I've been struggling with acne problems since I was a teenager. I'm almost 27. I've tried every product on the market including proactiv, skin id, murad, etc.. I've been on a six month cycle of accutane which cleared my face perfectly, but it came back only 9 months later. I've been on tetricyclin, minocyclin, birth control pills, etc, you name it!! I've tried more gentle approaches but with major failure. I've used DDF, the store brands like neutrogena & etc etc.. you get the point. Currently I'm using a proactiv products because my skin does the best on it. But it's still horribly broken out! I'm on BCP to help balance my hormones. I'm so, so sick of dealing with acne. Not only is my face already terribly scarred, but now it's just getting more and more scarred because it won't stop breaking out. As you know acne also physically hurts. Yes, my face is in pain and throbs. It's emotionally affecting me too, because I'm too depressed to go anywhere or leave the house, as I'm greatly embarassed and ashamed of my face. What should I do? I'm going to try going back to the dermatologist, but I'm worried they're just going to tell me to go on accutane again. I already tried that! I got terrible side effects, and my acne came back full throttle not even 10 months later!
I'd like to have clear skin at the age of 27, and instead it's worse than most teenagers acne. I'm so tired of dealing with this, it's honestly making me feel suicidal and I just can't take it anymore. If you've suffered with severe acne long-term, I'm sure you can understand. That hopeless, depressed, miserable feeling.
PLEASE HELP!! What should I do? I'm poor so I can't afford expensive facial peels and cosmetic skincare, etc..
I have a feeling my hormones are the primary cause of my acne, because I keep my face clean & only wear a mild, oil-free noncomedogenic water-based makeup when I go out, because otherwise I'd literally scare people and gross them out with my face.
I've also tried not wearing any makeup, just staying home... no difference.
I'm at my wit's end with this. Should I just suck it up and go on accutane again? What if it comes back? Any ideas and suggestions are truly appreciated. Thanks for all your time.
edit: I've also used retin-a cream to add to the list of things I've tried.
Furthermore, I eat very healthy (lots of green vegetables and proteins, etc) & exercise. I've heard changing your eating habits and health of your lifestyle can greatly reduce acne. Well, it's not working much for me. And believe me I'm trying.
What's your acne like (inflammatory/non-inflammatory; cysts, pustules, or comedones)?
Where exactly is it located?
Does it itch transiently or consistently?
Is there stuff inside the lesions (pus/keratin plug)?
Does it get better in the summer?
Does it get worse when you work out or in humid weather?
What does your tongue look like (coating/red/pink)? What's your diet like?
Is your digestion ok?
Have you tried or thought of trying spiro? ppl have had success after not having it with all the stuff you tried...and it def sounds hormonal if it came back after accutane. have you tried multiple types or birth control cuz some vary quite a lot so that might be worth looking into. There's a wikipedia page called oral contraceptive pills which lists at the bottom all the various hormone compositions of the most common birth controls and shows you the major differences between them. Also, this might sounds nuts, but have you ever tried counseling/therapy? I know with long term acne, that is resistant to lots of different treatments, it can sometimes be helped by working through emotional stuff and even just expressing your frustration about your acne. it gives you a safe place to vent and talk about how shitty it is to deal with something like this. helped me a lot but you HAVE to find a good therapist/counselor or else it won't do you enough good. so search/interview ppl until you find one you like best. i'm poor too and it's worth every last penny for me. Also, just worth mentioning: african black soap is my favorite cleanser and its the only product thats EVER done anything positive for my acne besides like birth control. and its $3 or $4 but you do have to search around for it. online is the best place to buy. and I feel you on alternative approaches not working, my acne got to its worst when I was eating extremely "healthy"/restricted. therapy was a wayyyy better alternative than obsessing over my diet. xoxoxo
Some good suggestions have been suggested above. Here are some more:
- You may want to address diet (maybe go paleo for 3 months)
- spiro with BCP to address hormones
- The Regimen suggested on this website
- retinoid in conjunction with an anti microbial
You are not an anomaly so don't feel alone (i am 30 and still have acne)
BTW, i'm glad you are putting a second course of accutane on the back burner. It should always be your final resort
Hey want to give u similar post ive given others in same boat.go to doc and get a broad spectrum antibiotic cephalosporins like duricef 500 mg twice a day. MOST IMPORTANTLY TAKE 600 MG directly WITH FIRST DOSE of antibiotic and 400mgwith second dose each day they have to be taken together for great results.tell dr u have a friend using these antibiotics for. severe acne anf works good.also other great antibiotics for u cephalexin spectracef omnicef ceclor vantin ceftin velosef cedax.some of these older ones dr prolly not familiar with just say youre friends using with success when u get resistance to duricef down the road.their are 3 different ways ive used to stave off resistance before.can elaborate if interested good luck see dr asap
What's your acne like (inflammatory/non-inflammatory; cysts, pustules, or comedones)?
Where exactly is it located?
Does it itch transiently or consistently?
Is there stuff inside the lesions (pus/keratin plug)?
Does it get better in the summer?
Does it get worse when you work out or in humid weather?
What does your tongue look like (coating/red/pink)? What's your diet like?
Is your digestion ok?
Hi, thanks for responding. Here's the answers to your questions:
My acne is inflammatory with cysts, pustules and comedones.
It's located mostly around my chin, mouth, smile area.. but also a little bit on my forehead (in between eyebrows, t-zone area)
There is stuff inside the lesions.
It does get better in the summer actually!
It does get worse when I work out, especially if I do cardio & sweat a lot. I clean my face right after, but it doesn't seem to matter.
My tongue is pink, not coated.. my diet is pretty balanced with nutrition I'd say. I eat a lot of vegetables daily (mostly spinach and asparagus, but others as well)
I always assumed my digestion is ok, but now that you mention it, maybe it's not? How do I tell? My stomach usually feels fine unless I eat a good amount of dairy, but I don't eat much because I believe I'm lactose-intolerant.
Thanks again!!
Some good suggestions have been suggested above. Here are some more:
- You may want to address diet (maybe go paleo for 3 months)
- spiro with BCP to address hormones
- The Regimen suggested on this website
- retinoid in conjunction with an anti microbial
You are not an anomaly so don't feel alone (i am 30 and still have acne)
BTW, i'm glad you are putting a second course of accutane on the back burner. It should always be your final resort
Have you tried or thought of trying spiro? ppl have had success after not having it with all the stuff you tried...and it def sounds hormonal if it came back after accutane. have you tried multiple types or birth control cuz some vary quite a lot so that might be worth looking into. There's a wikipedia page called oral contraceptive pills which lists at the bottom all the various hormone compositions of the most common birth controls and shows you the major differences between them. Also, this might sounds nuts, but have you ever tried counseling/therapy? I know with long term acne, that is resistant to lots of different treatments, it can sometimes be helped by working through emotional stuff and even just expressing your frustration about your acne. it gives you a safe place to vent and talk about how shitty it is to deal with something like this. helped me a lot but you HAVE to find a good therapist/counselor or else it won't do you enough good. so search/interview ppl until you find one you like best. i'm poor too and it's worth every last penny for me. Also, just worth mentioning: african black soap is my favorite cleanser and its the only product thats EVER done anything positive for my acne besides like birth control. and its $3 or $4 but you do have to search around for it. online is the best place to buy. and I feel you on alternative approaches not working, my acne got to its worst when I was eating extremely "healthy"/restricted. therapy was a wayyyy better alternative than obsessing over my diet. xoxoxo
Thanks so much for your help, I think I will try going on spiro. I'll ask the doctor about it when I see him. & counseling sounds like a great idea, especially considering the depression I suffer with from my acne. Thanks for the suggestion. 
Some good suggestions have been suggested above. Here are some more:
- You may want to address diet (maybe go paleo for 3 months)
- spiro with BCP to address hormones
- The Regimen suggested on this website
- retinoid in conjunction with an anti microbial
You are not an anomaly so don't feel alone (i am 30 and still have acne)
BTW, i'm glad you are putting a second course of accutane on the back burner. It should always be your final resort
I'm going to try the paleo diet, thanks for the recommendation. Spiro as well! Thanks for your helpful advice and support.
Because of its location, I might think it's perioral dermatitis. I would start by switching out your toothpaste with a non-fluoride natural alternative. I would also take a vitamin D supplement daily. Cysts are probably either from a vitamin deficiency (maybe D) or something in your diet you might be sensitive to.
I too have struggled with acne forever. And I'm a lot (lots) older. It can be very discouraging but there are some things you can do that might help. My acne problem was the same as yours and very resistant to everything mainstream and natural. It just kept on happening day after miserable day. I did accutane twice. After the second time it got a bit better but I made the mistake of thinking I was cured and stopped doing everything else. The acne came back...a bit better but still cysts, red inflamed skin, etc. Over the years and with my current dermatologist we figured out a way to keep me at only about one minor papule or pustule a week. This is a major achievement for me...I mean major. I still hate it when my skin breaks out but at least it is much much less and manageable. I'm also a natural foodie. The best diet for me is following a natural whole foods diet and avoiding all dairy (all the time - no cheating), sugary foods, nuts, and almost all oils. The only oil I use is extra-virgin olive oil and I use it very sparingly. No margarine...even natural. I try to mimic the cultures where they don't get acne and eat whole grains, fruits, vegies, and fish. I don't use sunscreen because it always breaks me out and I have tried a million brands including all the natural ones.
Please read my regime below. Another thing I think is essential for controlling very resistant chronic acne is having monthly professional microdermabrasions. I get them at my derm's office and they are covered by insurance (...that tells you how chronic my acne has been...) This really moved my skin from breaking out with lots of lesions to its current rate of only 3-4 more minor ones per month. If insurance didn't cover it I would still pay out of pocket for the microdermabrasions.
My goal in the next year is to wean off the low dose doxy. I'm taking an extremely low dose to mimic Oracea (which insurance doesn't cover) and I think it has helped a little but not eneough to continue. I hope this has helped. Another thing to hold on to is that some people don't clear up until their 30's. Keep your spirits up. This is a challenge but you have support here and we'd like to know how you are doing!
Hi,
I was reading your post and nodding more and more as I read through it. I am 25 and have had pretty well the exact same battle. My acne is the worst it's ever been, and I'm still using Proactiv religiously! Also feeling very depressed and share your pain. We aren't alone!
My doctor suggested it's most likely PCOS - apparently ovarian cysts also cause cystic acne. I have had 3 ovarian cysts that I know of, one required surgery... It's very painful but you get used to it. The acne is also VERY painful, I'm on minocycline (antibiotic) at the moment so my face doesn't hurt, but it is still constantly breaking out.
If this is what I have and it can be managed with some kind of meds, I will re- post because I wouldn't wish this kind of confidence draining battle on anyone.
I have pcos and have been getting really painful cystic acne along my jawline and chin for the last year which leave horrible scars behind, After trying most OTC medication I finally came upon a regimen that worked for me.... Mostly through trial and error. I take dim supplements along with borage seed oil and zinc ....this has greatly helped.. It's been two months and I have had no new breakouts... And the older acne has also healed really fast. Hope this helps 