daily face wash with a 2% salicylic acid solution or cream can help cut down on the acne.

I do wash my face. If I didn't I would have lots of big pimples, not just one. I'm the only person in my family with oily skin. I wonder what chromasome that is carried on. Do you know, Lib?

Sorry, I don't know anything about the genetics of skin oiliness. I bet many genes are involved though.

I didn't mean just washing the face; I meant washing with 2% salicylic acid. Different companies make the stuff - clearasil, neutrogena, and even the local drugstore will have its own brand too. Usually available in the facial care aisle of the local drugstore, with the other acne care products. Look for salicylic acid in the ingredients. (The other major nonprescription anti-acne compound is benzoyl peroxide, which I generally find is very harsh -- causes redness, drying, & peeling. Salicylic acid can potentially do that too, though less so. Oh, and I've usually found creams to be gentler than the solutions.)

I'll do you one better: I wash my face with salicylic acid and moisturize with a lotion that also has salicylic acid in it. I use this brand called arbonne, and it works extremely well. In seventh grade, I started to get acne. Pretty bad, too. I used this stuff, and it went away. And aside from the occasional pimple from hell, like I have today, it stays gone.

Wow, high end stuff! I checked out their website http://www.arbonne.com/

I wish I had known about this stuff when I was a teenager. And had used more sunblock too.

Good for you!

I'm more traditional, proactiv all the way. Mostly out of amusement at their infomercials that feature P Diddy talking about..well.. anything. lately my skin's been behaving quite well for unfathomable yet quite fortunate reasons, save for one "uninvited guest" who shall meet a bitter end tomorrow morning, I promise you.

read my blog, please.