Secret weapon: Acne Clearing Solutions from the House of Obagi
Remember my war with acne around three, four months ago? It's almost over now. I'm enjoying relatively good skin lately since the pimples have stopped. Well, I still get one or three on occasion but they're not cystic. It means they don't leave a deep mark and it's easier to get rid of them.
Anyway, I have recently re-discovered these acne drying products I bought from the House of Obagi three months ago. I got two new (thankfully small) pimples last week so I needed a quick fix, and thought of giving these Acne Clearing Solutions another chance.
Why another chance? Well, the last time I used them, they dried up my skin quite horribly. My face felt rough, dull, and flaky. After that I swore off using them because it took my skin weeks to recover! But I think I was just applying them incorrectly. I used to pat two squirts of the liquid all over the affected area and, predictably, that area became extremely dry (Duh! Why didn't I think of that earlier). Now I use a cotton bud to apply the product only on the pimple itself.
Works like magic, I tell you. My pimples dry up overnight. That's awesome considering that these Acne Clearing Solutions cost only P500 for one bottle. Yes, P500 and they're from the House of Obagi! I think these are "generics", unbranded skincare basically. But they're still concentrated and effective so it works out.
You can ask for them in any House of Obagi branch. I got mine from Dr. Stephen Lacson, he's in the House of Obagi Greenbelt branch every Friday. You can also find him in Makati Medical Center RM382, Mondays 10 to 3, Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 to 12, 2 to 6, Wednesdays 1 to 3, Saturdays 9 to 2.
Look for this dood!
So wait, what is this stuff?
I have two variants, the Acne Clearing Solution and Acne Clearing Solutions Plus. The former has Erythromycin 2%, which is an antibiotic. The latter is has Clindamycin 2% (another antibiotic and disinfectant) with Tretinoin 0.05% (a powerful acne drying component). According to Dr. Lacson, ACS is milder and should be used during the day, while ACSP is more potent and drying so it is best used at night.
Basically, these products kill bacteria on your skin and dries up pimples. They're straightforward and very effective when used correctly.
Can anyone just buy it? Do you need a prescription?
Dr. Lacson didn't say that a prescription was required for these, but he strongly recommends that you see a dermatologist at least once before you start treatment. He says, "Every patient is different. The type of meds recommended and dosage is based on your type of acne, type of skin and lifestyle." Yes Facebook friends kami. :P
How do you use it?
Apply it on pimples with a cotton bud. Leave the unaffected skin alone, otherwise it will act up! You can use it under makeup since the clear liquid dries up like toner - there's no stickiness or slip. Use only twice a day with SPF during mornings.
And that's it. :) Hope this helps! Let me know if you have more questions and I'll try to have Dr. Lacson answer the pertinent ones.
