How I cured my adult cystic acne for good.

A few years ago I cured my cystic acne and I want to share how I did it... because I can remember how desperate and frustrated I felt about it. I hope that my method helps someone. I apologize for this very long post. I really want to tell about it fully.

So, first, a little history:

I did not have acne as a teenager, just a random spot here and there. When I was about 24 my acne began in a sudden onslaught of horrifically painful, giant, swollen bumps. It lasted about 4 years during which time it was fairly consistent with a few clear months. It took me a long time to figure out what worked and what didn't.

Here is what DID NOT work for me:

-acne products from: murad, clean & clear, pro active, philosophy brand, boscia, dr. hauschka, caudalie, and many others

-any benzoyl peroxide based product

-salicylic acid products (these gave the appearance of working but dried my skin out terribly, leading to more agitation and more zits)

-medi facials

-light chemical peels

-antibiotics (was on antibiotic courses for almost 2 years. My tongue turned orange, my zits would go away briefly, but always came back worse)

-antibiotic injections

-nutritionalists

-alkaline water

-vitamin creams

-vitamin supplements

-quitting dairy, wheat, sugar

Here is what DID work for me somewhat, but didn't cure it:

-Alpha Hydrox brand alpha hydroxy lotion (this took layers off my face and would remove the tops of zits without leaving my skin very dry) but this stuff has to be used with much caution. In the end it burned too much and I was not able to sustainably use it.

-weekly cortisone injections from my super old school dermatologist, in conjunction with individual antibiotic injections in my face--like 30 injections a week. (This treatment actually became super addicting to me because it took all the inflammation away, but it caused vein thinning after a while and I wasn't allowed to do it anymore.)

-Nothing else. Nothing else helped. Acne is the worst.

Here is what finally CURED it:

I was super desperate after I wasn't allowed cortisone shots anymore. I had gone for consultation at a laser therapy place and was waiting for financing approval for an $8,000 laser treatment that "might" help it. I had spent like a week locked in my house because my acne was so insanely horrible. In desperation I went to Yelp and starting searching the words "acne cure". It was 4 PM and I needed someone who would see my that night, because I was about to lose my damn mind. I called facialists, doctors, laser centers and finally an acupuncturist. The acupuncturist was the only one who would see me that day.

It was fate!!! It had to be.

Anyhow, she was a UCLA trained medical doctor who ended up leaving traditional medicine to join her mother in the family acupuncture business. Her mother had been doing acupuncture for many, many years and trained in China when she was young.

So she used a needle and drained my terrible zits. Then did some acupuncture needles and cupping.

She asked if I had any pets. I had a cat. She told me to try temporarily getting rid of my cat and cleaning my house very well and wash my bedding. Also I believe she mentioned using all natural laundry products like Seventh Generation.

She also said to eat fermented/pro biotic foods.

She recommended the following skin treatment:

-Wash with very mild all natural soap only. Wash quickly and use only lukewarm water. Never hot or cold. Dry face with a clean towel, patting it softly, never rubbing the skin.

-No special lotions or creams.

I swear it was better instantly. Within a week I visibly improved. I went to two more appointments only, over two weeks.

Then it was just gone.

The only time I get painful zits at this point is when I touch a cat. I will never touch a cat again.