Acne

Running the KLOW protocol currently. My skin stated looking better after two weeks. It’s really trippy because it’s blue .

I’ve spent over a decade fighting my skin since 2012. I’ve tried almost every topical and every extreme diet under the sun with zero long-term success. Accutane is likely the only thing that would have actually fixed this permanently prior, but I’ve built this current stack to address the gut-skin axis and oil production from a high-level biological standpoint. The "before" picture you see isn't even the worst my skin has been. # Current Active Protocol (What I am doing NOW) **1. Current Topical & Mechanical Regimen** * **Winlevi (2x daily):** Topical androgen blocker (this actually *works* for my oil control). * **Tazarotene:** High-potency retinoid (Just made the switch to this after 5 years on Tretinoin). * **Azelaic Acid:** Antibacterial and pigment control. * **Ketoconazole Shampoo:** Used as a face wash for oil/fungal management. * **Microneedling (1mm–2.5mm):** At-home sessions for acne scars. * **Plant-Based Exosomes:** Used post-needling (plant-based to avoid potential prions). **2. Injectables & In-Office** * **KPV (0.33mg daily):** Systemic anti-inflammatory peptide injection. * **GHK-Cu (2mg daily):** Copper peptide injection for acne scar remodeling. * **Micro-Botox:** Intradermal and intramuscular for direct oil/sebum control. * **Polynucleotides:** 4x Salmon Sperm DNA treatments for cellular regeneration. * **Red Light Therapy:** Regular sessions. **3. Oral Peptide & Gut Repair Stack - I have IBS (Daily)** * **Larazotide (500mg):** Tight junction regulation. * **Pentadecapeptide / BPC-157 (1000mg):** Gastric mucosal and systemic repair. * **KPV MSH 11-13 Fragment (500mg):** Intestinal anti-inflammatory. * **Tributyrin (400mg):** Bioavailable butyrate. * **Zinc L-Carnosine (150mg):** Gastric lining structural support. * **Lactoferrin (250mg):** Iron-sequestering antimicrobial. * **Probiotic S. Boulardii:** Pathogen-fighting yeast. * **Sodium Bicarbonate (166mg):** Acid buffer for oral peptide stability. **4. Oral Supplements (Daily)** * **Vitamin B5 (2g - 9g since June 2025):** High-dose for lipid metabolism / oil control. * **Vitamin A (10,000 IU):** Internal retinoid support. * **Vitamin D3 (5700 IU) + K2:** Immune modulation. * **Astaxanthin (16mg):** Antioxidant. * **NAC (Standard dose):** Liver/detox support. * **Magnesium (100mg):** Cortisol support. * **Quercetin (200mg):** Mast cell stabilizer. * **Green Tea Extract (315mg):** EGCG for oil suppression. * **Herbals:** Turmeric, Boswellia, Black Seed Oil (couple of drops), Cod Liver Oil. * **Bovine Collagen (5g):** Structural support. **Health, Diet & Lifestyle Foundation:** * **Sobriety:** 14 months sober. * **Sleep:** 7-9 hours per night. * **Stress:** This is the primary obstacle; chronic, high-level stress/cortisol all day long :(. * **Diet Context:** 10 years of intense trial and error (100% clean modified AIP, Dairy-free, Sugar-free, Gluten-free, Seed oil-free, Low PUFA, Keto, Carnivore, Ray Peat, Vegan). None of them moved the needle on my skin. I have now transitioned to a **balanced diet** (living a little!) that includes junk food. I recently had a post-holiday binge with no major skin consequences. * **Sunscreen**: SPF 50 daily (been doing this since I was a teen). **Failed History:** * **Topicals & Actives:** Benzoyl Peroxide, Salicylic Acid, Tretinoin (used for 5 years before switching), Adapalene, AHAs, Niacinamide, Sulphur 10% face wash, Topical Spironolactone, Topical Antibiotics, Topical Steroids, Ivermectin, Rosehip Seed Oil, 5β-Scymnol, Topical Peptides, Oral Antibiotics, and the "Caveman" routine. ALL TAKEN / USED for at least 3 months. * **Procedures:** AviClear (2023) x4 and multiple Chemical Peels (2024) both failed. **TL;DR / Conclusion:** I’ve done a crap ton of treatments and am currently running a very expensive, tricky routine to manage my chronic inflammation. I genuinely feel this inflammation is driven by a few root causes: * **My Nervous System:** I feel like I am an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) and likely neurodivergent (I just feel like a fish out of water in the modern Western world). * **Missing my Appendix:** Which permanently alters and impacts the gut microbiome. * **Genetics.** Accutane probably would be the easier and better option, but I am stubborn. I had a terrible experience with dermatologists throwing oral antibiotics at me in 2022 (causing terrible symptoms), and I absolutely refuse to ruin my gut health any further. Anyone who wants to follow an honest biohacking journey can see more on my TikTok - MagmaFace (purely as a case study).

Have you tried out ivermectin yet? No talking about the topical cream. Nothing helped my skin more, it’s actually insane. I am also about to switch from tretinoin to tazarotene.

I been suffering with acne all my life. My acne got better when I stopped using facial soap. Benzoyl peroxide 10% was helping me the most all these years. This year I decided to stop the cream. My skin breaks out a little at a time now and it goes away on its own. No redness just small white heads. I don’t care anymore and my skin feels good.

I've been where you are. have you tried cutting out all wheat? and processed foods and sodas? it takes time to show up, but after a month of cutting that crap out. skin returns to normal. the scars take time to fade. but no new issues pop up

I see this question raised a lot, so I'm writing up a post to answer it. Many of us with chronic pain or illness struggle to take regular showers. To make matters worse, the typical solutions like wet wipes don't seem to cut it. They mask smells for a while, but don't actually clean your skin — they just spread bacteria around. A few years ago, I found a solution that's been a game-changer for me. For context, I'm also immunocompromised and used to get 8+ staph infections a year. Now, I end up with either one a year, or none at all. In place of daily showers, I spray skin-grade hypochlorous spray all over. Because of the way that hypochlorous works, I actually end up cleaner than I would with a shower. Hypochlorous is an extremely gentle compound that is interestingly, 100x more effective at killing germs than bleach. That's because unlike bleach, it can penetrate germs and kill them from the inside out. Don't let the bleach comparison scare you — the two are just distantly related chemically. Hypochlorous acid is FDA cleared for use on your skin. You can spray it everywhere from your nether regions to your face (close your eyes, obv.). Your own body actually produces hypochlorous within your white blood cells to fight off pathogens. Because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, hypochlorous can also heal and prevent skin conditions like acne and eczema. It's widely used by dermatologists. When you spray hypochlorous onto your skin, it releases a mild chlorinated scent while it interacts with bacteria and other microbes. That's how you know that it's working. Then, it breaks down into simple saline, and you wipe it away. What's left is no more germs, no body odor, no sweat, and no more discomfort. Using this regimen, I feel fresh and clean every day, which has been as impactful to my mental health as my physical health. There are many brands of hypochlorous. I use the [SkinSmart](https://www.amazon.com/SkinSmart-Antimicrobial-Perineal-Incontinence-Postpartum/dp/B098W78N1Q/) brand because it's FDA-cleared and comes in a trigger bottle that can spray upside down and is easier to grip with arthritis. If you're looking to try this, make sure you get a skin product. Hypochlorous can also be found in more concentrated house-cleaning formulations. I use it to clean without fumes. Common sense rule: don't mix hypochlorous directly with other actives like isopropyl alcohol or peroxide. They react poorly. Don't use baby wipes or other products containing ethanol-based ingredients at the same time as hypochlorous spray. It takes only minutes for the spray to break down into saline. Just wipe with a towel or paper towel and then continue your skin care routine a few minutes later. For more information, check out these sources: [What is hypochlorous acid?](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/hypochlorous-acid-skin-care) [Is hypochlorous good for your skin?](https://columbiadermsc.com/blog/f/whats-the-deal-with-hypochlorous-acid) [Uses of hypochlorous acid](https://prequelskin.com/blogs/skin-notes-skincare-blog/hypochlorous-acid-in-skincare) [Research report on topical hypochlorous acid](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6303114/#:~:text=HOCl%20exhibits%20broad%2Dspectrum%20antimicrobial,any%20major%20adverse%20events%20reported)