Acne advice - I'm fed up!

[Romann]

Has anyone found a cure for acne? I'm 41 and fed up with spots.

I did a course of roaccutane about 15 years ago, which was ok but not a magic bullet. More recently I had good results over 3 years with spironolactone (Aldactone), but the problem returned a few months after I stopped taking the tablets, as was thinking of ttc.

I don't want to take the pill, even if not trying to ttc, as I have quite high stroke risk because of migraine. Basically I don't want to medicate at all really.

As far as I can tell, topical remedies aren't much use. I don't mind changing my diet, bit though I look better on no sugar, I still get spots. Dropping dairy makes no obvious difference. Clarisonic hasn't made a difference.

The sun works like a dream, but I don't want a load of wrinkles either!

What are other people's successful remedies?

Chemical peels work for me. Sounds drastic, but I started gently with microdermabrasion & built up to the peels
I wish I'd done it sooner
I went with Transform as they had an offer on & do a range of treatments

Good luck & good luck with ttc too

I'm going to sound like a rep for this company soon! (I am not!) however I was prescribed hibiscrub, you don't need a prescription you can get it in any chemist.

I was told after years and years of seeing drs taking everything and nothing working that my consistent nodular acne was actually probably more to do with a staph infection on my skin.

I thought God that's simple she's probably just another who has no clue, however I used it am & pm and within a couple of weeks my acne some which were months old either came to a head and healed quickly or just disappeared. It's been 6 months and I no longer need to wear loads of concealer just tinted moisturiser!

I know people say it's for hands etc but it removes all bacteria and it hasn't dried out my skin which is sensitive not oily.

Give it a try see how you get on!

I don't know if you can do much about it without meds OP.

I have had crappy skin since been a teen. The only thing that has kept it at bay most of my adult life has been the pill. dianette in particular is a miracle worker for me.

I am now 45 - and still suffering. Not as bad, but still- enough is enough. The consultant derm at the hospital said that I really wasn't bad enough for Roaccutane - and said I can take Trimethoprim on a long term basis. Touch wood it is doing okay at the minute. My skin is still quite greasy - but not spotty. (I have just cursed myself saying that now, haven't I?)

Of course, I wold love to not take meds for ever - but paid to see a private derm a month or two ago. She said to continue with the Trimethoprim for a further two months, and then stop it and see what happens. She is prepared to prescribe me Roaccutane if the acne reoccurs and is troublesome (to me).

I am trying to keep my skin care simple. I use Cetaphil to wash - and that's it. No daytime moisturiser, no make up (the odd bit of concealer on any blemishes). I also have Differin cream - which I apply at night . It helps with skin shedding, so avoids any blocked pores.

it isn't fair to be still having spots at this age - and am hoping that as menopause approaches my skin may dry out a bit. But I don't want to wait that long really.

I do think my skin looks better on a no sugar, no alcohol diet. And I have far fewer spots now than years ago when I smoked.

Perhaps, OP, another course of Roaccutane will sort it out now? It could be worth a go?

I've had rubbish skin for years, but I've been using Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser, toner and light moisturiser.
I used it religiously twice a day for about a month, and now use it most mornings, and my skin is the best it's ever likely to be iykwim.
I still get the odd spot, but no where near as bad as I used to and I've had bad skin since I was 11 (now 35)

kelper - did you only have bad skin on your face? I get spots on my back, chest and neck too. Which makes using products to keep it under control more tricky. Hence the need for meds.

Am pleased your routine is working for you though.

I sympathise OP. I'm 35 and have suffered with it since I was 10. For me it's hormonal and the only thing that's ever 'cured' it is Dianette (Pill). Every time I've come off it I've broken out again, so it's not really a cure. Have been off Dianette for two years since TTC and having my daughter (who's now 1) and it started to return when she was about 6 months. Sounds like yours is also hormonal too if the Spironolactone worked?

So I haven't found a cure but the things that make it better (or less worse?!) are:

Diet - no sugar, no gluten, minimal dairy, minimal alcohol (should really cut out the last two completely but haven't quite managed it!)
Proper cleansing regime - I used to use teenage cleaners etc which just dried out my skin. Now using REN and Darphin. I also got a prescription for Duac a few weeks ago which is helping.
Supplements - Yeast Raiders from Holland and Barrett, Vitamin D3 and Zinc

I think these things just help to keep it under control because I still get spots, particularly pre-menstrual and usually on the lower half of my face and jawline, which is classic hormonal.

I have had bad skin since I hit 30 and tried everything from expensive skin regimes and treatments to every skin care range under the sun.
What works for me is lymphatic drainage facials which are only £30 and La Roche Posay Effaclar range.
And not touching my face.
The facials made a massive difference from the first one. Kind of removed all the stagnation under my skin (had horrible cystic type lumps and spots) and shifted all the crap out. I have the facials every 2 weeks.

princessalbert I do, but I tend to get dh to get rid of those iykwim?
I do use the Liz Earle stuff on my chest and shoulders sometimes, and as far as I can reach on my back, but I've never been able to reach most of my back to use a scrub on :-/

I had the same problem when I came off the pill and got utterly desperate being in quite a high profile job with terrible skin.
I was recommended a course at Danne Montague King, it's like medical grade facials. Yes it's expensive and you have to be committed to the treatments and doing the at home stuff but it totally worked for me and I've never looked back, three years later.
I live in Aus but I know they have clinics in the UK.
Good luck, hope you get it sorted I know how upsetting it can be.

I've been using bliss spa clog dissolving cleanser and la Roche possay effaclar duo with great results , it's really cleared my skin up

I'm the same ages as you and have had spots to one extent or another since I was 11, so I don't have a miracle sure, as I still have them

However, what I do know is that the more I "do" to my skin the worse it gets.

ATM I cleanse in the evening using Aqueous cream and a muslin cloth (gently) and use cheap Simple moisturiser and they're better than they've been in a long time.

The cloths came with Liz Earke but that was the very worst thing I have ever done to my skin. The spots were not only worse and ugly but painful.

yes
use olay sensitive dry face cloths - you add a little tepid water, they foam up and then you very gently wash the affected areas. Then rinse with tepid water and pat dry.
I then use this BHA to ensure that the oil and pores are being treated
I then use 2.5 % benzyl peroxide on any spots that are around to disinfect.
I then use a fragrance free olay regenerist serum on top

oh I use a spf all year round because of the BP

my skin is great now - I am v strict about making sure that I cleanse and use the BHA and serum. The BP kills the bacteria in the spots afaik.

Oh yes, and cutting out sugar makes a massive difference - not easy to stick to though

yy liz earle cleanser and muslin cloths were awful for my skin
just too harsh

Oh thanks so much for all the helpful replies, and so many things to try! I'm in Aus too mag so maybe that's where I'll start. If you should happen to be in Canberra please give me an address!

Come to think of it probably better to kick of with hobos crib though and save some $$$

hibiscrub

Notify did you mention the aquaous cream last week on here?? If so thank you I've ditched all the products and been washing with what I thought was aquaous but it's the aquaous calamine cream!! And don't need any moisturiser just take a cotton pad over with witch hazel and skin is clearing up

No, but the idea definitely came from here

Mag I had 7 months of DMK every two weeks and it made little difference to my skin. It was a bit better but nothing major. Especially for how much it cost (£80 every two weeks for the facials and £300 x 2 for the at home skin care)

And again everyone raved about Liz Earle and it brought me out in sore spots although I know everyone seems to love it.

I have had acne since I was 11 and the only time I had good skin was while pregnant and for about a year after the babies were born. Now 53 and got a bad outbreak a few months ago. The best thing I have used is Aknicare - you get it mail order and if you google it you can see some promo stuff. It helps get rid of blackheads without scrubbing and doesn't dry out my skin. IMO most people don't understand what actually causes acne, and that it is not diet related.