To be bloody depressed about adult acne?

[NTHEN]

Posting here for traffic as I'm desperate, apologies.

I'm 26 and until this past year have never suffered with acne but I now have it horribly. It seems to have coincided with me having a baby 18 months ago and is getting worse.

I wash my face daily, use a mild facial cleanser from clearasil and never sleep in make up. I use a light moisturiser.9

I've been using acnecide which has slightly reduced some of the bigger spots but I still have new ones popping up every other day.

I don't wear make up unless I'm going out somewhere where I'll need to make an effort (2-3 times per month) so I'm not clogging my pores on a regular basis.

I applied tanning lotion last night which has only made it look 10 x worse.

I feel unattractive, unclean and insecure. I don't mean to sound so vain but it's starting to impact my daily life and I'm not wanting to go out.

PLEASE could you suggest anything that will help me / has helped you or others you know?

I definitely don't want roaccutane if I can avoid it.

My husband has adult acne and sees a dermatologist on the nhs I would think you would get telephone appointments at the moment but it's fine we email pictures to the consultant. He is prescribed nizoral shampoo and told to use the bubble s from it on his face that works well for him and canesten with a steroid in it for flares . But I know everyone is different.

Hello OP,

Please move this thread to the style and beauty boards*. A ton of women(or men!) on there, have tons of information on skin care and acne!

What is your facial routine like? I think you need to start introducing acids into your routine. But what type, I don't know as to why I suggest you ask the style and beauty boards. I also suggest you get a facial once a month until you see a difference in your skin.

When I was in my very early 20's, I started to develop acne, new spots were coming out daily and my usual skincare routine was not cutting it anymore. I went to a really good skincare facial clinic and he used a facial wash which had sacyclic acid and another type! I immediately saw a difference in my skin.

Please drink lots of water. I have a Clarasonic device that I use at home (I use this once a week). I exfoliate using Tropic skin care (controversial brand) 2x a week.I use Avene Cleansing Gel (non foaming and soap free) daily (stay away from foaming and soap cleaners). I'm currently using a Vitamin C acid, from the Ordinary (one because I'm poor) and I suffer from hyperpigmentation.. I also use tropic toner and their face creams. Oh! and use SPF!

I used duac acne cream (prescription only), and the ordinary granactive retinoids. Totally clear skin now

@IndiaMay

YANBU I had severe depression and suicidal thoughts to the point i took myself to a railway line due to acne. The only thing that saved me is roaccutane. I know it has a bad rep but it worked and my acne went forever. I was so incredibly low when I started roaccutane that I could only go up from there. I distinctly remember as my skin cleared tha black clouds cleared and I was so much happier

My friend believes Roaccutane is hugely maligned and that it has saved the lives of so many that were so distressed by acne.

Yes it needs to be clearly monitored but it has transformed the lives of many by finally clearing their acne.

Hi! I’ve had Very bad acne sinceI was a teen and I’m now in my 30s and have just managed to finally clear it!
Go to the GP ask to be tested for your thyroid, it Potentially could also Be a sign of PCOS. So best to rule them out. If the spots are lower face/jaw/neck it’s usually hormone related.
I finally cleared mine with Epiduo from the doctors and 10% Sulfar soap in the mornings and a light serum /moisturiser in the day plus spf. Consistency is key mine was terrible and my skin purged and it took 4 months for mine to clear. You have to be strong and stick to it it can take 3 months for topical treatments to start working. I’d recommend not going down the antibiotic route ( I did for years) it stops being effective Plus they may come back after you stop the course and sometimes doesn’t even clear them anyway. I got Ill from long term antibiotics for my skin. Also try Spearmint tea Twice a day it helps reduce androgens . Sorry if there’s typos I’m in a rush! Good luck OP!

Sorry, haven’t read the full thread, but Differin gel has worked wonders for my acne. Literally have 0 spots atm after months and months of huge painful cystic acne which left me unable to lay my face on a pillow without being in pain.

I think it’s noteworthy that suicides attributed to accutane occur in late teens/early adults & not older patients.

Whatever it is it’s not affecting older adults for some reason & I am so sorry a pp lost her daughter so young.

I don't know if anyone else has suggested it, I haven't read the whole thread properly but I highly recommend checking out Caroline Hirons website with her cheat sheets. She has saved my skin this year.

The truth is, OP, NOBODY here can tell you what is going to work for YOU.

But - there is lots that can be done.

Take every recommendation ("This worked wonders for me") and every bad story ("I felt suicidal on Roaccutane") under advisement and there's nothing wrong with trying a recommendation or be wary of a severe side effect.
However, nothing that has happened to somebody else predicts how you are going to get on with any given treatment.
Lots of good advice on here, but please take some RL advice as you are planning to.

No need to just put up with it

Good luck OP. Acnecide worked for me my skin was completely clear but I seem to have built up a tolerance to it and it has not been helping and my spots are so bad. Recently got the acnecide wash to go along the cream so giving that a go.

I know you said you don’t want roaccutane but I had many miserable years I finally had a course aged 35 and my skin is now perfectly clear. Nothing else worked for me it really improved my self esteem.

I had what I thought was adult acne in my thirties. It was around my mouth and nose. GP treated it as acne with a gel but it became even worse to the extent it hurt moving my mouth. I went back again and he prescribed an anti-biotic but for a skin infection. It cleared within days. I had put up with it for around 9 months as well.

This is why its best to back to your GP op. It is often trial and error. My gs has acne and his GP said they like to exhaust topical treatments before prescribing antibiotics as well. He used duac after epiduo did not work for him and it improved his skin a lot but do remember that it bleaches everything in sight. Good luck

I had acne from age 13-27. Constant, never changed with diet, hormones, products etc despite whatever advice people insisted on giving me!

Now I have no problems since finishing accutane 8 months ago. I know you said you aren't keen, but why? (You cannot get pregnant on it or for a period of time after) Its changed mine and both my brothers lives!

Other than that, epiduo was OK from the GP. Don't ever use products that don't say non comodogenic (spot forming), or things specifically for acne that dry your skin loads, Clearasil is probably awful. I've been using La Roche Posay Effacler face wash, and cetaphil day and night creams and do not want to ever put anything else on my face!

I know this is a zombie thread but had to say, OP

Stay away from Dianette at all costs. Utterly ruined my 20s. They only prescribe it for a year now as it's mood altering qualities are so dangerous. I was on the fucker for 15 years!
I'm going to try blue light now for mine.

I have cystic acne on my chin and the only thing that makes it go away is if I totally give up sugar. I like sugar so I don’t tend to be able to do this forever but if I have something important coming up where I want to look my best I know what to do.

Hi OP,

I had the same- perfect skin until my mid-late twenties when I suddenly had a face full of acne. I'm now in my early 30s and although I still have a tendency towards spots, I tend to get one or two at different points in the month rather than a full-face of them.

I found that using a very mild face wash (as opposed to acne washes, which seemed to aggravate it) helped, as did drying my face well after each shower and making sure to use face wash after using shampoo/conditioner, which tend to block pores. I currently use Sainsbury's own face wash and it seems to work well but I can't wear face cream on my cheeks or chin because I'll have a break-out.

I hope you find something that works for your skin op.

Oh just noticed that someone resurrected a zombie thread!

@NTHEN

Posting here for traffic as I'm desperate, apologies.

I'm 26 and until this past year have never suffered with acne but I now have it horribly. It seems to have coincided with me having a baby 18 months ago and is getting worse.

I wash my face daily, use a mild facial cleanser from clearasil and never sleep in make up. I use a light moisturiser.9

I've been using acnecide which has slightly reduced some of the bigger spots but I still have new ones popping up every other day.

I don't wear make up unless I'm going out somewhere where I'll need to make an effort (2-3 times per month) so I'm not clogging my pores on a regular basis.

I applied tanning lotion last night which has only made it look 10 x worse.

I feel unattractive, unclean and insecure. I don't mean to sound so vain but it's starting to impact my daily life and I'm not wanting to go out.

PLEASE could you suggest anything that will help me / has helped you or others you know?

I definitely don't want roaccutane if I can avoid it.

3 things to try. Stop using clearasil. Use simple cleanser and simple moisturiser only. Once per day. In the morning use water and simple moisturiser. Exfoliate once a week with a natural scrub. Once a week MAX. Drink water. Lots and lots of water. At least 2 L per day ideally 3. Keep it up every day for 3-4 weeks You will notice a huge difference

Hi all,
This is a bit of a zombie thread (and the OP's skin has probably cleared up now) so we're closing it and anyone who wishes to can start a new one for more up to date advice?