The Acne Whisperer

Dear Amalah,
I was thinking to myself the other day, “Gee, self, I have a skin conundrum! I wonder who on earth could help me?” And then a lightbulb went off and I zoomed over to advice smackdown and perused the archives, hoping I could
find an answer there. Perhaps I am completely oblivious or illiterate, or maybe the answer just isn’t there. So, I apologize in advance if you have already answered this question.
I am seventeen, and as many people my age suffer from the occasional zit, or severe acne, or blackheads, I myself have a zit issue. Luckily, my face is nearly completely clear and has been for about a year (hopefully I didn’t
just jinx myself) but, recently in the past couple of months, I have been developing odd little zits on my chest. I don’t have a problem with body acne anywhere else, not on my back or shoulders, just these little red zits on my chest.
I always use cetaphil on my chest when I shower, and always shower immediately after exercise, so I don’t think my pores are being clogged from perspiration. It might be hormonal, I really don’t know. Regardless of the cause, it would be great if you could reccomend a product that works to treat this embarassing situation. My senior prom is several short months away, and I would live in my dress if I could, I love it that much. However, it has a plunging neckline and it would be incredible if I could have a smooth chest to go along with it!
Thank you so very much! I love both advice smackdown and your blog!
-Louise
Ah, the teenage years. Those tumultuous, zitty-ass years.
In high school and college, I too was known to suffer from the occasional renegade zit on a non-face area of my body. Bacne. Shoulderne. Chestne. Whateverne. And I am happy to report that the product that worked for me is still available, even after all these many years. For I am old. And no longer plagued with wayward zits.
(I remain just as big a liar as I ever was, though.)
I’ve always had great success with . I still remember the old commercial for it, with a Party of Five-era Jennifer Love Hewitt clad in a towel talking about “clear skin from head to toe,” and GOD. She annoyed the crap out of me. She was so flipping perky in every commercial and I actually resisted buying the stuff because of her. Luckily, Neutrogena is 100% Hewitt-free these days, and since I’m all old, I’m not that bugged by their new spokesmodels, since I go to bed at 8:30 pm and don’t want The OC.
Cetaphil is a great product, by the way, but it is definitely for DRY SKIN ONLY. Or really, really sensitive skin. Oily skin needs something stronger. And breakout-prone skin needs salicylic acid, the end.
The Neutrogena stuff isn’t an overnight solution (for that you might want to try the Philosophy On a Clear Day Blemish Serum), but with regular use, I’m betting you’ll see a marked improvement. It’s also available as , which I’ve never tried, but it’s apparently an Allure Best of Beauty award winner, for whatever that’s worth. I’m not a fan of scrubs for the face, but for the body? Yeah, scrub away. Fry that chicken, whatever.
(AHHHH! DAMN YOU YOUTUBE!)