Unfortunately, acne just doesn't cause any tangible threats to the afflicted or those whom they come into contact with (Actually, fortunate but you know what I mean). Unlike dancer, diabetes, venereal diseases etc, acne doesn't "do the damage", so to speak. I feel that almost every form of once "trivial" diseases, has now been given the relative importance they deserve and the ones that haven't, are at least not labelled a trivial disease. I don't understand it myself though, a disease is a disease PERIOD. How anyone can label ANY medically proven disease as trivial, is a mystery to me. In this age, we have a regular supply of food, we have good medical care and we're, for the most part, well-sheltered. We are raised in an age where our minds require more nurture than out bodies...acne prevents that nurture, or better, alters it. some develop complexes, some develop low self-esteem, some behave in a manner in which they wouldn't have otherwise behaved, had they never had acne. some people are afflicted for so long that they actually believe that that self-doubting, self-loathing character they posses is truly theirs. How sad.

I understand that in many ways, acne can make you a better person, but it's not fair, nor is it just to say that that's worth the tradeoff. Acne is NOT trivial and that's a term I expect to hear from someone who's never had acne. With that said, derms can go **** themselves sideways.

My opinion is that there are four problems.

First, pathology was part of dermatology until the early 1970's when pathology was separated from dermatology, and now an additional 2-year internship in pathology-dermatology is required, which is burdensome and rarely done, so dermatologists now don't have the same classes and training they used to have. They are not so well trained in causation as they should be.

Second, health care is set up to focus on acute care and trauma care, rather than treating chronic conditions. There is however a slight shift began in the US in the last year to make health care for chronic conditions more patient-centered, which is occurring because the cost to treat chronic conditions has become unmanageable. Theres also some evidence of this in the FDAs nonenforcement policy, issued in August, 2012, allowing people in the US to mail order prescription drugs from India and Thailand where there essentially are no prescription laws. (Sure Schedule drugs like codeine and Oxycodone cant be legally mail ordered, but anything else now gets through the mail and US Customs.)

Third, doctors apparently have no medical school classes dealing with the Mycota Kingdom, or what ordinary English calls fungi and yeasts. (Thats mostly my opinion, but in the last six months, when I became aware of this problem, Ive asked 2 MDs and 2 PAs about this, and they said, No, we dont study that.) Mycota are very hard to treat because fungi and yeasts are Eukaryotes, just like all plants and animals, so they resemble us, and the body has a hard time recognizing them and firing up the immune system to defend against them, unlike bacteria and viruses which have a cell structure quite different from us.

Fourth, recent medical studies show a relationship that is not yet fully understood between fungi, bacteria and acne. I posted about that here:

Unfortunately, acne just doesn't cause any tangible threats to the afflicted or those whom they come into contact with (Actually, fortunate but you know what I mean). Unlike dancer, diabetes, venereal diseases etc, acne doesn't "do the damage", so to speak. I feel that almost every form of once "trivial" diseases, has now been given the relative importance they deserve and the ones that haven't, are at least not labelled a trivial disease. I don't understand it myself though, a disease is a disease PERIOD. How anyone can label ANY medically proven disease as trivial, is a mystery to me. In this age, we have a regular supply of food, we have good medical care and we're, for the most part, well-sheltered. We are raised in an age where our minds require more nurture than out bodies...acne prevents that nurture, or better, alters it. some develop complexes, some develop low self-esteem, some behave in a manner in which they wouldn't have otherwise behaved, had they never had acne. some people are afflicted for so long that they actually believe that that self-doubting, self-loathing character they posses is truly theirs. How sad.

I understand that in many ways, acne can make you a better person, but it's not fair, nor is it just to say that that's worth the tradeoff. Acne is NOT trivial and that's a term I expect to hear from someone who's never had acne. With that said, derms can go **** themselves sideways.

Cancer kills you once.Acne and by that i mean the severest of severe acne,kills you many times a day.(I always had moderate acne but i have seen people with severe acne and how much they suffer).Why the medical fraternity ignores it? Well,it eludes me.

that's why in my post from earlier today i believe its better to goto an acne clinic than to a dermatologist. i went to derms for 10 years and went through tons of medication and expensive prescriptions and flare up after flare up. i went to an acne clinic for 3 months and my skin has never been better. the cost was $70 for an in office visit plus the cost of over the counter products - which is very minimal compared to $100 office visit or $500 for a laser procedure.

acne clinic is the way to go because derms don't care about acne. they have skin cancer and other things to deal with - i guess which makes them not care about acne.

i am not sure if this is the right forum for this discussion but i will start by saying that yes,it seems like a small thing to dermas and so parents(most), and other elderly people too think its okay to have acne.

its just a phase!we r growing up!

thats not right.

but its plain silly to say all dermas know nothing and are useless.

dermatology is a stream and sometimes its got nothing to do with I.Q or rank.

i had a frnd who wanted to take dental instead of medicine while we all know those who get rank less in the merit list get dental collges.

also,i completely DISAGREE with that comparison between a derma and any other field of medicne/surgery.

there are great dermas and hopeless cardiologists and neurologists.most people forget acne is not the only disease they deal.

there are thousand more diseases they deal with.plus life saving procedures are involved too.of burn victims(i admit in india the technology isnt as superb EVERYWHERE as in the US or Germany but its not non-existent either),various grafting, etc(a vast stretch falls under dermatology actually including aspects of limb correction and power grafting)

and no,not all dermas visit 10 patients a day.and not all cardiologists sees 250 patients per day.

its baseless to compare.

i would like to see a world with no dermas at all.

then i'd go ask people how great they feel about it.

not just those with acne but with all other diseases.

there is no comparison between cancer and other fatal diseases and acne.

i know we all suffer and we know how bad it is .what stress and strain it gives us everyday but to compare it with a patient having cancer,AIDS, or some other BIG disease is madness.

die everyday?

cancer kills just one day?

u would wanna visit someone who wishes to live everyday but fails every moment.

u would have liked to see my uncle who begged everyone for life in his last days.screamed in pain and still wanted to live.

while another uncle wanted it to end for he could not take the chemos anymore?

cancer kills once?

how immature is that statement?

i wander if he would have chosen acne or leukemia!

and no one ignores severest or severe acne!if not mad or mad!

if acne is causing u depression,there are ways u could work on it,counselling,consults,mind therapy/trainings etc etc.

but sadly not many go for that.

but what will u do with the pain and that feeling that u have just a few more mnths or days?

how would it be when u stand beside a woman with burns and raw flesh and crib about ur mild/moderate acne?

I AM NO WAY SAYING ACNE IS NOT A DISEASE.I KNOW IT IS.I SUFFER FROM IT.

BUT I WOULD NEVER COMPARE IT WITH "NOT-TRIVIAL" DISEASES.

I HOPE NONE OF US - MY FRIENDS HERE GET ANYTHING OF THOSE.

TREAT UR ACNE BUT NOT GET LOST.

IF U R THEN SEEK HELP!!

PLUS WE ARE ALL HERE.

IN THIS TOGETHER!

my cousin sister have had moderate to severe acne since her teenage and i bow down to her.she's never let it bug her,never ever!

she's always known she's more than that.

i know not all of us are emotionally same and we get effected while some dnt.and thats okay.

here,i am just trying to say that there is a good chance one could look beyond just skin and show whats inside.

both my cousin bro and sister fell in love and committed while they had bad acne and they are still stuck with those great partners(even with or without acne).

I don't think the severity of the disease should even matter. Why should we have to walk around with acne in such a judgemental society?

For some it is severe, painful and causes them to become depressed. People that don't have acne will never understand 'oh it's only a few spots' NO. It's awful.

severity matters because it matters.

its not about severity of acne.

its about severity of acne compared to deadly diseases like cancer,extreme diabetes,AIDS and more.

thats what is primarily weighed in this post and honestly,there's no comparison!!

severity matters because it matters.

its not about severity of acne.

its about severity of acne compared to deadly diseases like cancer,extreme diabetes,AIDS and more.

thats what is primarily weighed in this post and honestly,there's no comparison!!

But who's comparing?

Oh..just because people get cancer and AIDS I should just stop caring that I have acne. No, that's not how it works. Yes it would be much worse to have a more serious condition, but how can you possibly compare to something you don't have?

Dermatologists are skin doctors, acne is a disease of the skin, by telling a patient that they should simply shrug it off is not them doing their job.

Nobody is saying prioritise acne over more serious conditions, but dermatologists have enough time on their hands to do what they are paid for and take acne seriously. It's their obligation to treat an acne patient the same way as they would somebody with skin cancer - obviously not the same treatments, but by doing their utmost best to treat and cure it.

My derm sees MANY patients per day, not 10. They are very busy. But I do agree..why haven't they found a cure?

I've only been to one derm my whole life and I'm glad she's not like "asshole" derms who don't seem to care o.o ! She sees her patients until 1-2 am(well, mainly because she's not very organized and not punctual, but still, that's some dedication and she takes her responsabilties to the fullest!).She understands that acne is bothersome to me and she takes time to find different solutions and to really know what's the real cause of my acne. Knowing my medical past, she tries her best not to prescribe me strong antibiotics. She's the only one with the best reviews. I've read some reviews of other derms around my area and they were very bad (for the same reasons perseverance92 posted) !

It's true what aanabill said about how cancer and other life-threatening diseases are not comparable to acne. i don't know anyone with cancer, but I think cancer patients have it harder than us, they don't die once, they "die" everyday, too, only very differently from how we "die" everyday. I guess I can speak for them in a way only I didn't have cancer, but I did went through something that was life-threatening, too. I must admit that during my low points dealing with acne, I said I wished that I was sick like that before, because then I would lay in my hospital bed, not having to face the world. I know it's a very terrible thing to wish for. But then I remind myself that no, being sick like that is awful, not being able to speak properly for a while, being in a catatonic state, taking heaps of medications with terrible side-effects. In fact, at one point, they injected me with a chemotherapy drug. The doctors scared me by telling me that I would die if I didn't take them all of the treatment, but my parents strongly opposed to it. So there I was not sure who to believe. I don't think I'd like to go back to that time again, because had I not became well again, I probably wouldn't have been alive, gone to school, be with the people I love, pursue my dreams, while with acne, I can still do that, I know it's still difficult, though.

But it's still not a reason for derms to not care about their patients!! They're supposed to care of acne patients just as much as other patients with more severe diseases. They have deontological ethics they have to follow!!

i am not sure if this is the right forum for this discussion but i will start by saying that yes,it seems like a small thing to dermas and so parents(most), and other elderly people too think its okay to have acne.

its just a phase!we r growing up!

thats not right.

but its plain silly to say all dermas know nothing and are useless.

dermatology is a stream and sometimes its got nothing to do with I.Q or rank.

i had a frnd who wanted to take dental instead of medicine while we all know those who get rank less in the merit list get dental collges.

also,i completely DISAGREE with that comparison between a derma and any other field of medicne/surgery.

there are great dermas and hopeless cardiologists and neurologists.most people forget acne is not the only disease they deal.

there are thousand more diseases they deal with.plus life saving procedures are involved too.of burn victims(i admit in india the technology isnt as superb EVERYWHERE as in the US or Germany but its not non-existent either),various grafting, etc(a vast stretch falls under dermatology actually including aspects of limb correction and power grafting)

and no,not all dermas visit 10 patients a day.and not all cardiologists sees 250 patients per day.

its baseless to compare.

i would like to see a world with no dermas at all.

then i'd go ask people how great they feel about it.

not just those with acne but with all other diseases.

there is no comparison between cancer and other fatal diseases and acne.

i know we all suffer and we know how bad it is .what stress and strain it gives us everyday but to compare it with a patient having cancer,AIDS, or some other BIG disease is madness.

die everyday?

cancer kills just one day?

u would wanna visit someone who wishes to live everyday but fails every moment.

u would have liked to see my uncle who begged everyone for life in his last days.screamed in pain and still wanted to live.

while another uncle wanted it to end for he could not take the chemos anymore?

cancer kills once?

how immature is that statement?

i wander if he would have chosen acne or leukemia!

and no one ignores severest or severe acne!if not mad or mad!

if acne is causing u depression,there are ways u could work on it,counselling,consults,mind therapy/trainings etc etc.

but sadly not many go for that.

but what will u do with the pain and that feeling that u have just a few more mnths or days?

how would it be when u stand beside a woman with burns and raw flesh and crib about ur mild/moderate acne?

I AM NO WAY SAYING ACNE IS NOT A DISEASE.I KNOW IT IS.I SUFFER FROM IT.

BUT I WOULD NEVER COMPARE IT WITH "NOT-TRIVIAL" DISEASES.

I HOPE NONE OF US - MY FRIENDS HERE GET ANYTHING OF THOSE.

TREAT UR ACNE BUT NOT GET LOST.

IF U R THEN SEEK HELP!!

PLUS WE ARE ALL HERE.

IN THIS TOGETHER!

my cousin sister have had moderate to severe acne since her teenage and i bow down to her.she's never let it bug her,never ever!

she's always known she's more than that.

i know not all of us are emotionally same and we get effected while some dnt.and thats okay.

here,i am just trying to say that there is a good chance one could look beyond just skin and show whats inside.

both my cousin bro and sister fell in love and committed while they had bad acne and they are still stuck with those great partners(even with or without acne).

It's a phase of growing up? A phase which lasts for 6 bloody years(in my life,and god knows how many more years) and for a lifetime for others.And please don't give me this "Be grateful that you just suffer from acne and not anything more serious" shit.I have never believed in suffering and emerging out of this "suffering" as a warrior.No IT'S BULLSHIT.Why should i suffer? I already get enough of this preaching by my parents.My mother had eczema while she was small and she tells me how she battled the disease and studied hard to become a doctor.She keeps telling me that i should be tough enough and fight my suffering. What the hell? Why suffer at all??? It's 21st century for Christ's sake. While i admire my mother and love her sooooo much,i'd never agree with her on this. And yes i'd stand by my statement like a strong tree and defend it . "Cancer indeed kills you once but severe acne keeps killing people every moment of their pathetic lives". I have seen enough cancer patients.My uncle has a chemo therapy center.So i'm well aware of the agony this"Emperor of all maladies" inflicts upon it's victims.

Since you are a medical student you must be aware of the fees which most Dermatologists charge.For this hefty sum the services they offer is paltry.The Dermatologist in my city boasts of lots of expertise and charges Rs.750 (about 15$,i know this is a small amount for an American but it's a huge sum for an Indian).Regardless of your type of acne(he won't listen to your problem),he has the same prescription. "Take Benzoyl peroxide,eat an antibiotic,wash your face 3 times a day with Cetaphil".I mean he should be prosecuted for his naivety .Multiply that sum by 200 (he has a huge practice) .So he is making 3000$ everyday by fooling people. Pathetic state of affairs... If i had law in my hands you'd see how i'd cleanse everything.I'd purge the nation and put the sinners on their road to atonement. AMEN

(P.S -My intention was never to belittle maladies such as Cancer,AIDS etc.Even though i'm an atheist i keep praying for the well being of my near and dear ones.May the victims of such deadly diseases have the strength to steer clear through their ordeal)

I've only been to one derm my whole life and I'm glad she's not like "asshole" derms who don't seem to care o.o ! She sees her patients until 1-2 am(well, mainly because she's not very organized and not punctual, but still, that's some dedication and she takes her responsabilties to the fullest!).She understands that acne is bothersome to me and she takes time to find different solutions and to really know what's the real cause of my acne. Knowing my medical past, she tries her best not to prescribe me strong antibiotics. She's the only one with the best reviews. I've read some reviews of other derms around my area and they were very bad (for the same reasons perseverance92 posted) !

It's true what aanabill said about how cancer and other life-threatening diseases are not comparable to acne. i don't know anyone with cancer, but I think cancer patients have it harder than us, they don't die once, they "die" everyday, too, only very differently from how we "die" everyday. I guess I can speak for them in a way only I didn't have cancer, but I did went through something that was life-threatening, too. I must admit that during my low points dealing with acne, I said I wished that I was sick like that before, because then I would lay in my hospital bed, not having to face the world. I know it's a very terrible thing to wish for. But then I remind myself that no, being sick like that is awful, not being able to speak properly for a while, being in a catatonic state, taking heaps of medications with terrible side-effects. In fact, at one point, they injected me with a chemotherapy drug. The doctors scared me by telling me that I would die if I didn't take them all of the treatment, but my parents strongly opposed to it. So there I was not sure who to believe. I don't think I'd like to go back to that time again, because had I not became well again, I probably wouldn't have been alive, gone to school, be with the people I love, pursue my dreams, while with acne, I can still do that, I know it's still difficult, though.

Your doctor sounds to be a darling.I wish i had a dermatologist like that.And what did you suffer from?

May you be in the pink of health forever

^ I suffered from an autoimmune encephalitis, which to put it simply, fucked up my brain for a while out of nowhere.

severity matters because it matters.

its not about severity of acne.

its about severity of acne compared to deadly diseases like cancer,extreme diabetes,AIDS and more.

thats what is primarily weighed in this post and honestly,there's no comparison!!

But who's comparing?

Oh..just because people get cancer and AIDS I should just stop caring that I have acne. No, that's not how it works. Yes it would be much worse to have a more serious condition, but how can you possibly compare to something you don't have?

Dermatologists are skin doctors, acne is a disease of the skin, by telling a patient that they should simply shrug it off is not them doing their job.

Nobody is saying prioritise acne over more serious conditions, but dermatologists have enough time on their hands to do what they are paid for and take acne seriously. It's their obligation to treat an acne patient the same way as they would somebody with skin cancer - obviously not the same treatments, but by doing their utmost best to treat and cure it.

who's comparing?

lewis,have u even read the above posts?

of course there's comaparison.

why else would u think i'll start the weighing of two anyway?

its sad that some dermas behave like acne is nothing.

but what most try to say is 'dnt worry,it will be okay'

acne is a disease and no one is denying that.

and no ,not all dermas are bad.

no matter what people says acne COMPARED TO ANY OF THOSE DEADLY DISEASES is trivial.

the thread started as 'acne being trivial' but since a well full line is drawn which has names of cancer,skin cancer,diabetes etc i thought i must state what i mean!

care about ur acne.no one is asking u not to.

we all do.

its natural.

but my statement was IN COMPARISON.

please read my posts well!

yes,doctors are to treat every disease with same dedication but that doesnt change the fact that acne(mild to moderate) is way smaller than others named.

its a fact.

although the thread started questioning the importance given to acne but i have only and only addressed the parts where there's comparison.

also,i have well stated that i believe acne is a disease and it does play big in all our lives.

severity matters because it matters.

its not about severity of acne.

its about severity of acne compared to deadly diseases like cancer,extreme diabetes,AIDS and more.

thats what is primarily weighed in this post and honestly,there's no comparison!!

But who's comparing?

Oh..just because people get cancer and AIDS I should just stop caring that I have acne. No, that's not how it works. Yes it would be much worse to have a more serious condition, but how can you possibly compare to something you don't have?

Dermatologists are skin doctors, acne is a disease of the skin, by telling a patient that they should simply shrug it off is not them doing their job.

Nobody is saying prioritise acne over more serious conditions, but dermatologists have enough time on their hands to do what they are paid for and take acne seriously. It's their obligation to treat an acne patient the same way as they would somebody with skin cancer - obviously not the same treatments, but by doing their utmost best to treat and cure it.

who's comparing?

lewis,have u even read the above posts?

of course there's comaparison.

why else would u think i'll start the weighing of two anyway?

its sad that some dermas behave like acne is nothing.

but what most try to say is 'dnt worry,it will be okay'

acne is a disease and no one is denying that.

and no ,not all dermas are bad.

no matter what people says acne COMPARED TO ANY OF THOSE DEADLY DISEASES is trivial.

the thread started as 'acne being trivial' but since a well full line is drawn which has names of cancer,skin cancer,diabetes etc i thought i must state what i mean!

care about ur acne.no one is asking u not to.

we all do.

its natural.

but my statement was IN COMPARISON.

please read my posts well!

yes,doctors are to treat every disease with same dedication but that doesnt change the fact that acne(mild to moderate) is way smaller than others named.

its a fact.

although the thread started questioning the importance given to acne but i have only and only addressed the parts where there's comparison.

also,i have well stated that i believe acne is a disease and it does play big in all our lives.

Shukriya

i am not sure if this is the right forum for this discussion but i will start by saying that yes,it seems like a small thing to dermas and so parents(most), and other elderly people too think its okay to have acne.

its just a phase!we r growing up!

thats not right.

but its plain silly to say all dermas know nothing and are useless.

dermatology is a stream and sometimes its got nothing to do with I.Q or rank.

i had a frnd who wanted to take dental instead of medicine while we all know those who get rank less in the merit list get dental collges.

also,i completely DISAGREE with that comparison between a derma and any other field of medicne/surgery.

there are great dermas and hopeless cardiologists and neurologists.most people forget acne is not the only disease they deal.

there are thousand more diseases they deal with.plus life saving procedures are involved too.of burn victims(i admit in india the technology isnt as superb EVERYWHERE as in the US or Germany but its not non-existent either),various grafting, etc(a vast stretch falls under dermatology actually including aspects of limb correction and power grafting)

and no,not all dermas visit 10 patients a day.and not all cardiologists sees 250 patients per day.

its baseless to compare.

i would like to see a world with no dermas at all.

then i'd go ask people how great they feel about it.

not just those with acne but with all other diseases.

there is no comparison between cancer and other fatal diseases and acne.

i know we all suffer and we know how bad it is .what stress and strain it gives us everyday but to compare it with a patient having cancer,AIDS, or some other BIG disease is madness.

die everyday?

cancer kills just one day?

u would wanna visit someone who wishes to live everyday but fails every moment.

u would have liked to see my uncle who begged everyone for life in his last days.screamed in pain and still wanted to live.

while another uncle wanted it to end for he could not take the chemos anymore?

cancer kills once?

how immature is that statement?

i wander if he would have chosen acne or leukemia!

and no one ignores severest or severe acne!if not mad or mad!

if acne is causing u depression,there are ways u could work on it,counselling,consults,mind therapy/trainings etc etc.

but sadly not many go for that.

but what will u do with the pain and that feeling that u have just a few more mnths or days?

how would it be when u stand beside a woman with burns and raw flesh and crib about ur mild/moderate acne?

I AM NO WAY SAYING ACNE IS NOT A DISEASE.I KNOW IT IS.I SUFFER FROM IT.

BUT I WOULD NEVER COMPARE IT WITH "NOT-TRIVIAL" DISEASES.

I HOPE NONE OF US - MY FRIENDS HERE GET ANYTHING OF THOSE.

TREAT UR ACNE BUT NOT GET LOST.

IF U R THEN SEEK HELP!!

PLUS WE ARE ALL HERE.

IN THIS TOGETHER!

my cousin sister have had moderate to severe acne since her teenage and i bow down to her.she's never let it bug her,never ever!

she's always known she's more than that.

i know not all of us are emotionally same and we get effected while some dnt.and thats okay.

here,i am just trying to say that there is a good chance one could look beyond just skin and show whats inside.

both my cousin bro and sister fell in love and committed while they had bad acne and they are still stuck with those great partners(even with or without acne).

It's a phase of growing up? A phase which lasts for 6 bloody years(in my life,and god knows how many more years) and for a lifetime for others.And please don't give me this "Be grateful that you just suffer from acne and not anything more serious" shit.I have never believed in suffering and emerging out of this "suffering" as a warrior.No IT'S BULLSHIT.Why should i suffer? I already get enough of this preaching by my parents.My mother had eczema while she was small and she tells me how she battled the disease and studied hard to become a doctor.She keeps telling me that i should be tough enough and fight my suffering. What the hell? Why suffer at all??? It's 21st century for Christ's sake. While i admire my mother and love her sooooo much,i'd never agree with her on this. And yes i'd stand by my statement like a strong tree and defend it . "Cancer indeed kills you once but severe acne keeps killing people every moment of their pathetic lives". I have seen enough cancer patients.My uncle has a chemo therapy center.So i'm well aware of the agony this"Emperor of all maladies" inflicts upon it's victims.

Since you are a medical student you must be aware of the fees which most Dermatologists charge.For this hefty sum the services they offer is paltry.The Dermatologist in my city boasts of lots of expertise and charges Rs.750 (about 15$,i know this is a small amount for an American but it's a huge sum for an Indian).Regardless of your type of acne(he won't listen to your problem),he has the same prescription. "Take Benzoyl peroxide,eat an antibiotic,wash your face 3 times a day with Cetaphil".I mean he should be prosecuted for his naivety .Multiply that sum by 200 (he has a huge practice) .So he is making 3000$ everyday by fooling people. Pathetic state of affairs... If i had law in my hands you'd see how i'd cleanse everything.I'd purge the nation and put the sinners on their road to atonement. AMEN

(P.S -My intention was never to belittle maladies such as Cancer,AIDS etc.Even though i'm an atheist i keep praying for the well being of my near and dear ones.May the victims of such deadly diseases have the strength to steer clear through their ordeal)

>I've only been to one derm my whole life and I'm glad she's not like "asshole" derms who don't seem to care o.o ! She sees her patients until 1-2 am(well, mainly because she's not very organized and not punctual, but still, that's some dedication and she takes her responsabilties to the fullest!).She understands that acne is bothersome to me and she takes time to find different solutions and to really know what's the real cause of my acne. Knowing my medical past, she tries her best not to prescribe me strong antibiotics. She's the only one with the best reviews. I've read some reviews of other derms around my area and they were very bad (for the same reasons perseverance92 posted) !

It's true what aanabill said about how cancer and other life-threatening diseases are not comparable to acne. i don't know anyone with cancer, but I think cancer patients have it harder than us, they don't die once, they "die" everyday, too, only very differently from how we "die" everyday. I guess I can speak for them in a way only I didn't have cancer, but I did went through something that was life-threatening, too. I must admit that during my low points dealing with acne, I said I wished that I was sick like that before, because then I would lay in my hospital bed, not having to face the world. I know it's a very terrible thing to wish for. But then I remind myself that no, being sick like that is awful, not being able to speak properly for a while, being in a catatonic state, taking heaps of medications with terrible side-effects. In fact, at one point, they injected me with a chemotherapy drug. The doctors scared me by telling me that I would die if I didn't take them all of the treatment, but my parents strongly opposed to it. So there I was not sure who to believe. I don't think I'd like to go back to that time again, because had I not became well again, I probably wouldn't have been alive, gone to school, be with the people I love, pursue my dreams, while with acne, I can still do that, I know it's still difficult, though.

Your doctor sounds to be a darling.I wish i had a dermatologist like that.And what did you suffer from?

May you be in the pink of health forever

if naivety was to be prosecuted,darling u would be in pain!

1st and foremost ,to u and everyone READ posts carefully before u write some more post on /about that.

i said 'THAT'S NOT RIGHT" - the whole phase thingy.

we all know about adult acne!!

anyway,moving on.

i never gave u any 'shitty' suggestion or instruction as to 'be grateful' (change the way u talk to people!at least i can talk for myself)

whether or not u believe ur mum or us when we say 'suffering does make SOME strong' is unimportant.

although,i will hope u get the fact as u grow up and gain some more maturity.

21st century changes a lot but the core doesnt bend with reigns.

why should u suffer?why should we suffer?

well,we have 'shitty' genes and 'shitty' lifestyle and the two doesnt go hand in hand.

"Cancer indeed kills you once but severe acne keeps killing people every moment of their pathetic lives". I have seen enough cancer patients

i dnt have words to describe how immature and empty that statement is.

i can only wish u would get that one day for i wouldnt want to preach u!!

when talking about dermas two things should be kept in mind.

one, they are what they are taught.

two, they know a lot and 'business' is a word often involved.a

and that goes for every field/stream of medical science.

also,i will not deny that most acne sufferers(specially considering its the teenage lot) wants to get rid of acne in two and half days no matter what.

the need gives rise to source here.

i am yet to see anyone mention that.

atleast when i used to get a few zits in my teen age i would want to do anything(apply garnier products - those apply on spot stuff; get creams all without prescription for my mum thought going to a derma is pointless.why?for its a phase)

i will again repeat,i dnt know abt other countries but in india not all dermas are horrible.

there are dermas who ask for dietary changes and lifestyle changes too along with herbal or hormonal approach in 1st take.

lastly,i must admit am relieved and glad the law isnt in ur hands.

on a different note,

i personally dnt like people who judge doctors(or any professional) on the basis of streams or subject.

its naivety.

severity matters because it matters.

its not about severity of acne.

its about severity of acne compared to deadly diseases like cancer,extreme diabetes,AIDS and more.

thats what is primarily weighed in this post and honestly,there's no comparison!!

But who's comparing?

Oh..just because people get cancer and AIDS I should just stop caring that I have acne. No, that's not how it works. Yes it would be much worse to have a more serious condition, but how can you possibly compare to something you don't have?

Dermatologists are skin doctors, acne is a disease of the skin, by telling a patient that they should simply shrug it off is not them doing their job.

Nobody is saying prioritise acne over more serious conditions, but dermatologists have enough time on their hands to do what they are paid for and take acne seriously. It's their obligation to treat an acne patient the same way as they would somebody with skin cancer - obviously not the same treatments, but by doing their utmost best to treat and cure it.

who's comparing?

lewis,have u even read the above posts?

of course there's comaparison.

why else would u think i'll start the weighing of two anyway?

its sad that some dermas behave like acne is nothing.

but what most try to say is 'dnt worry,it will be okay'

acne is a disease and no one is denying that.

and no ,not all dermas are bad.

no matter what people says acne COMPARED TO ANY OF THOSE DEADLY DISEASES is trivial.

the thread started as 'acne being trivial' but since a well full line is drawn which has names of cancer,skin cancer,diabetes etc i thought i must state what i mean!

care about ur acne.no one is asking u not to.

we all do.

its natural.

but my statement was IN COMPARISON.

please read my posts well!

yes,doctors are to treat every disease with same dedication but that doesnt change the fact that acne(mild to moderate) is way smaller than others named.

its a fact.

although the thread started questioning the importance given to acne but i have only and only addressed the parts where there's comparison.

also,i have well stated that i believe acne is a disease and it does play big in all our lives.

Shukriya

what was that for?

i am not sure if this is the right forum for this discussion but i will start by saying that yes,it seems like a small thing to dermas and so parents(most), and other elderly people too think its okay to have acne.

its just a phase!we r growing up!

thats not right.

but its plain silly to say all dermas know nothing and are useless.

dermatology is a stream and sometimes its got nothing to do with I.Q or rank.

i had a frnd who wanted to take dental instead of medicine while we all know those who get rank less in the merit list get dental collges.

also,i completely DISAGREE with that comparison between a derma and any other field of medicne/surgery.

there are great dermas and hopeless cardiologists and neurologists.most people forget acne is not the only disease they deal.

there are thousand more diseases they deal with.plus life saving procedures are involved too.of burn victims(i admit in india the technology isnt as superb EVERYWHERE as in the US or Germany but its not non-existent either),various grafting, etc(a vast stretch falls under dermatology actually including aspects of limb correction and power grafting)

and no,not all dermas visit 10 patients a day.and not all cardiologists sees 250 patients per day.

its baseless to compare.

i would like to see a world with no dermas at all.

then i'd go ask people how great they feel about it.

not just those with acne but with all other diseases.

there is no comparison between cancer and other fatal diseases and acne.

i know we all suffer and we know how bad it is .what stress and strain it gives us everyday but to compare it with a patient having cancer,AIDS, or some other BIG disease is madness.

die everyday?

cancer kills just one day?

u would wanna visit someone who wishes to live everyday but fails every moment.

u would have liked to see my uncle who begged everyone for life in his last days.screamed in pain and still wanted to live.

while another uncle wanted it to end for he could not take the chemos anymore?

cancer kills once?

how immature is that statement?

i wander if he would have chosen acne or leukemia!

and no one ignores severest or severe acne!if not mad or mad!

if acne is causing u depression,there are ways u could work on it,counselling,consults,mind therapy/trainings etc etc.

but sadly not many go for that.

but what will u do with the pain and that feeling that u have just a few more mnths or days?

how would it be when u stand beside a woman with burns and raw flesh and crib about ur mild/moderate acne?

I AM NO WAY SAYING ACNE IS NOT A DISEASE.I KNOW IT IS.I SUFFER FROM IT.

BUT I WOULD NEVER COMPARE IT WITH "NOT-TRIVIAL" DISEASES.

I HOPE NONE OF US - MY FRIENDS HERE GET ANYTHING OF THOSE.

TREAT UR ACNE BUT NOT GET LOST.

IF U R THEN SEEK HELP!!

PLUS WE ARE ALL HERE.

IN THIS TOGETHER!

my cousin sister have had moderate to severe acne since her teenage and i bow down to her.she's never let it bug her,never ever!

she's always known she's more than that.

i know not all of us are emotionally same and we get effected while some dnt.and thats okay.

here,i am just trying to say that there is a good chance one could look beyond just skin and show whats inside.

both my cousin bro and sister fell in love and committed while they had bad acne and they are still stuck with those great partners(even with or without acne).

It's a phase of growing up? A phase which lasts for 6 bloody years(in my life,and god knows how many more years) and for a lifetime for others.And please don't give me this "Be grateful that you just suffer from acne and not anything more serious" shit.I have never believed in suffering and emerging out of this "suffering" as a warrior.No IT'S BULLSHIT.Why should i suffer? I already get enough of this preaching by my parents.My mother had eczema while she was small and she tells me how she battled the disease and studied hard to become a doctor.She keeps telling me that i should be tough enough and fight my suffering. What the hell? Why suffer at all??? It's 21st century for Christ's sake. While i admire my mother and love her sooooo much,i'd never agree with her on this. And yes i'd stand by my statement like a strong tree and defend it . "Cancer indeed kills you once but severe acne keeps killing people every moment of their pathetic lives". I have seen enough cancer patients.My uncle has a chemo therapy center.So i'm well aware of the agony this"Emperor of all maladies" inflicts upon it's victims.

Since you are a medical student you must be aware of the fees which most Dermatologists charge.For this hefty sum the services they offer is paltry.The Dermatologist in my city boasts of lots of expertise and charges Rs.750 (about 15$,i know this is a small amount for an American but it's a huge sum for an Indian).Regardless of your type of acne(he won't listen to your problem),he has the same prescription. "Take Benzoyl peroxide,eat an antibiotic,wash your face 3 times a day with Cetaphil".I mean he should be prosecuted for his naivety .Multiply that sum by 200 (he has a huge practice) .So he is making 3000$ everyday by fooling people. Pathetic state of affairs... If i had law in my hands you'd see how i'd cleanse everything.I'd purge the nation and put the sinners on their road to atonement. AMEN

(P.S -My intention was never to belittle maladies such as Cancer,AIDS etc.Even though i'm an atheist i keep praying for the well being of my near and dear ones.May the victims of such deadly diseases have the strength to steer clear through their ordeal)

>>I've only been to one derm my whole life and I'm glad she's not like "asshole" derms who don't seem to care o.o ! She sees her patients until 1-2 am(well, mainly because she's not very organized and not punctual, but still, that's some dedication and she takes her responsabilties to the fullest!).She understands that acne is bothersome to me and she takes time to find different solutions and to really know what's the real cause of my acne. Knowing my medical past, she tries her best not to prescribe me strong antibiotics. She's the only one with the best reviews. I've read some reviews of other derms around my area and they were very bad (for the same reasons perseverance92 posted) !

It's true what aanabill said about how cancer and other life-threatening diseases are not comparable to acne. i don't know anyone with cancer, but I think cancer patients have it harder than us, they don't die once, they "die" everyday, too, only very differently from how we "die" everyday. I guess I can speak for them in a way only I didn't have cancer, but I did went through something that was life-threatening, too. I must admit that during my low points dealing with acne, I said I wished that I was sick like that before, because then I would lay in my hospital bed, not having to face the world. I know it's a very terrible thing to wish for. But then I remind myself that no, being sick like that is awful, not being able to speak properly for a while, being in a catatonic state, taking heaps of medications with terrible side-effects. In fact, at one point, they injected me with a chemotherapy drug. The doctors scared me by telling me that I would die if I didn't take them all of the treatment, but my parents strongly opposed to it. So there I was not sure who to believe. I don't think I'd like to go back to that time again, because had I not became well again, I probably wouldn't have been alive, gone to school, be with the people I love, pursue my dreams, while with acne, I can still do that, I know it's still difficult, though.

lockquote>

Your doctor sounds to be a darling.I wish i had a dermatologist like that.And what did you suffer from?

May you be in the pink of health forever

if naivety was to be prosecuted,darling u would be in pain!

1st and foremost ,to u and everyone READ posts carefully before u write some more post on /about that.

i said 'THAT'S NOT RIGHT" - the whole phase thingy.

we all know about adult acne!!

anyway,moving on.

i never gave u any 'shitty' suggestion or instruction as to 'be grateful' (change the way u talk to people!at least i can talk for myself)

whether or not u believe ur mum or us when we say 'suffering does make SOME strong' is unimportant.

although,i will hope u get the fact as u grow up and gain some more maturity.

21st century changes a lot but the core doesnt bend with reigns.

why should u suffer?why should we suffer?

well,we have 'shitty' genes and 'shitty' lifestyle and the two doesnt go hand in hand.

"Cancer indeed kills you once but severe acne keeps killing people every moment of their pathetic lives". I have seen enough cancer patients

i dnt have words to describe how immature and empty that statement is.

i can only wish u would get that one day for i wouldnt want to preach u!!

when talking about dermas two things should be kept in mind.

one, they are what they are taught.

two, they know a lot and 'business' is a word often involved.a

and that goes for every field/stream of medical science.

also,i will not deny that most acne sufferers(specially considering its the teenage lot) wants to get rid of acne in two and half days no matter what.

the need gives rise to source here.

i am yet to see anyone mention that.

atleast when i used to get a few zits in my teen age i would want to do anything(apply garnier products - those apply on spot stuff; get creams all without prescription for my mum thought going to a derma is pointless.why?for its a phase)

i will again repeat,i dnt know abt other countries but in india not all dermas are horrible.

there are dermas who ask for dietary changes and lifestyle changes too along with herbal or hormonal approach in 1st take.

lastly,i must admit am relieved and glad the law isnt in ur hands.

on a different note,

i personally dnt like people who judge doctors(or any professional) on the basis of streams or subject.

its naivety.

severity matters because it matters.

its not about severity of acne.

its about severity of acne compared to deadly diseases like cancer,extreme diabetes,AIDS and more.

thats what is primarily weighed in this post and honestly,there's no comparison!!

But who's comparing?

Oh..just because people get cancer and AIDS I should just stop caring that I have acne. No, that's not how it works. Yes it would be much worse to have a more serious condition, but how can you possibly compare to something you don't have?

Dermatologists are skin doctors, acne is a disease of the skin, by telling a patient that they should simply shrug it off is not them doing their job.

Nobody is saying prioritise acne over more serious conditions, but dermatologists have enough time on their hands to do what they are paid for and take acne seriously. It's their obligation to treat an acne patient the same way as they would somebody with skin cancer - obviously not the same treatments, but by doing their utmost best to treat and cure it.

who's comparing?

lewis,have u even read the above posts?

of course there's comaparison.

why else would u think i'll start the weighing of two anyway?

its sad that some dermas behave like acne is nothing.

but what most try to say is 'dnt worry,it will be okay'

acne is a disease and no one is denying that.

and no ,not all dermas are bad.

no matter what people says acne COMPARED TO ANY OF THOSE DEADLY DISEASES is trivial.

the thread started as 'acne being trivial' but since a well full line is drawn which has names of cancer,skin cancer,diabetes etc i thought i must state what i mean!

care about ur acne.no one is asking u not to.

we all do.

its natural.

but my statement was IN COMPARISON.

please read my posts well!

yes,doctors are to treat every disease with same dedication but that doesnt change the fact that acne(mild to moderate) is way smaller than others named.

its a fact.

although the thread started questioning the importance given to acne but i have only and only addressed the parts where there's comparison.

also,i have well stated that i believe acne is a disease and it does play big in all our lives.

Shukriya

what was that for?

I never wanted to offend you.You are head on confrontational.What i write in my posts are MY views.What i advocate are MY beliefs.They may not be according to YOUR train of thought.As a responsible adult you ought to understand that a lot of frustration in acne afflicted individuals manifests itself in their "Strong" statements.It's sad that despite being an acne victim yourself, you're unable to gauge the emotional meaning of my quotation.And if there is something "unimportant" in my post which you find not worthy of your precious time then instead of writing "is unimportant" (because that is important for me , again it is MY post)kindly skip it and refrain from reading and answering to posts started by Perseverance92.

Thankyou!

this will be my last post here.and its only to make myself clear.

its not ur post and ur 'believing a certain thing' that i stated is unimportant.

again,please READ before u reply.

its ur post.ur thoughs ann opinion but that doesnt mean we cant question or oppose that in YOUR post/thread. its acne.org and its not always about how much u can talk/write.if u say a thing thats 'overly strong'(am glad u've realised that the statement was exaggeration out of whatever reasons!) we r all allowed to reply.

atleast untill it reaches a bad turn,discussion/correction/reply is what we all do.

although i'll make sure i do as much as possible to ignore when u issue such statements.

but sadly,u r no one to 'not-invite' me.

i am not offended.

i understand the point about acne being a disease and we all go through sufferings but like i had said acne IN COMPARISON to cancer,AIDS,diabetes,etc is always less.

emphasis being given on COMPARISON.

.It's sad that despite being an acne victim yourself, you're unable to gauge the emotional meaning of my quotation.

We are not living in the 19th century when mere survival was the sole concern .It is 2013 and science has progressed by leaps and bounds.And yet when i go to dermatologists and tell them my sorry acne tale.They scoff at me for taking acne so seriously.They say "Son it is not life threatening".These words make me boil.I just want to murder that dermatologist at that moment.Acne is an impediment to progress.Progress in any field.It saps your energy and then you can't concentrate on the more profound things in your life.

Acne is a lead cause of teenage depression and even suicide cases have been linked to it.And yet it is "Not life threatening".Acne is a weapon for the pharmaceutical industry to earn money by launching placebos.Even the dermatologists are a part of it.I know i'm blatantly pointing fingers but it is true.Dermatologists are the doctors whom you'd see playing golf and tennis at 5 P.M when other "real" doctors are working hard and saving lives. Most dermatologists are quacks who have "deep pockets", courtesy acne.My dad is a Neurologist and all throughout my childhood i have seen him working diligently.I have been treated by at least 4 different dermatologists in 2 different cities and i have always found them non-serious ,smiling wickedly,prescribing a dozen useless creams which only make acne worse.

I have never seen a dermatologist who is compassionate,who listens to my problem and comforts me.It's an irony.Dermatologists are one of the less busier doctors.They have like 10 patients a day and yet they can't touch their patient's life.Core doctors like Cardiologists,Neurologists and Nephrologists in my city have 250 patients a day.They are stressed out and yet they are amazing doctors.I guess it's a flaw in our medical colleges (India).The lower ranking M.B.B.S doctors are given dermatology as a choice.This explains their incompetency,their low emotional i.q.

I know most of the people reading this will dis-agree.I'm not attacking dermatologists.I'm just frustrated by their incompetency.For one,why can't they find a permanent cure for acne? Why are they not research oriented? . I was really depressed.Needed a "vent out" session.

I agree my dermatologist is so uncaring about me.They tell me oh we seen many people like you but after seeing there pictures im by far the worst.She tells my parents that its not a big deal and im over emotional.Also she tells them that im playing my parents and lieing about my emotions.I just feel like with my scars my life is limited and people look down on you.Its like your a completely different person to people and you are basically dead and are a different person if your scars are bad enough.