Remember a while ago?
When I wrote the post about how adult acne was ruining my life?
Slowly turning me into a sweater sleeve tugging fourteen year old girl?
Well, here’s an update on that: I still have acne.
Despite the whole I-better-wind-up-looking-all-Alicia-Keys-awesome rant I went on when I bought Proactive, I’m still sitting over here with breakouts and dry patches and scabs and scarring and all manner of ugly I can’t seem to whip.
I’m not saying Proactive didn’t work for me.
I’m saying it’s not working anymore.
We were doing good for a bit there, and then I don’t know what happened, but I went back to pimple-puss-filled-puberty face.
And I gag a little when I see it.
And gagging at the ickiness of your own face is just no way to live.
So, I’m on to the next intervention.
And I love it that this one actually came with these snazzy little eye protectors that The Dudes think make me look like a villain in a spy movie (glad my acne debacle is amusing to someone).
It’s the Claro Acne Clearing Device, and it’s supposed to make pimples magically disappear!
Okay, so it’s not magic.
It’s science.
I find the two words interchangeable as both are confusing things that confuse people like myself who are easily confused.
But, putting it simply, it uses some super powerful light and heat to annihilate pimples from your face.
Leaving you looking clear skinned and not 15 in no time!
That’s what the commercial made me think anyway.
Since there’s no shortage of acne on my face, I was more than a little bit excited to try this bad boy out.
And, you know what?!
It’s HOT!
Like super hot. And I don’t mean Ryan-Gosling-shirtless-and-oily hot.
I mean ooh-fire-burning-my-skin-a-little-hot.*
I guess that’s to be expected when you’re flashing a super bright light directly onto your face.
But, whatever.
I’m so over these breakouts if someone told me I’d have to hold a lit match to my face 12 times a day, I’d probably go for that too.
As long as it works.
And puts a stop to this acne madness.
Thankfully, this seems to be a step in the right direction.
When I awoke the morning following the treated breakout, the two pimples I attacked were,, um, remarkably less pimply? They weren’t totally gone, but they also hadn’t turned into the four-armed monsters these things often like to morph into. That’s a score in my book.
And, by the end of the day they were hardly even noticeable.
No please squeeze me senseless head to attack, and no scaring from taking that challenge (I know. I’m not allowed to squeeze, but I’m also not allowed to walk around with an oozing white head on my face.).
Now, if someone could invent an acne scar removal system that lasers them directly off your face in the comfort of your own home without the need to undergo multiple, $500 treatments in a medical spa I will be golden.
Until then, I guess I’m doomed to looking like I just got dumped by my first boyfriend for not putting out in his car after the homecoming dance.
Have acne that’s begging to be annihilated? You can find the Claro Acne Clearing Device online and at Best Buy retailers for $194.99.
*It doesn’t actually burn your skin. It just feels extremely warm like it could if you used the thing incorrectly.
**pBd Admits It’s Free: I have received the reviewed product from Best Buy for free. All opinions are uniquely my own, duh.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I hate pimples so hard. Here’s a hot tip for you, though: If you crush an aspirin and mix it with water to make a paste, then slather it onto your pimple(s) and leave it for a long time (30 minutes – hour) it will help reduce the redness of the pimples and make them less noticeable. The aspirin is an anti-inflammatory so it works. Might not help a massive breakout much unless you crush a lot of aspirin, but if you have some particularly annoying offenders give it a go and see what happens. Good Luck!
Ugh the child ruined my skin.
And my ass.
Ive been using the knock off Proactiv because the shipping to Canada is ridiculous. But like you said…it stops working…or my hormones revolt….
But thanks for this. I’ll look it up
I was so excited that my skin has been clear for about a week. This morning I woke up and my face erupted. They are never small either. They are GINORMOUS! I am seriously thinking about buying a Clarisonic but this may be something to look into as well. I am getting headshots done in 2 weeks and I know that PhotoShop can do a lot but I would still like to have pretty clear skin. Proactive never worked for me. I am cursed with very sensitive skin.
Proactive didn’t work for me either. When I called to cancel my subscription, they told me I was doing it wrong. NO! Your damn product isn’t working! That stuff is meant for “baby acne” not real, adult, breakout-all-over-right-before-Lover’s Day kind of acne.
Good luck. I’ve had it since I was ten and although it’s gotten better, my breakouts that arrive right before my period are not pretty.
And I can’t afford $200 on acne meds so I’m stuck with it!
As a mom who has been there done that I can honestly say I tried everything. The only thing that has ever cleared me up and kept it gone was when I was using Reliv. I never had a clue that acne can also be vitamin and mineral related. But it sure cleared up my face and kept it gone. I didn’t even get the oil bumps that hurt like hades when it was that time of the month. Glad I am starting back on it this week now that things have settled back down.
Thanks for posting about the heartbreak of ‘older people’ acne. I’m in the throws of a major breakout myself right now (and I’m a lot older than you). I was on the Murad adult acne products bandwagon for a while. It did work great at first, but I saw the ‘poop out’ effect many of the posts here have been talking about with other products. Adult acne: The final injustice. Allie
I get the cystic acne once a month. Not fun, and pretty ugly.
This post was gross, but also informative!
I sure hope it works for you!
BIRTH CONTROL is the ONLY thing that cured my acne. NuvaRing, specifically. Don’t need it for anything else but acne and it’s totally worth it…
This is something I could try. I get these super facials that are wicked expensive and yes, they burn a bit. But know where I’m getting my acne? My hairline. And back. That is BS cuz how do I treat that?
Oh honey – I hope it works for you. I haven’t used Proactive in a few years & they still “Want Me Back” – My acne was never that bad, so I decided I didn’t need it anymore. I bet they are really hurting for customers.