Works on regular whiteheads, but not cystic acne.
Written: Sep 01 '08 (Updated Sep 03 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: -cheaper than proactive, works slightly better
-keeps ordinary whiteheads away
-at first skin feels great
Cons: -stops working and is severely drying
- bleaches EVERYTHING
The Bottom Line: If you have tough skin that only gets a few blemishes here and there, then go for it. But still be careful of its bleaching effects.
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| andreatron's Full Review: University Medical Acnefree Clear Skin Treatment K... |
I have had acne my entire life, from childhood right on through adolescence and into adulthood. At 26, my acne is probably the worst it's ever been. I have the cystic kind that absolutely nothing seems to work for.
I was using ProActiv but felt like I was being ripped off, so when I came across Acne-Free at WalMart I jumped on the chance to try it out. The 24-hour time release thing seemed really great and different, and like I might actually have a shot at clear skin. This was in I think 2006 when I made the switch, after using ProActiv for about 3 or 4 years and being none too impressed with the state of my skin.
Within the first week, my acne had significantly improved. After several weeks, it was still greatly improved over its previous state but definitely not "clear". Zits kept coming, but went away far more quickly and painlessly. The cystic zits, however, did not go away. I suppose it would be fair to say they lessened in frequency or intensity, but they were still quite present. I would estimate I went from having 3 and 4 cystic zits to 1 or 2 at any given time, and that they would come to a head as opposed to hiding out underground. They would still remain for weeks and even months, and oftentimes scar.
I will say that the AcneFree stuff made my skin feel SO GREAT -- at first.
After a couple months of using he basic kit, the Severe kit was introduced. I started using the Severe kit right away, and noticed improvements along the same lines as mentioned above.
The instructrions on the original Severe packaging was VERY misleading, and it turned out that when they made new packaging for it earlier this year in 2008, that I had been doing the steps in the wrong order. I am a pretty intelligent and capable person, and I had done my best at interpretting the directions, but apparently had been doing it wrong all along.
I have tried mixing and matching other AcneFree products with the Severe kit, which is quite a gamble considering that the instructions don't really tell you how to use any of the systems together with the Severe kit. I have experienced mixed results, mostly just tying me down to an even more strict, time-consuming, and bleaching regimen.
Over the last two years of using this product, I have realized that it is very expensive when you run out of one item and have to buy a whole new kit to replace it. I have a cabinet overflowing with the Step 3, but meager amounts of 1 and 2 and precious little of the Step 4 Retinol product. They do not sell any Severe products individually, so I find myself buying the standard versions of the cleanser and toner which are sold as standalone products, and then wondering if I am responsible in increased breakouts for doing this.
Don't even get me started on the bleaching effect. It is absolutely ridiculous and has caused me a lot of cost AND inconvenience in my life.
I could go on and on about how this product no longer works and is a waste of time and money, not to mention that they up and discontinue products that actually WORK in favor of useless ones, but I will let you read my CONS section below and decide for yourself.
CONS
- severely drying and irritating
- hard to follow instructions, especially if combining any other Acne-Free products with the kit
- products consistently run out at different intervals, causing great expense when having to buy entire kits to replace one product
- if you mess up even one tiny detail of this time-consuming regimen, the entire thing is off whack and extreme breakouts result
- the regimen is so time-consuming and strict that it removes a lot of spontanaity from life
- SEVERELY BLEACHES CLOTHING AND LINENS no matter how much you rinse your hands with soap and water. i have lost a lot of towels, sheets, pillow cases, and clothing to this. i have to wear GLOVES to get dressed in the morning!!!
- stops working so well after awhile
- makes skin shiny even when it is freshly cleaned
- kits are packaged in different places, resulting in different textures of same products and appearance of packaging (something about this I simply do not trust)
- even the MOISTURIZER dries out the skin and turns it red
***UPDATE*** 9/3/08
Since writing this review, I have switched to Neutrogena Stress Control, which are standalone products containing no bleaching agent (i.e.; benzoyl peroxide). I am finding it to work far better and to ease ALL of the problems caused me by my 2+ years using AcneFree products. My face feels great, moisturized, clean, and NO BREAKOUTS.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
andreatron
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 1 member
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