Not sure how to start this, so I guess I will just jump right in.
I have had problems on and off with my skin since my mid twenties - mainly just an occasional breakout once every few months. I was one of those fortunate teens that didn't have acne. But I had a reckless childhood of many sunburns and the subsequent sun damage. Started sunscreen in my twenties. I was diagnozed with rosacea in my 30's. Now into my mid forties I am really trying to fight/reverse/prevent it all - breakouts, rosacea, wrinkles.
I tried doing it on my own, saw several different dermatologists, read books, articles, etc in my quest for good skin. Found Dr. Baumann's book and started a year and half ago or so trying to follow a regimen for my skin type. Cleaning, moisturizing, sunscreen, antioxidents, retinols, make-up, procedures, etc. Slowly trying one thing at a time every few weeks til I found something in that catagory that worked for my skin type.
I thought I got it all together and things were awesome for a few months til about a month ago. Then my skin did a turn-about and all was a mess - increased breakouts, blackheads, whiteheads (never had them before), inflammation, etc. Just a mess. Worse than I had ever had it in my life - in all of my combined years!! I posted a couple of weeks ago about purging and starting prescribed antibiotics for the first time.
Well, the more I thought about, the more I just want to quit the whole regimen. So, I quit the antibiotics (took them maybe 4 days) and stopped cold turkey with everything except my cleanser, sunscreen/moisturizer and foundation in the morning and only my cleanser at night. Nothing else. Well, it worked. My skin is clear, blemish free, no inflammation, looks great.
Has anyone else done this? Is this what I am going to have to do? Give up any retinols, serums, antioxidents, etc to have skin that looks good? I DO want to prevent aging, wrinkles. I DO want to help my rosacea. I DON'T want anymore breakouts. But at what cost? Sometimes I believe that less is more. And right now my skin says yes, less IS more.
Anyone else feel this way?
