My Proactiv Solution Journal:

Proactiv works. I don't care what anybody else says. Yes, it's true that I've had relapse when I stop using Proactiv. The 3 times that I stop using it or swayed from the system, I've had really horrible, severe acne. I tried to go see a dermatologist and they prescribed me the same old garbage, like differin and retin A, which caused my acne to become worse...A LOT WORSE!!! Usually, that is when I break down and go back to proactiv...and I become clear again. It happened 3 times and proactiv fixed me up 3 times. I'm not going to lie and say that the effect is overnight...because it's not. It took me 3 weeks before I saw results, but some result is always good news...at least it's going in the right direction. It took me a couple of months before I got better, but people usually tell me that my skin is looking better by month 2 or 3.

My tip: YOU HAVE TO USE THE SYSTEM!!!! If you sway or get lazy, it's NOT gonna work. I've used it for many years and learned from every mistake I made.

You have to get the SULFUR MASK, too. Don't be cheap, pay the extra 20 bucks and get the sulfur mask.

I kept a journal of my progress with proactiv once and here is my regimen:

week 1:
Every morning:
1. wash with proactiv cleanser for one minute (really exfoliate)
2. proactiv toner all over face

Every night:
1. cleanse for one minute
2. toner
3. and repairing lotion all over face

Weekly:
4. use the sulfur mask after cleansing, then tone and apply lotion

Week 2: Skin got worse!! More pimples, redder! There is some improvements, but small as compared to the harm done. Gonna give it 2 more weeks and that's it. Looks older. =(

Note: using mask every other 2 days now. (ie. Monday, then on Thursday, then on Sunday)

Middle of Week 2: Start using the repairing lotion twice a day: morning and night. And soon, will spot treat big ones with mask overnight (but not yet, in maybe 3-4 days.)

So here's the routine:
morning:
1. cleanse
2. toner
3. repairing lotion

night:
1. cleanse
2. toner
3. repairing lotion

every other 2 days at night:
4. mask

in 3-4 days:
3b. spot treat big ones with sulfur mask and leave on overnight.

Week 3: SKIN IS GETTING BETTER!! =) =) =) YEA!!! It's not perfect, of course, but it has gotten better. Skin feels smoother-less bumps. Less pimples. But still got scars, but...yay...PROGRESS!!!

Week 4:Skin has gotten a little worse. =( Did I jinx myself the last time I wrote? Is that why my skin is getting worse again?

(Then, I didn't write for a long time, maybe it was because I was busy, or maybe it was because it was making good progress and my acne was out of my mind. Ok, it wasn't out of my mind, but maybe I thought of it less.)

almost 3 months: Skin has gotten better. Still can't say that I have clear skin, but better. Sometimes, skin seems to be playing some sort of game with me; it gets better and then worse and then better. But overall, it gets better, just really slowly with a few speed bumps. grrr.

(Then, I just stop writing about it, but I know I just kept getting better...SLOWLY!! but positive progress is all we're asking for when we're desperate for a cure. We just want to know that someday we'll get there. As long as we know we'll get there is fine; don't have to be tommorrow or next month. Just be clear SOMEDAY. So, the positive progress kept me going. It didn't matter that it took me many months to get clear, all I care about was that I kept getting better and better, even though it was slow. Other topicals made bad progress, so I quit. I didn't quit because it was slow in making my face better; I quit because they were garbages on my face!)

Note: I don't know when it began, but I eventually just use the cleanser ONLY in the morning, and use the whole system at night. And continue to use the mask EVERY 3 nights. Yup, I just decided to put less on. I think I started to do this along month 4 or 5 when my skin was really starting to look good. You know how you slack off when your skin is looking better and you figure you don't need all that other stuff on your face. But it might just be the key to you getting good skin; who knows, maybe your skin is really SENSITIVE and putting on a ton of stuff on your face won't work, but may actually make it worse.

Major note: YOU MUST USE THE SYSTEM!!! The system as in all 4 products, not the directions that comes with the products. They tell you to use the first 3 products every morning and night...but as you can see, I started out with less and ended with less. So, you must listen to your skin and don't put too much on it when it's screaming RED and RAW.

Good luck!!! By the way, I'm using accutane now, because I want to take care of my acne FOR GOOD!! I really hope it works!! For those of you, who've read some of my accutane post during those horrible times, you'd know that I've *almost* broken down and ran back to proactiv. So, I really believe this stuff. Lastly: YOU MUST USE THE SYSTEM!!! don't just use the cleanser and some other over-the-counter acne-fighting stuff. It won't work. At least, I don't think so. GOOD LUCK!!

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