I’m DESPERATE!

Have you tried proactive?  That stuff is great!  I had really bad acne as a teen and my Dermatologist put me on acutane (spelling???)  Anyway, after that my acne never came back like it was.  It dries you out really bad, but hey, whatever gets you out of the house is good, right?

 

Good luck!

Unless someone has had acne, they really cannot understand
how truly devastating it can be on your personal and emotional
well-being. If your acne is the type you describe, it is hormonal/
cystic acne and benzyl peroxide and salylic acid will not help
clear it up. Is it on your forehead and chin? Or is it along the
cheeks and jaws? The topical OTC treatments generally only
work on blackheads and whiteheads and will do nothing to
clear up cystic acne.

Call a dermatologist immediately and get an appt. because
Accutaine is the only thing that can help severe cystic acne. It is
a wonder drug but they are making it even more difficult to
obtain a prescription for it, so it can generally take a few months
before you even get one. You will need two negative
pregnancy tests and blood work before the dermatologist can
prescribe it. In addition you will need to be on Birth control,
even if you are not sexually active. You will also have to go in
for check-ups and have bloodwork done and pregancy tests,
each and every month you are on it. It is a lot of work and
money but some insurance providers will cover it, and trust me
it is worth it. I know so many people who credit this drug for
changing their lives, it is really too bad it has received any
negative publicity. If you are truly in despair, please call a
dermatologist immediately to make an appt. Many derms take
a while to get in with, and some do not even take new patients
but if you are having problems getting an appt. tell them you
have a mole that needs to be checked out and they may
squeeze you in. If you already have a derm, even better, call
them and say you want to go on it and need to make an appt. I
hope you really consider this, results can vary from person to
person but I know half a dozen people (including myself,
although my acne wasn't profuse, but it was cystic) who went
on it who all had moderate to severe acne and their skin is now
crystal clear.

I have been to a LOT of dermatologists, and each and every one will tell you if a person is past puberty and breaking out along the jaw and lower cheeks it is hormonal. Now you have to understand, this does not mean you have a hormonal imbalance. It simply means your breakouts are not caused by "dirt" or not washing your face often enough. I usually get at least one cystic nodule before my period, flucuating hormones are normal in everyone's body but for some people this can trigger cystic acne nodules.

Breakouts along the T-zone are usually whiteheads and blackheads and can be cleared with Retin-A and topical treatments. This is the type of acne I had when I was 15 and going through puberty. However, I started breaking out again when I was in my early twenties (I am 25 now) and I saw many many derms and this is what I have learned. I was put on EVERYTHING. Antibiotics, topicals, you name it. Nothing was effective in clearing up or preventing the painful, deep, red cystic acne EXCEPT Accutaine. As I stated before, my acne was not bad but whenever I would breakout I would get a few of this type and they would last for weeks and then leave red marks for months and months. I was getting married in eight months and my derm put me on it for that reason (and because I was in my twenties and still breaking out.)

Accutaine is awesome, I loved being on it so much my moods actually improved!! I wish I was still on it since I do get the ocassional premenstrual flare-ups that I dread. It will dry your skin out (for some people it can dry it severely) and if you get pregnant while on Accutaine IT WILL CAUSE SERIOUS BIRTH DEFECTS. That is why they are so strict about the pregnancy thing. Accutaine has also been linked to an increased risk in suicide among teenage users and is currently being reinvestigated by the FDA. The way I see it, a lot of people with serious acne are depressed to begin with, so what comes first the chicken or the egg? I am not an expert on this drug so do your own research if you feel unsure about the health risks.

You must not be THAT desperate if you would be scared off Accutaine that easily. As I stated before, I know many people who were at their wit's end because of their acne and they credit it for saving their life and self-esteem.  I am sure your skin is not as bad as you probably think, we are all our own worst critic. You will just have to ride it out, maybe your acne will clear up as you get older.

In the meantime, it wouldn't hurt to eat healthy, exercise daily, and drink lots of water. You could also continue using any benzyl wash you have, it will not prevent cystic acne but it will help clear your pores and prevent whiteheads and blackheads. And no, you cannot keep your hormones from flucuating. It is a normal process for the human body, especially for someone as young as you are. If your acne continues to get worse, you can always try antiobiotics prescribed by a doctor (it doesn't have to be a dermatologist, a family practice doctor can prescribe for you) For some people this is all they need, other people show resistance to antibiotics and see no improvement.  

I am desperate, but not desperate enough to risk suicidal thoughts.

I'll talk to my doctor about it and see what he tells me. I know my breakouts are hormonal because lately I've noticed I've been getting facial hair, so I know it has something to do with my hormones, I'm just a scardy cat.

I'll see if I can get on anti-biatics and pray to God and cross my fingers and hope it works, if not then I'll either try accutane or just ride it out and learn to live with it. I'm hoping there's more options, there's got to be.

Thanks you guys for helping, it definatley cleared some things up for me! if anyone has any other suggestions, thanks in advance.

Edited by Sad_one

Accutane is very popwerful, but works great.  if your case is severe, you should discuss accutane use with your doctor.

Jay Dylan, Actor

www.JayDylan.com

 

Sad One, I can some what relate to your pain. I also deal with skin issues and I’m 34, I never had acne or skin problems as a teenager and now as an adult, I deal with it everyday. I have Atopic Dermatitis however, before I knew what it was, I tried every product on the market. I too tried proactive, and it made my face even worse, that’s because it contains benzyl peroxide and this only does more damage to sensitive skin. I went to at least three different dermatologists in the states and no one could tell what the problem was, they all gave me a cream to put on it. I was getting so frustrated. My face would break out into red patch that would dry up and get flakey and scaly looking, it was horrible. I would not leave the house unless I had too, and when I did, I didn’t want anyone talking to me. I became distant with my husband and I never left my desk at work, then all of sudden it would just clear up and reappear when ever it felt like it.

 

I came back to Korea a second time and saw a doctor over here, he told me exactly what it was as soon as he looked at my face, and what will usually trigger it, which doesn’t surprise me considering this is where the problem started in the first place. Now that I know what it is, I have been able to do my own research, but since anything can trigger it, I give more attention to myself, what I’ve eaten, the weather, am I stressing, or over working. The biggest factor for me is rain. When it rain it brings the pollution down from the sky and my face reacts. For example, Friday my face was clear, it rained yesterday; when I washed my face last night I had several dry patches just that fast.

 

So in saying ALL THAT, you said you went to the doctor, did HE tell you that your acne problems were in fact cysts? Cysts acne is under the surface of the skin infections, and what happens when they form, tissue develops on top and gets hard to keep it from spreading, at the same time it can leave scars and damage the skin. A physician can only treat this kind of acne, so he should have given you something. It doesn’t matter what other products you use, they may pacify the skin for a moment, but it will never treat the problem.

 

There are soooo many things that can trigger acne, hair products, skin products, food we eat, make up, moisturizers and sunscreens should be water-based, birth control, hormones, STRESS, your stressing over your skin problems and it’s not helping. Also try keeping a journal and every time you have a break out write down everything you did that day. What soap did you use, what shampoo did you used, did you wear make up that day, what you ate, did you stress over anything, is it time for your cycle to start, were you late for work or school, any little detail you can think of and over time, compare notes and track your patterns, you might surprise yourself. Another good thing to do is wash and change your pillowcase often. Hope you find something that works for you.

 

I’ve never used Accutane, but others that have posted say it works great. I know that it is used to treat severe acne that cannot be cleared up using everyday acne treatment products or antibiotics. Before you put anything on your face, do some research and find out what type ingredients you need to look for in a product, to help your condition, this includes using over the counter products, some products contain ingredients that may cause you more irritation.

 

Edited by fullxdiva

Susan, you are correct about the dairy-acne connection. It is not just the "ingredients" in dairy products, it also has ALOT to do with the fact that cattle are treated with hormones to keep them producing milk. It is these artificial hormones that can trigger acne, that is why many physicians suggest switching to organic dairy AND meats if you have acne. Even the chicken and beef we buy at the average supermarket have been treated with hormones (especially chicken.)  This may not clear up everyone's acne, but it wouldn't hurt to switch to organic for a month or so to see if it could make a difference. For those of you who just don't have the option of going to organic supermarkets, you could try eliminating it altogether to see if it helps.  Just remember, there is a drug that is a last resort but it is something that needs to be taken very seriously. If you are at your wit's end with your acne, start looking into Accutaine NOW, because it will take at least two months (if you are a female) just to get your prescription for the first time. You will need two negative pregnancy tests and blood work before they will approve you for a scrip.

Try a cleanse. A clease will help eliminate any toxins from you body that could be causing your acne. Also try to only use one acne medication at a time. (Like it your cleaser, soap has medication, you lotion, cream shouldn't. Also it you have those big red bumps or even little ones, try some 100% Tea Tree Oil, It kills bactira.

yeah but the worsening of the acne is only short term