Acne treatments & adjuncts help

[Upaverytalltower]

Hello everyone who has experience with acne treatments!

I have been prescribed a benzoyl peroxide face wash and tretinoin for hormonal cystic acne and have been using it for about three months.

At first I went through the horrible peeling but now it's mostly better. I still get some though especially around any spots that still come. So now I am in a position where I still get some spots AND my skin is peeling a bit, which feels like the worst of both worlds. In general my skin now looks kind of pinker and more delicate, maybe not that healthy.

I have been using a cerave moisturiser sparingly to try to help, mainly at night. It's very basic though. In the day I tend to use the oil free heliocare spf.

I tried using the active products every other day but then the spots started coming back.

Anyone got any advice for other products to try alongside or other ways to make this work for me?? TIA

[Upaverytalltower]

Bump...

[Feedingthebirds1]

To tackle the spots that still appear try taking supplements of zinc and copper. People with acne are much more likely to have a zinc deficiency that people without and supplementation has shown good results. Zinc gluconate is the best form here

You need to take copper as well, as an excess of one causes a deficiency in the other. However don't take them at the same time as they compete for absorption, so take one of them in the morning and the other at night. (Unless you have the copper coil, in which case you may have a copper excess and should only take the zinc.)

[upaverytalltower]

Thank you that's a good idea 👍🏼 I'll try it

[Geamhradh]

The peeling is normal with Benzoyl, especially at prescription levels. You need a more heavy duty moisturizer, especially using both BP and tret. It's a common misconception that oily/spot prone skin doesn't need one.
Toleriane by La Roche Posay, or their Cicaplast range should help to repair the damaged skin mantle.

[upaverytalltower]

Thanks for that. I am confused because my derm basically told me not to use any moisturerer at all because apparently it makes my skin too clogged, even though there are moisturisers that say they don't clog pores? I really don't know what to believe!

[Claudia84]

Persevere. I can’t remember how long it took me but definitely longer than three months with Tretinoin and I used it every other day with azaleic acid. My skin was flaky for a while and then all of a sudden it wasn’t but I reckon it was the 6-8 month mark I’m afraid!
Same as you I used spf 50 in the morning but actually laid off any moisturiser at night - but then I did find stopping using moisturiser means I could go a little slower with the tret..

[Claudia84]

Also I’d just say slow and steady May be a better option as you mighty also be breaking out as your skin is just not handling the intensity of what you’re throwing at it!

[sparklingbrooke]

My DD got antibiotics from our GP called lymecycline along with BP cream / gel.

Her acne was just getting worse by the day prior, but it cleared up after 2-3 months. You could see it starting to work after 3 weeks.

[sparklingbrooke]

Face wash she uses is Cerave SA and Superdrug Simply Pure hydrating serum is brilliant stuff.

[Gottalife]

With being out in the current hot weather I was just thinking that when I had acne years ago nothing helped better than a bit of natural UVA and UVB.

[TableNiner]

BP and tret together sounds very harsh, how long are you supposed to do that for? I’d be moving to a more gentle cleanser and then maybe using BP gel just where you have spots, once a day in the morning only, with tret in evening. Plus fragrance free moisturiser and SPF 50.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I took lymecycline too. All acne’s hormonal, if it wasn’t young kids would get it because their mucky pups.

[upaverytalltower]

Thanks all. I was offered antibiotics but didn't want to take them cos they mess up my system.

It's hard to know whether to alternate the tret and BP because when I have tried that I have broken out but then again maybe it was not that that caused it?

What brand of azelaic acid do you use?

[upaverytalltower]

Sorry that question was for @Claudia84 and also thank you for giving that timeline that you experienced, that gives me some hope it will help given more time

[Claudia84]

It was through a Uk online pharmacy - dermatica.

[Junobug]

m.facebook.com/groups/578648749542978?group_view_referrer=search

I'm on a tretinoid FB group which has some great advice on products to use.
I definitely think you need a decent moisturiser. The advice about it blocking your pores seems quite outdated.

[upaverytalltower]

Ah thank you that looks handy I will check it out

[BlairWaldorfLovesShopping]

@Gottalife

With being out in the current hot weather I was just thinking that when I had acne years ago nothing helped better than a bit of natural UVA and UVB.

This is dangerous advice, you can’t go in the sun while using tretinoin and you need to use a very strong SPF as the OP is doing.

[Rupertpenrysmistress]

My dd has just started roaccutaine, she had all the previous treatments described as well. Her derm highly recommended cereve and cetaphil as they are non pore blocking. If you have oily skin this helps as otherwise
Your skin just keeps producing oil. Yes yes to spf to but you must avoid the sun with any vitamin a products.

I have acne prone skin and use tret from dermatica I then use cereve fave washes and moisturizer.