Take photos of your acne now and when it's worse so you can show your derm proof

Take photos of your acne now and when it's worse so you can show your derm proof

Never thought of that...god I'm stupid.

It sounds like youve got very mild acne, if you have clear skin at times, accutane isnt the answer for you, i would look into different methods.

I'd like a method that's more on a permanent basis though...it is mild, but won't go away. It just won't go away!!!

Actually i have mild acne i get small white heads- and sometimes i will get one cystic pimple on a rare occasion. I used every other method to try to treat it, but nothing else worked. Im on about week 3 to 4 of Accutane - but my derm put me on 60 mg per day which is pretty high, but she does it by body weight, not by severity of ones issue. Anyways i havnt seen any hair loss what so ever. Just very dry, and i had my breakout from the meds like week 1 to 2 and after i only get one or two like now. So im pretty happy so far. But talk to a specialist, they will most likely help you more than a thread like this Good Luck!

Actually i have mild acne i get small white heads- and sometimes i will get one cystic pimple on a rare occasion. I used every other method to try to treat it, but nothing else worked. Im on about week 3 to 4 of Accutane - but my derm put me on 60 mg per day which is pretty high, but she does it by body weight, not by severity of ones issue. Anyways i havnt seen any hair loss what so ever. Just very dry, and i had my breakout from the meds like week 1 to 2 and after i only get one or two like now. So im pretty happy so far. But talk to a specialist, they will most likely help you more than a thread like this Good Luck!

Thanks for the info! I'm definitely considering as a last resort (and I'm not far off that!). Your acne seems a lot like mine.

I would like to explore other options first, just not sure what's left. The regimen would have probably worked for me, but the flaky skin and dependency was just too much. Plus, I couldn't afford to buy the products all of the time.

The meds i tried before Accutane was Minocycline and Doxy and creams were Duac, Retin-a Finacea, Aczone, epiduo, and another i cant remember

Mixed with my breakouts i get rosacea which is a problem- plus i scar easily Wah. but using so many products actually made my skin worse so try not to experiment too much! good luck!

The meds i tried before Accutane was Minocycline and Doxy and creams were Duac, Retin-a Finacea, Aczone, epiduo, and another i cant remember

Mixed with my breakouts i get rosacea which is a problem- plus i scar easily Wah. but using so many products actually made my skin worse so try not to experiment too much! good luck!

True! I hate to use too many things. I think products are the reason I have acne in the first place.

Thanks

I have a few questions about roaccutane, more specifically aimed at those in the UK and those on a low-dose.

My acne is not severe, but persistent, it goes away, comes back and it's a never-ending cycle of being clear and then not breaking out. I get purely pustules (whiteheads) and no other form of acne. I develop it usually throughout the day when I'm out, especially when doing something stressful - basically anything stressful increases my sebum production and I breakout. I can leave the house 100% clear and then return with what's the beginning of a breakout. This happened to me today after a week being clear (which was very very rare for me).

There's a few things I'm worried about when it comes to roaccutane:

1. It's likely that when I go see my GP, he will deem my acne too mild and disregard me instantly.
2. Hair loss

Since my acne is very unpredictable, knowing my luck I would go to my GP during a breakout and then be clear once I'm refereed to a derm. Then I'd be turned away instantly. Would a derm understand this?

Hair loss. I suffer from a slight receding hairline as it is and I am on propecia for that...the last thing I want is further hair loss!

Any opinions and advice would be much appreciated!

The first issue you raise is whether you can get to see your dermatologist, but this should not even be an issue. If you want to be referred for your acne, then you can be - and if your GP or Family Doctor is reluctant to refer you, simply be persistent. Points that would count in your favour when asking for a referral would be: persistent acne that responds poorly to conventional treatment; presence of scarring; psychological effects of chronic acne vulgaris; and the severity of your acne (that it is widespread and/or cystic - i.e. "lumpy" or deep).

Your GP should already have prescribed you the conventional therapies. Most or all of the following should have been tried: topical retinoids (such as Adapalene/Differin); benzoyl peroxide; and oral antibiotics (specifically, the several varieties that are prescribed primarily for moderate acne). If you have already tried most of these, you will receive a sympathetic hearing from your dermatologist, so you shouldn't let your GP's reluctance to refer you get in the way.

When you see your dermatologist, they will not merely glance at your face and see a fresh-faced youth. They will examine your acne with their hands (starting with your face, and also asking to see your unclothed back or body if you are affected somewhere other than your face). Dermatologists know the signs of cystic or severe acne, and will be able to feel the characteristic "lumps" even if they are not currently inflamed or they are nearly-healed. If you go to see your dermatologist during a "good week", you can simply say "my acne is actually often much worse than this". I did this during my last appointment, and he was very satisfied that I wasn't lying or over-selling my condition (which was my primary concern!) -- they understand that acne is unpredictable, and will be more interested in what other treatments you have tried, whether your acne is causing you pain (physical and psychological), and whether you have any risk factors that would make isotretinoin contraindicated.

I was in pretty much the same position you spelled out in your original post. My GP happily referred me on request, and my dermatologist examined me with his hands for a couple of minutes, immediately recommended isotretinoin, and spent much longer (about fifteen or twenty minutes) taking down my history of medications and explaining the risks of the drug. Don't worry about it - just be honest and detailed in your conversations with the doctors, and remember to clearly explain your wishes if they are taking your treatment in a direction you don't like. Good luck!