A quick background--I never had bad skin until I was in my early 20s. Used all the topicals and antibiotics for several years. I waited until I was 25 to use accutane. By this point I had a lot of acne scars and regret not using accutane 1 or 2 years before I did. Anyway, I have come to terms with the scars and am now 33. Until this time last year my skin didn't need anymore than water and a moisturizer and I literally got 1 small zit a year. Last year around this time I started to get blackheads and my skin seemed oily again. By August I had big zits on my temples ( never got them there before) and under my jaw. I got a few minor scars nothing toocrazy as I was soooooo careful not to pop. Went on antibiotics and a cream. Still using the cream and got an illumask when the antibiotics ran out.
Now that the weather is warming up, I am getting oily and breaking out again. I'm not nearly as oily or zitty as I was at 25, but I'm still getting a really big, scarring type of zit every few weeks. I can't stop the oil and nothing ever worked besides accutane. Should I go back on it lower dose than before? Last time was 5-6 months of 40 mg then bumped to 60mg and taking vitamin a from my derm.
I had little side effects other than really dry skin that lingered for years. I also had bowel problems (felt like I had diarrhea all the time) that lasted for at least 3 years. Doesn't happen anymore, but my heart skipped a beat the first time I saw the lawsuit for ibs from accutane on TV.
Is there anything else I could try that would mimick accutane? Lasers or anything? I NEVER eat sugar or fried foods, really I have a super healthy diet so that's not the problem. Do not want to go back on accutane but I'm getting anxious again with all the oil coming back. Derm appt on June 4th
thanks all
It's a personal decision whether or not accutane is right for you. I did 3 courses and I wish to hell that I had done less evasive stuff such as diet before I took the plunge.
Healthy diet is subjective so what exactly are you eating. I've found Paleo to be one of those hypoallergenic diets that remove some common acne triggers so maybe give it a try for 3 months before venturing on tane. Also, ditch the antibiotics as they mess with you whether you see the results now or much later. What topicals have you tried? Trying one topical and then jumping to accutane especially if your acne is not moderate or severe may not be your best bet. I found atralin to be very gentle and differin was ok but didn't do much so those would be my recommendations.
There is also hormonal means such as Spironolactone.
Again, it's a decision that you have to make on your own. Acne is very frustrating and we all get desperate but think things through.
From a current acne struggler of 16+ years and a 3 time accutane user and failure.
^^^^ I wash twice daily with cetaphil, use an illumask at night and use Ziana while I sleep. This winter I put moisturizer with the Ziana, but now that it's warming up I don't need the moisturizer anymore. I also use clean and clear oil wipes a couple times a day so I don't look gross and shiny. If I get a little sweaty sometime midday I rinse my face with just water.
My diet literally consists of fruit and veggies, seeds and nuts, fish and a little chicken. I Drink 1 cup black coffee a day, a few cups of green tea, a cup of grapefruit juice and a spicey v8 mixed with a few cloves of garlic at night. Anything else I drink throughout the day is bottled water. Only dairy I eat is carbmaster yogurt with some blueberries in it. I use two spoonfuls of tart cherry juice a day in either vanilla yogurt or the green tea. I also eat a few pickled beets in the morning and at night. take a men's health one a day which is the only supplement I use. I take Tylenol pm a few times a month if I can't sleep or have to be in to work early.
The only sugar I get is from fruit and I never eat fried food.
I thought about using Low % bp, but it never used to do any good at all. My skin still gets dry and is sensitive, which is why the derm put me on Ziana last year. I have to be really careful to not over dry it and make the oil problem worse.
My problem is that I hardly break out, but my skin scars so badly that I can't risk even an occasional big zit.
25 was pretty traumatic, so the last thing I want to do is deal with acne in my 30's.