Anybody? Anyone at all?

Yeah you can try to tell them that, but if your acne is severe enough they'd recommend accutane right away anyway.

Thanks so much for the response. I've gone like 3 forms now with nothing. (all different topics, though.)

I don't think my acne in of itself is severe enough... (Maybe I'm wrong.)

But I know my scaring and PIH is definetly an eye sore.

I'm hoping that they consider my acne severe enough for the 'tane. Tired of washing my face with BP, SA, sulfur, tired of home remedies. Tired of acne.

Hey. First, you should have no problem getting prescribed Accutane by a derm. My acne was mild to moderate but persistent and Accutane was the first thing they suggested. Albeit, it was all over my face and back (but not cystic or nodular). Just tell them you have tried everything else and nothing worked, like you said. Honestly, derms make so much money off pharmaceutical companies (like the ones who provide generic Accutane) that they will prescribe to mostly anyone (obviously not those with one or two pimples, though).

Does your school have a campus health center that you could see and get a prescription from? Or do they have a student insurance plan that you could use to get Accutane?

Dermatologists prescribe based on weight and total course dosage. So really, you can either do a short course with high dosage, or long course with low dosage. A short course with low dosage would be fairly ineffective and have a high chance for relapse.

I understand your struggle. I'm also a 19 yr old college student

They do have a campus health center, but I don't know if they'd be able to prescribe me accutane. I haven't really asked. Should I place a call?

Also, did you take the accutane? If so, what's it like?

I pay the health fee, and I haven't had to pay for a prescription that they've filled out yet. Accutane may be different since it's not just antibiotics or whatever. They have a pharmacy at the university, no insurance though :-/

Definitely check out their health center! I feel like I'm wasting my health center fees because I don't need anything from my school's pharmacy haha.

I'm currently on Accutane and it's pretty good so far! I don't have any side effects but dryness (all over my body) and an occasional nosebleed. I'm on 60mg/day and weigh about 114lb (52kg). I'm already seeing good results. I've been on it for 1 month and 3 weeks.

Most schools have an insurance plan, especially since they have a health center. If you can, tag onto your parent or guardian's insurance plan. Since I assume you go to school full time, you are covered by their insurance until you are 25 or 26.

I am a full time university student. I haven't heard anything about health insurance until now, but it does seem that they have an insurance plan. I don't know how much it would cost or if the derm I'm planning on going to will take it but it might be a great idea!

If you end up getting insurance from your parents/guardians, check and see which doctors are in your network and whether you have an open access plan. If your insurance is not open access, then you need to get a physician referral to a dermatologist. However, if you do have open access, you can choose whichever derm you like. Also, in-network derms and docs mean you only pay a co-pay (anywhere from $20-100 depending on your plan) and insurance pays the rest.

If your school has someone who can prescribe Accutane, though, you probably won't have to pay anything except for the meds. I know for my school, we pay the fees and then can see the doctors and counselors for free.

I'm going to make a call tomorrow and see what goes down.

Wish me luck, haha. If it doesn't work out, I'll try and press harder to see one of the derm's in this town. Will work on getting a health insurance plan that's compatible and hopefully where I won't need a referral, but I may be able to get one at the school.

School doesn't have a dermatologist.

My appointment for the derm is on the 3rd of August.

Uninsured at the moment, trying to find health insurance is awful in the USA.

I missed the open enrollment period apparently... I had no idea. Maybe I can still get health insurance,

but it looks like it will have to be in September...

I wonder if antibiotics will help. (Haven't tried every single one...) Not really wanting to try either, but maybe they might help while I have to wait.

I hope it all works out.

Antibiotics will work for the length of the period you take them. Only problem is the long term effects of continuously taking antibiotics, and the good bacteria they kill. But if you think you can get Accutane fairly soon (like in the next few months), then taking antibiotics like doxycycline or minocycline would be a good choice!

So, I've started the Paleo diet: (no bread, gluten, or dairy.) I've been doing that for about two weeks now... Taking vitamin A & C supplements, flax seed oil, and zinc.

I've been using a salicylic acid and sulfur wash twice a day.

I noticed some great improvement from those steps alone in two weeks.

Today, I went to my Derm and was prescribed Bactrim. (They said I need to try more antibiotics before the tane.) I'm hoping I can finally get myself under control. I feel super positive about this pathway.

Why are you looking for a short term/low dose? From what I've seen, acne is way more likely to stay away long term with a higher dose and full six month term.

If you're looking for short term relief with less aside effects, an antibiotic might be a better option.

I am currently taking Bactrim twice a day. I'll admit I've been doing the Paleo diet and it has helped my complexion pre-Bactrim, but I had two days where I ate things that aren't in the Paleo diet. Complexion is still meh... but has improved. I feel fine so far and hope that improvements continue even if I get a little less strict with my diet.

I'm also taking vitamin supplements as I said and have been drinking a liver detox tea.

Hi everyone.

So I have deviated from the paleo diet as well as been inconsistent with my face washing lately.

If you want the maximum results for your treatment, please maintain strict routine and intervals in your regimen.

I'm starting to break out again. I was only clearing up before hand, the break out is discouraging, but it's honestly not as bad as i would have been before.

Obviously, I'm not happy. I'm so tired of acne. I've had a few pimples since I was 11 years old, and now It's exploded in terribleness at my current age of 19.

You can imagine how not amusing it is to go to college and see the majority of everyone's clear face. I'm happy for them, really I am. I just wish to be among them, clear as well.

I experienced a breakout when I started bactrim so don't be discouraged. Anyways, bacterim is usually one of the last antibiotics they prescribe before accutane so don't worry, you'll get the clear skin you deserve one way or another and you'll walk among everyone else with awesome skin!

Thank you, friend!

I really appreciate the positivity and I look forward to the future.

How can i start a forum about my acne , i dont know how to lol

Hey Criz,

You go over to the community tab on the top, go to forms. Then click the forms that pertain to what you want to post. (In your case logs.) Then you click the button that says Start a New Topic.

Hope this helps!

*Update*

Currently not experiences additional large cysts.

After a little more than a month on Bactrim DS I have noticed some great improvement, it is important to keep up with everything that you're doing. The keys to this treatment is patience, strict routine based on even spaced intervals (12 hours), and maintaining everything that you're doing. In addition to taking Bactrim DS, I take vitamin A, vitamin C, and Flax Seed Oil every morning. I also take a probiotic and wash my skin twice a day. When I change my sleeping pattern or if I miss a scheduled cleaning of my skin, things get a little worse. Strict routine is super important! Also, whatever you do, absolutely do not mash. I know everyone says it on this site all of the time, but seriously, do not mash your skin! Picking a head with a sterilized needle is once thing, but if you're squeezing black heads and creating red marks, you are prolonging the healing process.

I'm very disappointed with myself, because I have mostly managed to leave myself alone, but alas today I lost control. I picked at a few blemishes and now my face looks much worse than it did. (I'm not saying it looks worse than before bactrim ds, but it doesn't look as good as it has been lately.)

Please take care of yourselves, exercise impulse control, and stick to your treatment. I know how crippling acne can be, it's pretty much taken over my life for quite some time. I know that antibiotics get a bad reputation on this site, but some treatment is better than none. (And personally, I think Bactrim DS works great!) I meet with my derm October 5th, I'm not sure if Bactrim will be the ending treatment for me, I still have about 4 more weeks before my derm said I should expect 50% to 75% improvement (although I need to not pick at my face at all to make sure that occurs.) I'm trying to remain positive. I will not be able to get health insurance until the open enrollment period begins here and then I have to wait until after January to actually have coverage. In which case, if this treatment does not work out, I expect to be on isotretinoin by then.

Good luck to everybody on here and know that I stand with you. I empathize with anybody suffering from acne, and hope to see a day where we all have healthy, radiant skin!