Acne How bad does it have to be?

[supernannyisace]

I still suffer from acne - have done since about the age of 12 - now in my 40s.Grr...

The only cure is the pill, particularly Dianette - perfect skin on that. However, I can't take it - due to age, and my history of DVT, and blood clotting disorder.

So - I have an appointment to see a dermatologist at the hosp -I had to bend the GPs arm to get one though. Previous derm just said that I would grow out of it when I got to 40?!?! Well, I didn't believe him and I was right.

Has anyone been in a similar position? Will the derm take me seriously? I am jsut fed up with still having spots- not just on my face, but neck, chest, back, shoulders. They aren't huge festering boils or anything, but lots and persistant.

Any advice/tips welcomed!!

Of course the dermatologist will take you seriously. Depending on the condition of your skin, you will probably be started on topical lotions and/or perhaps a low dose oral antibiotic.

You will have to be patient though. Normally they like to start with mild treatment and see, over a length of time, how that works for you.

I think stuff like roaccutane is for very serious conditions and is used when everything else hasn't worked. It's a very strong drug with potential side effects and you have to be monitored very closely when on it.

Hopefully, you wont need to go down that route.

Good luck.

Some women who present with such acne have PCOS as the underlying cause. The dermatologist needs to establish WHY this is happening and not just treat the symptoms.

A condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome can also cause acne to continue in adulthood. Given your history and the fact that Dianette was the only pill that cleared it up (Dianette has anti androgenic qualities) I would put money on it that PCOS is the underlying cause. Dianette can work well for some PCOS patients.

I would ask this dermatologist you will be seeing if he thinks that polycystic ovaries is the underlying cause of your acne, if this person has no clue I would seek a second opinion from a gynae.

Jalopy - I have had Roacuttane 3 times now, and a good friend has also had it, so I know what I'm talking about. It is not a nice drug at all, and only for those seriously fed up with having spots as it is quite an onerous one to take, but so worth it if you are getting down with having spots and all else has failed.

As I said before my friend was prescribed it, and she only had acne on her chin. I would not have described her as having a very serious condition at all, and neither of us has PCOS, we just get spots!

I had acne from about 12 to 22, tried topical creams and antibiotics and it improved it a bit but didn't get rid of it. I finally got referred to a dermatologist and he put me on roaccutane for 4 months. The only side effect I had was really dry skin and hair, but it worked very well and I've had pretty clear skin for about 10 years now.

Roaccutane works but not forever, and you can't take it forever anyway because it would fuck up your liver.

I took it for 6 months and was spot free for another 6 months after that. Then they came back slowly and after a year were back to original state.

My body just gets used to whatever. Antiobiotics, topcial and oral also work for a very brief amount of time then my body seems to just override them.

I've given up and learned how to apply make up, and how not to pick.

I'm 27 and have had mild/ medium acne since I was about 13. It gets better and worse all the time with no discernable pattern (health/stress/hormones). My new Dr has been great- in the past drs gave me one dose of antibiotics (didn't work) and I've been on and off different pills for years. New Dr has tried me on zineryt (or something) which is a topical antibiotic application. Seems to be doing a reasonable job, but I'll never have the perfect skin I want....... Drs should take you seriously- it's taken me years to get up the guts to speak to mine properly about it!

I've suffered since I was 14..now 37. Only had two occasions in all these years where I've had beautiful skin..both times after taking Roaccutane. I know it is a serious drug, but it really depends how depressed you are about your skin! For me...all the bad side effects (bleeding nose, bleeding lips, dry dry skin on my hands which bled) were totally totally worth it, because I watched with joy as my skin started to clear up.

I suffered from awful boil like cysts everywhere under my skin. Now, although my clear skin didn't last (lasted about 12-18months both times), the spots are more like normal spots. And after having boil like cysts, I can cope with spots!I've been told you can't go on it more than 3 times, so I'm saving the third time for after I've had kids.

It really depends how upset you are. I tell you one other thing you should try first tho - Proactiv. It's amazing. It keeps my skin under control. Given that you sound like you have spots as opposed to cysts, I would definitely give this a go first. It's not cheap, but it really is the ONLY thing out there that will shift your spots without drugs. :) Seriously...give it a go.

OP I am in a very similar position to yourself. Been on tablets for over a year now, Doxycycline. I was referred to dermatologist in November last year. I very nearly got Roaccutane but looking at the charts on how they grade acne I am quite mild! I was given the gel version of it.

Went back to the doctor after about 3 months and was given something else to use Differin. Not liking it so far as it has really bought out some horrible spots but only been using it for about 2 weeks now.

I show no other symptoms of PCOS

nalubeadsgirl I have had boil like cysts on my cheeks in the past :(

PROACTIV LADIES!!! I"m telling you! :D

I used to buy it in the states and pay the huge customs charges. It's not cheap here...£17.95 for the cleanser...or the whole bundle is about £35 i think, but it is sooooooo worth it!

Thank you for all your advice.

I have had antibiotics in the past - and it hasn't done the job. It is the oiliness that I hate. So, I will go to my appt and see what can be done. Ijust want smooth, non-greasy skin. Not too much to ask at 44 is it?

I would probably be graded at being mild too - but I want it sorting out, so I do think I will pitch for Roaccutane - as 30 years of worrying about my skin is just too long. It just depends on how sympathetic the dermatologist is.

Thanks again.

Have you tried zinc and omega 3 supplements? They seem to work really well on the kind of acne which disappears on the pill.

I had 'bad skin' of various degrees (also have rosacea) until I started taking these about 8 years ago, and have had completely clear skin (bar the odd spot around my period) since, despite two pgs. I still use the same topical cleanser that I used to clear it up in the first place, but nothing else.

I'm 33 and in the same position as the OP. Have you tried Yasmine? Similar effect as Dianette (though not quite as good, IME) but without the side effects that mean my GP won't prescribe it for anyone now.

Also drinking lots and lots of water seems to make a difference (when I remember)

discrete i got told by my dermatologist that pg clears your skin, so you might find it was this not the zinc that worked! ;) Something to do with your body having more important things to do that give you spots! (well that's how I like to think of it..rock on pregnancy!)

Diannette was great for me too. Drinking lots of water never seemed to help, they don't follow any kind of pattern

Dianette is the only thing that worked for me. I currently take lymecycline anti biotics. It makes it ok but never perfect. I also think the sun has a great effect...but longterm will cause it's own problems.

During my pregnancies mine was at the absolute worst.

I am a complete diet coke and chocolate addict, I'm sure this doesn't help. Any ideas?

nalubdeasgirl - well, the zinc cleared it out well before the pgs (and was arguably responsible for the pgs too, we had been told pg not on the cards). But maybe the pgs helped it stay clear....how long is that effect supposed to last?

I was told by several women that their acne flared up something awful with their pgs/postnatally, but maybe they were anomalous.

I'm 38 and have had bad acne since about 15. Only roaccutane worked (2x) and its never been bad since (I've had the odd few spots but nothing as angry, pussy, huge and painful as my late teens early 20s. My brother ended up taking it too and worked similarly. Good luck. It's really no fun.

The only thing that works for me is being pg and dianette - microdermabrasion had good results but only in combo with the dianette.

Sorry, I've just got to put this out there.

Please do not perpetuate the myth that a bad diet/ not drinking enough water causes acne. The very mildest order of spots might be aggravated by a bad diet, but acne is NOT caused by a bad diet.

I have a healthy diet, exercise well and drink lots of water, and yet have been plagued by acne for years. Whilst we're at it, people with acne are not "dirty" people who don't wash/ cleanse their skin properly.

Yes- eating well, drinking lots of water and looking after your skin is important, but it will not cure acne.

Visit NHS acne information page- quote:

There is no evidence that diet, poor hygiene or sexual activity play a role in acne.

Good luck in getting it sorted. I for one know that those who have never suffered from acne don't understand the stigmata, the depression and everything else that comes along with it!

Updating this thread.

So - I had my appointment at the Derm at the hosp. They did take me seriously - unfortunately at the time of my visit, my skin was pretty clear. Typical eh! i had just a few regular spots on my chin/cheeks. None on my neck or back.

Anyway - prescribed Differin - and to return in 4 months. I tried the Differin - and after the initial flaking - my skin did look good.

However, in addition to that I started taking Zinc - as reccomended by discrete. I read up on it first - and apparently it helps to regulate the testosterone and other hormones - which can cause the excess oiliness. So - same effect as the Diannette did?

I have kept it up - am taking 25mg Zinc Picolinate daily - and have been quite happy. Still a few odd spots - especially in PMT week - but I can live with that.

Plus I was reading in Zest mag - a feature on a diet perported to help skin. Basically eat fish, vegetables etc and avoid sugars, alcohol, dairy and wheat. I can do that. (well, may be not the alcohol..).

It is very common to suffer acne in adulthood nowadays - so thought would bump this thread up and it may help others.

So, thanks discrete for the heads up on the zinc!!

I am a beauty therapist & I also work for Proactiv in Australia. I would also recommend as well as taking zinc to take 1000mg of vit C. The Proactiv sold in the UK contains Salicylic acid which isn't that strong. It has a cleansing, unblocking & flushing out effect on the skin but is gentle. In Australia it contains 2.5 % Benzyol peroxide. In the US it's 5% Benzyol peroxide. It is nothing wonderful, just clever marketing so people want to use it as celebrities use it. You can get the same stuff from a Dr & probably cheaper. I have to tell my customers that it's so good but I hate my job & have been trying to leave but have to stay until something else turns up.

Hope differin and zinc help. Just want to mention something about Roaccutane. My dd was prescribed it by a skin specialist when she was 17/18. It helped her skin but she started with what the gp thought was irritable bowel syndrome just after she started uni. After 4 years of incorrect diagnosis it was found that she had ulcerative colitis. Her consultant has said that there appears to be evidence that roaccutane can cause this and that in the States people are now suing the manufacturer because they took the drug and ended up with colitis.

My dd is now 26 and on immuno-surpressant drugs to try control the colitis. She has had several admissions to hospital with flare-ups that have required iv steroids. She said if she'd had any idea at the time that roaccutane could cause colitis she wouldn't have taken it. Am sure it's not a common situation but just wanted anyone who is thinking of taking it to be aware of the possibility that it may be responsible for causing this condition in some people.

i have used roaccutane for years. i have seen a dermatologist privately. i am lucky in that i have no side effects from it, nothing wrong with my liver. i stopped taking it a year ago to give myself a rest from it. i am now suffering from lumps under my skin and lots of spots around my mouth and chin. i will go back and get some more when i am ready. my nhs gps can't be bothered with helping me so i pay £150 for a 20 minute consultation and £120 for tablets to last 8 months of the year.

that is interesting about the private derm. Is that in the UK?

I always thought that it would cost much, much more than that for private treatment.

Pleased it worked for you - but it's a shame that the acne is returning ):