I am 17 years old and been on Accutane twice. The first round I cleared up pretty well for about 6 to 7 months and started to breakout just as bad as before Accutane. During this time I had used over the counter gentle cleansers and moisturizers but nothing to really treat my acne. I just finished my 2nd round of Accutane in May and Ive noticed that Im already starting to breakout again like the 1st time. Everytime I ask my dermatologist she starts me off with the same products and eventually puts me back on Accutane, which Im trying to avoid. I really want to find something that can control my acne that I have for right now until I can get back into acne medications. does anyone have any good recommendations?
Are you female?
In terms of prescription medications, if you are female you could try oral antibiotics (preferably in combination with a topical retinoid for optimal results) or hormonal treatments such as oral contraceptives or spironolactone. Hormonal treatments aren't used in males for acne but all other treatments are.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/131/Supplement_3/S163.full.pdf
Good luck
I am 17 years old and been on Accutane twice. The first round I cleared up pretty well for about 6 to 7 months and started to breakout just as bad as before Accutane. During this time I had used over the counter gentle cleansers and moisturizers but nothing to really treat my acne. I just finished my 2nd round of Accutane in May and Ive noticed that Im already starting to breakout again like the 1st time. Everytime I ask my dermatologist she starts me off with the same products and eventually puts me back on Accutane, which Im trying to avoid. I really want to find something that can control my acne that I have for right now until I can get back into acne medications. does anyone have any good recommendations?
The same products? Which products are those specifically? Have you tried maintenance therapy with Retin-A, Tazorac or Differin (really any retinoid should work)?
If that doesn't work, you could also try asking your dermatologist about low dose Accutane, i.e. once or twice weekly dosing. If you're in the US, this might be more difficult to do, especially if you're female, but it's worth asking about.
I had the same issue. Been on acutane 3 times and relapesed each and every time. After the end of my last course in April and after still not clearing up, i turned to The Regimen and it has effectively controlled my acne to the point that im not thinking about it too often. I started using it the day afer my last pill too. Keep in mind it took 3+ months to see consistent progress but its happening. As mentioned before, if you are female, Spiro could be an option for the hormonal side of things