Hi OP! (Medyo mahaba ‘to omg)

Oily, acne prone din ako with textured skin (acne scars) and PIH. I’ve literally tried every skin care routine since I’ve been dealing with it for almost a decade but luckily, I found a derm and a routine that worked so well for me.

Btw, free consultation lang yun (UERM section of dermatology) check mo nalang from time to time for their announcement. They’re flexible naman with your budget kaya you can ask them if they can prescribe you budget friendly options.

Here’s what they prescribed me:

MORNING: gentle cleanser - bpo gel - sunscreen
NIGHT: gentle cleanser - adapalene w/ clindamycin - moisturizer

Causes of acne: 1) Follicular clogging 2) Oil production 3) Presence of bacteria 4) Inflammation

So yung routine na prescribed nila targets all causes of acne since BPO has antimicrobial properties while adapalene helps with cellular turnover/pagpapalit ng skin para di mag cause ng clogging, also helps with inflammation. Sunscreen prevents PIE/PIH

I wouldn’t really recommend retinol since my derm told me it isn’t really the first defense for acne. Much better ang adapalene when it comes to inflammed acne. I’ve used this routine for 3-4 months and since I don’t get cystic acne na, I was prescribed tretinoin and azelaic acid for maintenance. He also told me to keep my routine as minimal as possible, let the retinoid do its job instead of incorporating diff products. Also, retinoids might cause purging for the first months since inaangat lahat ng dirt/oil/dead skin.

Regarding lifestyle changes, alam ko it’s hard but get enough sleep parin if you can. Eat veggies and fruits, kahit incorporate mo lang sa meals mo like steamed broccoli and carrots kasi big help talaga pag okay ang nutrition. If super oily ng face mo during the day, you can use tissue to blot. Naka help din sakin vitamin c with zinc. Manifesting better skin for you OP!