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Hey, i m 21, male, had my acne first time in my life 3.5 mths ago, nver had these, i m going to a skin doctor fr 3 mths nw, my acne is reduced bt all d acne are still there, they dnt hav any pus bt they r still red and inflammed, so my doctor has started this new medication frm yesterday - isotretinoin 20mg(once in 2 days), a lotion of cetyl and stearyl alcohol(twice a day) followed by, clindamycin phosphate & nicotinamide gel(twice a day). Is this medication best or flawed, nd if its nt gud mention d improvements. Thks.
If you're on accutane for moderate acne that has responded at least partly to other treatments, your doc is doing something wrong. You should know that accutane has a chance of truly horrendous side effects. Read into it and weight your options, because it can ruin your life.
I would try dietary modification first, especially since this is the first time you're getting acne. Nicotinamide gel is good and will probably give you no side effects, however clindamycin can be absorbed through the skin in reasonable quantities and lead to alterations of the gut flora.
Here's what I would do:
1. Paleo diet, strict for at least 2 weeks
2. Nicotinamide gel
3. Mild cleanser - you could try a low-concentration salicylic acid wash
4. Get an actual moisturizer, and not just cetyl/steryl alcohol. I recommend CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. It's basically cetyl alcohol + hyaluronic acid and cholesterol, which helps your skin rebuild itself, and a bunch of other goodies
Regimen:
Wash gently with cleanser; pat dry and apply a thin layer of nicotinamide, wait for it to sink in for 5-10 minutes, then apply moisturizer over that. You might not need that much moisturizer, depending on which cleanser you use.
Follow the paleo diet. If your acne is inflammatory, this could get you completely clear on its own, without need for a skin regimen (especially if this is the first time you're cleansing/applying topicals to your skin). The cleanse/medicate/moisturize regimen I described above is really only there to cover all the bases.
Finally, less is more. For the love of all that is holy, don't overwash your skin (don't overuse the nicotinamide either, or any other topical for that matter). Patience is key when treating acne. Treat your skin gently.