The Body Regimen Kit

This kit contains everything people with body or neck acne need for approximately 1 month on The Acne.org Body Regimen or 4 months on The Acne.org Neck Regimen.For specific instructions on how to use this kit, learn The Body Regimen and/or The Neck Regimen and follow it precisely.

• 16 oz. Acne.org Cleanser
• 16 oz. Acne.org Treatment (Benzoyl Peroxide – 2.5%)
• 16 oz. Acne.org AHA+ (Glycolic Acid – 10%)

Acne.org Cleanser

When treating acne, the first step is to cleanse the skin. Cleansing removes oil, dirt, and pollution so that the treatment you apply can effectively penetrate. However, cleansing should be performed correctly, with only bare hands, using a featherlight touch for 10 seconds or less. This might seem fast, but any form of skin irritation can make acne worse, so it is vitally important to stay gentle and brief when washing your skin.

I made this generously sized ultra-gentle liquid cleanser so we would have a pH-balanced cleanser which doesn’t over-dry and is gentle enough for people with sensitive, acne-prone skin. It also lathers very well, which helps provide a gentle and quick cleansing experience, further helping to prevent irritation.

It is also unscented and dye-free. Fragrances and dyes can sometimes irritate the skin, and since irritation can lead to acne, it’s best to opt for unscented and dye-free products.

Acne.org Treatment (Benzoyl Peroxide – 2.5%)

I made this generously sized, gel-based 2.5% benzoyl peroxide to be as perfect as possible to use with The Body Regimen or The Neck Regimen. That meant it had to be big so people had plenty of it to get completely clear, gel-based so it would spread easily and wouldn’t turn white when you sweat, pH-balanced to keep irritation to a minimum, and contain super-fine pharmaceutical-grade particles of benzoyl peroxide so it could penetrate deeply and clear the skin.

Why 2.5% strength?

Several studies show that 2.5% benzoyl peroxide clears acne just as well as 10% solutions. Importantly, it also produces much less irritation. This is important for two reasons:

1. Irritation of the skin can lead to more acne. It is very important to reduce irritation when it comes to acne-prone skin.
2. Because 2.5% dries the skin less than 10% benzoyl peroxide, using a 2.5% benzoyl peroxide makes a daily benzoyl peroxide regimen sustainable because it doesn’t overdry the skin.

What is pharmaceutical grade?

Acne.org Treatment is triple milled to ensure extra-fine and extra-potent particles of benzoyl peroxide. This is why you won’t find grittiness in Acne.org Treatment like you often do in other benzoyl peroxide products. When applied to the skin, the micronized particles of benzoyl peroxide penetrate more deeply and completely into the skin where they do their job of clearing and preventing acne.

People clear up more quickly and completely with a pharmaceutical grade benzoyl peroxide, and you should be able to switch over from whichever benzoyl peroxide you’re currently using to a pharmaceutical grade product like Acne.org Treatment with confidence. However, in rare circumstances, certain people have reported that they experienced a breakout upon switching to Acne.org Treatment. Although this is uncommon, there is an explanation. It is likely the result of the smaller particles of benzoyl peroxide reaching deeper into the skin and activating the clogged pores that are well below the surface. These clogged pores were destined to become pimples at some point, and switching to a pharmaceutical grade benzoyl peroxide simply brought them to the surface. The good news is that even if you have an initial breakout, it should clear up quickly, and then you can expect your skin to stay clearer moving forward.

How does benzoyl peroxide work?

Whether we are talking about the face or the body, acne problems start the same way. For reasons no one completely understands, a pore becomes clogged, trapping skin oil that normally drains to the surface. Inside skin oil lives acne bacteria, which multiplies in the clogged pore, and voila, a zit is born.

Acne treatments usually target one of the two phases of a blemish’s life cycle, whereas benzoyl peroxide likely targets both:

1. Preventing the initial clogged pore: Benzoyl peroxide is a drying and peeling agent, unclogging pores and preventing new clogged pores.
2. Killing acne bacteria: Out of any over-the-counter or prescription medication on the market, benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria the best. Studies show benzoyl peroxide kills over 99% of acne bacteria within minutes.

How to use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide?

The secret to using benzoyl peroxide is to use a lot of it. It is also important to remember to stay gentle when you apply it. I often tell people to “go overboard with how gentle you stay when you apply it.” Use only a featherlight touch and allow your skin to do the work, absorbing the benzoyl peroxide on its own without rubbing. If after 2 minutes it’s still not completely absorbed, just let the rest absorb on its own.

Important – follow The Acne.org Body Regimen or The Acne.org Neck Regimen instructions precisely: Since I can’t say everything right here, be sure to read through The Body Regimen and/or The Neck Regimen carefully before you start using Acne.org Treatment. You should start clearing up quickly and reliably if you follow it precisely. Many people find it helpful to bring the Body Regimen video or Neck Regimen video into the bathroom with them until they have it down pat.

What are the risks and warnings?

Benzoyl peroxide comes with what dermatologists refer to as the well-known “hardening effect.” This means that benzoyl peroxide causes redness, dryness, and itchiness in many people for the first few weeks until the skin gets used to it. This is much more common on the skin of the face however, and most people can jump right into the full amount when treating the skin of the body or back of the neck. However, if you notice undue redness, dryness, or itchiness, cut back on how much you use until your skin becomes accustomed to it.

Also, a very small percentage (about 1 in 500) of the population is allergic to benzoyl peroxide, which is evidenced by swelling and/or severe crusting. If you suspect you may be allergic, test it on a small area (the meaty part of the inner elbow is a good spot) for a few days before diving in.

Lastly, benzoyl peroxide can bleach dyed fabrics. Many people choose to wear white undershirts when using The Acne.org Body Regimen. This is the biggest complaint about The Acne.org Body Regimen and The Acne.org Neck Regimen, so try this: wear white undershirts until you are completely clear. Then, once you are completely clear, try removing Acne.org Treatment from your morning regimen and see if you can stay clear using Acne.org Treatment only at night. Final note: Benzoyl peroxide may also bleach hair and eyebrows in some people to some extent.

Acne.org AHA+ (Glycolic Acid – 10%)

Acne.org AHA+ contains 10% glycolic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid – AHA), which is the legal limit in over-the-counter products. It also contains an ultra-calming licorice root extract. Acne-prone skin tends to be irritated, and licorice root helps calm the irritation and bring the skin into balance. It is fragrance-free and dye-free, and of course, it is completely non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores).

I formulated Acne.org AHA+ at a pH of 4.0 – 4.1, which is just enough to powerfully exfoliate, but not too acidic that it stings too badly (it will sting a bit though – that’s how you know it’s working). Oddly enough, many manufacturers formulate their glycolic acid products at too high a pH to be effective, so be careful when choosing glycolic acid products, and make sure you know the pH.

 SUNBURN ALERT: Any alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun and particularly the possibility of sunburn. Use a sunscreen and limit sun exposure while using AHA and for a week after discontinuing its use.

This kit is only for people with very light cases of body or neck acne. If you have moderate or severe body or neck acne, click here for the full kit that comes with Acne.org Treatment (Benzoyl Peroxide – 2.5%).This kit contains everything people with very light cases of body or neck acne need for approximately 1 month on The Body Regimen or 4 months on The Neck Regimen.

For specific instructions on how to use this kit, learn The Body Regimen and/or The Neck Regimen and follow it precisely.

• 16 oz. Acne.org Cleanser
• 16 oz. Acne.org AHA+ (Glycolic Acid – 10%)

Acne.org Cleanser

When treating acne, the first step is to cleanse the skin. Cleansing removes oil, dirt, and pollution so that the treatment you apply can effectively penetrate. However, cleansing should be performed correctly, with only bare hands, using a featherlight touch for 10 seconds or less. This might seem fast, but any form of skin irritation can make acne worse, so it is vitally important to stay gentle and brief when washing your skin.

I made this generously sized ultra-gentle liquid cleanser so we would have a pH-balanced cleanser which doesn’t over-dry and is gentle enough for people with sensitive, acne-prone skin. It also lathers very well, which helps provide a gentle and quick cleansing experience, further helping to prevent irritation.

It is also unscented and dye-free. Fragrances and dyes can sometimes irritate the skin, and since irritation can lead to acne, it’s best to opt for unscented and dye-free products.

Acne.org AHA+ (Glycolic Acid – 10%)

Acne.org AHA+ contains 10% glycolic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid – AHA), which is the legal limit in over-the-counter products. It also contains licochalcone, an ultra-calming licorice root extract. Acne-prone skin tends to be irritated, and licochalcone helps calm the irritation and bring the skin into balance. It is fragrance-free and dye-free, and of course, it is completely non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores).

I formulated Acne.org AHA+ at a pH of 4.0 – 4.1, which is just enough to powerfully exfoliate, but not too acidic that it stings too badly (it will sting a bit though – that’s how you know it’s working). Oddly enough, many manufacturers formulate their glycolic acid products at too high a pH to be effective, so be careful when choosing glycolic acid products, and make sure you know the pH.

What is licochalcone?

Licochalcone gives this product its characteristic yellow color. It is a highly distilled and potent extract of a species of licorice root well known for powerfully calming the skin. It is especially beneficial on acne-prone skin which tends to be sensitive and irritated. Licochalcone is included in AHA+ at the ideal efficacious amount (.1%) and not simply for “label claim.” If you suspect you may be allergic to licorice root, patch test your skin by applying some AHA+ to your inner elbow for 2 days before applying to the body or neck.

Note: To avoid staining light colored clothing, allow Acne.org AHA+ to absorb and dry for a minute or so before dressing.

 SUNBURN ALERT: Any alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun and particularly the possibility of sunburn. Use a sunscreen and limit sun exposure while using AHA and for a week after discontinuing its use.