Hey guys, I was to get your opinion on something... I am a 23 year old male who has had acne since I was about 15 and have tried many things including extreme diet changes, otc and prescription topicals, b5 mega-dosing, etc. and with all of these thing combined I was able to get my acne under control, however I still have really oily skin and the effects are only temporary. If I cut out any one of these forms of treatment, pimples will form quickly. I was tired of taking b5 after 2.5 years and was worried about potential long-term side effects so I visited another derm. I explained to her the situation and she prescribed me doxycycline 75mg/day. I was uneasy about this because I don't like to use anti-biotics and I was worried of bacterial resistance, compromised immunity, temporary lasting effects, etc. The doxy worked pretty well but all that it allowed me to do was cut back on the amount of b5 I was taking/day. I still have to eat extremely healthy, use topicals religiously, and take b5 to keep my skin clear. If I step out of line there will be consequences. That being said, I really really want to try accutane because I believe it is the only thing that will keep me clear and give me a normal life back. While I don't have any active spots at the moment, it is only because of the extensive regimen I am following, which I don't want to be following for the rest of my life... So my question to you guys is that next time I see my derm do you think if I explained this to her it would be enough to get accutane? If not, I am seriously considering stopping the b5 or eating something bad to spark a breakout to help convince her that my acne is worse than it appears, which I really do not want to do because this is the clearest my skin has been in a while.
Any response would be appreciated!
Before using accutane, you should seek proper advice from a medical professional. Your medical history should be determined first before using the products because it is not safe to use if you had experienced from previous health problems. My skin is also prone to acne and I've been using Manuka honey to treat my pimples and acne scars. It's natural so it is safe to use, no side effects and not harsh to skin.
Thanks for the tip Mandy. Can I ask, how bad is your acne? And is the Manuka honey all that you are using to treat yours?
I have really bad acne. At least I have had severe acne (pic is old, not what I'm talking about). Anyway, all I need is AHA+ for my skin. It will make your skin more dry too.
I had really oily skin. It started when I was about 14.
I cleanse and dry my face, then use AHA+. I do this 3 times a week.
Also, I did accutane. I would not recommend it, if it isn't totally necessary (if you're not ~suicidal about your acne).
Thanks for the tip Mandy. Can I ask, how bad is your acne? And is the Manuka honey all that you are using to treat yours?
I have really bad acne. At least I have had severe acne (pic is old, not what I'm talking about). Anyway, all I need is AHA+ for my skin. It will make your skin more dry too.
I had really oily skin. It started when I was about 14.
I cleanse and dry my face, then use AHA+. I do this 3 times a week.
Also, I did accutane. I would not recommend it, if it isn't totally necessary (if you're not ~suicidal about your acne).
I have used AHA+ before and it helped with the texture of my skin but it didn't do a whole lot for my acne. I also found that it made my skin appear more oily and I have combination skin. Why isn't it that you recommend accutane? Did you notice any negative side effects? Also, while my acne may not be severe, I can tell you that I have skipped out on a ton of experiences in my life that I regret due to low confidence as a result of my acne.
I have used AHA+ before and it helped with the texture of my skin but it didn't do a whole lot for my acne. I also found that it made my skin appear more oily and I have combination skin. Why isn't it that you recommend accutane? Did you notice any negative side effects? Also, while my acne may not be severe, I can tell you that I have skipped out on a ton of experiences in my life that I regret due to low confidence as a result of my acne.
I know how you feel. You could try some oil moisturizers, like jojoba oil, to make the skin produce less oil. I recommend hemp seed oil.
Accutane is almost like a overdose of vitamin A. It was meant for cancer patients, which is why it is so harsh.
Yes, i had a bit dry eyes before. Now I have MGD (meibomian gland dysfunction, dry eyes do to too low oil production, or blockage in the oil glands on the eyelids) as a direct result of Accutane. This is as bad as acne. Mine isn't that bad, but it was.
I don't know if I would do it again, if I could do it over. But I do know I wouldn't if my acne weren't severe.
It can drastically change your life. It's a throw of dice; not worth it.
+ Your skin isn't the same after you've done it; it's dry and dull.
I would differently try other things before doing it. Like finding out if i'm allergic to something. If I have unbalanced hormone levels. Vitamin deficiencies. Etc.
I would also be weary of topical's, as it can damage your skin permanently if you're not careful.
My best advice would be to try things that is't harsh on the skin or on your system. Try finding the source while minimizing the current outbreaks. Who knows, maybe you will grow out of it, like 95% of the population.
Hey there, so this will be my first post here.
I'm currently on Accutane, it's my eleventh day.
First of all, I've had acne pretty much since I was 13 or 14 maybe, I'm turning 23 in January. When I was around 16 or 17, I decided that was enough, acne was ruining my confidence and life, so I decided to start Accutane. My type of acne changed within the years. AS a teenager, it was a load of small red zits, but my face was never covered, they were mostly phase that I had, one week I could have a rash, and the other week nothing. Now, since I'm in my 20s, I mostly get lard, red and hard nodules/pimples or whatever you guys call it. Without any treatment, it's ruining my life and confidence, like, I wouldn't feel like leaving my house at all. Having to go put gas in my car would be a huge challenge with a couple of nodules on my face. I don't have a severe case, it's a case of mild to light acne, but it manages to ruin my life. At the time when I was 16, my dermato warned me about the side effects and I thought I could deal with it especially the psychological effects. I was never a happy kid, I was always bummed and sad about stuff(mainly school but whatever), and I thought as I said, that I could easily deal with Accutane. But the whole combination of dry lips, hands, itching and the strong psychologial 'bum', it was too much. I had to stop after one month, I couldn't handle it anymore. NOW, I'm almost 23, I matured and I'm ready to go through the whole treatment. The only thing I regret, is probably the fact that I will have to consume very little alcohol within those 3 to 5 months of Accutane(which will be hard, as silly as it might sound).
My current side effects on the eleventh day of Accutane are:
-Dry lips, as expected(but REALLY dry)
-Dry around nose
-Initial breakout, which was not as bad as I expected
-Severe dryness around the anal area. It's itching and it hurts like big time(I know it sounds silly, but that's just the way it is)
-I feel like it's affecting my eyesight, like some kind of blurry vision, difficulty to focus, especially when I'm driving(I already have a bad vision, but it got kinda worse)
-I'm alway tired, even thought I had a long night of sleep. I can wake up at 11am and manage to take a long nap during the afternoon
-Facial hair is dried out too
-And of couse, the psychological effect. You're sometimes bummed or depressed. It happens but hey, you've got to counter it! 
Long story short, you're probably aware of the side effect, and yes, you should ask you dermato for Accutane. It does miracles and within days you'll see a major difference on the way your skin reacts. You are right about Doxy. I was 7 months on it as of last week and I stopped because my body has developped a resistance. My only hope was Accutane. So yeah friend, ask your dermato for Accutane, you have nothing to lose and all to win, I wish you luck!
I have used AHA+ before and it helped with the texture of my skin but it didn't do a whole lot for my acne. I also found that it made my skin appear more oily and I have combination skin. Why isn't it that you recommend accutane? Did you notice any negative side effects? Also, while my acne may not be severe, I can tell you that I have skipped out on a ton of experiences in my life that I regret due to low confidence as a result of my acne.
I know how you feel. You could try some oil moisturizers, like jojoba oil, to make the skin produce less oil. I recommend hemp seed oil.
Accutane is almost like a overdose of vitamin A. It was meant for cancer patients, which is why it is so harsh.
Yes, i had a bit dry eyes before. Now I have MGD (meibomian gland dysfunction, dry eyes do to too low oil production, or blockage in the oil glands on the eyelids) as a direct result of Accutane. This is as bad as acne. Mine isn't that bad, but it was.
I don't know if I would do it again, if I could do it over. But I do know I wouldn't if my acne weren't severe.
It can drastically change your life. It's a throw of dice; not worth it.
+ Your skin isn't the same after you've done it; it's dry and dull.
I would differently try other things before doing it. Like finding out if i'm allergic to something. If I have unbalanced hormone levels. Vitamin deficiencies. Etc.
I would also be weary of topical's, as it can damage your skin permanently if you're not careful.
My best advice would be to try things that is't harsh on the skin or on your system. Try finding the source while minimizing the current outbreaks. Who knows, maybe you will grow out of it, like 95% of the population.
Great advice about the topical oils... I have read up on jojoba oil before but never gave it a try. I just did some research on the hemp oil and it looks pretty promising. Researchers have found that those with acne tend to be deficient of linoleic acid in their skin which leads to an increased viscosity of sebum, thus directly increasing it's ability to clog pores.
Also, I'm glad you mentioned the thing about accutane and dry eyes. I already suffer from mild-moderate dry eye, so going on accutane I imagine would only make matters much worse...
I have used AHA+ before and it helped with the texture of my skin but it didn't do a whole lot for my acne. I also found that it made my skin appear more oily and I have combination skin. Why isn't it that you recommend accutane? Did you notice any negative side effects? Also, while my acne may not be severe, I can tell you that I have skipped out on a ton of experiences in my life that I regret due to low confidence as a result of my acne.
I know how you feel. You could try some oil moisturizers, like jojoba oil, to make the skin produce less oil. I recommend hemp seed oil.
Accutane is almost like a overdose of vitamin A. It was meant for cancer patients, which is why it is so harsh.
Yes, i had a bit dry eyes before. Now I have MGD (meibomian gland dysfunction, dry eyes do to too low oil production, or blockage in the oil glands on the eyelids) as a direct result of Accutane. This is as bad as acne. Mine isn't that bad, but it was.
I don't know if I would do it again, if I could do it over. But I do know I wouldn't if my acne weren't severe.
It can drastically change your life. It's a throw of dice; not worth it.
+ Your skin isn't the same after you've done it; it's dry and dull.
I would differently try other things before doing it. Like finding out if i'm allergic to something. If I have unbalanced hormone levels. Vitamin deficiencies. Etc.
I would also be weary of topical's, as it can damage your skin permanently if you're not careful.
My best advice would be to try things that is't harsh on the skin or on your system. Try finding the source while minimizing the current outbreaks. Who knows, maybe you will grow out of it, like 95% of the population.
Hey man, I took your recommendation about the hemp seed oil... It works AMAZING. First time in about 6 years where my skin no longer looks oily. I've been using it a few days now and the results are promising. I think the problem before was that my skin was shiny not because it was oily, but because it was dehyrdrated and tight. Even though I had used ample amounts of moisturizer in the past, it has always been water based, which wasn't providing my skin with the lipid content it truly needed.