Any one use the Proactive acne treatment system from Boots?

ncmc

I am just interested to get some first hand experiences from people who have used the Proactive acne treatment system from Boots, it’s priced at £39.99 on the UK site, so I presume that would be over €50 in the Irish stores and want to know if it’s any good before I invest!

I am 32 and suffer from spots around my mouth and chin. The spots are bad enough, but I find that they are so red and infected that they very often leave bad scars and marks. This makes me look like I have loads of spots, even though I may only have a couple of ‘live’ spots. The problem with a lot of acne products are that they seem to be aimed at teenagers and seem to dry out the skin like mad. I have all the other skin problems that come with being 32, ie some fine lines and wrinkles and I don’t want to make this worse by drying my skin out like mad!

At the moment, I just use a face wash to clean my face (something like Clean and Clear or similar) I use Clinique Clarifying Lotion No 2 as a toner and the No7 Protect and Perfect day and night cream. If I am in the middle of a breakout, I used Benzoyl Peroxide 5% on the affected area (I normally put this on before moisturiser and put some moisturiser on 20-30 mins later – not sure if this would negate the effect of the Benzoyl Peroxide?)

Just wondering if the Proactive system is worth the money, I’m not sure if you use it and then put moisturiser on? Perhaps someone could clarify that? Thanks in advance.

gg2

I used the pro active about 6 years ago, got it in the US, my skin got extremely dry after around 3 weeks of using it, I have very oily skin normally and just felt like it sent it hay wire. I know another girl who used it and had very bad results, it looked like bad sun burn but another friend had great results from it, it all just depends on the person I think. I now use la roche posey effaclar facewash and effaclar k and m fluid, depending on my skin. If u have dry skin Vichy do a great range think its the Norma derm, it's in a green bottle. I suffered from acne in the same areas all through my teenage years til I was about 23, then went on an antibiotic for 2/3 months then the pill. Totally cleared it up, think it was a combination of everything I was doing plus regular facials which I have stopped now but overall my skin has stayed clear. I think it's all a case of trial and error!

primrose_lily

benzoyl peroxide is ok to use under moisturiser but it is very harsh on the skin. Ive used it personally. Stings and drys the skin out so much if you use it too long.


I would advise against using proactive. now i dont have personal experience with that particular brand but usually anything aimed at acne is just dreadful. I would also bin the clean and clear as this is just stripping your skin and causing more breakouts. You need something a little more soothing for the inflammation. you need moisture (not oil) in the skin and acne based products like C and C and Clearasil are just extremely astringent and strip the skin of the moisture making the pores tighten that and the natural oils to be over produced. With extra tight pores the oil builds up and hence leading to brekouts and you head off to boots to stock up on more products.

its a vicious circle.

i should mention i am a qualified beauty therapist and i know only to well the marketing scams out there. I personally use La Roche Posey Physiological cleansing gel and it works wonders on my skin. Doesnt strip, removes heavy makeup and soothes inflammation. I used to have really bad acne and went on Roaccutane for 6 months. Not the easiest decision i ever made. ive been on and off the pill for my skin to keep the acne at bay but even after roaccutane it did come back, just not as bad, thankfully.
Its really hard to find a moisturiser that suits. I like Yonka or Vichy but again its to find the best one that suits you and doesnt make you break out thats the key. Everyone is different.

Also have a look at your diet, a lot of processed foods do lead to breakouts. A good diet does actually help the complexion!


best of luck

ncmc

Thank you both for your replies, you confirmed my fears about Proactive, that it is just too harsh and too stripping. I think a lot of those acne treatments are very much aimed at teenage skin which would probably be much more oily. I don’t actually have oily skin, my problem is more hormonal I think. I would only use the Benzoyl Peroxide if I was having a really bad breakout, I find it totally dries out my skin, not sure what it is worse, the spots or the dry, peeling skin!

I have heard people mention La Roche Posay in relation to acne before, are there any particular products you would recommend? Are they very expensive?

primrose_lily

I just love the physiological cleaning gel which is around €15-17 euro. Its the most ive ever spent on a cleanser and do get a while out of it even though i use it in the morning and double cleanse at night to remove makeup thourougly.
Im actually not sure about the other products as my moisturiser changes all the time depending on the season and how my skin is.

I find Yonkas Phyto 58 for normal to oily skin a wonder product at night. Its got rosemary in it and it helps with rejuvenating the skin, it soothes and heals as well. I can pretty much guarantee that any spot will have shrunk or even healed over night. Its amazing for me!! I love it! Its not at all drying and it brightens and evens my complexion. It is a bit dear and can be around the €40 mark but i have to say well worth every penney. Im the kind of person who doesnt like spending a fortune on really expensive products as im always weary of big names and marketing scams but this one just does it for me and it is my go to product. Love it!!

if you go to a salon who stocks Yonka they should be able to give you a sample to take home and try.

Busi Girl

As ye're chatting about it, is there any cheap version of Yonka?? I find the might cream of theres brilliant and I probably shouldn't change from it but Im counting the pennies in my purse lately! :rolleyes:
thanks

GermanicGalore

Hi,

the general premise behind proactive isn't bad. But isn't the European version using salicylic acid (sp?) instead of benzoyl peroxide? At least, that's what it says on the proactive ireland web page.

I am also 33 and struggle with acne and first signs of aging. I found the beautypedia.com web page very helpful. Try some Paula's Choice products. They are all based on real skin research, no fancy ads or any of that fluff really.

...and if you want benzoyl peroxide, just get some in the pharmacy. There are loads of different brands that do over the counter bp creams/gels in 2.5/3/5/10% strengths.

Having a good skin care routine that you can stick to religiously is essential.

For some people proactive works. Some people have never had a proper skin care regimen before starting on this, which may be a reason why it works (ie something else might have worked equally as well had they used it diligently). In any case, you will need a moisturizer for night to not strip your skin and you will need a good spf during the day to protect it (no matter if you use bp or BHA/AHA).
You'll know if you try it if it's any good for you. Nobody can make this decision for you.

ncmc

I just thought I’d write an update to this thread, as I know this is an issue a lot of people suffer from.

So to recap, I have used all the Clearasil/Clean & Clear products and also used the stronger stuff like Benzoyle Peroxide cream and I really don’t think they helped. I think they just strip the natural oil out of your skin, and encourage your skin to go into overdrive producing more sebum so in the long term I think they make the skin worse. They also can leave my skin very raw and dry, so all in all, not a great idea.

2 months ago, I received a gift of La Roche Posay Toleraine cleanser and Hydrophase intense moisturiser. I started using it and the results were INSTANT! I have hardly had a spot in two months (bar the odd white head which I don’t mind so much) I haven’t had one painful, red spot and trust me, that’s a record for me.

I use it morning and night in the following way: I apply the cleanser before I get in the shower and use a hot, clean facecloth to remove it. I think the heat from the cloth also helps cleanse the skin. I don’t use any toner or harsh products, just a small amount of the moisturiser. In the evening, I use a facewipe to remove make up before doing the same routine as morning.

I can’t tell you what a difference La Roche Posay has made to me, I actually have the courage to go without make up occasionally now. I think a combination of the mild product and the heat from the cloth has really cleared up my skin. I would definitely recommend La Roche Posay to anyone and the great thing is, it’s not madly expensive.

panda100

ncmc wrote: »

I just thought I’d write an update to this thread, as I know this is an issue a lot of people suffer from.

So to recap, I have used all the Clearasil/Clean & Clear products and also used the stronger stuff like Benzoyle Peroxide cream and I really don’t think they helped. I think they just strip the natural oil out of your skin, and encourage your skin to go into overdrive producing more sebum so in the long term I think they make the skin worse. They also can leave my skin very raw and dry, so all in all, not a great idea.

2 months ago, I received a gift of La Roche Posay Toleraine cleanser and Hydrophase intense moisturiser. I started using it and the results were INSTANT! I have hardly had a spot in two months (bar the odd white head which I don’t mind so much) I haven’t had one painful, red spot and trust me, that’s a record for me.

I use it morning and night in the following way: I apply the cleanser before I get in the shower and use a hot, clean facecloth to remove it. I think the heat from the cloth also helps cleanse the skin. I don’t use any toner or harsh products, just a small amount of the moisturiser. In the evening, I use a facewipe to remove make up before doing the same routine as morning.

I can’t tell you what a difference La Roche Posay has made to me, I actually have the courage to go without make up occasionally now. I think a combination of the mild product and the heat from the cloth has really cleared up my skin. I would definitely recommend La Roche Posay to anyone and the great thing is, it’s not madly expensive.

I think for adult acne, Vichy and La Roche Posay are the only suitable products.