I’d never had acne until age 19, when all of sudden it was terrible. The dermatologist prescribed antibiotics and it went away, never to come back again.

Ahoy there!
I too suffer from eczema (have all my life) and know about sensitivities. I skipped acne in adolecence but I have always had sensitive skin. For me, Noxzema and Cetaphil work well as does Aveeno. Hopefully, it can help you too.

I’m not sure if this qualifies as natural and gentle, but it does work. Acne.org has lots of information on it and even has some cheap sources for it. When I was living in the states, I used Neutrogena’s on the spot acne treatment, but instead of using it on the spot, I smeared it everywhere then covered with a good moisturizer. I’ve got fairly sensitive skin-but this seems to work. I still get the odd spot, but for the most part my skin is pretty clear. The key is to be very consistent, as missing one application allows bacteria to grow.
As far as good moisturizers-I find myself spending a fortune on those. I am particularly partial to Elizabeth Arden’s Matte Moisture lotion, and Clinique’s Super Rescue Antioxidant. Honestly, I think it is a matter of trial and error.

Don’t think it’s natural, but what worked best for me is ProActiv. But that was only after several years of Retin-A and one year on Accutane. I use Oil of Olay cleansing cloths every day and use the ProActiv once or twice a week.

The thing that works best for my four teenage boys is consistency. Wash EVERY morning and EVERY night with a gentle soap, and rinse WELL. (Soap residue drys and irritates.) They are able to clear up their faces EVERY time for yearly “school” pictures by doing this. When they stop caring enough to be consistent – acne everywhere! Pretty much makes me crazy.

I’ve had acne problems since I was a teenager many moons ago. What I’ve found that works best is to wash with Cetaphil – the generic walmart or target brand works just as well. I use the Johnson and Johnson brand Purpose lotion with sunscreen (about $6) after washing, then use Persa Gel. They should also wash their hair first, then wash their faces in the morning. Shampoo and conditioner residue can cause breakouts. The biggest thing is to do it every morning and every night.

Plantain! (the herb, not the banana) Get or make a plantain tincture and apply to face once or twice a day. It doesn’t dry because it’s pH balanced and it works wonders! If you make the tincture yourself (search my blog for a how-to), it’s SUPER cheap!

Wow…Acne. Oh, GOOD TIMES. In school, I was the first to get it…and the last to get rid of it. It seemed like all the other kids skated through it in a few months while I was left to deal with it…for YEARS. It has only REALLY cleared up now that I am older, but I still have breakouts occasionally.

Here’s what’s worked for me.

1) Drink plenty of water, get plenty of exercise and sleep and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. It sounds crazy, but in China (my family is bi-racial) some acne is caused by our body’s internal “heat”. Too many “heaty” foods (mangos, McDonald’s, ice cream, fatty meats or excessively salty things or foods containing MSG or lots of ginger) can cause your balance to be…off. (I don’t know why it works, but it DOES. If I don’t get enough sleep, or start to eat too many restaurant meals, without some good ol’ veggies and rice at home and plenty of water, I get sore throats and acne.) It sounds weird, but ginseng tea has always worked for me – when I get a REALLY bad breakout, I drink a cup of (very heavily sweetened!) ginseng tea, and go to bed a little early that night, and I can usually take care of the red beasties in a day or two. (Ginseng tea is VERY “cooly”.) Watermelon would also have a similar effect, though not as strong. (I know – I’m sounding crazy at this point. Just trust me on this. )

2) Wash GENTLY. In middle school, my mother (who never had acne, but the occasional breakout) tried nearly every brand of cleanser in the drug store. We even went to see a dermatologist. HE was the one who set me straight – even VERY dry skin will appear oily if you use harsh cleansers. The skin had to OVER produce to counteract the acid I threw at it! For the past ten years, I have used Cetaphil, morning and night, with FABULOUS results. This cleanser has no soap in it, a tiny squirt is all you need, and it’s available at Costco for around $7 for a huge bottle. All you want to do is get the day’s dust off your face before it can irritate your skin more.

2) MOISTURIZE. This was really the key for me. At first, I used an Aveeno face lotion in the morning, but I haven’t been able to find it at a reasonable price recently, so I use Oil of Olay with SPF now. (That might be a little sissy for your pirates, but you get the idea.) Look for a good moisturizer that isn’t too heavy, but look for one with NO extra medications in it. You just want to moisturize…that’s it. I actually use Aveeno body lotion (with oatmeal extract) at night. It’s a little too heavy for the day, but it gives my skin a chance to bone up during the night.

Have I talked your ears off? I’m fairly psychotic on this topic, since I worked through it for SO MANY YEARS.

Oh, and make sure they aren’t getting any hair gel or hairspray on their faces. I always break out around my hairline when I use hairspray.

Okay…first the acne. I am 38 and continue to struggle with this nightmare. Believe me, I’ve tried everything – Proactiv, OTC, every.thing. What I have settled on is AcneFree. LOVE. IT. I have used it for the last couple of years and can’t go without it. Only recently I’ve found the best deal to be had at BJ’s wholesale, but there are often deals at CVS on it too. I’ve also been taking something called milk thistle, which is a liver cleansing herb. That’s where the problem is, and this really helps. I just take it with my multi, etc.

Second, the eczema. There is a wonderful product out there called Acid Mantle. Won.Der.ful. My ds has been using it since he was a baby – off and on of course, as he flares.

Feel free to email me with any questions.
Blessings on your healings….all of you!!!!

I only began experiencing acne after my 5th child, a girl, the only girl. Something about her zapped my “beauty”. I use Burts Bess Blemish stick to roll on my acne when it comes up. I also clean with soap, and then Aveeno Complexion wipes. I buy Dove, Sensitive skin, or Kiss my face bar soap. Burts Bees runs 6.00, Aveeno runs 6.00, and Dove soap is 2.39 for two, Kiss my face runs 1.99 for one bar, the bigger bar runs 3.00.

Hope that helps.
Kim Foster