Teenage cystic acne out of control

[KingofQueens]

My poor son is 15, and has had acne that has been getting worse and worse since being under the GP.
They say he has to persevere with oral antibiotics and Acnecide, but his skin has got so much since starting with them. We're desperate now. I'm so worried about his mental health and long term scarring.
Has anyone had a child with skin like this who has had anything work for them?
He's such a lovely boy, never complains, but I can see him becoming a shadow of himself.

Thank you so much again to everyone, I'm so overwhelmed by everyone's kindness.
I've spoken to a private dermatology clinic and they are seeing him next Thursday. They did have a cancellation for this Friday, which would have been ideal, but unfortunately we're at Great Ormond Street with my eldest on Friday.
(Things don't get easier as they get older do they, just different!)

Definitely accutane he does not need to keep suffering like this. My dd took it and I had to push the doctor for a referral, I went in to the appointment after he told her to just stop wearing make up he then referred her.
I was very worried about the mental health aspect of it as she did have mental health issues and was on fluoxetine but in the end she was fine. Her skin cleared up beautifully and now (9 years later) it’s still beautiful with no spots ever.

If the doctor had not referred her I would have gone private.

I’m so pleased you’ve gone for a private dermatologist, accutane was the only thing that helped my DD, and your lovely boy deserves to have this issue fixed asap now.

Sending solidarity to your DS. I felt emotional at your post and pictures, as this was me at 18. I was broken by it, it really affected me.

I kicked up a big fuss at GP and got referred to the dermatologist who put me on roaccutane. Yes it's a difficult medication in some ways but people who warn about the side effects often done understand the anguish caused by skin like this. The side effects were nothing to the relief I felt seeing my skin finally clear. It took about a year and I can honestly say it has been clear ever since.
All the best to you and DS, you're a great mum X

Please contact your GP and insist on a face to face appointment

This isn’t just a few teenage spots; it’s full on severe acne and he needs a referral to a Dermatologist

It’s certainly not just the physical side of things and concerns re scarring but like you say, the mental health side of things

Good luck to your son, I really hope he gets treatment that works for him very soon. If you can afford it, definitely consider going private for this

I’ve now had a proper read through the threads

OP that’s so great he’s been booked into see a private dermatologist next week

Good luck

@AAAAYY it's nothing to do with the GP. Dermatologists won't see patients who haven't done months on antibiotics. Please don't slag off GPs without knowing the protocol.

Thanks for posting this.

The NHS will reject any referral to dermatology for acne unless a list of treatments have been tried first.

This is the GP doing their job properly not being useless.

This is where it’s so useful if you can go privately - none of this gatekeeping and you can get straight in front of a dermatologist.

Oh bless him, I had cystic acne all over my jaw after childbirth and it was awful. I had Duac cream which worked sometimes and a low dose antibiotic which did nothing and was in discussion over roaccutane(?) which is no joke due to the side effects.

Weirdly enough, I had an injection of Botox near the area which disrupted it entirely and it’s never come back. Would be a weird thing for a teenage boy to try but it undoubtedly works.

As I said up thread, with my second child suffering (a word I use advisedly) with acne, we specifically said we didn't want to faff around with different antibiotics (we explained how little help they'd been to her brother, and how bad his skin had got).

She saw a dermatologist and was on accutane within a couple of months. And honestly, her skin wasn't that bad - just getting worse all the time.

This was NHS.

Hi, if you pay privately for a dermatology appointment, they will put him on accutane which in three or four months will change his life. One appointment for about £200, and £40 a month for a prescription. It’s utterly life changing medication. There is no clinically proven linked between low mental health and accutane . I highly recommend it.

Accutane. I am glad you made an appointment for that.