Hi, I'm a 20 year old male with moderate to severe cystic acne, mostly on my face and shoulders. Thankfully I usually only have anywhere from 2-4 acne cysts total at a time on my body, but they tend to be very deep and painful and take a long time to heal completely (upwards of a month sometimes). I'm currently trying every treatment I can find as a last-ditch effort before I resort to Accutane, which I am willing to try at this point, as it was recommended by my dermatologist.

I'm currently trying out supplementing B5+L-Carnitine, as I've heard it's been very effective in treating some people's cystic acne. I've been taking 500mg of B5 three times daily and 1000mg of L-Carnitine once daily for exactly one week now. Almost immediately, it seemed to decrease the oil on my skin, my cysts began shrinking, and my complexion looked better. Now, a week in, a very large cyst popped up on my chin, a small one is forming just between my eyebrows, and a regular sized one came up on my neck. Could B5 have a "worsening period" similar to Accutane? I know they're very different drugs, but they both ultimately work to treat acne by decreasing sebum production, so I'm hoping this is just a worsening period similar to the one some people experience on Accutane. Does anyone who has been on B5 for a while had this experience?

I'm also wondering if the dosage is appropriate. I heard that combining L-Carnitine with B5 allows the B5 to be taken in smaller, safer amounts, yet still be as effective as doses as large as 5-10g. Does it matter that I take the L-Carnitine just once a day, or is it only effective when taken in intervals, at the same time that the B5 is taken? I currently take 1000mg of L-Carnitine once daily in the morning with my first dose of B5.

This is probably a lot more info than necessary, but thanks for your help!