I just turned 50 in December and I am still having breakouts. I get cysts under the skin, the biggest problem areas are my checks and the sides of my nose. I have been struggling with acne since I was 16 years old. I have been on Accutane twice and have been on various antibiotics. I have tried just about every OTC product. I am currently using Neutrogina for stress control along with Finicea Gel and Oxy10 or Murad sulfur spot treatment. This regimen is not working for me. I still don't think I have roseaca, but my dermatologist prescribed Finicea, so I have been using it. I do not know what I need to do to get my dermatologist to prescribe something else for my acne. Does anyone know of a good product to use when I breakout with cysts? Over the counter products are not strong enough for me. I have scarring on my face, arms, back & chests from my bouts of acne. My breakouts have no pattern and I do not wear any makeup.
Have you tried microdermabrasion? Even the at home kits? I'm 27 and have been dealing with acne since 13 and the mary kay microderm has been doing the best for my skin. I have switched to many different products over the years and I always end up going back to it. I just quit wearing foundation makeup 3 months ago and have some imporovement just from that alone but the microderm has been so great. Feel free to PM me anytime if you have any questions about it 
I can absolutely sympathise with you - I'm 37 and have had varying degrees of acne, from mild to hideous, for the last 20 years. It's been on my back in varying degrees of discomfort but that I could live with. I have also tried countless anti-biotics, some of which work for a few weeks after I stop taking them, before my skin reverts to previous or worse state and I dread to think how much I've pent on crappy OTC topicals, that either dry my skin and make it worse or don't do anything at all. I've had two courses of Roaccutane - sadly in my experience the only thing that really works - but now that I'm a father with an almost 1 year old, I don't care to take all the associated risks that come from taking it again. I've followed various ridiculous threads on here but thought, 'shit, I'll try anything!', including dabbing my own bloody urine on it. Surprise, it made it worse and I smelt like a bloody urinal, which my partner really loved...I have n-lite laser treatment on the NHS (here in the UK) once every 3 months, which seems to work for a bit but there are always triggers for my crappy skin flare-ups which bring the little red bastards back again. Dairy? Maybe but doesn't seem to be all the time. Alcohol? I don't drink a lot. Fruit juice, eggs, cereals? the list is endless but I've come to the conclusion that for some reason, my stupid hormones are still all over the place and no diet change is going to sort that out. What exassabates the situation is that I'm also on steroids, and a mouthful of other drugs, after having a kidney transplant in 2001, so feel that whatever I do, or however long one product or another seems to work, there's some other damn tablet I'm taking every day to drag me down again. However, my skin is still the WORSE thing that's happened to me, which some renal consultants find hard to believe! I hate that my skin is the last thing I thing I think of at night and the first thing I think of in the morning. I hate that it's still important after the birth of my son but there's no getting away from it. Even in the damn maternity ward I was thinking 'how come I'm the only sad bastard with teenage skin in here?!' So,I guess I could say 'have you tried sleeping with your head in a bowl of yoghury?' or 'drink nothing but coke for the next month' - both probably recommended on here somewhere but my reality is, there aint no guaranteed and safe solution. Just drink a shit-load of water, try a get a full night's sleep and avoid walking past mirrors.
Good luck and if I stumble across THE cure, I'll be sure to let you know. Let's just both be grateful we're not dating anymore!
We get a lot of feedback from older adults (especially women) that the Regimen has worked wonders. You might give it a try.
Here are all the details. http://www.acne.org/regimen
And here are the success stories we've received over the years. http://www.acne.org/success.php
Ugh! I hear you! I am 50 and STILL breaking out! I have had acne since age 16 - and although I have had extended periods where it wasn't that bad - I have always had to be aware that it is lurking. The last 2 years have been lousy. I wish I could blame it on menopause - but due to illness I went through that at age 26.
And now I have noticed with my "aging" skin - it takes even longer to heal. I have noticed that it seems to depress me more now. When my husband comes home and tells me we are going out, I cringe. And I usually sabotage myself by picking at things. It's a vicious cycle.
And time consuming! I wish I could just wash my face and go! The morning and evening ritual of washing and applying meds is wearying.
I'm tired of always having to think about my skin!
Im 47 had pimples and acne since teens. Topical and oral Products do not work. Hormones trump everytime because gland is over producing oil at sub-dermal level
eventually i went to a clinic that uses lazer technology to kill the oil gland itself and stop production of oil
took about 4-6 weeks once a week visits
once the oil producing gland is dead your skin will never break out again. Leaves no visible marks. Hurts a bit at the time. But fades immediately
stop wasting money on topical and oral medication. Im super fit and healthy. Diet is clean. This is only sure fire method
Good luck