In October 2020, I decided to start using medicated acne washes instead of non-medicated cleansers with the leave-on creams. I’ve been very pleased that I’ve been able to control my acne using the medicated acne washes alone.
Back in the summer of 2020, I went to the dermatologist, and at that time, I was still struggling with acne that was caused by taking a calcium supplement with extra vitamin D. It was horrible timing! The dermatologist decided to have me go back on some acne creams and use those along with the non-medicated facial cleansers I was already using. I was less than thrilled, and the prices I had to pay at CVS were higher than I would have liked. I continued using them until my next appointment, where I mentioned that the creams were just really expensive. I was hoping that he would suggest alternative products to try. However, he decided to try to find a different pharmacy instead. He thought I could use GoodRx at Kroger, and there was a Kroger reasonably close to where I worked. He decided to put in a prescription there. I stopped by on the way to work, and they didn’t have them ready yet. I went back again after work, and they only had one ready. It was a Friday, so I would have to go back by there on Monday to get the other prescription. On Monday, it was still not ready. I would have to return another day. By that time, I was fed up. This Kroger was in a horrible location anyway. I always had a hard time getting around the parking lot, and the store was usually crowded when I went in there. I decided not to return for the other prescription and just use up what I had and stop getting the prescriptions altogether. After that, I decided I would just try acne-medicated washes and stop using the creams and the non-medicated cleansers altogether. However, that thought was so attractive to me that I ended up getting rid of the creams I had, including the one I had just bought from Kroger, and started using just the acne-medicated washes. The only cream I continued to use was a spot-treatment 10% benzoyl peroxide cream that I only applied on acne lesions as needed. The creams I stopped using were ones for spreading all over the face or over larger areas than just a spot that I used on a daily basis.
One thing I was concerned about was the washes causing dryness and irritation. I also wondered about their effectiveness since they would be put on my face and then washed off rather than left on. I decided to try the washes without using any moisturizer to see if my skin could tolerate them. I had read online that skin can generally adjust to a little bit of dryness, and fortunately, I found that was true for me. My skin did feel a little dry and tight at first, but I eventually adjusted. I noticed very little irritation from the washes. As for the effectiveness, I thought the washes worked really well. My acne definitely seemed to be well-controlled with the medicated washes. The occasional breakouts that I would sometimes get seemed to happen less or would clear up more quickly with the medicated washes. The washes I felt worked as well as the medicated creams I was using previously. When my dermatologist saw the success I was having with the medicated face washes, he thought I could try a medicated wash for my back, chest, and torso as well. I found a salicylic acid body wash that I began using on those areas during my morning shower. Later, I did switch back briefly to the non-medicated washes for my face after a visit with a new dermatologist. The one I’d been seeing for more than twenty years had left the practice. The new dermatologist said that the medicated washes would be too irritating. My acne came back, though, and switching back to the medicated washes cleared it. A few months later, I went back to the dermatologist again, to yet another new one since the one I had seen at my last appointment had moved back to his previous home. She seemed pleased with how things were looking and said I didn’t have to come back for a year.
I’m very happy I decided to ditch the acne-medicated creams and non-medicated cleansers in favor of acne-medicated washes only. Not only was I pleased with their effectiveness and with the fact they were less drying and irritating than I thought, they’ve made my daily regimen much easier. I was already washing my face in the shower, so just switching out the non-medicated facial cleanser for a 2% salicylic acid cleanser was extremely easy. That change was no major change at all. I also was able to save time in the mornings by not having to spread a cream and moisturizer on my face. I use a 10% benzoyl peroxide wash at night. I didn’t want to use it in the shower because I suspected that when I used it in the shower in the past, it caused the color in my bath rugs to bleach. So far, the only difficulty has been being consistent at night. Sometimes, getting to bed later than normal or being tired would keep me from using the wash at night. However, being consistent with it is very effective at keeping acne at bay, so I’m determined to get and remain consistent with it. I’m trying to be better about getting ready for bed at an earlier time not just to get to bed at a better time to get more sleep but also to have more time to work in washing my face with the benzoyl peroxide wash. It should be easier to make time because using the medicated wash alone doesn’t take as long as using a non-medicated facial cleanser with an acne cream. I hope to continue to have great results with this much simpler regimen.
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