I've been on Minocycline for over a year. You really aren't supposed to take it for longer than 3 months, and definitely for no longer than 6 months. I used to see a dermatology PA who just prescribed antibiotics haphazardly with no thought of the side effects of long-term use. Nobody should be on antibiotics for longer than 6 months because the body starts to develop resistance. So if I get a bad infection or illness now, my body may not respond to the antibiotics. That's why I need to get off the Minocycline. Also, antibiotic overuse contributes to drug resistance for everyone, and that's how super-bugs are born. Scary stuff.

A test spot for the IPL is a great idea! I'll probably have plentiful acne by the time I go in for an IPL since I'll be coming off the antibiotics.

Yeah a year is a long time but i wouldnt worry that much. I took at least 7 different antibiotics off and on for years and never had an issue. My friend at work was on mino for 8 years and stopped it about 2 years ago with no issues. They have antibiotics that are heavy duty if you ever get an infection so i think you would be ok either way. I hope your acne gets better i know how awful it can be.

Yeah a test spot of ipl will be good and then if you have no issues you can get the treatment with no worries

Take care of yourself

Thanks! Unfortunately, Avar-E burned my already sensitive skin. I have a red splotchy area beside my mouth where a layer of skin came off. This is where a small whitehead has been forming for a couple of months. I tried to spot treat it with Avar-E, which is for sensitive skin, and I got burned, of course. I have to wear makeup to cover the redness, but washing it off is precarious. Anything I should be applying at night to get rid of the redness and heal the area? Knowing my skin, it'll be there for years. I feel hopeless. Using Desonide hasn't helped.

I really love biafine emulsion cream it works so well for healing wounds and things like that. I think its only available in the UK though so I got my tube on ebay. You could try just applying Aquaphor to the area for a few days so it can heal or if you are afraid of breakouts try some Neosporin or pure Aloe Vera. Just be very gentle with the area and it will heal in time I have done that many times in the past.

Thanks! I also adore Biafine. I'm out of town and don't have it with me, though! Aquaphor is a good idea. I have to use it on my lips in the winter, so it's always with me!

Jeez Louise. My face is flaking off in chunks again on the left side. Red, raw skin underneath. I can luckily go without makeup tomorrow. I'm gonna slather the section with Biafine/Desonide. Stupid winter.

Ugh that sucks but thats a good idea. How is your skin otherwise?

I think Desonate actually made it worse last night. I have a huge red blotch in the triangle area between my nose, mouth, and cheek. It would actually look better if my entire face were red instead of just this section. I didn't use Retin-A last night and won't use it tonight either. No new pimples yet, I don't think, but there may be something forming in a portion of that red blotch. It's hard to tell since it's so red anyway. I slathered on some Biafine this morning but haven't seen any improvement yet. I took a few walks outside over the weekend, which I rarely do in winter since my skin gets peely. But the last time I did that was on Saturday, so I'm not sure why there would be such a delayed reaction. I'm also on my period, so maybe it's partially hormonal. Once again, I've never experienced anything like it before, so it's very confusing. I'm scared to not use the Retin-A because I don't want to break out, but I think that if I use it, my skin will just get more irritated. I'm going to reapply Biafine, I guess. I think hydrocortisone might reduce the redness, but it can also be drying, so I'm going to pass on using it. I wonder what's going on.

I just thought of something. I ate food with buffalo sauce on Saturday, Sunday, and a tiny bit yesterday. I never use buffalo sauce. I didn't notice anything at the time, but is it possible that it could've caused this? Once again, a delayed reaction...?

I doubt it was a delayed reaction I would just wash with soap and water and apply the biafine for a while until it heals. Don't put any retin-a on it that's for sure. My skin could never tolerate retinoids it just literally tears it up and makes it so sensitive, red, peely and its just awful. I had better luck with using glycolic acid to keep my pores clear.

I would call your derm too and mention what is going on to see if they want to look at it in person.

Thanks a bunch. Unfortunately, I just can't afford frequent dermatologist visits right now, so I'm holding off. I'll save a visit for if something more severe happens, which I hope doesn't! After two nights of no Retin-A and just using Desonate and regular hydrocortisone, the rash seemed better. Then I took a walk in some crazy wind yesterday, but I didn't see a problem after that. I used Retin-A, Desonate, and hydrocortisone together last night and woke up to a much better situation. Much less redness, which made me so happy. I've not had to go anywhere today, so I left makeup off and just used my regular moisturizer. And now, at the end of the day, my skin is blotchy and red all over again. I've not put anything on my skin today except my moisturizer, and I've not been outside. The rash is right in that same area around my nose and mouth. I guess I'll forego the Retin-A tonight and see how things progress. It's not like it burns or itches. It's just bright red, blotchy, and uneven. Not something I'm used to.

Hi, everyone! Just wanted to update you. For now, I'm not going on Accutane. I ran out of my 50 milligrams Minocycline almost a week ago, and I didn't refill it. Six days without antibiotics now. I'm hoping this decision doesn't backfire, but I really wanted to be off the antibiotics. My head is clearer, I'm not dealing with constipation anymore, and I don't feel nauseous! I weaned from 200 milligrams to nothing in the span of about 3.5 months. It was a gradual process. 200 for a few weeks, then 150, then 100, then 50, and now 0. I'm still on Yaz (almost at the end of the third month), 50 milligrams of Spironolactone, and Retin-A Micro. Other medications are Loratadine (for seasonal allergies), Biotin, and a multivitamin. I have had to ease up on the Retin-A with this harsh winter weather, but I use it every other night or so if I can't use it every night. (Come on, spring! Stop being cold!) Last week, I was diagnosed with rosacea, which makes a lot of sense. I'm very fair-skinned and have very sensitive skin, I get occasional flushing (even when I'm not embarrassed), I get frequent rashes and peeling, and so on. Also, this patch on my nose always flakes off in chunks and leaves a raw, red patch when I sweat or go out in the sun/wind briefly. The dermatologist says it isn't pre-cancerous, though. Desonate, Elidel, and Avar-E have been a little bit too harsh on my skin and have exacerbated the redness. Last week, my dermatologist suggested that I go on Oracea, which is an antibiotic for mild rosacea and acne. It isn't strong enough to kill bacteria and only reduces inflammation. I may go on it if this antibiotic-free situation doesn't work out for me, but right now, I'm not going to fill the prescription. I'm drinking 2-4 pints of tea or water every day right now, which I think is helping. I also think the Yaz is really doing its job, just like it used to before I went off of it. Knock on wood for all of this because I'm terrified that things will start to happen again, but I'm trying to stay positive! I'll give it a few months and then decide whether or not it's time for IPL for the scars, hyperpigmentation, and broken capillaries. I may also consider a facial or a peel if this clogged pore by my mouth, which is a little bit red, doesn't go away. It's been there since the beginning of January, but the dermatologist said it's still not close enough to the surface of the skin for her to extract well. Here's to a positive attitude and a healthy body!