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Hey, I've resorted to posting here online to ask for peoples opinions about my journey so far with acne and to find some sort of advice from people that have had similar experiences.
My story doesn't differ greatly from the amount of people I've seen post on this site, year 9, started to develop acne like most people so I didn't think much of it, just he typical "it's a part of growing up" mentality. Although a year after I noticed people starting to clear up while mine was worsening; this situation expanded through to the next years until I was in year 12 realising most people had phased out their acne while mine was just seeming to get worse.
Last year to help, I got into a good eating habit avoiding sugars, drinking a lot of water a day (3 litres min), and exercising once a day, this kept my acne a bit controlled, but not much.
Until the start of this year it has progressed to unavoidable, I've started forming lumpy, hard and insanely painful breakouts along my jawlines, I'm not sure if it's cystic but it does possess cystic acne characteristics so I don't know what else to call it.
As a result from this I visited my gp who prescribed me akamin, 50g minocyline which I'd take twice a day. Anyway, 8 weeks pass and I see no improvement, which then after a second visit leaves me with another prescription for a vitamin a topical treatment called differin, and was advised to see a dermatologist if that didn't work.
10 days pass on the topical and my skin just hates it, I think it's just way to sensitive for it, long story short it really got me down, I keep thinking about how all my friends literally have the nicest blemish free skin while I'm stuck with lumpy, irritated and red cheeks, forehead, chin and neck. It's gotten to the stage where when I'm having a conversation with people I can see them glance down at my jawline or neck and it really gets to me.
Finally, last week I went to a dermatologist who I was really excited to see given I had some advice from the gp to maybe give a drug called roaccutane a go, and after talking with friends turns out half of them had used it, and they never had skin as bad as mine!
Anyway, I make it to my appointment and pretty much tell the derm all of the above I've just wrote, and he gets me to sit on a chair under a light and he examined my face left to right, sat me down and put me straight back onto akamin and this stupid vitamin a cream, I was so frustrated walking back to the car I wanted to cry to be honest because it's been such a long and annoying last couple of years putting up with something so uncontrollable! And now having to further withstand pain from lumps on my jawline.
He spoke in such a condescending way and made me feel stupid/bad for even mentioning the idea of accutane....
So that's where I'm at for now, I think it's really mean for someone of that profession to be so inconsiderate and insensitive about acne when i made it clear it has literally defined a lot of aspects thoughout the past four+ years of my life.
So again, I'm posting here to get advice. How would I go about seeing another derm? Should I even consider it? How bad does acne have to be to get prescribed accutane?
I'll attach a picture of my acne the day I went to the derm.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jack
A lot of derms see it as a last resort kind of thing, because while Accutane does work for a lot people, there are a lot of potential side effects that can come with it. My derm was like yours too - I asked for Accutane, but they prescribed me with a topical vitamin A cream first, and when that didn't work, I asked for Accutane again and they gave me antibiotics, and when that still didn't clear me up they finally put me on Accutane.
You could try a different derm. The first one I went to, before this one, actually suggested Accutane right away, but that was a few years ago, and like you said, I also thought that it was just part of puberty and all that, and I didn't think I would need such a strong drug to clear up my skin. I was afraid of the side effects, so I refused then, but even though I was like 18 and my skin wasn't even that bad then, he didn't hesitate to put me on Accutane, so it definitely differs from derm to derm. If you don't feel like trying all these other things first and want Accutane right away, you could try looking for a different derm that won't be so reluctant to give it to you. My brother did the same, his GP wouldn't prescribe him with Accutane, and he actually found a walk-in clinic that did.
A note on the topicals though, Differin is supposed to make your skin worse before it gets better, so you being 10 days or even a few weeks in the treatment and not seeing an improvement is not uncommon. Even if you start Accutane, it will be months before you see an improvement, and it also causes an initial breakout in most people.
Jack,
There is no harm in getting a second opinion if you can afford it! I would definitley if i was in your situation.
Although, have you tried any other treatments other than the anti biotics? Just from looking at your pic, it looks very hormonal, and you being young, topicals may help you. Im no expert obviously, but ive tried alot of products and regimens, been on anti biotics, spent soooooooo much money on acne treatments, and finally visited a derm and im now currently on accutane.
Accutane was the last resort for me as ive hear the stories about how damaging it "CAN" be. I was that depressed about my face, accutane was the answer.
Ive been on a low dose for 14 weeks now and the only side effect is dry lips that I have experienced. And i didnt get an initial breakout. Im pretty much clear now and have my life back.
My acne was considered mild/moderate but it was seriously ruining my life so i feel like it was severe enough to go on it. Although i have seen people with very minor acne go on accutane. There is a stigma attached to accutane that you have to look like a monster to be able to go on it, but its not like that anymore.
I guess it comes down the derms unstanding, knowledge and dosage of accutane. From doing my own research, you only need a low dose over a longer period of time. That mimimises the initial breakout and side effects.
I hope this has helped mate, give us a yell if you have any questions 
Which country do you live in?
Australia!
A lot of derms see it as a last resort kind of thing, because while Accutane does work for a lot people, there are a lot of potential side effects that can come with it. My derm was like yours too - I asked for Accutane, but they prescribed me with a topical vitamin A cream first, and when that didn't work, I asked for Accutane again and they gave me antibiotics, and when that still didn't clear me up they finally put me on Accutane.
You could try a different derm. The first one I went to, before this one, actually suggested Accutane right away, but that was a few years ago, and like you said, I also thought that it was just part of puberty and all that, and I didn't think I would need such a strong drug to clear up my skin. I was afraid of the side effects, so I refused then, but even though I was like 18 and my skin wasn't even that bad then, he didn't hesitate to put me on Accutane, so it definitely differs from derm to derm. If you don't feel like trying all these other things first and want Accutane right away, you could try looking for a different derm that won't be so reluctant to give it to you. My brother did the same, his GP wouldn't prescribe him with Accutane, and he actually found a walk-in clinic that did.
A note on the topicals though, Differin is supposed to make your skin worse before it gets better, so you being 10 days or even a few weeks in the treatment and not seeing an improvement is not uncommon. Even if you start Accutane, it will be months before you see an improvement, and it also causes an initial breakout in most people.
Jack,
There is no harm in getting a second opinion if you can afford it! I would definitley if i was in your situation.
Although, have you tried any other treatments other than the anti biotics? Just from looking at your pic, it looks very hormonal, and you being young, topicals may help you. Im no expert obviously, but ive tried alot of products and regimens, been on anti biotics, spent soooooooo much money on acne treatments, and finally visited a derm and im now currently on accutane.
Accutane was the last resort for me as ive hear the stories about how damaging it "CAN" be. I was that depressed about my face, accutane was the answer.
Ive been on a low dose for 14 weeks now and the only side effect is dry lips that I have experienced. And i didnt get an initial breakout. Im pretty much clear now and have my life back.
My acne was considered mild/moderate but it was seriously ruining my life so i feel like it was severe enough to go on it. Although i have seen people with very minor acne go on accutane. There is a stigma attached to accutane that you have to look like a monster to be able to go on it, but its not like that anymore.
I guess it comes down the derms unstanding, knowledge and dosage of accutane. From doing my own research, you only need a low dose over a longer period of time. That mimimises the initial breakout and side effects.
I hope this has helped mate, give us a yell if you have any questions 🙂
I would have continued with the differin! But it was causing the hard acne on my jawline to ache like crazy; it hurt too much to continue, I know about the IB stage of those vitamin a topicals.
I have another appointment tomorrow with a different dermatologist! I'll tell you how it goes, any tips on how I persuade him to lean towards prescribing me accutane?
Do I just tell him what's happened so far, yet emphasise how much it impacts my life?
I'll tell him I know the potential downfall of taking the drug, and that it's not exactly safe, but I feel like it's the last resort for me.