Hello
I need help with my acne. after 3 years of trying to fight it, I am at the point where I feel very tired and barely have any more energy to fight.
Ive had moderate acne since I was 15 years old, and I am now 18. When I turned 16 I went to the doctor and he prescribed me Tetracyclin Actavis 250mg combined with Dalacin clindamycin. This didnt seem to work at all, so he gave me a different kind of antibiotics called Tetracyclin Arco 250mg, now combined with Differin gel.
He later decided to give me a third type of antibiotic called Ery-max erytromycin 250mg. This combination I was on for about a year or so, and I cant say i saw much improvement. The stupid thing I did during this period was not to use any moisturizer, so my face was very irritated and red from the differin gel. I wasnt very aware of my skin at that time because I thought this would soon go away...
Eventually I figured out that I was hurting my face more then I was improving it, so I stopped using differin as well as anti-biotics about half a year ago, and just started cleansing and moisturizing my face.
Immediately my face condition was improving, especially during the summer. It was like my skin was reborned really. "Underneath" my skin i saw some of the spots, but it wasnt irritated, red and sore anymore.
And then the winter came (which is pretty harsh here) and my face was getting so bad once again. Red, annoyed, irritated, sore... you name it..
So I decided to try the Regimen: I probably just tried it for about a week before I got too scared to continue. My face was looking a lot worse (extremely red, started getting some cysts etc. The usual reactions I've afterwards seen a dozen people get) and I also started reading about the skin cancer link with BP, which probably is a bunch of lies, but I didn't read enough on it..
After i quit the Regimen I didn't do anything but cleansing and mousturizing my face for a while, until I tried Acne.orgs AHA+. It did seem to make my skin more soft and smooth, but when I would apply it at nighttime, the following morning in the shower it would come out of my skin again. Like it never really penetrated. (This incident also happend to me with Cerave SPF 30 mousturizer a couple of days ago and broke me out, which I have not been able to figure out why)
I am now using Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar with 1 tablespoon of ACV mixed with 6 tablespoons of water. I carefully dab it on with a cotton pad about 2 times a week. I don't really know if it has any affect on my acne at all..
A couple of weeks from now I have an appointment at a dermatologist and I am going to ask him a bunch of questions, but maybe any of you guys know the answers to some of them:
What kind of treatment would you recommend to my face?
Why am I having so much dead skin cells laying on top of my skin after I wash my face?
Why can't some creams penetrate my face properly?
I greatly appericiate anyone who takes the time to read through this and respond, whatever you may write. Thank you
Right side
Left side
Photo from 2 years ago
Products I currently use:
Moisturizer every night and morning: Acne.org moisturizer (new formula)
Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar (1 tablespoon mixed with 6 tablespoons of water - dab it carefully on about 2 times a week)
Products Ive previously used:
Anti-Biotics: Tetracyclin Arco 250mg, Tetracyclin Actavis 250mg, Ery-max erytromycin 250mg
Creams: Dalacin clindamycin, Differin gel, Acne.orgs AHA+, Acne.orgs BP
Moisturizers: Neutrogena oil free moisture for sensitive skin, Cerave Spf 30
Vitamins: Multivitamin, B-vitamin (b1, b2, b6, b12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid), Omega3 fishoil, Zinc and vitaminC
Cleansers: Acne.org cleanser
What I eat/drink:
A lot of eggs
Some fish
Little to no dairy
A lot of bread
A lot of vegetables
A lot of water
Some orange juice
A lot of green tea
Little to no alcohol
No candy or chocolate
No soda
No smoking
And i exercise atleast 3 times a week
I have been in the same boat as you. I tried almost every antibiotic and skin care regimen, it made my skin red and pink too!
Your diet is on the right track. Try to consume something very bitter to offset the carbs you eat in the day. Something like margosa or bitter melon juice, its usually used for diabetics to control blood sugar, but it has worked great for me. And they are vegetables so no need to worry about side effects, except it tastes very bad lol
As for topical medication do this: take a vitamine E gel capsule, from any drugstore, open up the gel capsule and mix it with jojoba oil (or any carrier oil, because VIT E is too large of a molecule to be absorbed by the skin). Don't get scared cuz you're putting oil on your face, its not a bad thing, it won't make you break out more, it will dry up the pimples a lot more quicker.
hope this helps.
I have been in the same boat as you. I tried almost every antibiotic and skin care regimen, it made my skin red and pink too!
Your diet is on the right track. Try to consume something very bitter to offset the carbs you eat in the day. Something like margosa or bitter melon juice, its usually used for diabetics to control blood sugar, but it has worked great for me. And they are vegetables so no need to worry about side effects, except it tastes very bad lol
As for topical medication do this: take a vitamine E gel capsule, from any drugstore, open up the gel capsule and mix it with jojoba oil (or any carrier oil, because VIT E is too large of a molecule to be absorbed by the skin). Don't get scared cuz you're putting oil on your face, its not a bad thing, it won't make you break out more, it will dry up the pimples a lot more quicker.
hope this helps.
Thanks a lot ask24. I really do appericiate it 
I will try both your methods out, but what exactly does vitamin E do? Is it just plain and simple good for skin?
I have been in the same boat as you. I tried almost every antibiotic and skin care regimen, it made my skin red and pink too!
Your diet is on the right track. Try to consume something very bitter to offset the carbs you eat in the day. Something like margosa or bitter melon juice, its usually used for diabetics to control blood sugar, but it has worked great for me. And they are vegetables so no need to worry about side effects, except it tastes very bad lol
As for topical medication do this: take a vitamine E gel capsule, from any drugstore, open up the gel capsule and mix it with jojoba oil (or any carrier oil, because VIT E is too large of a molecule to be absorbed by the skin). Don't get scared cuz you're putting oil on your face, its not a bad thing, it won't make you break out more, it will dry up the pimples a lot more quicker.
hope this helps.
Thanks a lot ask24. I really do appericiate it
I will try both your methods out, but what exactly does vitamin E do? Is it just plain and simple good for skin?
Hey no problem ! Vitamin E is used in soo many skin care products but in miniscule amounts, using the pure version is much better than the ones with added ingredients like parfum, benzoates etc like the ones found in creams. Vit E is antioxidant, it heals wounds extremely fast, I tested on my arm, where i had to similar scratch marks. I applied vitamin E to only one of the marks and that one healed the quickest. Pretty much good for your skin, and you wont age as quickly either lol. I would suggest use it only at night, cuz during the day the face may look really greasy. But when you put it on at night, the skin will absorb all the oil, and in the morning your skin will feel smooth and soft.
I have been in the same boat as you. I tried almost every antibiotic and skin care regimen, it made my skin red and pink too!
Your diet is on the right track. Try to consume something very bitter to offset the carbs you eat in the day. Something like margosa or bitter melon juice, its usually used for diabetics to control blood sugar, but it has worked great for me. And they are vegetables so no need to worry about side effects, except it tastes very bad lol
As for topical medication do this: take a vitamine E gel capsule, from any drugstore, open up the gel capsule and mix it with jojoba oil (or any carrier oil, because VIT E is too large of a molecule to be absorbed by the skin). Don't get scared cuz you're putting oil on your face, its not a bad thing, it won't make you break out more, it will dry up the pimples a lot more quicker.
hope this helps.
Thanks a lot ask24. I really do appericiate it
I will try both your methods out, but what exactly does vitamin E do? Is it just plain and simple good for skin?
Hey no problem ! Vitamin E is used in soo many skin care products but in miniscule amounts, using the pure version is much better than the ones with added ingredients like parfum, benzoates etc like the ones found in creams. Vit E is antioxidant, it heals wounds extremely fast, I tested on my arm, where i had to similar scratch marks. I applied vitamin E to only one of the marks and that one healed the quickest. Pretty much good for your skin, and you wont age as quickly either lol. I would suggest use it only at night, cuz during the day the face may look really greasy. But when you put it on at night, the skin will absorb all the oil, and in the morning your skin will feel smooth and soft.
Oh, okay. thanks for the help.
accutane?
Isn't accutane suppose to be used on very severe acne? I wouldn't call this severe..
Check out the diet section and the success compilation thread.
Where do i find the success compilation thread?
Let me know if it works!
Just bought something called Bio-E-Vitamin (which was really expensive) and it has added soy oil to it as an excipient. Do you think this would be bad to put on my skin?
Check out the diet section and the success compilation thread.
Where do i find the success compilation thread?
>Let me know if it works!
Just bought something called Bio-E-Vitamin (which was really expensive) and it has added soy oil to it as an excipient. Do you think this would be bad to put on my skin?
Hey,
Its best to do a patch test, test on small portion of the skin to see if you have senstitivty to soy. Normally ingesting soy is the problem, but I don't think topically on your skin won't do any harm. What i use is vitamin E capsules which you buy at a drug store, and I cut them open, then I mix "carrier" oil withit (which can be jojoba oil, or olive oil), it does the trick. But what you use still has Vit E, so your still good just apply to a small area and see what happens
I would be careful with B vitamins. Some form of B vitamin (6 & 12) can actually cause acne, especially in males. (research is inconclusive on this though) Honestly, the best thing I ever did for my skin was Raw Organic Honey masks. Leave it on for an hour if you can.
Also, don't give up 
From the looks of it, you are still young. You will definitely get through this!
I went to a derm (which I will never visit again as he barely looked at my skin) after 3-4 minutes I was out of there with a prescription for isotretinoin 30mg (or Roaccutan, accutane or whatever the difference is)
I've read some stories on isotretinoin and my view of it is that it's sort of a last option kind of thing, because of the side effects. As I really don't trust the judgement of this dermatologist, i was hoping anyone could tell me their opinion.
thanks
I can't believe your derm prescribed you accutane after talking to you for 4 minutes. Your acne doesn't appear to be mostly inflammatory so i'm not sure accutane is appropriate for you. Only you can decide if you want to take it but i must warn you that side effects can be brutal and sometimes the risks are not worth. For your acne, have you tried other retinoids? I really like Atralin but it didn't help prevent my continuous stream of pimples but it may help you. How about diet changes.
i curently just started the regimen and i am scared shitless but i gotta try so that i can cross it off my list
Good Luck to You
Yup, apparently he is known for doing things really fast paste. He barely even looked at the products I used previously. The way i feel about accutane right now, i will probably try everything else first. I think my diet is pretty good.. I haven't been to a nutritionist yet though.
I am thinking about waiting to see if my situation improves this summer (my skin gets way better in the summertime, and i am going on a trip across europe so a regimen would be hopeless.) If my situation doesn't improve I will most likely try the Regimen again.
Oh, and good luck with the regimen
I can't believe your derm prescribed you accutane after talking to you for 4 minutes. Your acne doesn't appear to be mostly inflammatory so i'm not sure accutane is appropriate for you. Only you can decide if you want to take it but i must warn you that side effects can be brutal and sometimes the risks are not worth. For your acne, have you tried other retinoids? I really like Atralin but it didn't help prevent my continuous stream of pimples but it may help you. How about diet changes.
i curently just started the regimen and i am scared shitless but i gotta try so that i can cross it off my list
Good Luck to You