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I Don't Know What To Do Anymore.

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(@omahoney)

Posted : 05/18/2015 4:33 pm

I need help. I've been seeing dermatologists and endos for years. I have hormone imbalances that I treat with birth control. I've tried everything from expensive "pro" products to drug store store products to all-natural DIY creams and washes. I don't use chemicals on my face, I rest well, I drink lots of water, and my diet is mostly healthy with very little dairy and red meat. I've been suffering from this for 10 years now, since I started puberty and I don't know what to do anymore. I'm finding myself hiding out on gorgeous spring days now because I'm humiliated by my skin. Please, whatever ACTUALLY WORKS for you, please share it with me. I'm feeling hopeless.

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(@padresfan644)

Posted : 05/18/2015 8:00 pm

Hello. You sound like me. I have hormonal acne (which is characterized by concentrated acne in the T zone especially the chin). I went through the standard procedure with the prescription topicals and antibiotics. I was seeing a dermatologist that swore by laser treatments. I did those for about 10 months and it helped. In that 10 month span I think I counted 3 days where I felt like myself because I wasn't hiding behind acne. I can totally relate to not wanting to show yourself with so much acne. I found a new dermatologist and she felt like I paid my dues with trying all the things I had tried. I probably tried over 50 creams, pills, detoxes etc. You name it I did it. Ultimately I am now on accutane which I am so excited for. Many of my friends have taken it and have clear skin now. I have always been a semi decent looking dude but I have always felt like I have to hide my personality as well as my acne. The way I see, I now accept my acne as a blessing in disguise. For all the people who have not had to struggle through seeing chronic acne on their face they do not know what it means to persevere. Living with acne is one of the most challenging thinks that you can live with mentally. Its always on your mind. I used to find myself and still do sometimes thinking why is that person looking over here? Is it my face? Please Stop looking.... It was a constant nuisance. It is the gratitude that you have to shine into your life. Once you figure out how to love yourself you will accept who you were meant to be. You were not meant to be someone who struggles with acne. You are meant to be a survivor of acne, someone who has learned from the hardships and used these new skills to better your life as well as others.

 

I know I was rambling... Just thought I would share what I felt and what was on my mind.

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(@cheeseflick)

Posted : 05/19/2015 12:55 pm

Hi.

 

I want to help everyone on this board with Acne. I use to have very bad Cystic Acne. I wanted Accutane but my Derm suggested against it. My derm was AWESOME. I finally found what works for me. Thing she preached to me was PATIENCE and told me IT WILL WORK. Gotta believe. The thing you will need is time AND patience. Keep in mind it took over 1 year for this to work and I broke up REAL bad while I was within my 1 year. Still broke out after but not as much. Then it got less and less.... and now I do get occasional breakouts.

 

PLEASE. BE PATIENT. I WANT THIS TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. Keep this up for at least 1 year. You need time and patience. It will get worst throughout and then slowly get better.

 

1. Wash face with Cetaphil gentle cleanser only. Do not use any Acne products. It will dry your face out causing it to produce more oil. Use Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser 1-2 times a day.

2. I took antibiotics initially for 3 months to help with the initial breakout. My derm slowly got me off of them. I don't this antibiotics are the cure. It is all temporary and I still broke out bad while on them... so this is just whether or not you want to lessen the damage...

3. Tazorac .01% and Aczone.

 

After washing face. I put Aczone on and Tazorac on. LIGHT VERY MININAL layer of each medication. Put Aczone first. Then Tazorac. After. I moisturize with Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream.

 

Do this for 1 year AT LEAST to see progress. It WILL work. Trust me. Patience will get you through it. Keep beliving.

 

Thanks.

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(@hope7)

Posted : 05/19/2015 3:28 pm

Which birth control are you on? Some actually make your skin worse so you need to be on the one that is right for your hormone imbalance.

 

Do you moisturize? Use any natural exfoliants? (ie. baking soda)

 

My daughter was prescribed Benzaclin by her dermatologist after trying numerous other topicals and by three months of use she was 90% clear. ( Of course different products work differently for everyone)

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(@megtree)

Posted : 05/19/2015 5:11 pm

Hi - here's the thing. I have suffered from acne since puberty as well. Like you, I took birth control and it kept my acne at a moderate level. About 4 years ago I decided to go off birth control after ending a long term relationship. My acne slowly got worse and worse, starting on my body, chin and forehead. I went back on birth control, and the acne on my body and forehead cleared up but I began breaking out severely on the lower half of my face. I went to a dermatologist, who prescribed my an antibiotic.

 

After 3 months it was clear that the antibiotic would not work. He prescribed me another antibiotic which caused me to have horrible thrush about two weeks in. Not to be graphic, but the infection was so bad that it caused ulcers and skin flaking! My OB/Gyn took one look and said I needed off the antibiotics pronto. This experience was so horribly painful that I made a conscious decision not to take antibiotics for acne anymore - there was just no way I could risk the pain again.

 

My dermatologist was unsympathetic, so I went to a different dermatologist. She put me on Atralin, a retinoid and acanya- a BP/ antibiotic topical. The retinoid caused my skin to breakout horribly - and this is when the cystic acne started. My derm assured me that the break out was simply an initial flare up, and for about 3 months I endured worsening cystic acne. My acne tended to cluster on the lower half of my face, and so my derm suspected hormones to be the issue. She prescribed spironolactone, warning me it would take quite a while for me to see any results. Eight months later, my cystic acne was worse. She prescribed aczone and a low-dose doxycycline which did absolutely nothing. By the end of 2013 I was at my wits end. I went to a new dermatologist recommended by another doctor - and he immediately suggested accutane. I thought I wanted to avoid it at all costs because of all the "horror stories" I'd heard (I later learned that these stories were actually either made-up, or completely exaggerated), but I relented. One month later, I started accutane. It was a roller coaster for sure and the side effects (in my case peely lips and skin rashes) were no picnic but I ended my course last July. Today, I am almost completely clear. My only regret is not trying accutane sooner, before it started scarring.

 

If you're at your wits end, please do yourself a favor and do some serious research on the drug. Yes, there are down sides. Yes, like ANY drug it has it's risks, but right now it's the only thing that worked for me and a lot of other people.

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1
(@cc1990)

Posted : 05/23/2015 3:28 am

I know your hopeless feeling! But don't give up and keep staying positive! I find that my mood affects my skin sometimes (it's so hard to not be negative about my skin)... Anyways, what works for me is a healthy diet, exercise, juicing (carrots, apples, cucumber, beets, lemon, celery, oranges - these ingredients are rockstars for your skin and you should research it if you ever have the time), Aztec healing clay has worked wonders and so has tea tree oil and turmeric/honey. If you can afford it, you can go to a derm and get their opinion, you can get a food allergy test done and you see your gyno and switch up bp if you want.

 

Can you describe your acne? Stay positive and good luck :) everything will work out

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