for you too! :) 

My current skincare regimen to battle acne c/o my Derma friends, Dr. Aranas and Dr. Moreno (as you can see most of them are in sample sizes, hehe..)

1. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

2. Cetaphil SPF 50 Sunblock

3. Duac Gel

4. M2 Skin Refinish 20%

5. Epiduo Anti Acne Gel

6. Stieva A Forte 0.1% Tretinoin cream

Morning:

1. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser- I love that it cleansed my face but did not leave my skin dry. I tried using it the other way (sans the water) but I think it made my acne worse, so rinsing it thoroughly is the way to go :)

2. Epiduo Anti Acne Gel for spot treatment- this product is made of 0.1% Adapalene + Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% Adapalene is a third-generation topical retinoid primarily used in the treatment of mild-moderate acne; Unlike tretinoin (Retin-A), adapalene has also been shown to retain its efficacy when applied at the same time as benzoyl peroxide due to its more stable chemical structure while Benzoyl peroxide works as a peeling agent. It increases skin turnover, clearing pores and reducing the bacterial count (specifically P. acnes) as well as acting directly as an antimicrobial. I have not experienced any irritation upon usage of this product, it does dry up my pimple quickly, and because its a gel, it gets absorbed by my skin quickly.

3. Cetaphil SPF 50 Sunblock- Its best to apply sunblock with a high SPF so that the medications that we are applying on our face during the night would still retain its potency. Just don't forget to reapply it every 2 hours.

*I rarely/ never wear make up (except a little lip tint, under eye concealer and mascara while I'm treating my face so that I could minimize clogging due to the make up that I am using)

Evening:

1. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

2. M2 Skin Refinish 20% - M2 stands for Mandelic and Malic Acid. It perfects skin tone, erases pores, scars, hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles. 

My gosh! just after 2 applications, I could notice the difference already! My irritated face was healing faster, a few of my dark spots started to peel (micro) my skin feels tighter, my sebum regulated and it also controlled my acne.

 It does have that stingy feeling once applied though, this serum- like product was also sticky and the scent wasn't that pleasant, but with the effects that I am experiencing I really don't think that the stickiness or smell is really a big deal. Just as long as its VERY EFFECTIVE :) This is a highly recommended product and I think I'll be using this as my maintenance when my skin heals. Its just all you need in one bottle! Anti Aging & Anti Acne with less irritation or complication :)

3. Duac Gel for spot treatment- is Clindamycin + Benzoyl Peroxide. Clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide is used topically (applied to the skin) for the treatment of pimples. Both agents are active against Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium which has been associated with acne. Clindamycin probably reduces acne by penetrating into the skin and killing bacteria that contribute to the formation of acne. Benzoyl peroxide works through several mechanisms. It kills the bacteria and promotes the growth of new skin cells. It also dries the skin. Increased cell growth leads to replacement of the pimples with new skin. Combining clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide is more convenient than using them separately. I have been using this product for the longest time and I kinda think that I have developed a resistance using it, but once used with other anti acne medications I think it worked better that when I was using it on its own.

*Stieva A- I have used this topical tretinoin for a couple of weeks; yes it is very effective in drying up existing pimples and lifting comedones on my pores but I came to the point that even though I was applying it as instructed, it still made my skin very red and irritated in some parts. My derma then advised me to stop using this for the meantime and use the M2 skin refinish.

So that's it girls :) Hope that helps, I'm starting to order stuff that I am "hiyang" to like my Skinfood Aloe Sun BB cream for an airbrushed, dewy face. Hope my face heals soon!

Sources:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adapalene
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzoyl_peroxide
3. http://www.medicinenet.com/clindamycin_and_benzoyl_peroxide_gel/article.htm