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I'm 28, And I've Lost All Hope...

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(@zulu59)

Posted : 02/28/2013 10:56 pm

hi guys...just wanted to introduce myself. my name is chrissy, i'm 28, and i've had acne for about 14 years. i think it might have gotten worse with age. basically i have tiny white bumps all over my face (it's the worst on my cheeks and jawline) and also get regular pimples and very occasionally large cysts (i can only think of a few times i have gotten a cyst, i think). i have super sensitive skin, so even if i look "reasonably" clear with makeup, underneath that i have a bunch of red scars. i guess sometimes you can't really tell, unless you look at me up close, but my face is literally COVERED with tiny and not so tiny, under the skin bumps. i haven't left the house without makeup in 14 years. sometimes people even comment on how much makeup i wear, which really hurts, because obviously i don't enjoy having to wear a mask on my face every day just to go out in public. i've tried everything except accutane, literally everything, and i recently started spironolactone today, but i am pretty terrified. i heard the initial breakout is pretty terrible...i don't really know what to expect.

i've been to so many doctors, tried topical creams, antibiotics, lasers, vitamins, oils-you name it...nothing has helped. i don't expect this to help either. i guess i've pretty much gotten used to the fact that i will have acne for the rest of my life and will have to hide my face constantly. i just want some relief. my self-esteem is in the toilet...whenever someone tells me i'm pretty all i can think of is "ARE YOU BLIND?!" i thought by age 28, i'd have better things to worry about than how i looked, but nothing has changed.

anyway, after that super depressing introduction, here are a few non-terrible things about myself: i live in NYC, i LOVE cats (i have two that i rescued personally), and horses. i'm a pecetarian, wannabe vegan and i LOVE to cook. i work at a magazine, even though i love run-on sentences and not using capitalization.

hoping to gain some faith and meet some like-minded people. i've been stalking these message boards since 2008, but only finally gained the courage to post today.

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MemberMember
467
(@nicmic62)

Posted : 03/01/2013 12:53 am

Hi Chrissy, my name is Nicole and like you I have suffered from acne for many many many years. I think it started when I was 13 or 14. I am 24 now and just about a month ago, I gave Dan's regimen a chance before thinking of getting into Accutane. I hope you give Dan's regimen a try because it has greatly helped my acne just a little over a month into it. I don't use exactly his products, but store bought ones with more or less the same ingredients.

I have tried the BCP, Antibiotics, Spiro and yes they helped...for a little while. I have also tried benzoyl peroxide before but never in the way Dan suggested...following his video turorials has helped get me clear. I hope it can do the same for you.

Good luck! :)

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101
(@lapis-lazuli)

Posted : 03/01/2013 1:56 am

hoping to gain some faith and meet some like-minded people.

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/326535-lets-connect-anyone-else-from-nyc/

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(@zulu59)

Posted : 03/01/2013 1:35 pm

Hi Chrissy, my name is Nicole and like you I have suffered from acne for many many many years. I think it started when I was 13 or 14. I am 24 now and just about a month ago, I gave Dan's regimen a chance before thinking of getting into Accutane. I hope you give Dan's regimen a try because it has greatly helped my acne just a little over a month into it. I don't use exactly his products, but store bought ones with more or less the same ingredients.

I have tried the BCP, Antibiotics, Spiro and yes they helped...for a little while. I have also tried benzoyl peroxide before but never in the way Dan suggested...following his video turorials has helped get me clear. I hope it can do the same for you.

Good luck! smile.png

Thank you! I was just put on a regimen by my derm doc, so...i'm hoping that will help me a little, but if not, i'll try Dan's regimen. Did you find spiro gave you a horrible initial breakout? i'm really nervous about that...

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MemberMember
467
(@nicmic62)

Posted : 03/01/2013 9:53 pm

Hi Chrissy, my name is Nicole and like you I have suffered from acne for many many many years. I think it started when I was 13 or 14. I am 24 now and just about a month ago, I gave Dan's regimen a chance before thinking of getting into Accutane. I hope you give Dan's regimen a try because it has greatly helped my acne just a little over a month into it. I don't use exactly his products, but store bought ones with more or less the same ingredients.

I have tried the BCP, Antibiotics, Spiro and yes they helped...for a little while. I have also tried benzoyl peroxide before but never in the way Dan suggested...following his video turorials has helped get me clear. I hope it can do the same for you.

Good luck! smile.png

Thank you! I was just put on a regimen by my derm doc, so...i'm hoping that will help me a little, but if not, i'll try Dan's regimen. Did you find spiro gave you a horrible initial breakout? i'm really nervous about that...

With any new product or medication I always expect my acne to get worse...before it gets a bit better. With spiro, I used it with antibiotics so I guess it helped a little with the swelling but I can't really tell because I had so much acne I wouldn't tell my old cysts from the new ones.

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108
(@randall-flagg)

Posted : 03/02/2013 2:22 am

hey chrissy, totally feel your pain. I'm 24 and I've had acne for about 9 years now. My skin is super sensitive too so that plays into it. I've been to the derm so many times over the years that I feel like I'm a walking guinea pig for every antibiotic and topical cream that has ever been invented. I completely understand what you mean about the compliments things, too. I've actually had girls tell me I'm "cute" before and the first thought that pops into my head is "IS THIS CHICK BLIND AND/OR CRAZY?" because it just doesn't make sense to me when all I see is a scarred up beast-man when I look into a mirror. tongue.png

btw, I also love cats, and run-on sentences are the best thing ever because they run on for a long time and you don't have to worry about periods and commas and that kind of shit and it is great fun to play around with those kind of sentences *takes breath* biggrin.png

but yes, welcome to the forums. great community here (I frequent the emotional affects section mostly to vent) and I'm sure you'll fit right in. good luck with spiro, I know there's one girl on this site who swears by it and has had great success in documenting her improvements/progress and stuff.

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MemberMember
568
(@leelowe1)

Posted : 03/02/2013 7:06 am

hi guys...just wanted to introduce myself. my name is chrissy, i'm 28, and i've had acne for about 14 years. i think it might have gotten worse with age. basically i have tiny white bumps all over my face (it's the worst on my cheeks and jawline) and also get regular pimples and very occasionally large cysts (i can only think of a few times i have gotten a cyst, i think). i have super sensitive skin, so even if i look "reasonably" clear with makeup, underneath that i have a bunch of red scars. i guess sometimes you can't really tell, unless you look at me up close, but my face is literally COVERED with tiny and not so tiny, under the skin bumps. i haven't left the house without makeup in 14 years. sometimes people even comment on how much makeup i wear, which really hurts, because obviously i don't enjoy having to wear a mask on my face every day just to go out in public. i've tried everything except accutane, literally everything, and i recently started spironolactone today, but i am pretty terrified. i heard the initial breakout is pretty terrible...i don't really know what to expect.

i've been to so many doctors, tried topical creams, antibiotics, lasers, vitamins, oils-you name it...nothing has helped. i don't expect this to help either. i guess i've pretty much gotten used to the fact that i will have acne for the rest of my life and will have to hide my face constantly. i just want some relief. my self-esteem is in the toilet...whenever someone tells me i'm pretty all i can think of is "ARE YOU BLIND?!" i thought by age 28, i'd have better things to worry about than how i looked, but nothing has changed.

anyway, after that super depressing introduction, here are a few non-terrible things about myself: i live in NYC, i LOVE cats (i have two that i rescued personally), and horses. i'm a pecetarian, wannabe vegan and i LOVE to cook. i work at a magazine, even though i love run-on sentences and not using capitalization.

hoping to gain some faith and meet some like-minded people. i've been stalking these message boards since 2008, but only finally gained the courage to post today.

Hi Chrissy....welcome to our little corner of the web. First off, you are not alone and you'll never be judged here. Acne is a bitch on her period (and she has cramps...lol) and some of us long term sufferers have experienced what you have and it sucks. It seems that you have tried quite a few things (as have I). Spiro is definitely long term and i think most people don't see improvement from 3-6 months so hold in. In the meantime, a topical like the regimen may be helpful as it is supposed to be preventative in nature.

Also, have you tried diet changes. A few people on this board have praised it. I admit than when my acne first came back after my 2nd accutane course, it was one if the first things i did. In still have acne but the positive side is that I have kept my weight down and generally feel less unhealthy. I tried Paleo before with nada so now i am trying it again to see if that helps. I responded to your post in regards to the NYC meetup so hopefully we can make that happen sooner than later. It helps to be around like minded people.

Good Luck and if you have any questions or need to let off frustration, feel free to PM me. I am 29 so we are around the same age.

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(@han182)

Posted : 03/02/2013 3:41 pm

Hey Chrissy, sorry to hear of your plight. I'm nearly 24 and have been suffering since I was 14, initially severe teenage acne, but now, adult acne. These bumps you speak of - are they mainly on your jaw line and under your chin? Also, is your diet high in sugars??? Han x.

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MemberMember
0
(@zulu59)

Posted : 03/02/2013 6:11 pm

Hey Chrissy, sorry to hear of your plight. I'm nearly 24 and have been suffering since I was 14, initially severe teenage acne, but now, adult acne. These bumps you speak of - are they mainly on your jaw line and under your chin? Also, is your diet high in sugars??? Han x.

they are all over, but worse on my cheeks and jawline, yes. i don't *think* my diet is high in sugar (i know sugar is in practically everything). i try to avoid refined sugars if possible and i'm not a big sweets person. i make my dressings/condiments/sauces at home because they can contain a lot of sugar as well. i'd say most of the sugar i am getting is from fruit and snacks, which i have limited.

hey chrissy, totally feel your pain. I'm 24 and I've had acne for about 9 years now. My skin is super sensitive too so that plays into it. I've been to the derm so many times over the years that I feel like I'm a walking guinea pig for every antibiotic and topical cream that has ever been invented. I completely understand what you mean about the compliments things, too. I've actually had girls tell me I'm "cute" before and the first thought that pops into my head is "IS THIS CHICK BLIND AND/OR CRAZY?" because it just doesn't make sense to me when all I see is a scarred up beast-man when I look into a mirror. tongue.png

btw, I also love cats, and run-on sentences are the best thing ever because they run on for a long time and you don't have to worry about periods and commas and that kind of shit and it is great fun to play around with those kind of sentences *takes breath* biggrin.png

but yes, welcome to the forums. great community here (I frequent the emotional affects section mostly to vent) and I'm sure you'll fit right in. good luck with spiro, I know there's one girl on this site who swears by it and has had great success in documenting her improvements/progress and stuff.

haha, thanks! :) and yeah, i totally know how you feel about being a walking guinea pig- i've been on EVERYTHING (except accutane) and every time the doctor's are SO SURE it's giong to cure me, but never does! it sucks

hi guys...just wanted to introduce myself. my name is chrissy, i'm 28, and i've had acne for about 14 years. i think it might have gotten worse with age. basically i have tiny white bumps all over my face (it's the worst on my cheeks and jawline) and also get regular pimples and very occasionally large cysts (i can only think of a few times i have gotten a cyst, i think). i have super sensitive skin, so even if i look "reasonably" clear with makeup, underneath that i have a bunch of red scars. i guess sometimes you can't really tell, unless you look at me up close, but my face is literally COVERED with tiny and not so tiny, under the skin bumps. i haven't left the house without makeup in 14 years. sometimes people even comment on how much makeup i wear, which really hurts, because obviously i don't enjoy having to wear a mask on my face every day just to go out in public. i've tried everything except accutane, literally everything, and i recently started spironolactone today, but i am pretty terrified. i heard the initial breakout is pretty terrible...i don't really know what to expect.

i've been to so many doctors, tried topical creams, antibiotics, lasers, vitamins, oils-you name it...nothing has helped. i don't expect this to help either. i guess i've pretty much gotten used to the fact that i will have acne for the rest of my life and will have to hide my face constantly. i just want some relief. my self-esteem is in the toilet...whenever someone tells me i'm pretty all i can think of is "ARE YOU BLIND?!" i thought by age 28, i'd have better things to worry about than how i looked, but nothing has changed.

anyway, after that super depressing introduction, here are a few non-terrible things about myself: i live in NYC, i LOVE cats (i have two that i rescued personally), and horses. i'm a pecetarian, wannabe vegan and i LOVE to cook. i work at a magazine, even though i love run-on sentences and not using capitalization.

hoping to gain some faith and meet some like-minded people. i've been stalking these message boards since 2008, but only finally gained the courage to post today.

Hi Chrissy....welcome to our little corner of the web. First off, you are not alone and you'll never be judged here. Acne is a bitch on her period (and she has cramps...lol) and some of us long term sufferers have experienced what you have and it sucks. It seems that you have tried quite a few things (as have I). Spiro is definitely long term and i think most people don't see improvement from 3-6 months so hold in. In the meantime, a topical like the regimen may be helpful as it is supposed to be preventative in nature.

Also, have you tried diet changes. A few people on this board have praised it. I admit than when my acne first came back after my 2nd accutane course, it was one if the first things i did. In still have acne but the positive side is that I have kept my weight down and generally feel less unhealthy. I tried Paleo before with nada so now i am trying it again to see if that helps. I responded to your post in regards to the NYC meetup so hopefully we can make that happen sooner than later. It helps to be around like minded people.

Good Luck and if you have any questions or need to let off frustration, feel free to PM me. I am 29 so we are around the same age.

ugh i just wrote out a huge response and deleted it...still getting used to this board. anyway, thanks for your response! it really makes me feel a little more at ease. as far as diet goes, i'd like to think mine is pretty good. i don't eat fast food, EVER, and have never been a fan of dairy products (except for some cheeses, which i have cut back on significantly). i am a selective pescetarian, so no meat for me. i try to make my own sauces/condiments/dressings so i know what goes in and also to avoid added sugar. i try to incorporate superfoods into my diet as much as possible (kale, spinach, salmon, avocado, quinoa, blueberries, pomegranates, etc). I also juice whenever possible, but it's sorta a pain in the ass since my kitchen is smaller than a normal bathroom and my sink is full with two plates. so cleaning the damn thing is a bitch. i drink a TON of water, all day, every day. honestly, i feel like i'm doing everything pretty much right, but have seen no changes. would you suggest anything else, diet-wise? oh, also my new derm doc (i've been to about 8) put me on topicals Aza Clear, UV clear and a skin booster at night, which is basically a dermatologist-created antibacterial for your face, sort of...i think.

anyway, thank you for the vote of confidence! :)

Quote
MemberMember
568
(@leelowe1)

Posted : 03/02/2013 7:51 pm

>Hey Chrissy, sorry to hear of your plight. I'm nearly 24 and have been suffering since I was 14, initially severe teenage acne, but now, adult acne. These bumps you speak of - are they mainly on your jaw line and under your chin? Also, is your diet high in sugars??? Han x.

they are all over, but worse on my cheeks and jawline, yes. i don't *think* my diet is high in sugar (i know sugar is in practically everything). i try to avoid refined sugars if possible and i'm not a big sweets person. i make my dressings/condiments/sauces at home because they can contain a lot of sugar as well. i'd say most of the sugar i am getting is from fruit and snacks, which i have limited.

hey chrissy, totally feel your pain. I'm 24 and I've had acne for about 9 years now. My skin is super sensitive too so that plays into it. I've been to the derm so many times over the years that I feel like I'm a walking guinea pig for every antibiotic and topical cream that has ever been invented. I completely understand what you mean about the compliments things, too. I've actually had girls tell me I'm "cute" before and the first thought that pops into my head is "IS THIS CHICK BLIND AND/OR CRAZY?" because it just doesn't make sense to me when all I see is a scarred up beast-man when I look into a mirror. tongue.png

btw, I also love cats, and run-on sentences are the best thing ever because they run on for a long time and you don't have to worry about periods and commas and that kind of shit and it is great fun to play around with those kind of sentences *takes breath* biggrin.png

but yes, welcome to the forums. great community here (I frequent the emotional affects section mostly to vent) and I'm sure you'll fit right in. good luck with spiro, I know there's one girl on this site who swears by it and has had great success in documenting her improvements/progress and stuff.

haha, thanks! smile.png and yeah, i totally know how you feel about being a walking guinea pig- i've been on EVERYTHING (except accutane) and every time the doctor's are SO SURE it's giong to cure me, but never does! it sucks

hi guys...just wanted to introduce myself. my name is chrissy, i'm 28, and i've had acne for about 14 years. i think it might have gotten worse with age. basically i have tiny white bumps all over my face (it's the worst on my cheeks and jawline) and also get regular pimples and very occasionally large cysts (i can only think of a few times i have gotten a cyst, i think). i have super sensitive skin, so even if i look "reasonably" clear with makeup, underneath that i have a bunch of red scars. i guess sometimes you can't really tell, unless you look at me up close, but my face is literally COVERED with tiny and not so tiny, under the skin bumps. i haven't left the house without makeup in 14 years. sometimes people even comment on how much makeup i wear, which really hurts, because obviously i don't enjoy having to wear a mask on my face every day just to go out in public. i've tried everything except accutane, literally everything, and i recently started spironolactone today, but i am pretty terrified. i heard the initial breakout is pretty terrible...i don't really know what to expect.

i've been to so many doctors, tried topical creams, antibiotics, lasers, vitamins, oils-you name it...nothing has helped. i don't expect this to help either. i guess i've pretty much gotten used to the fact that i will have acne for the rest of my life and will have to hide my face constantly. i just want some relief. my self-esteem is in the toilet...whenever someone tells me i'm pretty all i can think of is "ARE YOU BLIND?!" i thought by age 28, i'd have better things to worry about than how i looked, but nothing has changed.

anyway, after that super depressing introduction, here are a few non-terrible things about myself: i live in NYC, i LOVE cats (i have two that i rescued personally), and horses. i'm a pecetarian, wannabe vegan and i LOVE to cook. i work at a magazine, even though i love run-on sentences and not using capitalization.

hoping to gain some faith and meet some like-minded people. i've been stalking these message boards since 2008, but only finally gained the courage to post today.

Hi Chrissy....welcome to our little corner of the web. First off, you are not alone and you'll never be judged here. Acne is a bitch on her period (and she has cramps...lol) and some of us long term sufferers have experienced what you have and it sucks. It seems that you have tried quite a few things (as have I). Spiro is definitely long term and i think most people don't see improvement from 3-6 months so hold in. In the meantime, a topical like the regimen may be helpful as it is supposed to be preventative in nature.

Also, have you tried diet changes. A few people on this board have praised it. I admit than when my acne first came back after my 2nd accutane course, it was one if the first things i did. In still have acne but the positive side is that I have kept my weight down and generally feel less unhealthy. I tried Paleo before with nada so now i am trying it again to see if that helps. I responded to your post in regards to the NYC meetup so hopefully we can make that happen sooner than later. It helps to be around like minded people.

Good Luck and if you have any questions or need to let off frustration, feel free to PM me. I am 29 so we are around the same age.

ugh i just wrote out a huge response and deleted it...still getting used to this board. anyway, thanks for your response! it really makes me feel a little more at ease. as far as diet goes, i'd like to think mine is pretty good. i don't eat fast food, EVER, and have never been a fan of dairy products (except for some cheeses, which i have cut back on significantly). i am a selective pescetarian, so no meat for me. i try to make my own sauces/condiments/dressings so i know what goes in and also to avoid added sugar. i try to incorporate superfoods into my diet as much as possible (kale, spinach, salmon, avocado, quinoa, blueberries, pomegranates, etc). I also juice whenever possible, but it's sorta a pain in the ass since my kitchen is smaller than a normal bathroom and my sink is full with two plates. so cleaning the damn thing is a bitch. i drink a TON of water, all day, every day. honestly, i feel like i'm doing everything pretty much right, but have seen no changes. would you suggest anything else, diet-wise? oh, also my new derm doc (i've been to about 8) put me on topicals Aza Clear, UV clear and a skin booster at night, which is basically a dermatologist-created antibacterial for your face, sort of...i think.

anyway, thank you for the vote of confidence! smile.png

Well the only thing i can recommend is to 100% cut out grains, cheese, dairy and sugar that doesn't come from fruit for about 1-2 months to see if there is a difference. Stay strong sistah. As for juicing, why not try blending instead so that you can benfit from the fibre as well

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(@onefatalgoose)

Posted : 03/02/2013 8:53 pm

i've tried everything except accutane, literally everything

Including...a diet overhaul? Including blood/liver cleansing? Taking vitamins on top of a crap diet won't do any good. There are so many ways to help yourself via what you consume/don't consume

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MemberMember
0
(@zulu59)

Posted : 03/03/2013 4:42 pm

i've tried everything except accutane, literally everything

Including...a diet overhaul? Including blood/liver cleansing? Taking vitamins on top of a crap diet won't do any good. There are so many ways to help yourself via what you consume/don't consume

yup. all of those things :/ my diet is pretty great for the most part...i'm very aware of what i put into my body because i believe healing comes from within and you are what you eat. i even went on a raw food cleanse for 2 months. no improvement.

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(@foreverhealthy)

Posted : 03/04/2013 6:53 pm

Start waterfasting. Then to fix your leaky gut (all acne is caused by this) try probiotics and become a vegan. Also avoid dairy, gluten and all unnatural foods. Acne is just a symptom of bad eating and can be corrected once you get on the right track.

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