To think 80 weeks to see an acne specialist is mad?

[Spotthe]

DS 16 has really really bad acne. 80 weeks till he can see a dermatologist possibly longer. The private hospital the doctor suggested near us can’t see him till mid January.
beayty type private place won’t see anyone under 18.
please, is there anything else I can do?

I was going to say, if you can afford it, you could jump on a Eurostar and come to Paris and see a private dermatologist. You can look on a website called Doctolib for the doctors you can book appointments with.
If you could afford it ( derm appointement will probably be about 120-150€ for a good one with availability) I can elaborate. To get a prescription of Roccutane here you do need a psych appointment to because of side effects though.

We're in the same position. My son is on his second course of doxycycline, epiduo and scar tape, which is making very little impact. It seems that these meds are as far as a GP can go with the treatment for acne. My son needs accutane (my daughter had acne too and it sorted out her acne in no time) but he needs to go on a waiting list to see a specialist for that. And he won't be put on that until he's finished this course of treatment. We've been going through this process for years now and his skin is very scarred.

I have struggled with acne my whole life and the only products that helped were exposed skin care. Took about a month to see an improvement. Might be worth trying in the interim?

Our DS had horrific acne and was under the GP for years. When all those treatment options had been exhausted we were told it was 18 wait for a specialist.
We ended up going private but used an online clinic. We were really sceptical but used a company called Skindoc. They were honestly fantastic. DS was prescribed roaccutane and his skin is now clear.
All appointments are online but you upload lots of photos and then have a video call. They take full history, arrange blood tests etc and are really responsive to any issues. We got an appointment within a few days.

I'm in month six of waiting for an ENT referral. I was promised I'd have the appointment before it hit autumn/winter, guess what? I've not had it. If you can afford to go private, do it. Boots prescribe acne medication

My daughter has had roaccutane twice. Aged 15 and 30. First time it was less than a month to be seen. Second time it was 2 years! Same hospital.

But the drug has changed her life again.

Try any private hospital most will do a zoom consultation. My arranged one for my daughter with in 2 days. Google private online dermatologist, she was seen on zoom by a BUPA hospital one I think. Follow up by phone email, a private prescription sent to our local pharmacy

You absolutely are diminishing it. You clearly have no idea of the impact the MH conditions that stem from acne can have on a developing brain and how they can stay with an individual for life. Just because MH illnesses are not visible the way a physical condition is, does not mean we should underestimate the damage

It is not a competition for who has it worst. Sadly the NHS is a shitshow and needs one hell of a lot to improve

Have you tried something like the boots online doctor? You can get things like differin/tretinoin on private prescription from there usually by uploading a few photos and possibly having an online consultation. Tret direct is also an online acne medication service.

You actually don't know what I have "no idea" of. I did not mean that it's a competition, "clearly."

OP asked if this waiting time is mad. In the context of a broken NHS, no, it isn't mad for a condition like acne. Sorry but that's the truth. Should it be better? Yes. But is it? No.

It is still a good idea to keep things in perspective, given that there are lots of real life stories of people deteriorating and dying while waiting for appointments/treatments/surgeries. I apologise if I worded this point too bluntly.

I agree completely that the NHS is a shitshow and I wish the absolute best for OP's son.

What other creams has he tried?
I had a 3 month wait for the Dermatologist and if I'd gone private, it was 4 weeks

My Doctor gave me soolantra to use and I had to send a photo to DR of my skin, he forwarded it with Dermatologists referral and they called within two days and added lymecycline to the prescription until my appointment

Have you got any private hospitals near you? They usually have Dermatologists there

A beautician is no good for acne because it needs proper medical attention.

Go back to the Dr meantime and ask for another combination of antibiotics and cream

Anything my child tried from the GP worked a little at most for a few weeks. When we saw the dermatologist, she said when acne is bad, it usually needs roaccutane to get rid of it, which it did very quickly.

My parents are from Greece, so it was easier I guess to ask around. But yes, I just googled dermatologists in Athens and found an appointment. He prescribed a low dose of roaccutane. Not saying it's the right path, and be careful, but if it's an option for you?

Honestly, I’d go private and if it means travelling or doing it online with photos etc, then perhaps that’s the way to go. Private healthcare is one of the few things I’d gladly splurge on, and acne can have devastating impacts on kids mental health. If you can…do.

I would try and get them tret cream from somewhere while waiting for private derm

Thanks for this recommendation @Hidingbehindusername . i'm just looking at their website (DD hasn't even been given a timescale for her dermatology appt - just that she is on the waiting list and it will be some time)

Can i ask if you went for the full consultation or the sending photos one? DD is only 13 so i hadn't considered accutane, also ASD so was wary as her mental health is fragile at best, but google tells me it can be used in kids her age. think i'm talking myself into the full consultation here 😂.

she's had a long course of antibiotics which did nothing and has Epiduo, which does work a bit, but makes her skin so dry and sore she's reluctant to use it.

@TheBunyip SkinDoc is who we used too and I would highly recommend them, really professional and accessible. You will need to have tried antibiotics first before progressing to accutane but I think you said you've done that already. DS did a course of antibiotics with them first and is currently doing accutane with great success. The in-person consultation is thorough and you do a mental health questionnaire before each one which is reviewed beforehand. In between consultations you can contact them at any time and they are very responsive.

No one is ever going to feel grateful for having acne.

I have just checked the website and I think the options have changed slightly as I think we were able to ask for the specific treatment. However, they are really thorough so wouldn’t have just prescribed it because we asked.
They are really helpful via email so if you’re not sure I would just ask them what they recommend.
DS was 17 and had tried everything else so it’s probably a slightly different situation.

good luck!

@Diomi I know people who are waiting for life saving referrals. It's all relative isn't itv

As lots of people have said, I would go to a private dermatologist. There must be one within a train ride. You won’t need to see them very often (just for regular but not frequent blood tests to check liver function) once they’ve done the initial consultation. Totally worth it and absolutely life changing.

You are speaking to someone who was about to take their life because others' perception was that it is 'only' acne. Had I been successful, I would have been one of those who died whilst waiting for appointments and treatments.

Acne has levels of severity. The waiting time is totally and completely mad . It is unacceptable for a child who has severe acne that is affecting their mental health. It also costs the NHS more in the long run if they end up like I did. That is the truth

Your point was not just worded bluntly, it was 100% wrong. You have no idea what others can tolerate. By 'gently' suggesting someone is grateful, you are absolutely diminishing and suggesting it is a competition of who has it worse.

I am sorry for what you went through.

There wasn't actually any indication in the OP (which is what I was initially replying to) that her son is suicidal. I hope that is not the case, obviously.

Of course life is not a competition of who has it worse, but there is an objective competition when it comes to NHS waiting times: a competition for resources.

I find keeping things in perspective to be helpful. It's fine if you disagree. My intentions were not malicious. I don't think there's any more to be said.

I find keeping things in perspective to be helpful.

More minimising. 🙄🙄🙄

Mid Jan is actually pretty good, it'll fly round. I'd book that or phone around other private places even if you have to travel til you find something sooner. Roaccutane is bloody fantastic but can cause low mood in young men particularly so be careful - but it changed my life.