Getting desperate! What next?

[27_f_UK 0]

OK I'm losing the battle and wondered if anyone can suggest something else to try? Here's what Ive already tried:

BP (inc. following Dan's regime)

Retin-A

Freederm

Topical antibiotics

oral antibiotics

Salicylic acid

Glycolic acid wash & peels....and STILL I have spots & cysts!!

Ive had a bad reaction to accutane & can't afford to see a derm. I eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, my hormone levels have tested normal, I dont have polycystic ovaries....and Im past the teens (now 27)

What else can I do?? Please help!

[ImOily 0]

Ive had a bad reaction to accutane

What it do to you?

[pintsize7 0]

OK I'm losing the battle and wondered if anyone can suggest something else to try? Here's what Ive already tried:

BP (inc. following Dan's regime)

Retin-A

Freederm

Topical antibiotics

oral antibiotics

Salicylic acid

Glycolic acid wash & peels....and STILL I have spots & cysts!!

Ive had a bad reaction to accutane & can't afford to see a derm. I eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, my hormone levels have tested normal, I dont have polycystic ovaries....and Im past the teens (now 27)

What else can I do?? Please help!

how rigoursly did u follow the regimen u didnt see any improvement at all ? there is still diffrin.....or accutane ....

[luvsun24 0]

Ok, I know I sound like a broken record, but Spiro might be your answer. I realize your hormones tested normal, but just because your levels are normal doesn't mean you aren't intolerant of testosterone. Get the book"The Hormonally Vulnerable Woman" by Dr. Geoffrey Redmond. He explains that some women cannot tolerate testerone in their system and it is reflected by their breakouts. Spiro inhibits the testosterone in your system. It is relatively inexpensive too. I pay $10 copay per month. Out of pocket (w/out any insurance) would be $34. Just give the derm one more try and ask for this. It is fantastic.

[loki 0]

spironolactone

I know your hormones tested normal, but mine did also. I really would try it for 3 months and see. I'm completely clear now, also 27 female. Nothing else has worked for me. I took accutane and was clear for about 2 years, but then it came back.

I would really try it.

Where is the majority of your acne located on your face?

[Bled Zeppelin 0]

Stop having sex, control your hormones, control your brain. Nuff said.

[27_f_UK 0]

Stop having sex, control your hormones, control your brain. Nuff said.

Lol Im not having sex at the moment! Control my brain?!?

Thanks for the replies guys, any idea where I can get spironolactone in the UK? xx

[luvsun24 0]

Spiro is prescription only in the US. Call your derm's office and ask if it is available there.

[JBHK 1]

I agree with the suggestion re birth control pills. I too have had hormone levels tested normal but I used Dianette for a number of years and found it very helpful. My acne did get ridiculously bad when I finally came off it, but I don't know if that was down to the Dianette. Good luck!

[mommaLove 0]

OK I'm losing the battle and wondered if anyone can suggest something else to try? Here's what Ive already tried:

BP (inc. following Dan's regime)

Retin-A

Freederm

Topical antibiotics

oral antibiotics

Salicylic acid

Glycolic acid wash & peels....and STILL I have spots & cysts!!

Ive had a bad reaction to accutane & can't afford to see a derm. I eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, my hormone levels have tested normal, I dont have polycystic ovaries....and Im past the teens (now 27)

What else can I do?? Please help!

I DON'T KNOW........I'm in the same boat and just feel hopeless! I'm now on Minocycline, but have headaches daily and not noticing any difference...it has been just over a month now and I've been advised to try taking the pills with food to help with the headaches....sigh.....I'm 26yr old and desperate for clear skin....I too cannot afford a derm, plus the waiting time to get in is ridiculous!

GOOD LUCK for us all.....let me know if you find something! ARGH!

[jonsey 01 0]

Stop having sex, control your hormones, control your brain. Nuff said.

Lol Im not having sex at the moment! Control my brain?!?

Thanks for the replies guys, any idea where I can get spironolactone in the UK? xx

please don't stop having sex (once you start having it again). it keeps you happy

[JR86 0]

Have you tried any light therapy or vbeam. I don't really know anything about it but in your case it may be worth looking into.

[Zebi 0]

OK I'm losing the battle and wondered if anyone can suggest something else to try? Here's what Ive already tried:

BP (inc. following Dan's regime)

Retin-A

Freederm

Topical antibiotics

oral antibiotics

Salicylic acid

Glycolic acid wash & peels....and STILL I have spots & cysts!!

Ive had a bad reaction to accutane & can't afford to see a derm. I eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, my hormone levels have tested normal, I dont have polycystic ovaries....and Im past the teens (now 27)

What else can I do?? Please help!

I'm 30 and I've been fighting acne on my face and back+chest for at least 15 years. My mother had the same problem until the age of 35 when it just suddenly disappeared on her.

Regarding my probelms, the severity was very different time to time. I feel kinda lucky that about 2-3 years ago my face got cleared almost completely virtually without any treatment (except regular face wash to eliminate oil). There are some pimples sometimes but salicyclic acid clears them in a couple of days.

My back and chest is another story. The whole thing started about 5 years ago when I was about 25. Before that I was clear. Since then 3-4 times a year there is a break-out and it gets really bad for months. Almost nothing seems to help.

About 2 weeks ago I made up my mind again and decided to get rid of the acne once and for all. I ordered a lot of different products from amazon.com. Now I use SA body wash followed by a BP body wash twice a day in the shower. I leave the BP body wash on for 2 minutes each time before rinsing. I do it on the problematic areas: back, chest, and face (just to make sure). After shower I put on some BP gel on the red ones.

The result after 2 weeks:

It goes a bit slower that I expected but actually the acne was so bad before that it's not a big surprise that it doesn't disappear overnight. Anyway, my upper body (back and chest) has changed significally. Practically all the big red things started to disappear and what's even more important, no new acne has appeared in the last 4-5 days. The are a lot of scars left but they have already started to fade away. In the first 8-10 days there were some smaller break-outs but eventually they have stopped 4-5 days ago. I think it will be nice and smooth in 2-3 more weeks.

Unexpected result:

My face got even clearer. It's smoother and there are much less small pimples and the blackheads disappeared. It's almost completely clean.

[cjb 1]

OK I'm losing the battle and wondered if anyone can suggest something else to try? Here's what Ive already tried:

BP (inc. following Dan's regime)

Retin-A

Freederm

Topical antibiotics

oral antibiotics

Salicylic acid

Glycolic acid wash & peels....and STILL I have spots & cysts!!

Ive had a bad reaction to accutane & can't afford to see a derm. I eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, my hormone levels have tested normal, I dont have polycystic ovaries....and Im past the teens (now 27)

What else can I do?? Please help!

Try a low carb diet

[Dotty 0]

fucidin creams ok or try tazorac gel

[Frumpy&Bumpy 0]

I can sympathize. I haven't tried as many different kinds of products as you but the ones I used for years failed me .

My history: I am 35, female. My dad had mild acne as a teen, but no one else in my large family had it. Certainly not into adulthood.

I first got acne around age 10.

Mild acne all through high school and early twenties.

Then I started using BP .

BP worked for 3 yrs. Then stopped working and my face got progressively worse for the next 7 yrs.

At 35 my acne is now moderate/ severe.

I'm at the end of my rope too. For the past 2 1/2 months I've stopped using all soaps and products on my face. Just water. Nothing else.

The first month acne stayed the same , moderate. Second month severe. Now it seems like my face is calming down. Many many red marks.

My advice.... stop irritating your face with soaps, cleansers, brushes and overwashing and gels. Just quit. Let it break out like crazy .... eventually it should heal on it's own. At the least you'll save yourself some money but under the best scenario you might be one of the lucky ones to clear up right away.

Also, too much shampooing can be a cause of acne of the face and back and arms. There's SLS in shampoo and toothpaste. Try an Sodium Lauryl SUlfate free brand and stop washing your hair so much and see if it makes a difference.

Even Dan (who I believe is in his thirties) says if he stops using BP he will get acne.

WHY don't people grow out of acne anymore?

[Kat79 0]

OK I'm losing the battle and wondered if anyone can suggest something else to try? Here's what Ive already tried:

BP (inc. following Dan's regime)

Retin-A

Freederm

Topical antibiotics

oral antibiotics

Salicylic acid

Glycolic acid wash & peels....and STILL I have spots & cysts!!

Ive had a bad reaction to accutane & can't afford to see a derm. I eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, my hormone levels have tested normal, I dont have polycystic ovaries....and Im past the teens (now 27)

What else can I do?? Please help!

Save up to see a derm. I'm 27 also. Only got acne last year. Thought it was just a few pimples, turns out it's severe (my derm's words). I'm on Tazorac now and oral antibiotic and the pill. and if that does not work by December the derm is going to prescribe Roaccutane. Maybe you should try Tazorac. But see a derm. There are other options.