Hi everyone. I'm new to this board and posting as a concerned parent. A bit of background, My daughter is 16 and has had mild persistent acne since the age of 13/14 usually affecting her oily t-zone and some on her back/shoulders. Apart from the usual over the counter products, she's been prescribed Zineyrt, Clindamycin, oral antibiotics Lymecycline and the combined contraceptive pill. 10 weeks ago she was prescribed Isotrex gel (isotretinoin 0.05% gel) and the oral antibiotic was swapped to Erythromycin.

Weeks 1-7 of Isotrex, some dryness and peeling and reddening of skin but no improvement of acne. Hyperpigmentation was becoming more obvious. We had one day around week seven where skin was clear and we felt hopeful that perhaps an improvement was on the way. This was short lived. Week 8-10 severe worsening of acne, spreading to previously unaffected areas of face (cheeks/jawline/neck) Her skin is now far worse than when she started on Isotrex and to be quite honest, I wish she had never been prescribed it. All the information I have read indicates improvements should usually be seen 6-8 weeks in, but 10 weeks down the line she is worse than ever and miserable. Our GP, over a telephone consultation suggested that she stop using the Isotrex, but she is scared to in case it gets even worse. She thinks she is still "purging" and that this phase can't go on for much longer (it's now two weeks since severe breakout started). Can anyone tell me if they had a similar experience at a similar number of weeks?

I have a prescription for her for Differin (Adapalene) so wondered whether to swap to that? Also, here in U.K, Isotrex is very difficult to obtain as no longer available so even if she sticks with it and it works, we will have problems getting it in the future. Please help...

By the way, she has stopped using scrubs, masks and wash clothes and only uses gentle products (Roche Posay Effaclar) as well as one of their high protection suncreams. We have a bathroom littered with half used and discarded products and just really want to find a solution that will work for her.