Aibu to ask you how you got rid of adult acne?

[Troton]

Specifically there’s a lady I know through a friend who has always had moderate acne the whole time I’ve known her. It’s cleared up lately and she looks radiant and im desperate to know her secret but I know it’s be so bloody rude of me!

So im going to ask on here instead - how did you get rid of adult acne?
I’ve just started my second round of roaccutane. I bailed on the first round and only did three months so sadly the effects didn’t last long. I’m hoping to stick it out this time but I’m only on a low dose and worried it’s not going to be a permenant cure. That said I’m reluctant to up the dose as I’m scared of the side effects.

I could be the person in your OP. Moderate acne my whole life from 12 to 38. Now virtually clear.

Tried all the usual treatments (plus some others), a few helped a bit but none cleared it.

I had Roaccutane as a teen and and as a 30 something, both times it helped at first then plateau’d. Dermatologist was baffled.

Spironolactone has been my saviour. I am not 100% spot free but nearly. My skin is also less greasy and so is my hair. I’m also on Dianette.

If you think your acne is hormonal OP then I would definitely recommend Dianette plus Spironolactone. I know mine is hormonal, I have PCOS and it flares up same time every month.

Tried everything non-prescription you can think of when I developed it at 23. Finally went to the docs. Erythromycin didn't shift it, and I was eventually prescribed Roaccutane (they make you try other things first) It's not much fun to take - dries you out EVERYWHERE, can damage your liver. But it worked. My skin when from grim to clear in 6 months. 11 years on and I only get the odd spot.

The pill. Started off with Dianette which is very effective but did make me quite depressed. I then switched to Cilest which is just a normal Pill not an ‘acne’ Pill and this worked just fine too. I stopped taking it about 5 years later (mid 30s) as a trial and my spots just never came back.

Good luck OP, acne is horribly depressing, I used to think about mine all the time, I do empathise.

About 15 years ago,at the age of 40,I was plagued with spots on my chin,forehead and nose. After trying numerous OTC creams,I went to my GP and he prescribed me a low dose antibiotic. I had to take one a day for 6 weeks. I was sceptical,but it worked. Never had any trouble since,in fact I'm complimented from time to time about what clear skin I have (for a 55 year old ). I think the antibiotic was called Minocyn.

Roaccutane here, not a pleasant drug but it got rid of the lot so theside effects were worth it.

Following

Cetaphil cleanser and moisturiser, moisturiser has SPF 50 and so is also sunscreen. Cetaphil is about as gentle as you can get and if you are using a topical treatment such as epiduo from your GP it is recommended for use with that - if you use salicylic acid and similar treatments with a topical you cause havoc with your skin.

I just use that nowadays, but to start with combined it with a 6 month course of antibiotics - skin cleared up, and with using cetaphil only has stayed clear.

Any wash that contains the acne fighting things irritates my skin and causes the acne to flare back up again with avengance, gentle treatment is what it needs.

Doxycycline

And epiduo as well forgot about that

I was put on the combined pill. Came off after two or three months (about 6 months ago) and my skin is still clear. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

I had horrendous cystic acne caused by pregnancy. It got even worse after I gave birth. It was awful. I took antibiotics (Lymecycline) for 6 months. I saw a difference after a month, my skin was pretty clear after three months but then I took it for a further three months to maintain the improvement. Amazing stuff.

Had to go to three different GP's to get proper treatment though. The first GP wouldn't prescribe anything at all, just told me that I should "consider myself lucky" if this is the only thing wrong with me as he sees a lot of very ill people. The second was a bit more sympathetic but just prescribed an ointment which the pharmacist when I went to collect it even took one look at me and told me wouldn't work as my acne was much too severe for that. It actually made the problem worse. Thank god for the third GP who took me seriously and knew what to do straight away. I just wish I'd seen her before it reached the point of scarring At least I can cover the scars with make up though.

Dalacin.
Had pretty bad skin anyway, then had the implant and developed awful acne all over my face and shoulders. Dalacin ointment twice a day cleared it up in a week. I use it once a day now and it keeps my skin clear.

Go to your GP.

There is a cream called Once. Combination of benzlperoxide and an antibiotic. You put it on once a day, before bed. Keep it in the fridge.

Enjoy your dairy and save your money on herbal/natural/holistic drivel.

I cut out refined added sugar about a year ago in the hope of improving fatigue and joint pain. It helped massively but what I didn't expect was that my rosacea (along with acne and flaky skin) disappeared too . I also started using the Liz Earle cleanse and polish routine.
Now if I fall off the wagon and eat chocolate/sweet treats etc the spots and cheek rash come back within days.
I would never mind being asked about my skin - it was such a dramatic change and the acne got me down sometimes.

Took me a year. Clean and Clear Sensitive Cleansing Lotion, Garnier Pure Active Spots and Anti-shine (or similar) as a moisturiser for acne prone areas. Twice a day, every day, religiously. No foundation.

Clear skin now. No acne since it cleared, whilst I remain on the routine, whereas off the routine acne returns.

So I have had problem skin since being a teenager ,been to drs numerous times and tried antibiotics and every cream going,my skin used to be ok when panoxyl was available but they discontinued it😣so I now import a cream with the same ingredient(benzoyl peroxide ).However my skin has been extremely bad again (now 44) so went to drs and kind of demanded to see a dermatologist as I was so fed up of my skin.Have been to see one who confirmed adult acne,really bad on my chin and jaw area and in the new year will be prescribed roaccutane which apparently is very successful so keeping my fingers crossed it helps my skin once and for all

I'm about to start a course of Roaccutane, I've had the preparatory blood tests.

Done Lymecycline which is effective at the time but doesn't work long term.
I'm dreading going for pregnancy tests every month at the hospital for the Roaccutane!!!
And the horrid dry skin which is not the greatest timing with the severe wind and low temperatures already sucking out all the moisture...
Any tips from those who've already been on it?

Alba Botanical Acne Treatment from Holland & has helped my adult acne tremendously. They have a range of products, expensive but worth it.

Following

A sonic cleansing brush (used with Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish) was a game changer for me. After over 20 years of adult acne! I’ve got the Magnatone Barefaced.

Roaccutane + stopping hormonal contraception. I needed 10 months of full dose roaccutane before it worked. I stopped it 4 weeks ago andfrom next week will be starting epiduo. If you can cope with the dry skin that roaccutane causes but didn't get along with the other side effects then epiduo could be a good option because it's topical. You only need to use it 3 nights a week and it's fine to use during pregnancy (I'm not planning on any more babies but I really worried about having an unplanned pregnancy while I was on roaccutane).

Lymecycline courses occasionally and using azelaic acid cream prescribed by my GP everyday.

Wow! Well, firstly I’m sorry to hear so many of you are also still battling acne as adults. I’m 28 now so that’s 15 confidence crushing years of it but the last three years have been the absolute worst. It seems to be getting worse not better and my skin absolutely pours oil it’s hidious.
So many suggestions here though thank you all massively. Am off to google a few things.
I hate being on the roaccutane, I dread to think what it does to your insides and if it doesn’t cure me long term I fear that the damage done will be pointless.
I also had to stop breastfeeding my baby in order to go on it and he’s been nothing but ill since absolutely full of coughs and colds and so I’ve also got a huge helping of Mum guilt over that as well worrying about him.

I did roaccutane for a year or so, it cleared up my cystic acne completely for my wedding. Six months later I am noticing the oil coming back and getting spots on my scalp. I am considering going back on it but also worried about the side-effects.