I’m using a new acne medication prescribed by my dermatologist that dries out my skin a whole lot. I started using it Tuesday and it hasn’t had any noticeable side effects until now. The skin all over my chin is peeling and its VERY noticeable and really ugly. Also a little on one cheek and in the forehead. The topical gel is Erythromycin and Benzoyl Peroxide and it says ethyl alcohol 70% which I’m thinking must be what’s drying it out so much. I’ve also been using a Salicylic Acid cleanser. Any ideas please?

I have moderate acne with oily skin, and my skin has been pretty fine this year except now that summer is over and school has started, these past few weeks (especially) I’ve had really severe acne (large cysts) all over my forehead and a few on my chin (I realized I break out like crazy during this time of year for some reason). I’ve had bad acne since 5 years ago and I’ve been using the 3-step Proactiv system ever since about 3 years ago…but I’ve minimized the use because my bad acne has mostly cleared up since about 2 years ago so I just used mild cleansers like St Ive’s Apricot Scrub or other drugstore brand cleansers with Salicylic Acid in it instead of Proactiv’s Benzoyl Peroxide, and its been working fine. I’ve had pretty clear skin as far as I can remember until around this year mid-August and my face started breaking out, and especially now its really bad. So I went back to using the 3-step Proactiv system morning/night everyday now for about 2 weeks. And the thing is, it has been helping my cysts and acne…but my skin is terrible! After I wash my face with the cleanser (1st step in Proactiv), my skin is SO dry, especially my forehead! It seriously looks like after a severe earthquake and the ground has cracked into a thousand pieces…that is how my skin looks on my forehead! It is so dry and flaky. I can’t help but use my tweezer and pick out all the flaking skin off. And of course I can’t pick out every single little piece so I just use the toner (2nd step of Proactiv) to smooth it out…but after my forehead if you look closely, can see lines of where I peeled the skin off (the skin is paler)…and it looks horrible! Also when I raise my eyebrows and my forehead wrinkles, I can see that there’s like this whole layer of what looks and seems like dead, tanned skin on top of my (healthy skin?) on my forehead. Some additional information, I tanned and went out in the sun a lot over the summer (only using a SPF 8 on my face..So bad I know) so I guess its also the tanned skin on my forehead that’s peeling? Plus with the use of the drying out effects of Proactiv…I don’t know what to do. I’m paranoid that if I don’t peel the flaking/cracking skin off, it will go into my pores and clog them up and cause more acne. But I don’t like doing that either because 1. It takes up a lot of time and 2. The tweezers are probably unsanitary. But I don’t want to discontinue using Proactiv because I need it to help cure my acne. Also I don’t remember it drying out my skin this bad when I used it in the past. I am suffering…PLEASE HELP!!!!

I have moderate acne with oily skin, and my skin has been pretty fine this year except now that summer is over and school has started, these past few weeks (especially) I’ve had really severe acne (large cysts) all over my forehead and a few on my chin (I realized I break out like crazy during this time of year for some reason). I’ve had bad acne since 5 years ago and I’ve been using the 3-step Proactiv system ever since about 3 years ago…but I’ve minimized the use because my bad acne has mostly cleared up since about 2 years ago so I just used mild cleansers like St Ive’s Apricot Scrub or other drugstore brand cleansers with Salicylic Acid in it instead of Proactiv’s Benzoyl Peroxide, and its been working fine. I’ve had pretty clear skin as far as I can remember until around this year mid-August and my face started breaking out, and especially now its really bad. So I went back to using the 3-step Proactiv system morning/night everyday now for about 2 weeks. And the thing is, it has been helping my cysts and acne…but my skin is terrible! After I wash my face with the cleanser (1st step in Proactiv), my skin is SO dry, especially my forehead! It seriously looks like after a severe earthquake and the ground has cracked into a thousand pieces…that is how my skin looks on my forehead! It is so dry and flaky. I can’t help but use my tweezer and pick out all the flaking skin off. And of course I can’t pick out every single little piece so I just use the toner (2nd step of Proactiv) to smooth it out…but after my forehead if you look closely, can see lines of where I peeled the skin off (the skin is paler)…and it looks horrible! Also when I raise my eyebrows and my forehead wrinkles, I can see that there’s like this whole layer of what looks and seems like dead, tanned skin on top of my (healthy skin?) on my forehead. Some additional information, I tanned and went out in the sun a lot over the summer (only using a SPF 8 on my face..So bad I know) so I guess its also the tanned skin on my forehead that’s peeling? Plus with the use of the drying out effects of Proactiv…I don’t know what to do. I’m paranoid that if I don’t peel the flaking/cracking skin off, it will go into my pores and clog them up and cause more acne. But I don’t like doing that either because 1. It takes up a lot of time and 2. The tweezers are probably unsanitary. But I don’t want to discontinue using Proactiv because I need it to help cure my acne. Also I don’t remember it drying out my skin this bad when I used it in the past. I am suffering…PLEASE HELP!!!!
ALSO I have not put any type of make-up on ever since I started breaking out with the numerous cysts, in hopes it would not worsen or agitate my breakout.

My face started peeling when I started using ProActive. I used all three steps, then after a while switched to two, then to after one, because it was too strong. I switched to a wet and wild facial soap that has salicylic acid and it says it exfoliates. After ProActive, i started using this differen cream prescribed by my dermatologist. I wash my face in the shower, and scrub it a lot with my washcloth. After that, i put on the cream, and then lotion. When i put on the lotion my face stings really bad for a few seconds. I go to bed, and when i wake up in the morning, my face is peeling around my eyes, under my chin leading to my ear. Around my mouth, and right around my nostrils.
I hate when it peels and i just wish it would stop. In case this is relevant, I live in the desert, so i get really dry skin sometimes. Lotion does cover my peeling sometimes, but doesn’t really get rid of it. Thanx for any answers :]

hello.i actually posted a qn abt tis pimple cream i used 2 yrs ago, on few of my acne marks to peel off the marks.i applied this cream near the area where a skin had jus peeled and replaced new skin.but i did allow the skin to rest for 2 weeks before applying this pimple cream.the marks did get peel off right after the cream.but soon after a burnin sensation following and i realised my skin had thickened.and a new skin had been replaced with marks.was there irritation?i panicked and washed my face with st ives apricob scrub for oily/acne prone skin contain salicylic acid 2%(only cleanser i had) to wash off the pimple cream to stop more irritation/peeling.actually before applyin the pimple cream i had also washed my face wit st ives.only after i read u rent supppose to do tat.i threw away the pimple cream and never used it.but continued st ives.rite now after 2 yrs i was advised by doctor to use stieva a to peel off the marks and improve the skin.is it advisable?

It’s a three step regimen, similar to proactive, but this product uses salicylic acid. The ingredients are…
Acne Treatment Wash
Active ingredient: Salicylic acid 2.0%
Inactive ingredients:
Cayaponia tayuya root extract, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel extract, polyethylene, schukuhria pinnata (canchalagua) extract, silica, sodium bicarbonate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, water, xanthum gum.
Purifying Toner
Water, sodium chlorite, sodium bicarbonate, lauryl glucoside, citrus grandis (grapefruit) seed extract.
Acne Treatment Lotion
Active ingredient: Salicylic acid 0.7%

Similar to proactive, but this three step system is Salicylic acid. Has anyone tried this? Quixtar sells it.
Acne Treatment Wash
Active ingredient: Salicylic acid 2.0%
Inactive ingredients:
Cayaponia tayuya root extract, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel extract, polyethylene, schukuhria pinnata (canchalagua) extract, silica, sodium bicarbonate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, water, xanthum gum.
Purifying Toner
Water, sodium chlorite, sodium bicarbonate, lauryl glucoside, citrus grandis (grapefruit) seed extract.
Acne Treatment Lotion
Active ingredient: Salicylic acid 0.7%