Skin worse after using Dermatica

[Lou88x]

I am in my early 30s and have been using Dermatica for just over a month. It has made my skin worse. I joined because I get hormonal acne cysts on my chin but the rest of my face was clear. They prescribed Adapalene with Niacinamide and at first it wasn’t too bad but after about 3 weeks, I had broken out on my forehead and cheeks with little red spots and redness. I’ve stopped using their cream now and have gone back to my old routine but my skin is still getting worse.

I told them at my review about the side effects and they said it was normal and I should moisturise more often to protect my skin barrier (I was already doing this.) Now I feel very disappointed and worried that my skin has been triggered by the cream and I’ll have these problems long term.

Does anyone have any advice?

Honestly, how much does a private appointment with a dermatologist cost now? I'm betting less that 2 pots of fancy cream... It's not expensive, it's an investment in your future face.

How do you find a good dermatologist?

I think it's really skin dependent
I use skin and me and mine has responded so well to it, my acne has gone and it's got tretinoin in which is what I wanted
But if it was more complex then yes I would have seen a professional, I just wanted tret for the anti ageing and it's working great
Mine probably sounds like an advert because I'm astonished at what it's done!

Reputable dermatologists charge upwards of £250 for an initial consultation. Medication costs will be additional when going private (a lot more than NHS prescription costs). Having seen them in my teens, the only option I was given is Roaccutane which I am keen to avoid and that is what has been putting me off more than the cost if I am honest.

I don’t use any fancy skincare as I don’t believe any unmedicated skincare options can be worth the extortionate price tags - most of them are made in the same laboratories. I’ve been toying with Dermatica because it is prescription only

I don't know how much you ladies spend on clothes but 250 pounds is like 2 or 3ish dresses. Whenever you feel the urge to buy something pretty just because it's pretty but you don't need it, put that money in an envelope. That'll be full before you know it.
I think I'd look for the best cardiologist but I'm not sure I'd necessarily need the best dermatologist. I would just avoid those that are associated to beauty clinics who offer lots of treatments.
I'd have a look at private hospitals. Browse their website and make an appointment with somebody who doesn't need to sell me something.

I’ve been toying with Dermatica because it is prescription only
I wonder how accurate a prescription can be after filling in a report that maybe isn't even seen by a doctor.
I'd really have regrets and I feel like people shouldn't go nuts with their faces. Because there are things you just can't take back.
I'll be roasted for saying this but look at Kate Middleton's eyebrows and her face. Money does not equal access to the best experts.

I really have regrets not I'd. I have regrets now. I have plenty of them let me tell you.

@Oceanus I am in complete agreement about beauty clinics and treatments offered. My hesitation is predominantly because I saw 2 dermatologists in my late teens who both gave me just one option for moderate persistent acne (no cysts but 5+ years of antibiotics and prescription topical treatments showed no improvement) - that was Roaccutane.

After seeing the second one, I succumbed and had the treatment (with all the horrific side effects) but it wasn't the miracle cure that it is for many others. First of all, my skin got SO much worse in the first 2 months - cystic acne all over my face. It eventually improved but not to the perfect clear skin that many others speak of. And 15 years on, I am experiencing awful hormonal acne again.

So I am extremely hesitant to see a dermatologist to be told Roaccutane is my only option - I don't have the strength to deal with that initial outbreak I had in the first 8 weeks of treatment. It took every ounce of strength at the time to keep going to work when I looked so bad.

Saying that, I absolutely agree with your sentiment not to go nuts and this is why I am trying to explore options. Dermatica have prescribers reviewing and prescribing the treatment; I do not know the level of experience and am trying to ascertain this. It is just such a shame 0.5% tret is no longer available on prescription from GP as mine would happily give it with my history

@prescribingmum If I were you I'd see a gynecologist first. Then maybe an endocrynologist (if the gynecologist gets nowhere as they're the big hormones experts) and then I'd see a dermatologist.
In my case what I see on my skin is a manifestation of what's going on inside. Sorting out your hormones might reflect on the skin too.
When I started having digestive problems, my periods got a bit out of whack around the same time and my skin definitely showed it.
My skin got better with a specific birth control pill. I had to stop it because it had lactose but I'm finally sorting out the digestive issues so, again, my skin's showing it. I mean, my body was a big mess for a long time and it's not 100% under control yet. The gynecologist definitely helped.
Men are just lucky in a way not having to deal with monthly fluctuations of hormones like we do. Not that they don't have them but when ours go pear-shaped it all goes pear-shaped.
Where I am Tretinoin is super cheap (I'm outside the UK though). When you say it's no longer available, do you mean it's off the market and not made anymore or the GP won't prescribe it?

Ignore the negative - not sure what @Oceanus has against it so much. Dermatica works for a lot of people (not everyone of course, like OP). I’d always say see your GP first but I tried everything (barring roaccutane) for my acne over the years, including Differin froom the doc, and while that worked ok, the Tretinoin in my Dermatica script was a game changer.

I have not had any acne symptoms since starting to use it, bar the odd blemish here and there. I never used to be able to wear much makeup before and had to choose silicone free (a task in itself) but since being on my treatment, I can use pretty much anything.

I know Dermatica do have dermatologists who prescribe based on your questionnaire and they’re happy to tweak it too. I’m on the lowest possible dose of Tret and it works perfectly for me. I tried to up it and it just caused peeling which didn’t resolve, so I went back down. I also have niacinamide and azelaic acid in my formula. The AA I requested and they were happy to add. My skin is never going to be perfect but after decades of pain, swelling and the aforementioned hassle with makeup, I finally feel I can relax.

If it doesn’t work for you then of course you just stop. The fact you only pay postage for your first script in my opinion means it’s worth a try.

@GeneHuntsCowboyBoots GP's aren't experts on skin they're general practitioners. They don't have the same indepth knowledge somebody who specialised on skin's supposed to have. Dermatologists are specialised on "skin".
If you think putting your only face in the hands of somebody you've never even seen is the way to go then go for it. Part with your money and keep your fingers crossed!
BTW maybe you can add your discount code here for Dermatica! Clearly you forgot...

Give over. So my success with their products is just a figment of my imagination then? And does that mean we shouldn’t use anything on our skin that we order online because you know, all the manufacturers might be lyimg to us and adding nasty ingredients? As for the discount code, I did forget because I’ve never used it. But even then I just wouldn’t offer it unsolicited.

So are also you saying we shouldn’t go to GP’s for anything then? Because they aren’t consultants or specialists in anything are they? Well, I know some have interests in specific things. Like one GP at my surgery has a special interest in dermatology and put my mind at rest when I worried I had a skin cancer. She also prescribed the other meds I’ve had for my skin over the years and knows I’m using Dermatica too.

And lastly, I’ve seen a private dermatologist about 6 years ago. Because at that point I’d had 2 decades of suffering. I couldn’t take Roaccutane due to my medical history. They recommended antibiotics (Lymecycline) and Differin. Both of which I went back to my GP for because it was cheaper than a private script.

Are you a dermatologist? Maybe that’s why you’re so het up about Dermatica.

@GeneHuntsCowboyBoots 1) Good for you to have such faith in GPs, I hope it holds. 2) I think you're the one who's too het up purely because my opinion's different to yours. Let's agree to disagree.

Not sure where I said I had such faith in GPs. Probably because I didn’t. And if sharing my story means I’m het up then ok.

But yes. Let’s agree to disagree.

I doubt my GP would even be able to refer me to a gynaecologist or endocrinologist on NHS for acne. It has certainly never been a suggestion in my past 20+ years of GP consultations for it. If by some miracle they did, I would need blood tests first then referral which would take many months (and wouldn't be seen as a priority). Going privately incurs a cost of £200+ per consultation per specialist (and all bloods and tests would be additional cost on top). Insurance companies are pretty strict on what they will fund too so it is a lot harder to access here if you dont have thousands to spend.

From experience, I don't have a huge amount of faith in a dermatologist offering me anything other than Roaccutane.

Tretinoin 0.5% is no longer available in our formularies so GPs cannot prescribe it. Mine are willing but the option does not exist and pharmacies cannot obtain stock - I suspect this is partly why Dermatica are so successful - they manufacture these products according to requirements.

I have read a lot about successes with medical grade skincare which is prescribed privately and made for the patient (Dermatica is one of the cheapest in this category but certainly not the only consideration). I want to go down the topical route so am going to research more into all the options.

@prescribingmum I'm quite shocked that you being a woman (I'm assuming since birth as you can never be too sure these days) your GP has never thought it suitable to send you off to see a gynecologist. I mean, all women should be able to see somebody who understands their body the best without having to get pregnant to access it.
If you know your acne's hormonal an ultrasound's important. My bloods were normal but the ultrasound picked up a cyst. It took more than an ultrasound for the cyst to show, so there were big things going on that were being missed by labs. The gynecologist also added specific labs a GP wouldn't ask for.
If your issue's related to hormones I'm not sure a dermatologist would fix it then, I completely agree with you.
I think the human body's like engineering, you need to fix things at the source or the problem will continue and if the usual tech guy can't fix it, bring in an expert. Otherwise it's like putting out little fires, it gets expensive and draining.
Talk to the GP and ask for a referral. You're a woman. Surely you're entitled to see one. Why not ask? Is your period out of whack? If the GP says no at least you'll know then and then you can look at your other options.
All I can say is good luck to you. Whatever you decide, I hope it works for you.

I came on just to say another good option is Spironolactone.

i had acne from my teen years until into my 40s. Not cystic or terrible but persistent. Despite numerous visits to the GP ( and a couple do the Dermatology department) the best I was offered was combined pill ( which I had to stop due to blood clots) and antibiotics . Oh and one consultant told me that I would grow out of it.. I was 35 at that point?

I saw a private Dermatologist and she was so much more helpful. Talked me out of Roaccutane and gave me the name of an NHS Dermatologist in another area whose speciality was hormonal acne. I took that to my GP and asked for a referral.

i saw this new NHS Dermatologist ans she was so helpful. Quick chat about what had and hadn’t worked in my skin and a test to see how oily my skin was and she prescribed Spironolactone. I forget the science but it acts upon the androgen receptors ?? I still take it now just to keep my skin feeling nice and normal . I have no side effects and my GP is happy to keep it on my repeat prescription.

My only skin issue nowadays is all the sun damage incurred in my teen years trying to ‘dry out’ the spots 😳

I have gone to the GP numerous times for acne. Without meaning to generalise, I found the male GPs very dismissive and they had an attitude of ‘that’s just the way it is.’ When I saw a female GP, I felt taken seriously and she prescribed Lymecycline which was effective.

@prescribingmum Could you perhaps try Dermatica for three to six months to see if it helps? That was my plan. The reason I left is because I initially joined to try Tret but they wouldn’t prescribe it. They said my skin was too sensitive after they saw the photos of my reaction to adapalene. So just keep in mind that they might not give you exactly what you ask for. Luckily it’s very easy to cancel.

I had been treated over the years for acne and have had a couple of courses of Roaccutane (never again) that made a slight difference but not really noticeable. I have also had antibiotics and creams over the years.
The latest Dr I saw prescribed Rozex which worked to an extend but it was a awful cream texture.
I went to sign up to Dermatica for anti-ageing and they responded that I needed a rosacea treatment. A new set of photos uploaded and now 19 months later my skin has never been so good. No more red angry pustules constantly on my chin and the general facial redness has reduced. I still can't get over how smooth my chin feels.
So I would say it does work for some. My treatment doesn't have any Tret in it.

My skin hates Niacinamide - I get tret through Dermatica and specifically asked for a formulation without it.

I was recommended a skincare range after having a facial and it made my skin worse, I enquired about this and they told me it was "purging" and that it would settle down and after months it never did. The "purging" went away when I stopped using the product. Of course everyone is different but this is an interesting quote Re purging from dermatologist Dr.Chapas:

"this theory is false. "The skin's job is to keep things out, not to release impurities from the body. That's why we have a liver and kidneys—they are the organs responsible for detox," she explains.

I found that with male GPs too. I have PCOS which is probably the main cause of my acne and my previous GP for years was male basically said if I’m not having trouble conceiving (luckily I wasn’t), there wasn’t much they could offer. I got a script for Benzoyl Peroxide and that was about it. I saw another couple of male GPs at that surgery when things stopped working - who were also dismissive. I moved to a new surgery because of him (he was awful with other stuff to be fair) and my new GP is great. She’s female and as I said up thread has a special interest in dermatology. She reassured me about my lesion (also sent pictures to the hospital who agreed with her diagnosis).

My sister in law had a sensitivity reaction to Differin. I assume it’s the Adapalene like it is with you. She also reacted to some other stuff (Duac and another topical treatment) so the poor thing is stuck between acne and soreness if she treats it!

@largeprintagathachristie - it’s funny because my skin was like that with the niacinamide too. I’ve tried a few brands over the years that broke me out. It doesn’t seem to happen with the Dermatica stuff but I think it’s the Tret in the formula that sort of counteracts everything else! It does help reduced my pores slightly (which is what I understand niacinamide is good for) but not massively so.

Thanks @Lou88x, I am leaning towards this. I have been using tret for a while so I know my skin tolerates it well and moving up a strength makes sense.

I am also aware of spironolactone being effective for acne but have a preference for topical if it can at all be controlled topically.

Not clear from your post. Are you still using BHA and retinol as well as your detematica px?

GPS are shit with a lot of conditions. I was a HCP for 22years they fuck up a lot.

Accutanes for persistent drug resistant acne not just nodule-cystic acne. It’s even in the NICE guidelines written for Gp’s. They just don’t want to pay the referral fee to the hospital so they fob you off.

Thats the top and bottom of it.