Ok, so maybe I'm dramatic... but it is pretty awful.

I breakout regularly. I have sensitive skin. I have oily skin. But that oily skin is ON TOP of dry, flaky skin. I can't even explain it... nor understand it, for tht matter.

I've tried Nutrogena... Proactive... Clearasil...Benzoyl Peroxide (which I found out I'm allergic to)...

Right now I'm using the Murad line for acne-prone skin. It's not really working... and I'm getting desperate.

I can't use anything from a derm, since it will all make my skin turn red and freak out (unless there's some secret product for sensitive skin I don't know about...)

I doubt anyone can help me... but please, if you can, I am open to any and all suggestions!!!

what have you tried from the derm? i use differin gel and not all the time. sometimes i use retinal on big pimples, but only as a spot tretment (that stuff is strong). also birth control pills help alot with pimples.

you need to let your doctor or derm know you skin is sensitive. you'd be surprised what they can do to help

As for night now less is best! Use only gentle products.

I used to be on b/c pills for pcos...which could be the cause of my skin problems. It didn't help much, but I'm about to start again, since I'm getting married. I hope it helps...

Oh, also... they gave me a high % of benzoyl peroxide that made me look like a lobster...now, even the 2.5% makes me itch and turn red. So I've been scared of the derm ever since, lol. But I guess I should give em another shot.

I totally understand where you're coming from on this! The only thing i've found to help my sensitive/oily skin and mild-moderate acne is a combination of tea tree oil on really inflamed spots only and i've recently added a drugstore product called prosacea (it's actually for rosacea and acne but i don't have rosacea lol) it has 1%sulfur. Other than that I'd add a gentle cleanser like cetaphil or purpose maybe? hope this helps......also, if u look at acne.org they usually can offer some suggestions

I am the same way. Exactly first make sure you are taking either some antibiotacts or birth controls it will help. I wash my face everday and still breakout I just started a package from a salon. Last week she gave me deep cleaning facial and then six treatments of mcrodermbrasion. Hopefully it will be a good outcome. But try and get an acne facial it should be like 35 bucks. Also change ur pillowcase more than once a week try and keep your hair off your face and drink only spring water

and try try try to calm down about it, you dont realize how much stress you put on your skin when you excessively try new things and switch. I had a huge problem w. my skin last year and as soon as I took it easy and stuck with one thing cetaphil face wash aveda moistureizing spray toner and clarins moistureizer with spf. 30 and mac moisturefeed eye for day then for night the same thing except my moistureizer was Clarins nightime hue oil (it's the lil gold oil in the glassjar) and I swear by that stuff it is amaazzzinngg it is expensive but it will last a long time, and I was reluctant because I thought the oil would be bad for my skin but it was the exact oppisite effect my skin needed the oil. If you were to try one thing I would suggest this! Also my skin started acting up when I went off of BC pills but after like 3-4 months it calmed back down, and try not to stress about it , I didn't think I was worrying about it that much but as soon as I kinda let go a little it started clearing up. I hope this helps you a lil because I know how you feel!!

__________________
98% of teenagers do or have tried smoking pot. If you're one of the 2% that hasn't, put this in your signature.

FYI- I'm going to get my first facial tomorrow... Here's hoping it works well.

retin-a is really good, i used to get really bad breakouts in high school and i used this and it worked. of course, the bad part about it is the "purging" period, but after that it gets so much better.

i have combo skin (oily, flakey, and acne prone) and a while ago i started washing my face with only water and a washcloth. and it really helped alot believe it or not. the flakiness went away and i didnt get as much breakouts. but, then 2 months ago i went on Nuvaring and i have been breaking out lately. it could be stress related though i am not sure. also, i just started using MAC cleanse off oil instead of the water/ washcloth method and it's pretty good stuff. it's gentle and even though it's "oil" my face feels really clean after i use it and it doesnt leave my face feeling oily or anything.

I know exactly where you're coming from. I highly recommend Lush Angels on Bare Skin as your daily morning cleanser. It contains clay to help normalise oiliness, and lavender oil which is a natural antiseptic. It's a bit fiddly to use but very worth it. I hardly ever get pimples anymore, where before I was getting huge ones on my chin every month. My skin still gets a bit oily, but it is not as bad. My flaking has pretty much gone, thanks to the almond meal in AOBS. I only use this cleanser in the mornings because it is not an effective makeup remover, so you will need to use something else at night. Very happy with AOBS - I'm on my fourth tub.

I know where you're coming from, we practically have the same type of skin. Use gentle cleansers for sensitive skin. Sensitive skin products! My face changed greatly when I switched from oily/ance prone skin cleansers to using sensitive skin ones. Also, Green Cream has been a lil miracle in a bottle for me, it hasn't completely cleared me up or made my skin pefect, but it's improved, a lot, in general.

how did ur facial go? I hate when they extract all the pimples but after a few days it feels soo good!

Dermatologists can be such a big help... sometimes you just have to try a few different things, but they will find something that works. It is well worth it to let a derm deal with it instead or having to worry... I totally understand; I've been on accutane two different times and tried everything else in between. Once you get it worked out, it will be such a relief... good luck and congrats on getting married

__________________
Live to the point of tears...

The facial was ok... it seemed to make me break outmore, though. I scheduled another one for next month, b/c she couldn't get everythign the first time around. She said my skin was extremely sensitive, and would bruise badly if she tried to do 100% of the extractions at once.

I strongly suggest you go to a dermatologist. Alot of what you're describing sounds VERY familiar to me, unfortunately. If you have rosacea with sensitive skin, like I do, facials may make you worse. I really think you should find out what's actually going on with your skin before trying anything else. Good luck! I can definitely relate to what you're going through!!!

^Thank you. I think I'll do that.

your skin does get swollen but it will get better did she give you products? Try and sign up for a package it might be cheaper. I went to the derm and they did crap for me Maybe the doc was having a bad day or something but I never went back