5 replies to this topic

[fashionrunner21]

I am a 27-year-old female, and I have suffered from severe acne since my early teens. The acne has always been far worse on my body than my face. I've tired different face washes, a number of antibiotics, diet changes, you name it. I will not try Accutane (my husband and parents won't allow it either). I've had some success in the past with the antibiotics, but after about two months they cease to be effective and I'm back to square one. The acne is on my face, neck, check, shoulders, and back. Sleeveless dresses and bathing suits are not even an option. While it's easy enough for me to cover up any breakouts on my face, there is simply nothing I can do about the acne on my body. The pimples are huge, and often very painful. I feel like I need to make it clear that we aren't talking about one or two pimples every now and then, but massive, unsightly breakouts. I know there is no cure for this, but surely there is something out there that can help.

Any suggestions on how to treat this are welcome.

[Patrick]

You can try blue light LEDs.

Or get over your fear of Accutane. It worked for me.

[omega888]

If you have persistent and/or medium to severe acne, nothing will help besides accutane. The problem lies within the skin and all you're doing is treating the problem not stopping it in its tracks. I went on low dose accutane 20mg a day and i had no side effects at all. I was clear for about 3 years but now i get a pimple or two on my body.

[Sima]

I will not try Accutane (my husband and parents won't allow it either).

What do you mean by 'my husband and parents won't allow it either'? I don't want to sound condescending, but you're 27 years old. Why would they be making the decision to take Accutane, for you? That doesn't make any sense to me. Like Patrick said, maybe you should seriously consider Accutane. If nothing else has been working, then you should look into it.

Edited by Sima, 07 August 2011 - 02:08 PM.

[melissa6980]

I can understand that you are scared to try accutane, but your husband and parents can't legally stop you should you decide you wish to take it. If a derm thinks something like birth control or spironolactone can help you then you could try that.

[AngelaHoustonTX]

I'm 33 and I've struggled with body acne for many years as well. I have had recent success with Caudalie Vinopure products. Caudalie is a French cosmetic line that's made mostly of botanical ingredients. It's not cheap, but definitely worth trying before Accutane (which I'm also reluctant to take). The company says that the Vinopure line works by regulating sebum production. I tried the mask first ($35/bottle) and used it on my neck, chest, and upper back/shoulders. It did cause a little bit of a breakout at first (and I think this is inevitable), but it also gave my skin a nice healthy glow, one that I haven't seen in years -- especially on my chest, which I've been self-concious of for most of my adult life. My boyfriend has even commented that my skin looks great.

After having success with the Vinopure mask, I tried the Vinopure Balancing Concentrate ($44), which is basically a mix of essential oils. You only need a few drops of this. It's supposed to be used nightly and I've probably been using it for 70% of the time for the last week and a half. I can't tell which is doing more, the mask or the balancing concentrate, but I really don't care. I'll continue to use both because this is the most clear my skin has been in 10 years. I'm very optimistic about the long-term results of this product. The acne on my chest has made me feel so unfeminine, so it means the world to me to see great results there. Mind you, I don't expect that I'll be 100% acne free anytime soon because I'm not sure that's possible based on the way my body seems to process oils and the way my pores respond to that. But this is a wonderful improvement!

I would also highly recommend working out until you break a good sweat! It's super important to get the junk out of your body and that's definitely the best way to do it. Of course, you have to wash your skin as soon as possible afterward. I don't think I would have such good results with the products if I wasn't also working out.

Good luck!