For the past 2 years I have been battling with cystic acne which I am 99% sure is caused by hormonal imbalances. In the last several months I have been able to control the breakouts with dietary changes. I still get a bump every now and then but not nearly as often as before.

However, whenever I do breakout no matter how good I am about not picking, there is always a dark spot left behind (and I mean DARK!!). I'm am on the lighter side of brown (not really yellow though) and the dark spots are EXTREMELY noticeable and embarrassing!! When I take pics to post to fotki or lhcf, I ALWAYS have to retouch the dark marks. I have never liked foundation and up until this bout with cystic acne, I never wore it-I was always a lip gloss and mascara kinda girl. Well now I will not leave the house without concealer and foundation, even if I am going to the corner store really quick. It depresses me that my face is like this because I've always felt like I had a pretty face but it is disfigured now.

As far as what I've tried....I've tried pretty much everything. I've tried things that promised to deliver in couple of weeks. I've tried things you have to apply 3x a day. I've tried products marketed towards black women, white women, hispanic women Indian women. You get the picture. I have had minimal results with all of them. Let's not forget the "home remedies" for dark spots. Here's a list of some of what I've tried:

Palmer's Skin Success Fade Cream (fail)
Ambi Fade Cream (takes a LONG time to work)
Ambi Even & Clear Moisturizer (okay, but didn't fade anything)
Concha Nacar de Perlop (also takes a LONG time to work, particularly for really dark marks but it does fade the not-so-dark marks within a matter of weeks)
Baking soda mixed w/ sea salt-fail
Mederma Scar Cream-fail
Scar Zone Cream-I'm inclined to think this works to some extent (still testing)
Tea Tree Oil (good for drying up active pimples)
Neosporin (seems to PREVENT dark marks once pimple starts to heal or at least keep them from being as dark)
Aspirin masks (good for active breakouts...doesn't fade jack though)
Moisturizers w/ salicylic acid (same as aspirin masks)
Skin Brush (reduces pores, doesn't fade marks)
St. I'ves apricot scrub (mildly effective at exfoliating top layer of skin so products can penetrate better but way too rough on the skin)
TCA PEEL 15%-on order will report after 1st peel
Zinc vitamin supplement-I've read that cystic acne can be traced to zinc deficiency. I'm going to start zinc supplementation on 1/16/11
Vicco Tumeric cream started on 3/21-the smell is really perfumy but it was recommended by someone who looks to have gotten good results from it. So I'll just wait and see what happens.
As of 3/15 I started using Neutrogena Visibly Even Cleanser

so as you can see, I've tried a lot. There are somethings I haven't tried just because I will only spend but so much on something that's not a sure thing. This album will mainly document the use of the Mederma Cream since I am just starting it. I paid $25 for a .70 oz. tube at Walgreens, which I feel is pretty steep. I am praying it's not a waste. I will also still be using the Concha Nacar de Perlop nightly along with moisturizing my face with Neutrogena Acne Stress control with Ambi fade cream layered over it (may try putting the ambi on my spots first then adding the Neutrogena but we'll see).

I am going to track the use and (hopefully) results of these products beginning today 12/28/10 and ending 1/28/11. I would love to see progress within 30 days. I am very tired of trying things that will take months to work. I don't feel anyone should have to suffer with these horrible marks for that long.

*update: though there was progress in 30 days, it take a lot longer to fade the marks unfortunately :( I am still working on it and I have not timetable for when I think I'll be mostly clear of the marks. I am not sure when I will do another peel especially considering they don't fade the marks completely and there's a lot of downtime involved. I'm not sure I want to deal with that during the warmer months.

8 week personal challenge starting 3/15 and ending 5/15
*pinkstates challenge ended on 6/21*
Beginning stats:
Weight:202
Waist: 32.75"
Arms: 12"
Hips: 38.5

Mid-point stats:
Weight: 197
Waist: 31.5"
Arms: 11.5
Hips: 38"

End of Challenge Stats:
Weight: 186
Waist: 30.25
Arms: 11.5
Hips: 37.25"

TOTAL LOST:
Weight: 11 lbs.
Waist: 2.5"
Arms: .5"
Hips: 1.25"