Acne Agony

If it's really bad have the Accutane.

My son used it when he was 16 and has never had a flare up and he's 31 now. He did have really dry lips for a few weeks and that was it.

The Dermatologist was lovely, perfect for 16 year old young men. He explained the pros and cons, ordered blood work and saw him on a regular basis to see how he was doing.

After three years of trying everything, my son finally agreed to try the Accutane. He'd heard all the horror stories but when he realized how well he was going to be monitored he agreed. After the first 30 days and his skin clearing up he had the nerve to tell me I should have made him start it sooner!

Just don't get pregnant while taking. The Dermatologist was quite firm on this for his female patients.

That's great. It was a nightmare, I nearly quit my job because of the nasty comments I got from customers.

Mine stayed OK after coming off the pill but I started getting facials with a peel, this skintrinsiq machine that sucks out impurities and LED therapy, plus Obagi products. It was £150/m for the treatments alone! Nevermind the skincare products.

All that and pregnancy is still the first time in 10 years I don't have deep cysts and inflammation under my jawline on 1 side. It's all hormones I think

This. There used to be a pill called Dianette which you went on for acne primarily. I had a nightmare with cystic acne but this worked within 4/6 months. I don’t know if it’s even around anymore. You need to inhibit the testosterone production, which leads to the sebum, which leads to the spots. Acne origin in the ovaries, and anything topical is just a sticking plaster. 🙂 good luck. I understand completely.

Thats it. Still amazing product

Wow I'm hoping mine stays the same. Hopefully yours improves again too and good luck with the pregnancy ❤️

Dalacin t? I remember using that in the 90s, it was like putting dab-it-off on my face (even came in a similar bottle)! 🤣

I recommend you get aknemycin, It's a topical tretinoin, you will see a difference after a month or so. I tried antibiotics, roaccutane (although briefly), only topical sorted my skin completely.

Acne.Org. Please look at the DanielKern.org website. He created the products & The Regimen after his own battle with acne. How I wish I’d discovered it years before I stumbled across it. It really helped me after years of acne problems from my early teens right into my 30’s. I remember the guilt of putting my baby down to go & wash my face because it was so greasy. How I wish I’d known you absolutely do not have to do this. His mantra is gentle: acne = irritation, & irritation = acne. The best weapon in the Regimen is Benzoyl Peroxide. It’s the only thing that ever cured my acne after wasting tons of money on all sorts of other stuff. He states that if you follow the Regimen, you are pretty much guaranteed to completely cure your acne. In my experience, this is true. My ‘baby’ is 27 now, & my skin is great. Good luck, it’s horrible, I know so well.

Go to your local pharmacy and buy a bottle of Betadine (it is surgical scrub) leave your make up off, wash your face morning and evening as per instructions. Within a week your skin will be clear. Have a towel for your face that only you use, and change it regularly.
It took me years and 2 dermatologists to get this far. Good luck.

It’s not perfectly clear but I have one or two spots rather than huge breakouts and no inflammation like I used to have. My diet is way worse after three years of poor sleep (two babies under two years apart). I hope you get to keep your clear skin, I feel like we have earned it!

I had awful hormonal acne for a couple of years since stopping the pill, it cleared up when I got pregnant and stayed clear. Like pp said it was like pregnancy was a hormone reset. I’m pregnant again now and unfortunately this time my skin is awful again but it is clearing now I’m getting into the second trimester.

Lymecycline changed my life.

My GP kept prescribing me different creams and ointments that did absolutely fuck all for my cystic acne and one day I went to fill my prescription for the latest thing they'd prescribed and the pharmacist said "i'm sorry but I feel i have to tell you, this won't work. You need oral antibiotics and you need to take them for at least 6 months". He was right! I asked to see a different GP, told them what they pharmacist said and they prescribed Lymecycline. I started to notice a difference in about 4 weeks, by 12 weeks my skin was almost completely clear. By 6 months you would never have known I'd had acne. I had no side effects either.

Ask your GP for it, can't think of any reason why they would refuse but if they do explain that your acne is affecting your mental health. It is a medical problem and you shouldn't have to put up with it.

I have started light therapy. A clinic close to me does a monthly subscription for £99, with up to five sessions. I think I’ve had 7-8 sessions now, and am really seeing the benefits. I suffer with cystic and hormonal acne. I had a giant cyst appear around my fourth session, and with weekly therapy it stayed under the skin and then disappeared within three weeks.

I didn’t find anything I put on my skin helped to this degree. It’s helping heal old acne scars too, and for the first time in years I’ve been going out make up free.

I considered a mask for home, but I understand that they are not the same strength and often not clinically tested. It’s a Dermaluxe light I go under.

Could be hormonal so consider hormonal contraception (some make it worse). If you have exhausted treatment from GP then push for a referral.

Try a zinc supplement too.

You could try a red or blue light mask; Omnilux or similar.

My skin has cleared up dramatically while pregnant. My hair also doesn't get oily like it used to. I'm 30. I had cystic acne but Lucette contraception cured it.

It proves you can do everything right (skincare, hygiene, diet, drinking water...) but the problem is internal. I get so annoyed with people who have naturally clear skin telling people they just need to wash their face 🙄

I'm worried once I give birth it'll go back worse than before, did yours stay clear?

My skin has always been crap OP, tried duac and roaccutane over the years, both of which worked while I was on them but stopped as soon as I came off. Best thing I've found is osskia Renaissance facial cleanser every day, and duac every 3 days or so - my daughter calls it skin cycling. Good luck x

I don't suffer from acne per se but have outbreaks and allergies that cause really bad spots.

As someone else suggested try Finacea (Azelaic acid). Just be careful to follow the instructions and it does dry out the skin somewhat.

I also use FAB (first aid beauty) cream on my face, for me this has been the best cream ever. It has some natural antiseptic ingredients.

Hi @CareerChange24 My DD did everything listed below too. She also went on the pill and used a blue LED light.
when cleaning up her diet she had an intense course of pro biotics.
Her’s cleared up by the time she was 16.

Can't offer anything further than has already been said in terms of treating the acne but I find mineral foundation a god send.

It is very quick to apply, doesn't seem to aggrevate spots and takes away the redness really well (you get special green versions to colour correct but I'm so pale these didn't work for me).

Forgot it once on holiday and could only get a liquid one and it covered nothing in terms of redness.

I asked my GP for Differin Gel and she prescribed it for my acne. Seems to work well but you need to start very slowly with it, it's a topical retonoid. Look it up on YouTube / tiktok. Prescription only but GP happy to prescribe.

Agreed, azelaic is wonderful to reduce redness and inflammation, I use it everyday. I'd recommend op uses 10% to begin with tho. The Ordinary has a good cream that I add to my daily moisturiser.

You put it much more eloquently than I did. For me it was hormones, I’ve never wanted to go on hormonal contraception so had acne until I was 29 and got pregnant. Now I have much clearer skin that has lasted beyond pregnancies and breastfeeding. Almost like a hormone reset. I used all the prescription medication. So many brands of skin care, peels, led light, going makeup free and it never worked for long.

I sympathise OP.

I suffered horrible breakouts from the age of 15- 36. Every month - particularly my chin. If get really painful spots on my lip line, under my nose and they really made me feel self conscious.

Eventually, it suddenly stopped around age 36/37. I'll now get only the odd random chin spot, but it's not often now.

I know this probably isn't what you want to hear : but I think a lot of the treatments are futile. I really don't think it's anything to do with skincare/make up/diet - it's hormonal. Also if you have oily skin, you're far more prone to clogged pores and hence spots.

I've known people have success with roaccutaine: but the side effects I've heard are pretty brutal.

Yes, La Roche and Eucerin ranges have products that are good for sensitive and acne prone skin. To be clear, they won't cure your acne, but they will support healthy skin and not irritate or block pores. I tend to use their oil control moisturisers and spf creams - they've never made me break out.