Hi everyone,
just want to give a background info before I get into what I am currently about my acne situation in hopes that someone might provide some useful information. My acne started at age 17, I did not even get pimples prior to that, nor did I even understand the concept of acne. The acne started off as mild, but by months time it had developed into moderate-sever cystic acne - the acne was/is only present on my cheeks and it seems to affect the right side of my face more than the left. I started to realize i have a problem and made an appointment with the dermatologist and was prescribed accutane. I was really into weightlifter - i was taking a whole bunch of supplemental pills:anabloic synthesizers, shark oil pills, glutamine, vitamins, amino acid pills and etc, which i sometimes feel like caused the acne - but halfway into the second month i started getting debilitating joint pain which caused be to halt my regime of working out. By the end of the second moth I stopped the Accutane because of the joint pain and was quite pleased with the results, I did not get a pimple fore another six months and then would get them occasionally.
I am 21 years old now, turning 22 in a few months, and had the worst breakout i can remember since 17. I had just finished up the university year, and went on summer break. I started partying and drinking heavily - I drunk almost every day for about 2 months - and i started noticing some pimples,but nothing cystic. I also went on vacation where the drinking water was not too sanitary, nore the food that great and had to live of pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs and fries for a week, as well as drinking heavily. Prior to this I had not had more than one pimple from january to april, without the use of any antibiotics or clyndoxyl gel. I thought i had got over the stage of acne and thought the pimples most have been because of the drinking. I cut drinking and started taking bell's acne pills, these pills were used for "treating" skin problems including acne. A few weeks after ingesting more than 9 pills a day, the daily recommended vaue, i had developed a purple cyst, a few red cysts and quite a few comedones. I went to a walk in clinic and was prescribed 50mg a day of minocycline and clyndoxyl gel - this is what i used to keep my moderate- mild acne at bay since 20. I was still getting cystic acne, all on the cheeks and a little on the temple area, with the right cheek having had at least 15 cystic pimples till now and the left side maybe 5.
After a months course of the minocycline i went to my family doctor and was prescribed 200 mg daily of doxycylin and was told to continue with the clindoxyl. For the first week i was still getting cysts and and decided to cut up all wheat products, and processed food. All i eat now is chicken, beef, fish, broccoli, carrots, and fruits (mostly berries, peaches and cherries). Have only had one pimple since (knock on wood), but im so tired of this diet. I don't know what to blame for the breakout so i have basically cut out almost everything. I am afraid of staying out in humid weather because i feel like my cheeks feel uncomfortable and might get a pimple, dont want to go out in the sun because of the same reason, can't go to the gym because i feel like ill get a new pimple. I wouldn't mind a pimple or two but the red marks they left behind make it seems as though i still have a lot of acne. I am also freaking out that this might happen again and I dont think i can hold out for ever dong this bland diet and staying at home. Can anyone relate and how were they able to get everything in control. I am thinking the supplements were the cause of the acne but don't want to take any chances, i have enough red marks already.
^^ I kind of rambled i know
It's unlikely that everything was causing your acne, so what I would do now it gradually reintroduce things. Start a bit at a time, see if you get any acne, and if you do, cut it out again. You'll have to do this gradually though, otherwise it won't be clear. The problem with dairy is meant to be IGF-1 which is barely in yoghurt and butter, so if I were you I'd start eating those again which should start adding a little variety to your diet right away. You should also be able to experiment with different spices and herbs and cooking techniques without messing anything up. Then choose what you miss the most and gradually start eating it again. See if it gives you acne - if not, woohoo! Work out what works and doesn't work for you personally (which will be different from everyone else) and see how you go. 
) Good luck!!
Hey guys im new to this but i have the same problem sort of i have mild acne too i've started getting acne my 2nd to 3rd year of high school first i started on my nose then i started to breakout alot on my left cheek like really big zits sometimes i would get cystic but i was only breaking out on my left then a few months later i started to breakout on my right side not so much as my right side but its so annoying because my left side way to many scars and i keep breaking out on that side i just turned 17 ive had acne since middle school but its really making me feel a little bit insecure about my face
thanks for the advice a well wishes myst!
Boy119633-have you tried any meds, or at least what have you tried?
No i haven't tried anything i only use aloe vera to reduce the redness from my skin i dont have a lot acne but when i do get some they are big and take a long time to go away i usually never pop the ones on my cheek.
Also i need help with my pimple on my nose its been so frustrating okay here goes it was i think the middle of july i woke up and went to go check my face in the mirror and i noticed it was red on so i knew that it was going to be a pimple so i just ignored it later on that day i put some benzyol peroxide on it later on its started to form into a pimple it was a regular but the next week it started to grow bigger it looked like two pimples into 1 so i just left it alone i thought it was going down and it did even evantually but it was still big and redish purple like its august now about to be 1 month with this pimple i got so mad at it so i decided to pop it and well like a little bit of puss came out but the rest was blood so then the next 3 weeks its gone down but its still like a bump and sort of like a scar will it go away ?
the red mark is just hyper pigmentation and it will go away, it may take months, or even a couple years depending on the colour difference between your original skin colour and the pimple/"scar".Usually hyper pigmented pimples are not pitted scars and will go away without much of a mark, if any and I can vouch for that. In the mean time, if you ever get a very large pimple that does not want to go away, do not pop it! go to a qualified professional to get a kenalog injection. The injection with substantially reduce the swelling and redness within 48 hours.
In regards to your acne, it seems as though its a very mild case, keep an eye on it and try some of the natural remedies mentioned on this site to keep it at bay. If your acne seems to be getting worse, do not wait a second and go immediately to your dermatologist or doctor - you wouldn't want any scars which could of have easily been prevented.
Thanks and it is very mild acne i just have alot of scars thats all ive been trying some aloe vera and ive been seeing some results but right now i got like 3 pimples in a row on my right side and one cystic pimple that is forming into a head i think. Should i put some ice on it to reduce the swelling ?
ice only temporarily helps the situation, it may seem smaller after initial use of the ice but it will return to its previous inflamed state after some time. Go to a dermatologist because you may be headed for a full out breakout. I don't know what your health care system is like, or if you have insurance, but i would personally recommend asking your doctor about clindoxyl gel - helps me loads. On another note, a lot of people are against antibiotics and such, but in my opinion its better than scarring, just something to keep in mind.
Okay i do that have you ever noticed that in some mirrors you're acne looks fine but others make you look bad ? Or am i the only one?
Oh and about the cystic im not sure if it is cystic but its not big its just medium hard and thier is a head forming it not hudge or really red its like the color of a scar