Sick of acne (warning with pics) what to ask for at GP

[DoorsAndWater]

Hi everyone,
I am embarrassed to post this but I don't know what to do anymore, I have spent a fortune on skincare over the years, I have tried everything from clearasil when I was younger (I am now 36) to Clinique 3 step, now to La Roche Posay, oil cleansing to skincare for sensitive skin, then acid toning... I have literally come to a standstill with what to do next. I have decided to finally go my GP but I don't know what to ask for but I am so sad and sick of the state of my skin, I've recently lost a lot of weight, thought It would make eye happy but I am still having to plaster my face in make every.single.day because I am so embarrassed about this acne I've now had for 20 years! I have always tried different routines for at least six weeks but nothing works! Can't anyone suggest anything or at least what I should be asking my GP for before I make an appointment. Please help, and thanks for reading!

Sorry also I'd recommend going to see Bare Minerals and buying their foundation for while things get better. It's the only one I could use and it really is OK with bad skin! Lifesaver for me. Good luck, I know how down this can make you feel x

Whatever the GP prescribes, if it hasn't worked how you would like it to after 2-3 months then go back. Loads of people think "it hasn't worked, there's no point" but there are loads of different treatments and the success varies between people so you have to go back. For what it's worth, I'd give you a combination of oral and topical treatment AND a dermatology referral in the meantime because if your age- if you've had it for 20 years, the chances of it improving with GP prescribed treatments is on the lower side. If it did work, you could cancel the derm referral. That is said with a couple of caveats though, the first being that I know our derm department would accept that- some wouldn't without you having had some treatment first (sometimes a couple of different types) and secondly that my threshold for referral is low because I've had acne and I know it's miserable!

Good luck.

Also, you don't have to know what to ask for when you see a GP- let them have a look and chat through the options then decide together. There isn't one "best" treatment, there are lots of factors to consider.

Why on earth have you suffered this long?! Any decent dermatologist would have knocked this on the head years ago.

My DP used to mega dose with pantathenic (sp?) acid supplements. He discovered it after researching online. He did this for a few years. His used to get a few large painful spots which he hated and this did the trick. He doesn't use it any more and his skin is generally fine. I don't know too much about the side effects though.

I tried that minty a few years ago.

Made no difference to me - aside from depleting my bank balance.

Wow, that's sympathetic, BoboChic.

I can't speak for the OP but for me it was this conviction (spurred on by clever advertising) that skincare should be enough to sort it, and that if you only try one new product it'll be the one. That, and the idea that the GP wouldn't help (as indeed they didn't when I was young), and you'd take away an appointment from someone who was actually ill as opposed to a vanity-related thing.

What spurred me on was, when in desperation I asked my pharmacist if they had anything to help, she said, 'There is nothing I can give you that will be as good as what your GP can give you on prescription. Go!'

OP My skin looked like yours, plus redness/inflammation to boot. I am on Doxycycline and Finacea at the moment (past 5 weeks) - and it's really improved things. I haven't had a proper spot since week 2. Not sure how long term it will be, but going to the GP is definitely the right move. Give each thing a good go, and book follow-ups.

Good luck

Tetracycline/Lymecycline

Until then, soak some gauze in pure honey and tape to the worst ones (one by one is probs best!!). Honey is nature's anti-bacterial substance (due to high level of natural sugar) that draws bacteria out of your skin and the high sugar content dries your spots out.

It is also advisable to use the honey process WHILST taking the medication above as they are long term antibiotics and Honey increases antibiotic flow to the infected areas. Very clever stuff, honey!

Looks hormonal, you could go on the pill, Yasmin helped me for a while, I had seriously bad acne in my early twenties.

Otherwise panoxygel 2.5% worked miracles too, there's a stronger 5% version but I don't recommend that, it's available over the counter. Basically your need a bit of benzoyl peroxide which this product has to dry your skin and kill the bacteria which is blocking your pores.

Your acne doesn't look too bad, but I went on Roaccutane as a last resort, it worked for me, a few spots came back after a year or so, that's when I used Panoxygel which cleared my skin. If you can't find this, ask a pharmacist for a water based gel with benzoyl peroxide.

Also, make sure you wash your towels and scarves, or any clothes that touch your skin often.

One more thing, don't over clean your skin with a lot of different products. I just used clean and clear oil free wash, and a sensitive Nivea moisturiser, no toner or anything else, sometimes acne gets worse when you use too many things.
Good luck, I know how you feel! Thankfully I don't have to battle annoying acne now although get the occasional hormonal spot.

I was told by a derm to ask for prescription Vitamin A from GP.

What finally cleared my skin (at age 35-ish) was Epiduo, which is adapalene and benzoyl peroxide (prescribed by my GP). I also use Lush Ultrabland to clean my face - never thought this would work as it's an oily balm cleanser, but my skin has never been better than it has since I've been using it.

Definitely talk to your GP - the ARE things that work, you just need to find the right one!

Op there's a thread entitled having amazing results for my cystic acne if that helps?

Another vote for oxytetracycline, I have been on this on and off for years , go to your gp and ask for it. You can see some difference after a week and mine pretty much clears completely within 3 weeks. If you moved all the acne from your face (going by your pics) and put it all on your chin that is what mine looked like but with extra red lumpy ness!
I really feel for you, sometimes mine would seep through my make up which was lovely. I'm other side of 40 now and haven't used it for about 2 years. I used to get 6 and 12 month prescriptions for it, they will only prescribe it if your contraception is nailed down though as it causes big problems in pregnancy. The very best of luck to you.

Thanks so much for all your replies today everyone, I really appreciate hearing everyone's ideas and stories. Going to book in the morning, couldn't today as I had a poorly toddler :-( thank you all, I'll let you all know what the GP says when I've been x

Good luck with your gp, op. I suffered from moderate acne too. My gynae prescribed a specific birth contro pill that cleared my face up tremendously. My dd now uses epiduo with excellent results.

No better advice than what other posters said, but didn't want to read & run.

I know what it feels like- like a freaking nightmare. I used to look in the mirror and cry. Since then I'm on birth control, but that's not a long-term solution.... so I'm thinking coming off and change stuff like diet, smoking, skincare etc.

I have not tried myself, but people swear by primrose oil capsules... do try that, can't do any harm, they're just supplements.

I personally would avoid roaccutane at all costs, particularly if you don't have children yet but you're planning to.

It will be fine!

I can understand how you feel. I suffered from really bad cystic acne in my mid twenties, made me feel really low.
My dermatologist first gave me creams (like Differin). That didn't work, so then I got antibiotics, but they didn't work either. In the end I had Roaccutane and that cleared it for me in about 4 months. Roaccutane is very strong and I had to have regular blood tests, check ups, etc. Not sure if this would be suitable for you though but I'm sure your GP will discuss various options.
Another thing is to try and not irritate your skin too much by over cleansing. I always thought that cleansing often would help, but by doing that I over dried my skin and that gave me more spots... Avène and La Roche Posay are good for gentle cleansing/moisturising creams.
Hope the Dr helps find the right treatment for you.

Haven't read the thread but I had terrible acne on and off into my late twenties which in the end was sorted with roaccutane. It's not for the faint hearted (I had frequent nose bleeds, very very dry skin, couldn't tolerate sunlight, couldn't drink alcohol etc while I was on it) but it worked. Nothing else worked for me. It was genuinely life changing in terms of confidence. Good luck and really hope it gets sorted out, it is truly truly miserable.

Can I recommend you don't ask the doctor for anything specific?

Tell the doctor what the problem is and allow the doctor to advise and decide on the right treatment for you.

My DS uses DUAC gel too & it helped enormously but has not cleared it up entirely. When I've stolen a dot of it (I know, not good) when I've had a giant spot, it has made my spot shrivel away but also made the area red, dry & rashly so it is not for me.

I had terrible acne on my back and was prescribed zineryt topical, it was amazing, gone within 3 weeks

Go to see a Chinese herbalist, you'll find one in yellow pages. Neighbours son tried everything from go, it went, but came back, and original drugs stopped working, over and over again.
Three weeks of herbs, and his skin was fantastic, and scarring was really really reduced.
Of either of my kids go through this, it's definitely what i will do .
Best of luck

Spironolactone is a good drug for hormonal acne.

It's a blood pressure tablet and used in heart disease but it works wonders for acne.

Only a derm can prescribe it and you need regular blood tests to check your kidney function. I do not recommend oral antibiotics at all because it comes back with a vengeance when you stop them. Duac etc are ok, but IME don't quite cut it.

Spiro is great for people who don't want to go down the roaccutane route. I have just increased my dose as I started on a very low dose but the low dose helped a lot.

I went to the GP for a long time before he sent me to the derm, so I have had to live with acne for years and the scars. I can't take roaccutane unfortunately.

Ugh I suffer with cystic acne too.

It was only better with Yasmin/diameter but I now get migraines so I can't have that.

I'm allergic to benzoyl peroxide and other topical things too.

I'm almost at the point of opting for a balaclava.

Currently have one bad boy in my forehead that's been there nearly two weeks. I have red post-spot scarring that takes months to fade too, even if I ignore the spots they leave marks.

Maybe I need a derm referral too.

I had cystic acne too. Roaccutane was the answer- wonder drug. The other thing that works is Guinot desensitising cleanser moisturiser and fab concealer that treats as it conceals along with the guinot hydrodermie facial that uses a current and oxygen radicles to kill bacteria. Worth every penny.

Roaccutane changed my life.