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Anonymous
/fit/
seeing as how you are all doctors. Is it possible for a body to build up an immunity to a topical medicine?
a few weeks back I was lurking and said that one or two users were glorifying a certain product for acne:
Cetaphil
I decided to dish out the $10 and try it out. It was GREAT...for the first week or two.
This isn't the first time it's happened. Every product I try, be it dermatologist prescribed or store bought, I really do think I build up an immunity after the first few uses! Proactiv, Neutrogena, Oxy, whatever...They all worked great at first but then it's as if it stopped working!
Is it possible for a body to build up an immunity to a topical medicine?
(I'm goin to the dermatologist tomorrow btw.)
>> Anonymous
Yes, it is possible. However, your body cannot build up an immunity to hot water. Try the dip method.

Fill a big bowl or something with hot/warm water, and submerge your face in it for 3 - 6 minutes, coming up for air every 20 - 30 seconds or so, or as long as you can stay submerged without air.

Then do the same thing again, except with cold water, for about 1 minute. The hot water opens your pores and flushes them out, the cold water closes them again.
>> Anonymous
>>135835
does it matter that the water cools down over that time period?
>> Anonymous
>>135840

Nah. Six minutes isn't long enough to worry about that. If you want you can keep your bowl near a sink while you're doing the dip method, and add more hot water about halfway through while you're getting air or something, but it's probably not necessary. You can decide for yourself if you think you need to do this.

Also, do this twice a day until your acne gets better, then do it once a day. I dunno how bad your acne is, it make take some time to work.
>> Anonymous
I'm not exactly sure what those two users were really getting at or what they were saying, but Cetaphil isn't made specifically to treat acne. It doesn't have any medication in it what-so-ever so I find it strange that you would have developed immunity to it at all. Cetaphil is generally used by individuals who take other topical medications prescribed or not prescribed by their derm because it’s supposed to be the most gentle on your skin. I actually found it to be garbage.
However, It IS possible to develop immunity to certain topical medications. Benzoyl peroxide is the big one which is in products like Proactive and other over the counter treatments. BP is known to dry out even the oiliest skin, so be wise to how much you use. I’ve seen people who actually used Proactive for long periods of time and have it work wonders…only to wake up one day and it no longer worked. It all depends on your skin, so it’s hard to tell.
It’s actually not wise to soak your face in hot water and then with cold water. You develop broken capillaries that way …going from one extreme temperature to another. Washing with luke warm water is the best way to cleanse. Any esthetician will also stress the importance of a good toner to balance the pH in your skin. I use Johnsons Witch Hazel and it’s great if you can get past the smell and the fact that it has alcohol in it. It’s best that you talk to your derm and let them decide the best treatment. He or she will evaluate you and then put you on something that will work. Good luck!