I am 22-years-old and I have been battling acne for nearly 10 years. I have done nearly everything over the counter and then consulted a dermatologist. I have been to multiple dermatologists and I have been prescribed just about everything: Benzaclin, Minocycline, Doxycycline, multiple birth controls, AcZone, Accutane, and there are so many more I cannot even think. I did Accutane for a period of 6 months and my skin completely cleared up. That was little bit over two years ago and now my acne is back in full force and worse than it has ever been. I do not want to subject my body to something so potent again but I am getting desperate. I am looking at changing my diet now and seeing if that makes a huge impact. I am in college and barely have time to eat nor drink anything. I feel since I will have more time after graduation in two weeks I will be able to make a diet change. Has anyone tried changing their diet and had much success? Does anyone have any suggestions for different methods? I am currently now using over the counter remedies such as Noxema face wash and neutrogena products for a topical solution. Salicylic acid does not seem to work for me or do anything. I went to the dermatologist again and was prescribed AcZone and something called entraline which is apparently a topical solution of Accutane. My insurance will not cover these products and are too expensive to use. Does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am ready to beat this thing or to at least have it under control. Also, I have tried commercial solutions such as: Murad, Proactiv, and the new Proactive Plus.

If you think your acne is hormonal, then accutane, as you found out, is only a temporary solution.

Browse the posts here to see if anything applies to you, there is a lot of information already posted.

I am 22-years-old and I have been battling acne for nearly 10 years. I have done nearly everything over the counter and then consulted a dermatologist. I have been to multiple dermatologists and I have been prescribed just about everything: Benzaclin, Minocycline, Doxycycline, multiple birth controls, AcZone, Accutane, and there are so many more I cannot even think. I did Accutane for a period of 6 months and my skin completely cleared up. That was little bit over two years ago and now my acne is back in full force and worse than it has ever been. I do not want to subject my body to something so potent again but I am getting desperate. I am looking at changing my diet now and seeing if that makes a huge impact. I am in college and barely have time to eat nor drink anything. I feel since I will have more time after graduation in two weeks I will be able to make a diet change. Has anyone tried changing their diet and had much success? Does anyone have any suggestions for different methods? I am currently now using over the counter remedies such as Noxema face wash and neutrogena products for a topical solution. Salicylic acid does not seem to work for me or do anything. I went to the dermatologist again and was prescribed AcZone and something called entraline which is apparently a topical solution of Accutane. My insurance will not cover these products and are too expensive to use. Does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am ready to beat this thing or to at least have it under control. Also, I have tried commercial solutions such as: Murad, Proactiv, and the new Proactive Plus.

You said you tried other prescription drugs (birth control, antibiotics etc). Did any of them work, or only Accutane?

Personally I haven't found any improvement when I have changed my diet. But from having read some threads around the site, some people do well from cutting out diary, some from a paleo diet, some from cutting out sugar. It seems to be an individual thing.

Do you know for sure that your acne is solely hormonal?

I don't think my acne is only hormonal, but it's definitely worse in the second half of my cycle. I can't take the combined birth control pills which are anti-androgenic (Yaz, Diane etc), so I am trying natural supplements that help to reduce androgen (which in turn means less oil), like spearmint tea and saw palmetto. It's too early to say if it's helping. I'm also taking zinc and omega 3, both of which are anti-inflammatory. Tbh I'm only taking this natural approach because I can't take most of the prescription drugs for acne.