We have all been there. Given the fact that the doctor hasn't prescribed accutane, then I assume it is only moderate acne. I recommend taking a look at the Acne Org Regime. It is a detailed regime that must be followed very precisely in order to get a good outcome. It sounds like you have used a lot of different products however it may be doing more harm than good (we all do it). Don't confuse the regime as just BP 2.5; it is very precise and has provided a lot of people great success.

All the best

Thanks for your reply underneath! Each of the prescribed things (apart from the current one) he has done for about 6 months, so hes not been swapping and changing.

Accutane really concerns me as he already seems depressed, and I understand that can make it worse, sounds like it ca have really bad side affects.

In 4 years he has onlt seen his GP twice, (once when we fist went with the problem, and a second time because he had to go with another problem, and used that oportunity to ask for a review of his acne. If we call for an apponitment, he is only offered a telephone consultation, so the GP hasnt really seen it recently.

They say that acne doesnt need to be seen, that there is a set pattern of treatment and if one thing does not work, its onto the next alternative.

I will tell him about the regime, problem is we are in the UK. I have seen it being sold on ebay.co.uk but not sure if that would be the genuine product, is there any way to tell?

I really do appreciate your help x x

If i had to go back in time, I would have totally gone on the regime asap as prevention is better than cure. Little things like being extremely gentle all play a huge role in how acne can respond to products. The thing is that your son must be patient and follow the steps precisely. The question is whether he is able to stay positive and endure the ups and downs of the initial stages. Shipping to UK is possible from the acne org site, or if using ebay try and use a reliable source. Have a look at the site instructions and see if it suits you.

Your a good mum and I hope this helps.

Ah bless you underneath, what a nice thing to say! I will pass the info on to my son, he does need to decide if he can be compliant with this, but of course I will be there for him to support and encourage him. If I can confirm a reliable UK seller, then I will hopefully buy a pack for him.

Its interesting that you say its the technique as much as the actual product. he's 15, so I have no idea 'how' he washes his face, I only know which products he uses.

There seems to be so many things out there, I guess theres no one thing that suits everyone. I have seen good reports about 'the acne practice' but then some negative reviews about it here. i thought Pantothen sounded perfect, but then find out its just glorified B5

Im more inclined to try something realistic that an experienced member here has tried, rather than a very possitive review from someone who has only made one post. x x

If you have a look at the acne treatments tab (ill put a link below) there is information about specific products that you can use and buy from your local pharmacy. A cleanser, BP 2.5% and a moisturiser is all that is needed, however they need to have specific ingredients that are gentle etc. There are numerous blogs on here that recommend products similar to the regime that you can buy from your local pharmacy. More importantly you need to follow the instructions on how to apply these products in a specific way with as little irritation as possible.

Good Luck

http://www.acne.org/regimen

Thanks for your reply underneath! Each of the prescribed things (apart from the current one) he has done for about 6 months, so hes not been swapping and changing.

Accutane really concerns me as he already seems depressed, and I understand that can make it worse, sounds like it ca have really bad side affects.

In 4 years he has onlt seen his GP twice, (once when we fist went with the problem, and a second time because he had to go with another problem, and used that oportunity to ask for a review of his acne. If we call for an apponitment, he is only offered a telephone consultation, so the GP hasnt really seen it recently.

They say that acne doesnt need to be seen, that there is a set pattern of treatment and if one thing does not work, its onto the next alternative.

I will tell him about the regime, problem is we are in the UK. I have seen it being sold on ebay.co.uk but not sure if that would be the genuine product, is there any way to tell?

I really do appreciate your help x x

Not to discount the potential severe side effects of accutane, but if he is depressed because of his acne, and not just depressed in a general manner of speaking, accutane could be a help to him. I dont have any studies handy to show you, but if you research a bit, there are several medical documentations of acne patients being depressed because of their acne, and not anything else. Something to consider.

Wow, Thank you both for taking the time to reply, you dont know how much it means to get support like this for my son. Your replies have given me hope that we can do something positive and hopefully regain some control. I've looked at the tutorial vid, and i think he has been doing it all wrong . GPs just prescribe meds at arms length, and dont 'really' give you much idea on 'how' to use it, (other than say 'apply at night' or whatever)

He uses a fresh washcloth (flannel over here!) every time he washes, so he's probably been irritating the skin all along. Thank goodness I found this site! Its definatley effectiveness through simple technique. Finegers crossed!

I'm having a look at eucerin products, as it seems I can get them here on the UK easily from 'Boots'. He has been using PB for 4 years (different %s though, but currently prescribed acnecide 2.5%) so I hope he can still get that on precsription and it will work as part of the regimen.

The most interesting thing that acne.org does, is not actually plug their own products as 'the only treatment' or 'miracle cure' They/you are happy to suggest alternatives to use as part of the regimen, so it doesnt feel like a money making scam like others that promise the moon by exclusive use of their products.

Good point about Accutane Goodz, guess we cant rule anything out, but it would really have to be the last resort. Maybe he can give the regimen a good try until after his exams next july. I do see it as a very last resort and there will be knowhere left to go if that doesnt help, and he probably has enough on his plate right now, but I will not rule it out, thanks for the advice.

Sorry, I know Im pestering, but do you know how i can confirm if this UK ebay seller has the real stuff? (There are just so many people out there who are happy to make money out of people!)

Its a seller called sure_supplies, these are his current products. Im wondering if they are genuine products, why theres such a big issue for UK people trying to find highstreet alternatives, if the real deal is avaliable here in the UK?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sure_supplies/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

Sorry, I know Im pestering, but do you know how i can confirm if this UK ebay seller has the real stuff? (There are just so many people out there who are happy to make money out of people!)

Its a seller called sure_supplies, these are his current products. Im wondering if they are genuine products, why theres such a big issue for UK people trying to find highstreet alternatives, if the real deal is avaliable here in the UK?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sure_supplies/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

I'm personally not too familiar with eBay but Sure_supplies seems to be legit as it has high customer ratings all the best

Many of us have acne because

- Our testosterone hormones are overactive and tell the sebaceous glands to produce more oil in the skin

- That oil gets trapped in the skin and creates painful acne

- Natural bacteria on the skin, that normally doesn't cause a problem, feeds on the trapped oil, and increases the inflammation

The main problem is that benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, and retinoids DO NOT TREAT THE OIL. They can make the SURFACE of the skin drier temporarily, but they can't stop the oil in the deeper layers of the skin.

Please see this diagram (thanks biggs for this image):

As you can see, the only thing that treats "sebum excretion" are anti-androgens and Accutane (a.k.a isotretinoin).

So all the BP, Duac, antibiotics do is treat the after-effects of acne that's already there. They don't prevent the acne from occurring.

If you don't want to jump to Accutane just yet, your boy will need to avoid hormonal triggers in his diet and lifestyle.

- No dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream).

- No sugar

- No soy

- No caffeine

- Reduce carbs in the diet

- No workout supplements, whey protein, soy protein

- Make sure he gets adequate sun exposure for vitamin D3. D3 is a prohormone that actually helps regulate hormones. He really needs to go outside to get the proper amount of D3, a vitamin pill is not going to do it, and the type of vitamin D in food is actually vitamin D2, which is something different.

Please read "Why Millk and Sugar Cause Acne" by Dr. Mark Hyman that explains why these things trigger hormonal acne.

A diet of meat and veggies, combined with lots of time outside for D3, will help him a ton over time. At that point you can consider if he still needs Accutane.

Hi there!

I'm also in the UK and am the same age as your son (so I've just started Yr11 too). I am 4 months through with my course of Accutane. It's been scary, painful but all in all, 100% worth it (check out my before and after pictures on my log).

The thing is, I'm lucky to be finishing now, just before the mad, stressed rush of GCSE exams, I wouldn't really recommend taking Accutane (or Roacctane as it's called here in the UK) during next May/June time unless you absolutely have to 1) because of the possible horrible side effects and 2) because you have to have so many hospital appointments and I've missed so much school.

If I was him I would try something new until our exams are over and then maybe look into Accutane.

I wish him good luck with year 11! It won't be easy, but it seems like he's got an awesome mum to get him through it

Greengables, thank you for all that information! That is very useful too, as my son has lots of cereal (and so lots of milk) every day I would say on average he has about three bowls! he used to have issues with constipation (God, he would kill me if he knew I was discussing his bowel habbits on the internet!! haha) so he has lots of high fibre cereal to keep him 'going'. This will be another thing we can try, reduce the amount of milk. I think it is something to do with his hormones, as his voice broke and he started getting whiskers on his chin when he was 10/11, way before any of his mates!

Lots of super advice which has helped me as a mum, as well as hopefully helping my lad, thank you x x

Eastrainbows, thank you for your advice, what you say makes so much sense! You know exactly the boat that my son is in, and all the other pressures of Y11. I hope your studies go well too.

You were so kind to take the time to comment, you are a credit to your parents!

I like the idea of being an awsome mum, thank you! I will have to tell my lad what you said, hehe!

If those topicals aren't helping it could be a few things.

1. Ask him if the spots itch. If they do, it could be fungal. Antibacterial treatments sometimes can make a fungal infection worse. If you suspect it's fungal, use selenium sulfide shampoo on the face 1x per day, leaving it on for ~5-10 minutes (if sensitive skin, less time) before washing off completely. Improvement should be rapid and noticeable within a week.

2. Try a retinoid. You describe the condition as mostly comedonal. A retinoid will help with this, but it will take a long time to work. Patience is the key with this treatment - it will get worse before it gets better, which is intended, unlike other acne treatments. Improvement might be quick, but then it might seem to get worse until stabilizing around 8 weeks, and then improving from there.

3. Diet changes. If you can get your son to go paleo for even a couple weeks, you'll probably be able to tell if there's an offending agent in the food. Commonly, grains and dairy, which is why I suggest paleo. Most of the time diet results in inflammatory acne, though.

I feel as though I was in the exact position as your son is in now, including the bowel trouble. I've been looking for a cure for long time now (I'm 22). Some things worked. Many didn't. I've used benzoyl peroxide multiple times for extended durations. I would not recommend it for several reasons - its mechanism of action is achieved through the creation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that basically induce skin damage to change the way cells proliferate. So, aging and cancer. It does have a very potent anti-inflammatory effect, though, which somewhat counters the cancer bit. But a retinoid will have more lasting effects while making your skin look better overall, so while it is a longer-term treatment, it's really a better alternative, and this is why it's considered the gold standard of acne care.

I cured my digestion problems a couple of times in the past few years (after recreating them with antibiotics). The first time (my digestion was poor even before antibiotics; I ate mostly things like pasta and bread in my childhood) I did green smoothies with psyllium husks added (and no other food, just green smoothies) for about 3 or 4 days, then I started adding things like whole cuts of meat, etc. The second time (after taking bactrim - not a good idea on my part) nothing would get me back on track until I got lucky from eating unwashed organic greens 2x a day (a large quantity) for 10 days. Unwashed being key; the cause of constipation is NOT a lack of fiber, but rather a lack of the correct bacterial strains. Fiber can cover up the problem. The third time (after doxycycline) the salads didn't help; I had to take an antifungal (200mg fluconazole) along with chicken curry (with lots of coconut oil) and salads at night for a week. No more antibiotics for me! hehe

Fixing my digestion and my diet cleared my inflammatory acne, including the acne on my chest. I believe bovine colostrum supplementation (2 rounds, spaced a couple months apart) also helped me overcome sensitivities to what seemed like everything.

I am currently on a retinoid for comedones. Progress is slow, but it's happening. I started with adapalene 0.3% a while back; that was ineffective for me so I moved to adapalene 0.1%, which was also ineffective so I am now on tretinoin 0.1%, which is one of the stronger retinoids. Makes the skin peel, also makes it red. But comedones are much reduced. If your son decides to try a retinoid, I would recommend using CeraVe moisturizing cream. Wash skin, wait 10 mins (make sure it's dry), apply dime-sized amount of retinoid, wait ~30 mins, apply CeraVe on top. If too much irritation, you can also have him mix the CeraVe and the retinoid in his hands and apply at the same time.

I would really not recommend any more antibiotics, and I would also recommend trying everything you can before turning to Accutane. Accutane is a chemotherapy that basically works by killing quickly dividing cells - which is why some people lose their hair. This means it'll also kill stem cells, and if you kill too many, the damage can be permanent and crippling. Of course, these things do not happen to everyone. But when it does happen, it ruins lives.

Now that I've written all that, I notice that you currently have Differin. This is a retinoid, probably 0.1% adapalene. Depending on how long he's been using it, you might want to consider asking for a stronger retinoid, such as tretinoin. Peeling/redness = it's working. Too much peeling/redness = use a weaker one, or use it every other day.

Anyways, sorry this post was a book. Hope some of it helps. (Vitamin D3 supplementation can also help if you notice it gets worse in winter)

Gosh Quentzlcoatl, thank you for taking the time to write all that for my son! Its a great help. Yes you are right, his differin is 0.1%. My hope is that by trying the regimen then he will get some control of the symptoms, but then he can look longer term and think about triggers and causes.

I had a chat with him lst night and he watched the regimen video. He wants to try that for now, maybe phasing out the differin if things seem to improve. Flannels have been demoted to floorcloths, his exoflating scrub is out of the window, and he's made a start by gently washed his face in the shower last night.

Had a massive search on the product reviews and got him a very gentle cleanser, a foaming cleanser for shaving his chin and tash, and an oil free moisturiser today. It feels like the first day of something hopeful.

Next job will be to find a moisturiser with sunscrean, but that can wait. I do think this 'irritation' theory can make it worse. Just before the holidays he went on a school geography trip and came back with sunburn on the front of his neck (having put sunscreen on his face only!!) a couple of weeks later as the burn healed he started getting spots on either side and the front of his neck. I had not connected this until seeing Dans video where he says 'any irritation' which includes sunburn.

You lot are a bunch of lovely supportive people and im glad I found this site! x x

Gosh Quentzlcoatl, thank you for taking the time to write all that for my son! Its a great help. Yes you are right, his differin is 0.1%. My hope is that by trying the regimen then he will get some control of the symptoms, but then he can look longer term and think about triggers and causes.

I had a chat with him lst night and he watched the regimen video. He wants to try that for now, maybe phasing out the differin if things seem to improve. Flannels have been demoted to floorcloths, his exoflating scrub is out of the window, and he's made a start by gently washed his face in the shower last night.

Had a massive search on the product reviews and got him a very gentle cleanser, a foaming cleanser for shaving his chin and tash, and an oil free moisturiser today. It feels like the first day of something hopeful.

Next job will be to find a moisturiser with sunscrean, but that can wait. I do think this 'irritation' theory can make it worse. Just before the holidays he went on a school geography trip and came back with sunburn on the front of his neck (having put sunscreen on his face only!!) a couple of weeks later as the burn healed he started getting spots on either side and the front of his neck. I had not connected this until seeing Dans video where he says 'any irritation' which includes sunburn.

You lot are a bunch of lovely supportive people and im glad I found this site! x x

Irritation is a huge factor in all this, over time, this regime will become easier and more intuitive for your son. One of the best things about the regime over the long term is that you become more in touch with your skin, and learning this now can help and possibly prevent future issues.

I really hope this works for your son, it will get worse before it gets better however it is well worth it.

All the best

I was not sure if to clutter the forum up with another thread, so I though i would see if someone can help me on my original thread, just a little question...

Because we are in the UK and theres the shipping issues from the US I bought some 2.5bp from the ebay supplier I mentioned above, it arrived today.

The bp in the 8ox tube is whitish in colour, I thought it was a clear gel?

The 'acne.org' label is wrapped round the whole of the tube, but its quite puckered along the top edge as its in the crimping part too, is this usual for a genuine product?

There is no expiry date on it (on here it says that the BP has he expiration date printed on it)

Does this sound about right for real acne.org products?

Im really worried that Ive bought some fake stuff! I hope I have not wasted £26

On the upside though, he's been using the cleanser and moisturiser I bought, and his face on the whole looks much calmer, there are the odd raised spots with pus in, which just seem to go when hes asleep or washing, and even they dont seem to be angry and red. Some of the open comedones almost seem to have 'raised' out of the pores a little too.

I was not sure if to clutter the forum up with another thread, so I though i would see if someone can help me on my original thread, just a little question...

Because we are in the UK and theres the shipping issues from the US I bought some 2.5bp from the ebay supplier I mentioned above, it arrived today.

The bp in the 8ox tube is whitish in colour, I thought it was a clear gel?

The 'acne.org' label is wrapped round the whole of the tube, but its quite puckered along the top edge as its in the crimping part too, is this usual for a genuine product?

There is no expiry date on it (on here it says that the BP has he expiration date printed on it)

Does this sound about right for real acne.org products?

Im really worried that Ive bought some fake stuff! I hope I have not wasted £26

On the upside though, he's been using the cleanser and moisturiser I bought, and his face on the whole looks much calmer, there are the odd raised spots with pus in, which just seem to go when hes asleep or washing, and even they dont seem to be angry and red. Some of the open comedones almost seem to have 'raised' out of the pores a little too.

The Acne org BP 2.5% is a whitish colour (not clear- but it does dry clear with no with residue) and the source you mentioned was highly rated, so I think it should be ok

Thanks Underneath for your superfast reply!! It just made me suspicious when it wasnt clear! Just my misunderstanding!

I'll let him use it then!

I suddenly had fears that it was 10% quinoderm diluted with something that might irritate his skin even more inside a fake bottle!

Sounds like its genuine then, which could be a great option for other UKers.

Thank you! x x

Thanks Underneath for your superfast reply!! It just made me suspicious when it wasnt clear! Just my misunderstanding!

I'll let him use it then!

I suddenly had fears that it was 10% quinoderm diluted with something that might irritate his skin even more inside a fake bottle!

Sounds like its genuine then, which could be a great option for other UKers.

Thank you! x x

No problem, follow the directions precisely and of course good luck