RACHEL SKOZA
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Tuesday, April 22, 2008

AFTER I PESTERED my mom for a few months when I was a freshman, she finally bought me Proactiv. And trust me, I was in dire need of it.

But after a year or two of using Proactiv, it ceased to deliver.

Before that, I was using an assortment of facial scrubs, astringents, and creams that only made my skin break out more. Breaking out sucks! Especially when you've been breaking out on and off for years.

Recently, in the past week actually, I tried giving up Proactiv because it was giving me bearable yet mediocre results. So I tried a slew of Neutrogena acne treatment products.

Didn't work at all.

In fact it made my skin 10 times worse. I began breaking out like crazy, and my skin became very dry. I was using a Neutrogena "dermatologist recommended" daily oil-free acne facial scrub, a pore-cleaning astringent, and a "Rapid Clear" acne spot treatment.

All three of these products contain salicylic acid. I guess my poor skin and salicylic acid just aren't too agreeable with each other.

I used the Neutrogena products for exactly four days before it became exceedingly horrific. Then, I switched back to Proactiv. Immediately my skin cleared up and was doing a lot better. Proactiv's active acne-fighting ingredient is benzoyl peroxide, which is apparently easier on my extremely sensitive, acne-prone skin.

But this week my mom took her concern for my skin a little more seriously by buying a Zeno. The Zeno system doesn't involve ointments, creams, or scrubs. This device literally kills the acne-causing bacteria under your skin by delivering a concentrated heat of about 160 degrees for two-and-a-half minutes to the problem spot.

When I saw this at the store I first thought this was a big gimmick. But my mom did some research, and apparently this product was ranked ahead of its competitors, so I went through with the first treatment.

You might think 160 degrees would hurt, especially on a soon-to-erupt volcanic zit, but it just tingles a little. And it conveniently beeps after two-and-a-half minutes are up to let you know when to take it off so you don't go melting your face.

I guess I'll go through with it for the 30-day trial. If it doesn't work after that amount of time, I can always get my $150 back. But if it does, that's $150 well spent, if it means defeating every teenager's worst foe ... acne.

Note: An earlier version of this column was published as an entry in the Gargoyle staff blog.