Acne - what now?

[SinkGirl]

Since early this year I’ve had very painful cystic acne. Huge giant lumps under the skin, often with no head, and they take forever to go.

I’ve tried so many different face products and OTC creams. No change.

I’m 10 weeks into a 12 week course of lymecycline and it hasn’t cleared up, plus they are causing me real bowel issues so I want to just stop them, it’s not helping anyway and I’ve given it ages.

I know there are a few prescription skincare websites now - are they worth a try?

Don’t really have the money to see a private dermatologist!

Any other ideas for next steps? Do those light devices actually work?

The prescription skincare sites mostly seem to prescribe differin (adapalene) or tretinoin. I would see a dermatologist about roaccutane if you have painful cystic acne with lumps that don't form heads. Skincare won't touch it and you'll waste hundreds of pounds and years of your life.

I would also see the dr about roaccutane. I had it when I was 14, I had awful cystic acne. Took the tablets plus dianette for a few months and my skins still clear 20 years later.

Spearmint tea! I have suffered with cystic acne for years. Very deep boil like spots on the jawline that would last for weeks. All the lotions and potions from my doctor made no difference. A Google search earlier this year brought up spearmint tea as being good for that kind of acne so I decided to give it a go and it's made a massive difference. In fact, I can't remember the last time I had a deep spot. I have two cups a day, morning and evening. I would really recommend giving it a go. I buy the dried leaves and I bought a little teapot that you can use with tea leaves.

I think it acts by reducing the androgens in your body. Higher levels of which can cause acne. I also had a very short menstrual cycle which I think was all related and it's increased that from 22/23 days to 27/28.

You need to ask your GP for an NHS referral to a dermatologist in order to get a roaccutane prescription. 8months on that and you wont get acne ever again. It's a rough road, but it saved my life.

You'd be better saving up to see a dermatologist privately. Honestly. I was surprised that an appointment cost me less than all the products I bought.

Dont waste money on skincare subscriptions or light devices etc. I was on 15 different acne prescriptions from my gp from the age of 12 - 21. Nothing worked. You need roaccutane

Have you tried the combined pill? It’s the only thing that stopped mine.

Hi OP, I have had this exact same problem. Cystic lumps with no head, they take weeks and weeks to clear and they kind of ‘scar’ even if you don’t touch them because the skin is so swollen it is left red afterwards for months.

If there is ANY way you can save/scrape to see a derm I would do it and I would be asking for Roaccutane. I know it’s a controversial drug. For me personally it was a miracle worker after nothing else (including other medication) had worked.

Other steps I take these days (15 years after taking roaccutane, I had ZERO spots for 10+ years after but now I do get one or two lumpy spots on jaw every few months, nowhere near bad enough to go back on accutane but when I do get them they still form cystic lumps) are to avoid changing skincare products too often and most important for me is to avoid/reduce dairy products. The difference dairy makes is massive for me, I can see the effects clearly.

Good luck, it’s horrible I know and really gets you down.

Marvelon (combined pill) stopped mine. I rarely get a spot now and if I do they're nothing like the cystic acne I had for a few years. Even when I took a break from it the deep spots didn't come back

Keep going back to the GP until you find something that works. Don't bother with miracle cures/regimes. I spent 5 years with adult acne - i tried one regime after another, wasted a huge amount of money and ended up very depressed. Antibiotics did not work for me. A prescription cream called Duac worked very well but I gave up on it too early. I ended up on Roaccutane - I took a milder dosage over a long period of time and it worked very well.

Keep your skincare/makeup very simple. I found a gel moisturiser worked best - I have been using Clinique Moisture Surge for years now and it's great, very soothing and light. I also use Clinique Even Better foundation and it doesn't seem to cause any clogging (I'm aware these are a bit pricey, but there are lots of cheaper equivalents). Avene Soapless Gel Cleanser is good too.

Ps - you don't have to see a private dermatologist - I was referred on the NHS.

Try salicylic acid soap and use morning and night. Cleared my cystic acne up but I am taking lymecycline too. Also, have you tried giving up milk/dairy?

I've done it all. Spent a fortune on creams etc, been on all the antibiotics and creams from the GP. Came off contraception and paid to see a private dermatologist. Turned out I had several food allergies that was causing it. I'd start there as there's very little point treating the skin if it's coming from inside your system

Personally I don’t think anyone can give you the right advice here, unfortunately all skin is different and what works for one person won’t work for another. I had terrible cystic acne as a teenager and roaccutane did nothing for me. I was given so many drugs/topical treatments before anything made a difference. It’s definitely trial and error.

Red Light Therapy might help?

And this website Acne.org has so much information

Roaccutane was life changing for me

If lymecycline isn’t working go back and request dermatology. If you don’t keep on at them they think you are better. My wait was 4 months and I took antibiotics during that time which just about managed it.

I took roaccutane and it’s life changing. Acne is a very difficult infection to get rid of in some of us, it’s very deep seated.

I’m allergic to cows milk & haven’t eaten them for 15 years, it made no difference & if you cut dairy you need a vitamin d & k supplement.

Light devices usually say they aren’t for cystic acne, mild acne only.

What’s your diet like?
There is something off-kilter in your body and no amount of creams or acids will help. Even medications are just a sticking plaster. You need to get to the root of the problem.

If it was that easy 🙄. Saying things like that throws the blame onto the patient & makes out their doing something wrong.

Roaccutane works first time in 80% of patients. It doesn’t matter what the cause is the treatment is the same.

If you break a leg the cause doesn’t matter you deal with the problem as it presents.

My mother and I have the same horrendously oily skin. I got acne from 17yo, she never suffered.

I had the same problem op. Roaccutane was all that worked for me. And even then it took 3 courses.

I think you need to go back to your gp and stress the impact this is having on your mental health and ask to be referred to a dermatologist on the nhs.

As others have said - don't waste your time and money on potions and lotions.

One of the nurse I saw took it 3 times but had lovely skin.

Hi I used to suffer very badly too. The only thing which worked for me was the pill diannette. The doctor has to prescribe it and only after other treatments have failed. In three months it was clear I just wish my doctor gave it sooner it would have saved a lot of heartache for me in my teenage years

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/acne-vulgaris/management/primary-care-management/

I post these guidelines all the time but patients need to know what the nhs can do for them. Don’t be fobbed off by a uninterested gp. Keep on asking for help.