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Age 22, Nothing I Do Is Working! Too Embarrassed To Go In Public. I Need Help!

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(@ashlina)

Posted : 08/28/2014 10:39 am

I have gotten desperate here.

 

First, a brief history for you all. I have always been on A.D.D medication, if that is relevant. My acne started when I hit puberty. It wasn't just normal teenage acne, it was the kind that shows up when you google "acne". At the age of 17, in complete desperation, I took Accutane for 10 months. My skin was PERFECT and my self esteem was higher than it had ever been.

 

Age 19, my acne came back and worse than ever. I was put on my second course of Accutane. Once again, my skin was perfect. It remained perfect until, at age 21, I was in a vehicle accident, suffered a severe Traumatic Brain Injury, aquired Hydrocephalus, and my monthly cycle stopped. The first 2 months after the accident, my skin was clear. About 3 months after the accident, I began getting acne. My period did not return until about 8 months after the accident.

 

It has now been a year and a half since my accident and here is what I have tried:

 

The Benzyol Peroxide regimen. Instead of fixing my acne, I began developing cystic acne, which I never had before.

 

I stopped the BP regimen and started washing morning and night and using illumask anti-acne light therapy mask. I still use it and it helps with redness but doesn't seem to have any effect on the actual acne.

 

I've tried stopping my amphetamines, which my neurologist insists are necessary after a brain injury. It didn't clear my skin, only made paying attention impossible for my injured brain.

 

Other things I have tried:

Applecider vinegar

Vicks vaporub

Baking soda (which seems to help most)

Fish oil

Sleeping on a different towel every night

Keeping my hair in a ponytail

Not wearing makeup

 

I am at a loss and I do not want to resort to a third course of Accutane due to my brain injury and hydrocephalus.

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(@like-moonlight)

Posted : 08/28/2014 4:25 pm

Where is your acne located? All over your face or is it in certain areas?

Have you done antibiotics, or prescription topicals?

Ashlina liked
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(@sachin12)

Posted : 08/28/2014 10:16 pm

You could try chemical peels. I am in the same boat it sucks so much (i'm 23) and none of my friends or even my younger brothers have acne. For me eating healthy seems to help alot

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(@ashlina)

Posted : 09/16/2014 9:28 am

My acne is located all over my face. I don't have the neck type that is classified as "hormonal adult acne".

 

I have been to the dermatologist. Because of my brain injury and hydrocephalus, she says any antibiotics are to be avoided unless prescribed by my brain injury doctor, who refuses to allow me to take anything that isn't a necessity for life because my brain is healing.

 

I was prescribed a topical, but it doesn't seem to be helping. I've only been on it two weeks though.

 

I have cut out dairy and refined sugar, but it doesn't seem to have had any effect at all and it's been about a month.

 

What are chemical peels?

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(@psychokitty)

Posted : 09/16/2014 1:52 pm

Sorry you were in such an awful accident :( That is really rough.

I always expeiriment but have found sulphur to work the best and keep going back to it. I use this http://www.grandpabrands.com/products/thylox-acne-treatment-soap and this http://www.clearasil.us/product-lines/daily-clear/acne-treatments/daily-clear-adult-tinted-treatment-cream/ The clearasil tinted cream is one of the only drugstore acne treatments with sulphur. Have you ever taken birth control pills? May look into that. You might also try googling hydrogen peroxide for acne and also epsom salt for acne. Those help a lot of people.

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