Preface: I left my old derm because I didn't like her and her staff.
I'll be honest I wholeheartedly came to this derm appointment expecting to be prescribed accutane. I have moderate/mild acne that is extremely persistent (I've had acne for over 8 years). I've tried many topicals/oral antibiotics that either did not work/ worked slightly/ made acne worse. But of course I was going to be let down and get prescribed another antibiotic from my new derm (bactrim).
She's actually really nice and very detailed orientated and explained that the reason she couldn't prescribe me accutane was because I was new and she didn't know the history of my acne (even though she never asked me about how bad it could get). I'm really disappointed because I felt that accutane was the best fit to get rid of my acne because most of my acne was caused by my extremely extremely oily skin and last I checked oral antibiotics cannot shrink your oil glands.
However, I do plan on taking bactrim and using the many many samples :)she gave me of a sulfur wash and retin-a micro (I am already using this). I'm just hoping I don't get any allergic reaction to the bactrim (as it's sulfur based). On the plus side she did sorta say that if this didn't work she may possibly think about accutane on my second visit (although with my luck she'll probably prescribe me another topical/antibiotic). Ohhh yeah my new derm is a lot nicer than my old derm and her staff is really great (and there's one of her staff members who is really cute and goes to my university 
Questions:
Anyone take bactrim with moderate/mild mostly comedonal acne with a few inflamed whiteheads?
Anyone notice that their acne came back after completing bactrim?
I have the exact same type of acne and was prescribed Retin-A and bactrim and it literally did nothing but make my face slightly worse, but I was prescribed accutane the next month. However, don't be discouraged by my experience, everyone is different. Usually bactrim is the last antibiotic they prescribe before moving on to accutane so regardless you'll be on the road to clear sooner or later!
Ok, first- there is a difference between sul-FUR and Sul-FA.
Sulfonamide (SulFA Drugs) is basically a molecule of Sulfur-Oxygen-Nitrogen-Hydrogen, and these are antibiotics that stop bacteria from reproducing. Lots of people are allergic to Sulfas.
SulFITES- are molecules that contain sulfur that happen because of fermentation- like in Wine (it's what gives people a headache/hangover)
SulFUR- is an element, a fractional part of the Sulfonomide or Sulfite molecules, and and is essential to life- NOBODY is allergic to Sulfur.
So- Just becuase someone is allergic to Sulfa medications, they cannot be allergic to Sulfur cream/soap etc.
They WILL be allergic to the antibiotic Sulfa or "Sulfacetamide" component of washes though,
I personally LOVE my 10% Sulfur wash, and will never use another cleanser as long as I live. I get it for about $3 on Amazon, and it's amazing.
6 days of Sulfur wash, Clindamyacin/Trenitoin, and Minocycline, and I literally have a whole new face!
